SPRING RAINE - Delia Latham - A Book Giveaway

Welcome back, Delia. Tell us about your salvation experience.

What a precious memory! I was seven years old. My father’s brother pastored a church in our neighborhood, and my parents had been attending that church for about a year when I asked to be baptized. My parents agreed, and my pastor-uncle baptized me in the precious name of Jesus. I still remember how my heart beat a timpani rhythm while he placed my hands over my nose and mouth, and spoke the familiar words I’d heard him say before other baptismal ceremonies. He dipped me all the way under the water, and I came up speaking in another tongue. It was the most amazing, unforgettable experience of my life!

My salvation experience was when I was 7 years old, too. You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

• Mac Lucado. No one says anything more beautifully and more “to the heart” than this man. How does he do it? I’d love to hear, from the man himself, about his writing journey, and how he comes up with such amazing, heart-stirring, life-changing turns of phrase.
• Beth Moore. She’s amazing, both as a writer and a speaker. I’d love to learn a little about both from her, in a relaxed setting like a private retreat.
• Stephen King. Surprising, I know, but he’s a successful, riveting author who’s scrabbled his way from the bottom to the top. A lot of hard-earned writing wisdom is stowed away in that admittedly dark brain. I’d love to shine a light on it and take away a bunch of gold nuggets.
• Debora Coty. Someone needs to be there to make us laugh, and besides…Deb’s a really good writer.
• Tanya Stowe. I can’t imagine planning a writing retreat without including my critique partner, co-author and friend, from whom I’ve learned so much on the craft of writing.

Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

I don’t speak often, and I wouldn’t consider it a ministry, per se. Most of my speaking gigs are writing-related. Occasionally I do share a spiritual topic with a church group, and again, I do find a great deal of satisfaction in doing so, but my real ministry is in writing.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?

Hmmm….I can’t really think of anything, so I must not have yet experienced a truly embarrassing writing-related moment. Well, there was the time I sent a very private message to the entire Pelican Book Group author loop…but that was more horrifying than embarrassing. I learned a valuable lesson that day, though. I’m much better now about double-checking my recipient list before hitting send on an email!

People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?

I always say, “There’s no time like the present. Start writing.”

Tell us about the featured book.

Spring Raine is the first novel in a 4-book series called Paradise Pines. The series takes place in Cambria—a charming, seaside village on California’s Central Coast. My husband and I have a friend who has generously shared her Cambria home with us on numerous occasions, and we’ve come to love this little town, and the surrounding area. For a romance writer, Cambria holds so many possibilities for creativity. And I have to admit, writing while sitting in our friend’s living room, with the window open to the sound of the ocean…well, there’s nothing else like it! I simply had to build a series around this much-loved getaway location.

Here’s a blurb from Spring Raine:

An uncharacteristic, last-minute decision to do something “wild and crazy” before entering the stressful world of forensic science sends Raine Presley to Cambria, California. Against a cloud of disapproval from her slightly manipulative, over-protective parents, she signs a seasonal lease at the beautiful Paradise Pines Lodge...and winds up over her head in life and love.

Declan Keller’s just minding his own business—literally—when Raine drops into his world and turns it upside down. He’s far too busy carving beautiful shapes out of chunks of wood to be babysitting a gal from Pasadena. Even so, his father’s promise to an old friend obligates him, despite a looming deadline that could make or break his career in the art world. He’s praying for anything but Raine when she comes along.

Neither Declan nor Raine is prepared for the seemingly divine influence of Paradise Pines—and Miss Angelina Love. A mysterious lady who may or may not own the lodge, Miss Angie possesses an amazing talent for mending ruffled feathers, spouting proverbs, and somehow bending even the most determined of hearts to the power of love.

Please give us the first page of the book.

For a moment she couldn’t breathe, and then the barest whisper passed her lips—half spontaneous praise, half simple awe. “Oh my…I’ve found Paradise!” From within her sporty little red convertible, Raine Presley peered through a misty early March drizzle at the most beautiful piece of land she’d ever seen. Paradise Pines Lodge. Her home for the next few months.

Aside from the forest of tall Cambria pines, which she had expected to see, the grounds boasted a huge number of beautiful old sycamore trees—tall, stately, and dripping with silvery Spanish moss. Moonlight glowed through the lacy fingers of hanging flora, creating a somewhat haunting air, and a tiny shiver made its way up her spine. But not enough to make her turn and leave. The beauty far outshone the slight spookiness of moss in moonlight.

Square in the center of the surrounding forest of variegated tree species, many of which Raine found unfamiliar, the lodge itself demanded far more than a passing glance. The website had described Paradise Pines Lodge as “spacious.” Raine chuckled as she pulled her car under the east carport, as she’d been directed. Spacious was a blatant understatement. The place was huge, and yet warmth and welcome radiated from within. Lights shone from every facing window—and they were many. Two chimneys, one on each end of the lodge, sent thin plumes of smoke spiraling into the sky.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’m easy to find, especially if you take these shortcuts:

Website

Chirp ’N Chatter Blog

Amazon Author Page

Facebook

Twitter

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