Today I’m pleased to have author Delia Latham as my guest. She is celebrating her birthday today with a blog blitz and give away. The more blogs you visit and comment on, the greater your chances of winning. To see a complete list of participating blogs and prizes, please visit Delia.

Tell us a bit about who you are outside of the writing field.

I’m a born-and-bred California gal, transplanted to Oklahoma at age 50. Talk about your “change of life!” My husband and I moved here in 2008, after he was medically retired (with COPD) and needed to get out of the San Joaquin Valley in California, with its sadly tarnished air. I am fortunate to be able to write full time—a new thing for me, and I’m loving it!

The Solomon’s Gate Series sounds intriguing, with the whole dating agency concept. Is your new release, Kylie’s Kiss, a part of that series? Share a bit about Solomon’s Gate.

Solomon’s Gate is a set of three books, based around a Christian dating agency of the same name. The introductory novel, Destiny’s Dream, focuses on Destiny May, who founds a Christian dating agency in a mid-sized, conservative California town. The two follow-up novels involve a couple of Destiny’s “Seekers,” which is her name for the people who come to her seeking a soul mate.

Kylie’s Kiss, book two in the series, released April 29. I’m excited about this book, and the true-to-life issues in the storyline. Here’s a blurb:

On a dare, Kylie Matthews lands smack in the middle of Solomon’s Gate—Castle Creek’s new Christian dating agency—and she finds herself revealing exactly what she’s waiting for in a relationship: “The kiss that steals my breath away.”

What she doesn’t reveal is her lack of self-esteem or her irrational reaction to facial disfigurement. Neither is applicable to her quest to find the perfect match. But that seemingly superficial malady becomes all-important when her first agency-arranged date is Rick Dale—a man who is everything Kylie is searching for. He’s handsome, smart, fun. Rick has it all…including an angelic six-year-old daughter with severe scarring on one side of her face.

Hard at work founding a therapy camp for young female victims of deformity or disfigurement, Rick wants Kylie to be a part of those plans. She’d love to say yes…but how can she, when every contact with the facility’s guests—and Rick’s own daughter—will make her violently ill?

Kylie is ready to admit their relationship doesn’t stand a chance, but she’s forgotten that God makes a way where there seems no way.

How do you market your work, or does your publisher do the majority of the marketing?

My publisher is wonderful about doing everything they can to get the word out and place our books. They are, however, a small press, and I am expected to help with the marketing. That said, even large publishing houses are now asking authors to contribute something to the promotional process, so I don’t mind. I’m grateful to find a reputable home for my books. White Rose is recognized by both RWA and ACFW, so they must be doing something right.

We’d love a little hint about what’s inside Kylie’s Kiss. Would you share a scene from the book?

I’d love to!

Rick settled into a seat across from Kylie and Clay and sat in silence for a moment, a slight frown drawing his dark brows together. Finally he looked up, first at Clay, then in her direction. “Kylie, I haven’t had a chance to share with you about Lea, though I believe Clay knows a little.”

Her heart sank and her gaze flew to her boss, who nodded. Yes, he knew about Lea, whoever she was. This didn’t sound good. “Who’s Lea?”

“She’s my little girl.” Kylie drew in a slow, deliberate breath, forcing herself to stay calm. So he had a daughter. As long as a wife wasn’t the next announcement, she could handle that.

“You have a child. How old is she?”

“She just turned six.” Rick’s expression softened as he spoke, and Kylie knew without a doubt that Lea was his life. His green eyes, startling against the olive of his skin, met hers without flinching. “She’s a special child, Kylie. Smart, beautiful, charming….” Kylie found herself fascinated by the adorable little self-derisive grin that played about his lips. “And sweet as cotton candy.”

Kylie couldn’t help smiling. “You don’t like her much, huh?”

“She is my heart and soul.” A little sheepish, but unrepentant.

“When do we get to meet this perfect child?” Clay’s grin lit up his craggy face. “Destiny’s already looking forward to it, but be warned—she’s going to try to keep her. My wife has a thing with kids, man. She loves ’em, and they always love her right back.”

Rick laughed a little, but his tone was serious. “I hope she still feels that way after she meets Lea.” He pulled a wallet from his pocket, then sat for a moment, saying nothing.

Puzzled, Kylie watched him run slender fingers through his thick black hair. Again and again he invaded the thick waves, managing to somehow leave them only slightly mussed. Finally he opened the billfold and pulled out a photo.

