A Writer’s Life
Celebrating a couple of fictional couples!
In the past week, two of my romances have hit publishing anniversaries. Today, it’s my sweet romance Meetings of Chance. Ten years since Tom and Megan came to “life.” Launching a book into the world is a big event for any author. It’s the culmination, for me, of many months, maybe more than a year, of writing, researching and editing. ![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000026_00033]](https://darlenedeluca.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/moc_cover-front.jpg)
(Okay, yes, there’s also the hand-wringing, tweaking, staring into space, critiquing, and head-banging.) For at least a year, I spend a lot of time with these characters, getting into their heads and personalities, trying to figure out how they would respond in any given situation. What would they do or say? So much so, that they really do seem to become real!
I love the springy feel of this cover and that gorgeous rose! You can get a sneak peek by reading the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon or taking a look at my Pinterest storyboard. Meetings of Chance is a sweet romance with a hint of mystery. And, of course, a happy-ever-after. Here are a few of my favorite lines:
Standing in the parking lot, Tom shoved his hands into his pockets and watched her drive away. Part of him wanted to go after her. Was that what she wanted? Keep it friendly, she’d said. With no regard for the Italian leather loafers he wore, he kicked at the gravel under his feet. Friends didn’t kiss like that.
The other book that celebrated an anniversary a few days ago is Something Good. It’s a slightly steamier romance. Mandi is trying to recover from some mistakes and a tragedy while Lane is trying to make his mark in the field of urban planning and development. Problem is, Mandi lives in the trailer park Lane targets for demolition. As if that wasn’t enough, he’s way out of her league. Isn’t he?
According to Kirkus Reviews, it’s “an absorbing story of redemption that’s hard to put down.” And InD’Tale Magazine says, “With surprising plot twists and unique character conflict, Something Good more than lives up to its name!”
A couple of lines:
–Her throat constricted. A sense of loyalty kept her at Jimmy’s. She’d stay there until she had enough money to blast out of Texas for good. The people there had helped her through the worst days of her life. She owed them. They’d covered for her through the times when she froze up, threw up or didn’t even show up.
–Lane Whitmore was too good to be true. Of course, she’d known it the first time she’d seen him. He was temporary – like an over-the-counter medication, he provided temporary relief from common aches and pains.
Both books are available in digital or paperback formats from all your favorite online retailers. You can also request them from your local library. Happy anniversary to Lane and Mandi and Tom and Megan. And happy reading to all!
Darlene
https://www.pinterest.com/darlenedelucaau/_saved/
https://www.amazon.com/Meetings-Chance-Darlene-Deluca-ebook/dp/B00C2IT3DS/
https://www.amazon.com/Something-Good-Darlene-Deluca-ebook/dp/B00J8UN1GI/
Debut Novel Turns Ten!
Wow! Today, my first published novel turns ten years old. Unexpected Legacy, which combines general fiction and sweet romance story lines, was published after I meandered my way through a serious learning curve. I have a degree in Journalism and spent the first 30 thirty years of my career writing newspaper and magazine articles and communications materials, so I already had the basics of writing. But stepping into the world of fiction, I had to learn a new way of writing. I had to learn about working with critique partners and beta readers. I had to establish a social media presence and learn how to format a 99,000-word book for publication. That was an exercise in frustration, to be sure! All of the elements, from coming up with a title, to polishing the book, to creating a cover, came together after what felt like months and months of struggle. I still remember the nervous excitement of pushing “publish” and opening the package that held my first author copy. The fun payoff! 🙂
As my first novel, Unexpected Legacy still holds a special place in my heart. I re-read it last week and made some tweaks. Tightened it up. Took out some unnecessary words. It’s amazing how every time I read back through one of my novels I still find things I want to change, scenes I might write differently today. That said, when I got to the last page, I found that I still liked the characters and the story. I’m still proud of the accomplishment and happy to have it out in the world.
I also went back and read through some of the reviews and was touched that the book struck a chord a few readers. Here’s one of my favorite reviews:
In celebration of the anniversary, I’ve put the digital version on sale for just 99 cents. Have an E-reader? Hope you’ll add Unexpected Legacy to your library! It’s available at all the usual online retailers in both ebook and paperback versions.
Happy new year, and happy reading!
Darlene
Unexpected Legacy:
Matt Dalton’s world is spinning off its axis. Without warning, he’s thrown into the world of parenting a teenager. Matt meets his son for the first time when the sixteen-year-old is dealing with the consequences of a tragic car accident. Not only has Brady lost his best friend, he faces disability and scars both physical and emotional.
