Delaina Netherland Smiley Talks One More Santa
Today I welcome Delaina to my blog to talk about her Christmas Novella: One More Santa
Q: Where is your novella, One More Santa set?
Delaina: One More Santa is set just west of Austin, Texas. Christmas is my favorite time of the year and I enjoy all of the traditions – old and new – and time spent with my family. I wanted to bring some of our own traditions (like the Santa collection) into a story and still present a tale I didn’t think anyone had heard before.
Q: What is your favorite part about Christmas and does it show up in the novella?
Delaina: My favorite part is the determination the McWilliams women have to change the lives of other women and their children through a holiday experience they might not have had otherwise. I think people who do such extraordinary work in their communities aren’t praised often enough and I wanted to shine a little light on those faces.
Q: What was the hardest scene to write in the book?
Delaina: Both the Christmas rainbow and the archery tournament! My son is a competitive archer and, thankfully, he didn’t get tired of my questions – “what’s the term for this” and “describe what you’re doing when you’re doing this”. He was very helpful in all things archery and I’m grateful.
Q: Tell me about your main characters.
Delaina: Cassie McWilliams is a busy young woman and she loves her life as it is. She runs the family’s charity – The Santa House – while also building her sports photography business and she’s a very involved aunt to her only niece, Ruby. She’s not looking to add anyone into the mix, much to the disappointment of her two sisters. And while Officer Talent Marshall didn’t move to town to find love, he can’t help but be intrigued by Cassie and he is happy to be a part of the security detail for the charity’s busiest season.
Q: What is the oddest or most fun gift you have ever received?
Delaina: I’ll go with oddest. When my son was in elementary school, they sent home the “Mom Interview” that asked about all my favorites. I didn’t want to say the same old things as everyone else, so when it came to my favorite animal, I told him mine was a pink flamingo. For Christmas that year, I got a pink flamingo figurine – with a Santa hat, of course. It has since broken, but I certainly remember how proud he was of this gift. I’ve received quite a few pink flamingos since then and now they are truly my favorite animal.
Q: What is your Christmas décor color theme this year?
Delaina: Red and green. Traditional all the way.
Q: If you have cats or dogs, tell us how they react to the putting up of the Christmas tree. (I have cats and they bat the ornaments off. Every. Day.)
Delaina: Haha. The two labs we had (who have since passed) liked to lay under the tree. They didn’t seem to mind the hubbub. However, this year, we have a rambunctious English Bulldog, who I’m a little nervous about having near a tree full of breakables. We may have to rethink our décor this year.
Q: What are you working on now?
Delaina: I’m reworking a couple of manuscripts – one is a beach read. I also have a couple of non-fiction books in mind. My goal is to publish five new books in 2020. Lofty, but I do have a head start since the first two are already started.
Thank you for joining me today, Delaina
ABOUT THE BOOK
Cassie McWilliams is completely committed to her work as a professional sports photographer, president of The Santa House Women’s Charity, and helping her family in their hometown diner, which leaves no time for romance—and that’s perfectly fine with Cassie. She has no interest in trying to squeeze dating into her busy schedule. Officer Talent Marshall is a new recruit to the police force and the newest bachelor in town. All he wants to do is start over, away from the shadows of his past, but when he meets the beautiful and smart Cassie, his priorities suddenly change. And when he’s assigned to security detail for The Santa House, he’s one step closer to getting exactly what he wants. As Christmas approaches, their attraction grows, but when Talent is called to help find amissing child, their relationship is threatened by raging waters, leaving Cassie to realize one very important thing: She doesn’t want one more Santa—a precious gift her late father gave her mother every year before he passed—she wants more chance with Talent.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Delaina Netherland Smiley is an East Texas native, who lives in the country with her three fun teenagers/young adult children. She’s a business coach and trainer by day, a writer by night, and a hobby photographer whenever she gets the chance. Her favorite genre of books is, of course, romance (faith-based, military, contemporary and historical), but her music playlist is oddly eclectic (at least, according to her children). She loves to go fishing at the lake and she can’t get enough of watching her children excel in their own varied talents and ambitions. She also enjoys being an aunt and loves time spent with her tight-knit family, who serve up all the creative inspiration she could ever need.
Facebook: Delaina Netherland Smiley – Writer (@dnetherlandsmiley)
Instagram: Delaina Netherland Smiley (@dnetherlandsmiley)
Twitter: Delaina Netherland Smiley (@DelainaSmiley)
Melony Teague is a freelance writer who believes everyone has a story to tell. As co-author of As the Ink Flows, she loves to inspire and motivate others through her written words. With foamy lattes in-hand, she writes Contemporary Romance with a dash of humor. Watch for her debut, A Promise to Keep out Jan 2020. Though she has no hobbies outside of reading, writing, and eating chocolate, she is a member of ACFW and teaches seniors in her community to write their memoirs. She confesses with no shame that she has a strong belief that pumpkin pie is an acceptable breakfast food since it’s mostly vegetables. Melony was born in South Africa and now lives in the melting pot that is Toronto with her husband, their two teenagers, and two cats who think they’re humans.