When he raised his head, revealing the torment in his eyes, her heart nearly stopped. What was wrong with Lea? Whatever it was, did Rick think it would make a difference in how she or Clay might feel about the child? If so, he certainly didn’t give them much credit.

“This is Lea.” He handed the photo to Clay, who smiled and passed it on to Kylie.

“She’s a cutie all right, my friend. You weren’t exaggerating. So what’s the problem?”

Kylie wondered the same thing. The photo showed a partial silhouette of an extraordinarily beautiful child. Unlike her olive-skinned father, Lea was a vision of light. Golden hair, porcelain skin, eyes the color of a robin’s egg. Kylie met Rick’s gaze, mystified by his obvious unease. “She’s lovely.”

“Thank you. I think so.” He pulled out another photo and handed it to Clay. “In spite of this.”

Kylie’s stomach clenched and threatened to revolt. Her boss’s flinch was slight, but unmistakable. Oh, dear God, please help me handle whatever this is with grace. How ironic that her first real prayer in years would be one of such a pitifully begging nature. Somehow she knew her reaction to this photo could mean life or death for her relationship with Rick. How strange that she’d be thinking in terms of a relationship now, when only moments before she’d been ready to concede defeat.

Clay nodded slowly, then met Kylie’s eyes. He held briefly to the picture even after her fingers closed on it. His words were directed to his friend, but his gaze held hers. “You’re right, my friend. Nothing could make this child anything less than perfect.”

He released the photo into Kylie’s grip. By now she did not want to look at it. Something in Rick’s eyes and Clay’s voice told her she could be in trouble. But what choice did she have?

Her eyes moved in slow, jerking movements from Clay’s face to the photo in her hands. She gasped, overwhelmed with sympathy—and total panic.

Another silhouette, shot from the opposite side of Lea’s face. Long, lumpy red welts stained her exquisite skin, puckering her cheek into an inhuman mask. Kylie had no idea she was crying until the tears tickled her face, even as her throat closed and her stomach lurched.

The photo fluttered to the floor as she leaped to her feet. Sending the two men a desperately apologetic look, she flew out of the room with a hand over her mouth.

What can we expect from you next?

I’m working on a book of women’s fiction. It incorporates characters from two of my earlier books…Yesterday’s Promise and Goldeneyes. This is a bit unusual, since Goldeneyes is set in 1936 and 1959, and Yesterday’s Promise is a contemporary romance. Readers who’ve read either or both of those books will definitely be interested in this one. I’m also working on a short novella for a Valentine collection. Now to find a home for it… 🙂

What advice would you give to budding authors who have published a book and now ask, “What next?”?

Start writing your next one! That said, it’s so important to learn everything you can about marketing a book, because you should be doing that even before yours is released. If you don’t already have a platform of followers/fans, start building one—yesterday! Use as many social networking tools as you can efficiently handle, and work them. If you don’t have a website, get one. This will be crucial to your publicity, and if you can’t afford to have one done professionally, there are numerous free web hosting companies online. Webs.com is a good one. Above all, place your career in the hands of God and follow His lead. He sees the bumps in the road ahead that are not within your line of sight yet, and He knows how to guide you through, around, under or over them…whichever is best for your situation. Trust Him!

As a successful author, are there any words of wisdom you’d like to share?

“Successful” is probably stretching it a bit. I’m still struggling to make a name for myself and get my books on the bookstore shelves, because I truly feel that each of them hold a message from God for someone—hopefully more than one someone. My advice is always, first of all, to write from the heart. Also, I think it’s absolutely vital to a writer’s success to find a place they can call their own, whether that means a fully-dedicated office, the corner of a bedroom, the end of a dining table, or a closet dedicated to the cause. Wherever, whatever it is, go to that place every day, preferably at the same time every day, and write. Write badly if necessary on some days, but write. That’s what writer’s do.

Do you have a favorite verse of scripture?

I actually have two, and it’s impossible for me to choose one over the other.

This first one is my daily plea, because I need a new, clean heart every day—and only God can keep my spirit right and steadfast!

Psalm [51:10]—Create in me a clean heart, O God,And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

And this one I like to read every morning, because it reminds me where my mind should be channelled.

Philippians 4:8— ⁸Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Just for fun, what super power would you like to be blessed with?

Just one? I think I’d like to be able to fly, then I could visit all the places I’d love to see without having to spend the money to get there.