Determined to do whatever it takes to give his son a second chance, Matt looks to his alma mater to step up and help Brady regain his athletic abilities and sense of self. But sparks fly when he meets the high school principal, the captivating Kate Austen. Kate is ready to take Brady under her wing, but to her that means helping him refocus and find a new passion – using his brains rather than his brawn. Kate fully expects the younger Dalton to come with issues and challenges . . . his father may prove to be the biggest one of all.
Though the chemistry is hard to ignore, Kate fights to keep her personal feelings and professional life separate. At the same time, Matt struggles to gain his son’s trust, and Brady must face the road to recovery and find a way to accept the changes in his life.
Unexpected Legacy is a compelling story of bravery, compromise and resilience.
https://books.apple.com/us/book/unexpected-legacy/id595649773
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/unexpected-legacy
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unexpected-legacy-darlene-deluca/1114072427?ean=2940044236271
Who’s Feeling Lucky?
Do you enjoy discovering new authors? Have you ever been hesitant to try a new author? Maybe your budget doesn’t allow you to try all the authors you’d like. Well, here’s a super opportunity for you! While this weekend might be all about shopping, here’s one thing that won’t cost a dime––enter for a chance to win eight books from a group of Kansas City authors. It’s a multi-author, multi-genre opportunity!
One lucky reader (U.S. only) will win all eight books. The books will be mailed in December after the close of the contest. Keep them for yourself, or give them as gifts! You can visit the Of Books and Nooks website to check out the individual authors and their work.
While we all write individually, the group has teamed up to offer you a glimpse into the lives of writers, travel adventures, recipes, book reviews and more! Come along and follow us!
Don’t miss this opportunity.
Good luck and happy reading to all!
Darlene
Holiday Giveaway
Happy New Year to All!
Wow! That was a fast year! For me, it was full of ups and downs, but mostly ups. My daughter got married, and my son got engaged! We had showers and a bachelorette get-away and a fabulous wedding and reception. Lots of special memories were made.
I published a holiday novella with The Wild Rose Press and finished a full-length romance novel that’s now in the editing phase. Just completed the rough draft of a short story for an anthology, and getting back to a women’s fiction novel I started a few years ago. It promises to be a busy year ahead!
Of course not everything was rosy in 2021. I lost a brother-in-law to cancer. And we didn’t end the pandemic. We didn’t get to travel freely. To kick off the new year, I’m supposed to go on my first ever cruise this month. Sadly, that might not happen. While it’s frustrating, I’m trying to do my part to follow guidelines and science and get through this.
Come on, 2022! Let’s make it a good year!
Wishing you all a peaceful, prosperous and happy new year with books to read and time with all your favorite peeps in all your favorite places! Cheers!
Darlene
That time I didn’t win Mom of the Year
Sometime you just have to laugh.
Ever have one of those brain cramp/senior moments? You know what I’m talking about, right? Now think about those in terms of Mom moments. Here’s one for you
—It was kind of a silly sad incident, but it’s also provided a lot of laughter over the years.
One morning in all the rush to get everyone to work or school on time, I breezed into the kitchen to help manage the chaos. Every day we packed a lunch for my son, who happened to be the World’s Pickiest Eater. This kid ate peanut butter and jelly, or honey, every day of his life for YEARS. Even when we went out to eat, which was often, we’d pack a sandwich and take a little bag with us.
Anyway, on this particular morning, I saw the day’s sandwich sitting on the counter, so I grabbed a plastic bag, shoved the sandwich inside and completed the lunch bag with a juice box and whatever else went in that day. Done. Move along. Chop, chop.
Well, later that day…my son opens the bag at lunchtime only to discover his “sandwich” is actually two slices of bread. No peanut butter. No jelly or honey. You can imagine his surprise! Yum!
In my defense, it looked like a sandwich! This little incident, while trivial, has become an example of my (not too many) failures in the Mom department. He survived. And I can handle being laughed at a little. We’re not perfect. Things happen. And it’s little shared memories like this that bond us and keep us real. 🙂
Is there a little incident that kept you from winning Mom Of The Year? 
Enjoy the day!
Darlene
Petals, posies and blooms, oh my!
Happy May Day! It’s been a gorgeous (but slightly cool) spring. The flowering trees have been stunning, and the perennials are bursting with color. And all I can say is Yay, Spring! It’s such a relief when the cold is behind us and we can get outside again. My husband and I took our first walk of the season the other day. It’s fun to get out see people and peek at everyone else’s yards. There’s something about the warmer temps and sunny skies that just makes me feel better! Hope you are enjoying the blossoming of spring. Here are a few snapshots that capture the color and mood!
Might be a great day for a book and a glass of iced tea on the patio!
