A Room With A View

So here we go – the temps are dropping, and mums are in the patio pots. Sure signs of Fall. Trouble is, I’m a summer girl. I like long, warm days drenched in sunshine – even if the days get a little on the steamy side. I’d much rather be hot than cold. Summer and I get along just fine, but my relationship with fall is uncomfortable. Of course I can appreciate the spectacular color of changing leaves (we’ll leave dealing with the leaves for another time). But fall comes with angst. You never know how long it will last. You never quite know when that brisk autumn air with turn into a cold, howling wind. In the blink of an eye, fall will up and disappear leaving us to face – Old Man Winter.

I’m always sad to see summer winding down. The days get shorter. Flowers get leggy, and around here, it becomes spider season. Truly, everything is so spidery right now, I’m almost a prisoner in my own home. On my patio are two “tools” that have become vital elements to any venture into the out-of-doors – a broom and a large, sturdy stick. The level of spidery-ness has risen so high, that I must walk with one of these items in front of me even to step into my patio or porch.

It seems every shrub, rose and bush is home to some sort of webmaster, either spreading out and covering the bush with a fine white-ish blanket, or there is a zig-zag of fine, iridescent lines streaming from one object to another, creating a trap that can only be seen when the light catches it just right. Hence, the stick, of course.

Last year I had the unfortunate incident of having one of the nasty beasts actually fall down upon me when I apparently disturbed it by opening my patio door. The road to recovery has been a long one!

At this very moment, I can see three of the icky critters hanging from eaves, trees branches, bushes, etc. from windows in my house. Normally, I enjoy the view out my windows. Our main living spaces feature large windows with views of nature, lots of trees and flowers. It’s generally quite lovely. But this is not. The visual above is documentation of this unpleasant eyesore. Who would want to walk into that?! This creepy crawler scared the bejeezus out of me a few weeks ago when I was doing some weeding. I can hardly stand to look at the photo long enough to post it! She has since made her home dangling in our window. Ugghhh. It still spooks me occasionally, though I’ve sort of gotten used to it. At least I know where she is! She is the same type as the spider in the children’s book Miss Spider’s Tea Party, which actually is a delightful story. But I’m reminded of one of my favorite lines from the book delivered by a suspicious group of moths: “We would be fools to take our tea with anyone so spider-y.” Yeah, same. My days of sitting on the patio with an iced tea in hand are suspended.

I’m stuck inside with my view – though this is not the view I had in mind!

Red Is Not My Color

I am not a public speaker. I don’t enjoy talking in front of people. I have been known, particularly in a business setting, to turn red when asked a question. My face will burn, my mind will go blank, and I’ll forget what I want to say. The fact that I do this is, in itself, embarrassing.

Lately I’ve attended a slew of meetings about writing, some have been presentations in front of readers, others have been discussions with other authors – mostly with people I don’t know. And I’ve noticed something. I’ve been able to talk without going all hot and red. I have been able to discuss a topic, all eyes staring at me, and remain perfectly at ease! I started thinking about it after I attended a new writer’s group meeting the other day. I spoke my mind. I gave opinions. I shared ideas and information. Not once did I feel that ridiculous face-burning.

So I’m wondering why. I suppose it could be that I’m older and more experienced. Or, I’m older and not as concerned about what others think. Maybe I’m older and have more confidence. Could be I’m more comfortable with my topic – or I guess it could be that I’m just older! :-)

I have no idea whether it could be only a matter of age and I’ve finally outgrown it, or whether it’s tied to psychological factors. I’m choosing to say that it’s because I’m comfortable with my topic. Either way, I’m happy to report that I can manage to speak with others or to others without the embarrassing and obvious phenomenon of turning bright red. It’s not my color!

It’s not unique, but it’s a very big deal!

Well, I knew it was coming. Today’s the last day. The last day before my little guy goes off to college. He’ll spread his wings, and I’ll have an empty nest.

Eventually, it happens to everyone who has kids. So, yeah, that’s a lot of people. It’s not a unique situation. But, boy, when it happens to you, it becomes a very big deal!

Of course, it’s not a surprise. We’ve known for some time this was coming. But I’m doing the last load of laundry. I’m piling bags and boxes in the hallway and labeling them. I’m checking things off the list. It’s getting close. It’s becoming real. I’ve spent the last eighteen years of my life raising this kid, and he’s going to walk out the door.

So I know you’ll understand if I space off or lose my train of thought. If you ask me what’s up, and I tear up, you’ll understand. If you find me crying in public places, well, you’ll understand that I had a random thought or I saw something that reminded me of the kid. Just nod, or hand me a tissue.

The truth is, I’m not entirely sad. I’m going to miss him terribly. But I’m also excited for the future. I’m looking forward to watching him discover his path. The big picture makes me smile. It’s the little things that choke me up – like those goodnight hugs. Yeah, I’m going to miss those. A lot.

The Last Weekend of Summer Already?!

