Let's Take a Break!

There’s been a lot of talk this week about Black Friday and the upcoming shopping frenzy.  There’s also been talk of shopping on Thanksgiving Day. Yep, on Thanksgiving Day. 

Have you seen the visual that says Only in America do we trample each other to get a deal the day after we’re thankful for everything we already have? (or something to that effect).

Yesterday I saw another one that raised the question about retail stores being open on Thanksgiving Day. The gist was that if I’m shopping, someone else is working.

That’s what’s sad about the current trend to open earlier and earlier, and finally, to encroach on the holiday itself.

The holiday. Thanksgiving is a national holiday. A tradition. It’s a day when people should feel proud of the Pilgrim spirit and their ability to feel thankful in the face of incredible struggle and hardship. It’s a day to celebrate the year’s bounty. For most people that doesn’t mean crops. It means a day to be thankful for what you’ve got – whatever that may be.

Most of the people I know would put family and friends at the top of their list of things to be thankful for. So, the question is, do you want to be with your friends and family members on Thanksgiving? And now the big ah-ha: so does everyone else!

Retail hours suck. In many cases, retail jobs suck. They are often low paying, lots of hours on your feet, dealing with masses of people. Not in the dream-job category for most of us.

Do the people in those jobs really need to work on Thanksgiving Day? Not for me, that’s for sure. I love that Thanksgiving has traditionally been a day to relax, to shut off from the rest of the world. Even on years when we’re not getting together with the whole fam, I relish a day to wind down, stay inside, and avoid the hustle, bustle, rush, multi-task frenzy of everyday life.

Of course, there are people who really do have to work on the holiday. Fire crews, hospital personnel, etc. People in those kinds of jobs are essential. (Hey, there’s another thing to be thankful for!)  But for the rest of us . . . take a break, peeps! Relax. The stores aren’t going anywhere. Isn’t five a.m. Friday morning soon enough?

I pledge not to shop on Thanksgiving Day, and I hope retailers will not crumple under any competitive pressure to open their doors. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

In Good Company

Can't stop smiling. Saw my books on the shelf at a local bookstore over the weekend, and the placement is so awesome. There sit all three Darlene Deluca novels sandwiched between Barbara Delinsky and Jude Deveraux. Not a bad place to be!
I confess that when I chose the pen name of Deluca, the thought did cross my mind that I could be near one of my favorite authors, and could possibly be seen by readers who enjoy her work. I couldn't ask for a better location. Now, I hope that the book covers entice those readers to pick up the novels and read about them. And I hope the descriptions will be of interest to readers who enjoy multiple story lines about friendship, family relationships, real-life situations and in some cases, a little romance. Happy reading to all!

The Waiting Game

I’m always in a hurry to get from November to April. I hate winter, hate being cold and having to deal with hats, coats, gloves, etc. Not a fan of ice or snow, either. By January, I’m desperately in need of sunshine – not the clear sun of a sharp winter day, but warm, skin-toasting rays of summer sun.

This year, however, I have another reason to rush to April. I need information. My family and I will be in limbo through these cold winter months. We’ll be waiting for news of college acceptances, coach’s decisions, financial aid packages, NSF grants and PhD programs.

There’s a lot on the line. For example, will I be able to start the kitchen project we’ve talked about for years, or will that be pushed to the back burner for another four years? Will our kids be living on opposite sides of the country for the next few years? Will our daughter still be in school, or will she get a job and begin the no-vacation phase of life? How much support will she need?

We won’t know the answers to these questions until April.

Patience has never been my strong suit, so months of waiting sounds like pure torture to me. I’m thinking the bears have the right idea. I’d like to stuff myself on a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, second helpings of pecan pie for good measure, and then drift into hibernation for four months. I’d love to enjoy a long, deep sleep then wake to spring sunshine and all the answers to the questions that will determine the course of our lives for the next several years!

Teen Readers Rock!

Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with three groups of high school teens, mostly young women, during their book club discussion. To my delight, they read my novel Unexpected Legacy for their group read in October. It’s mainstream fiction with romantic elements that crosses over to young adult.
It was wonderful to hear that they liked my book, and thought it was engaging and realistic, with characters they could relate to. It was a nice little ego boost.

But what really struck me in the two hours I spent at the school, was how many of the students are reading and writing for pleasure, are interested in the writing and publishing process, and are active on Goodreads. A few of them were even planning to participate in NaNoWriMo. One young woman said she would stay up until midnight on Halloween night so that she could begin writing!

During our discussion, we talked about self-publishing and writing habits. They wanted to know about scene selection, and where ideas come from. They asked great questions about character development and dialog that showed they’d really put some thought into reading and analyzing the book.

I’m thrilled that my kids’ high school librarian is sponsoring a book club. And making it cool. She wrote a proposal, and was granted funds from the school's education foundation to purchase Nooks for the book club and a budget for purchasing ebooks. The students simply check out the Nooks for book club. It’s a great way to foster a love of reading, and to bring together young readers in a support/discussion group.

I know the young adult genre has exploded in the last several years thanks to series such as Harry Potter and Twilight. Still, this is the age of too many activities to choose from, iPhones, and downloadable everything. So I’m really happy to see the kids choosing reading and writing as a pastime. And especially happy to be a part of promoting a love for reading!