Darlene
A Little Shot; A Very Big Deal!
A year ago today the Covid-19 crisis cut short my spring break trip to see my sister in Dallas. I’m so happy to report that I marked the anniversary of that date by getting my first Covid vaccine!
While inklings of disaster were just beginning this time last year, I stuck to my plan and drove from Kansas City to 
Dallas. Spent a beautiful day at the Dallas Arboretum, where there was plenty of room to spread out and avoid others. But the next day, we attempted to do some shopping, and everything felt weird. So, after only two days, I packed my bags, turned around, and drove nine hours back home.
By then, the Big 12 basketball tournament and the NCAA tournament—the big dance—had been cancelled. For a KU grad and Jayhawk basketball fan, this was huge. News reports were bad, and things were not looking good.
It was a terrible year. The pandemic messed up milestone birthday celebrations for me, my mom, and my daughter. No book signings or author events. Restaurants shutting down. People out of work. Vacations cancelled. Holidays without family. People dying without loved ones at their side. One of my brothers died in 2020. No family was present, and we were unable to have a memorial service.
It’s heartbreaking that so many people were lost. I’m so grateful for the scientists and medical professionals who worked tirelessly to save lives and bring us an effective vaccine.
It’s such a relief to see light at the end of the tunnel. I was a little apprehensive to get the shot today. I’ve been known to pass out during a blood draw. Turned out it was just a little prick. No big deal. But, actually, it’s a very big 
deal. It’s a shot of hope. I feel as if I’m getting my life back. Five more weeks—and I’m counting down the days.
All of a sudden my blank calendar is filling up! So far, yesterday and today I’ve made several long overdue appointments— hair cut and color (Yikes! It’s been a full year!), teeth cleaning, and a mammogram. Most exciting of all, I booked flights for an author/reader event in Connecticut in July. That just happens to coincide with a bridal shower for my daughter. Her engagement was the one bright spot in this tedious, awful year. We now have so much to look forward to. Let the fun begin!
Happy spring to all. Hopeful that you, too, are seeing light in the days ahead.
Darlene
Authors, libraries and books! Oh, my!
Hello, everyone! Hope your weekend is off to a great start! Today is the final day of Mid-Continent Public Library’s Local Author Fair. I’m one of the authors featured on the 1:30 p.m. (CT) panel discussing books, writing and publishing. In the past, this has been a really fun live event where I’ve met readers while selling and signing books.
Alas, this year it’s a virtual event. But, hey, that means more people can tune in, and you can do so from the safety of your own home! I’ll be discussing my writing journey, the women’s fiction and romance genres, and featuring my newest release, “The Story Between Us.” The panel highlights four different authors writing a variety of styles and genres.
Many thanks to MCPL for all their work in putting this together and supporting local authors. Hope you’ll join us!
“The Story Between Us” is a sweet romance available in both digital and paperback formats from a variety of online resources. Click here to visit the Amazon page, learn more, and check out the reader reviews!
Is your book club meeting virtually? Choose one of my books to read and discuss, and I’m happy to join the meeting online! Find discussion questions and contact me on the website.
Happy reading to all!
Darlene
A Review Roundup
Whew! It’s been a crazy, busy few weeks since the release of my newest book, “The Story Between Us.” It’s a tense time for any author — watching sales and rankings and waiting for reviewers to render judgment. Reviews are slowly but surely coming in, and I’m happy to report they are looking good! 🙂 Here’s a peek:
A great book for this pandemic time period. You can lose yourself in this story and it will leave you with a smile. A well-written love story that even exposes the soulless nature of writing books for the Big Five. Recommended to every fan of Hallmark romances. This would make a must-watch Hallmark Channel movie. –N.N. Light’s Book Heaven
What I enjoyed about this story is the depth of the characters. . . I enjoyed watching Reed adjust, learn new skills he would need as a single parent, and realize that maybe there is more to life than becoming an executive in a large corporation. … Overall a delightful book and we give this book 4 paws up. — Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews
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“The Story Between Us” is an utterly charming tale of life, loss, and finding love in unexpected places. — InD’Tale Magazine
“Kristen Hanover is a winsome heroine and THE STORY BETWEEN US is a satisfying romance that will warm your heart and renew your belief in the hope of happy endings.” –Marie Bostwick, NYT and USAToday bestselling author of Hope on the Inside
Next time you enjoy a book, consider leaving a short review! Many retailers, including Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com, and some reader sites, such as BookBub and Goodreads, give you the option of leaving a review. You just might make someone’s day!
Happy reading to all!
Darlene
“The Story Between Us” is available in digital and paperback formats.
darlene deluca 