So here it is, Aug. 9, and sadly, it's the last weekend of summer for most of the kids in  my area. Yep, they're starting school this year on the ridiculous date of Aug. 12!!
I have to say I'm glad that for the first time in eighteen years, I am not tied to that date. I have no kids in the schools this year, so I don't have to cut summer short at the whim of the school district.

I'll have another issue in a couple of weeks when I officially become an empty-nester, but for now, I feel bad for the kids. I remember when we used to get three months off for summer -- plenty of time to have fun, hang out with friends, get a job, take a break, go to camp, etc.

Summers are already so short, why must we whittle away at August every year? Sigh. Bring on the sunshine and long summer days! And enjoy them all!

Guest Blog and Giveaway!

Two more days to sign up for a chance to win a digital copy of my newest contemporary romance, "Something Good."  All you have to do is visit Storeybook reviews where I'm guest blogging about how books have played a significant role in my life. See you there!

http://storeybookreviews.com/2014/08/the-circle-of-my-life-in-books-by-darlene-deluca-giveaway-darlene_deluca1/

Release Day for "Something Good!"

Hello, dear readers!
Today, I'm celebrating the release of my fourth novel, a contemporary romance titled "Something Good." I'm hosting giveaways on my website, Goodreads, and my Facebook author page. Come join the fun. Comment/share for a chance to win a copy of the book. The festivities continue all weekend, so check back often!
"Something Good" is now available in print and digital formats! Happy reading to all!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Darlene-Deluca/282385088481413?ref=br_tf

http://www.amazon.com/Something-Good-Darlene-Deluca-ebook/dp/B00J8UN1GI/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395958585&sr=1-4&keywords=darlene+deluca

Writing Realistic Romance . . . new one coming soon!

Very excited to announce that I'm releasing a new contemporary romance novel in March. I’m thinking this one fits a little more neatly into the category than my other two romances did. While I like contemporary romance, I also like books with multiple story lines, and multiple points of view. I think they tend to be a little fuller, a little more real.

What I like best is fiction with romantic elements. Unfortunately, no one has that specific category anymore. When I first started writing, Romance Writers of America offered that as a romance sub-genre. The first year I published, they did away with it. And none of the retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble, offer that distinction. So I have to choose general fiction, romance or women’s fiction. Then I worry that there won’t be enough romance for the people who really like traditional romance, and there will be too much for people who don’t like romance at all.

It’s kind of a quandary.

I entered my first novel into the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition last year. It did well. It got past the first stage. And then passed the next round, too. So it was a quarterfinalist in the Romance category – top five percent. But at that point, it was judged by a romance reader at Publisher’s Weekly, who stated that the novel was not a romance. Erg. Had I put it in General Fiction, I’m afraid the exact opposite would’ve happened.

To sum it up, even when I’m writing romance, I like there to be a little more to the story. That means my characters will have multiple issues going on – some completely outside the boy-meets-girl scenario. If you’ve ever read books by Barbara Delinsky, I’d say my books are similar in style. They tend to be realistic. I hope the characters are like people you might be friends with, people you can relate to in real-life situations. The women are generally strong and self-sufficient. The men are, too, but they aren’t super-macho arrogant ultra-alphas (alpha-holes, as I’ve heard some described) who sweep the heroine off her feet, toss her onto the bed and have their way with her.

I like books that are grounded in reality and relationships, so that’s what I write. That being said, the new one is, indeed, more of a true contemporary romance. It’s fairly mild in language and sex, so if you like a lot of hot, steamy sex scenes, this might not be your cup of tea. But if you like stories and romances that develop between interesting characters that seem real, remember March 28th – release day for “Something Good.”

Happy reading!

So sad that we can't trust the world

Just thinking how sad it is that we can’t trust the world with our kids. We spend half our lives having kids, raising them, teaching them, caring for them, loving them. They may cause us pain, grief and frustration, but they are our greatest joy. We’re proud. We’re fiercely protective. We love unconditionally.

Yet we can’t cushion them from external blows. Can’t keep them in a safe bubble. Eventually, they are exposed to the world – whether it’s babysitter, day care, church, school, a date, the grocery store or even our very own yard.

Kids are bullied, hurt, abducted, molested, raped and killed. It happened again just the other day. A young girl was snatched from the street near her own home, in front of witnesses.

What in the world is wrong with people? Something like that is clearly premeditated. How does a person think about doing that and then go through all of the motions required to actually pull it off without somewhere along the way some kind of inner brake taking hold?

It truly boggles my mind how many men out there must have some screwed up DNA, some predatory animal instinct or a complete lack of conscience that would allow them to follow through on that kind of sick behavior. Is it their upbringing? Their environment? Their chemistry? Our society?

And the bigger questions – how can we identify them, and stop them?

You can’t possibly know everyone your child will intersect with. Yet you know not everyone can be trusted. That’s the outrage. We should be able to confidently let our kids out of our sight and not fear for their lives, not fear the people around them.

We can’t keep our kids locked indoors all the time. We can’t be with them around the clock their whole lives. They have to live their lives. It’s so sad that some of those lives get cut short simply by being out in their world.

It's all the rage . . . food fads

There’s always a new fashion fad going on out in the world – usually one or two that confound me. I’ve noticed lately, that there are also food fads.

My family eats out a lot. I may have mentioned a time or several, that I’m not much of a cook. At my house, everyone asks where are we going for dinner, not what are we having. I’m OK with that. Restaurants offer something for everyone. And they clean up the mess!

A couple of years ago, lots of places all of a sudden added roasted beets and sweet potato fries to their menus. I have to say, I enjoy them both.

These days, I’m seeing some new items crop up on menus that I used to know by heart. The new things in good-for-you veggies? Brussels sprouts and kale. Oh, and a grain I’d never even heard of before – quinoa.

I’m guessing that I’m not the only one who was disgusted by brussels sprouts as a kid. Gag me! But I’ve gone out on a limb a couple of times, and tried them. The key, I’ve found, is how they’re prepared. These are not your mom’s Brussels sprouts. Baked, fried, sauteed and seasoned. These odd cabbage-looking balls are quite tasty. If you haven’t yet, give them another try.

Kale. Hmmm. Not a fan yet. I’ve had it fried to where it basically disintegrates in your mouth, and I’ve eaten it raw in salads. It’s thicker than lettuce, and tougher. Hidden in a blend of other greens, it’s not bad. Have not acquired the taste. But maybe it’ll grow on me.

Quinoa, I’ve had only cooked in other items, and really, I can’t even distinguish a taste for it. Apparently, it’s sweeping the nation, though. Even made Time Magazine a couple of weeks ago.

So, next time you eat out at a favorite tried-and-true restaurant, have another look at the menu, you might find something you’ve never seen before –– and never tasted quite the same before.

Ready for the Real World

So, we’ve sent our daughter off to college. We’ve watched her board a plane for a foreign country by herself twice. We’ve moved her from dorm to sorority house to apartment.

This week, I drove half-way across the U.S. with her to move her again. This time, it seems for real. She’s starting a job in another state, and we probably won’t see her for several months.

On one hand, it’s exciting to see her start her life and branch off on her own. On the other hand, it seems so official. This time, it feels like she’s really left home. For good.

I realize this isn’t unique. But it is a milestone. It’s more letting go. It’s a big step for her, but also for us as parents. Loud and clear, it’s a sign that we’re getting older. Got that one, for sure. After two solid days in the car, and another day of moving in and errands, I could hardly move at all.

It’s also confirmation that we did our job! She’s confident. She’s gainfully employed – with a paycheck and benefits. This is very exciting. I guess that while it’s a little bit scary to leave her, it’s also a proud mommy moment. :-)  She’s ready for the real world!

Socializing gives positive vibes

Went to a wine-tasting fundraiser for the women's programming of my church this evening. Met a few new people, and chatted with friends and reconnected with former colleagues I hadn't seen in a while. It was fun, not only from a socializing standpoint, but as a budding author.

I guess I should do these things more often because people are so excited to know I'm writing and that I've published books. Most people think it's soooo cool! Even though few readers know my books exist, when I talk to people they are encouraging and impressed!
I had to put this in writing so that on those days when I'm not selling books, and I'm feeling discouraged, I can remember that others want me to succeed and are supportive. Knowing that other people think I'm doing something worthy of excitement and celebration really helps me keep going.

I listened to a webinar on self-publishing all day today, and heard loud and clear how hard this is, and how much time and dedication it takes. Following that up by being around so much positive encouragement was inspiring. Okay, maybe I can get that next book done!

Time to get the photos under control

For the first time ever – in the 23 years since I’ve had kids – I’m seriously behind in my photo albums. Both of my kids have stuffed-until-bulging baby albums. When they started school, I began annual albums, and they both have an album for every year. Until now. The boy kid doesn’t like me to take pictures as much. It’s apparently embarrassing to have a mother who wields a camera in pubic. So . . . I stopped.

Now it’s his senior year of high school. And guess what? He has a total of maybe five photos in his senior album. I hate that!  There are other reasons, of course. He’s an athlete, and it’s really hard to take good photos from a distance. He’s also a debater. No parents ever go to debate tournaments, so no photos exist. I have never seen the kid debate!

I used to be more involved in the PTA and school functions. Used to constantly volunteer for something. But I’m not at the school very often anymore. Still, there was homecoming, and summer vacation, and college visits, and Christmas.

Since my son’s been in high school, I’ve launched a new career. I'm busier. Have to say, my writing gets in the way of my scrapbooking.

And then, there’s Costco. This, I believe, is the biggest reason I’m behind in my albums. There isn’t one close to my house. Every time I go, there’s an issue with their machine. The place is always crazy busy. Unfortunately, it is the cheapest place to have prints made.

But as I look ahead to spring break, and lots of pictures, I’m reminded that I still haven’t done anything with last year’s spring break pictures. If I wait any longer, that puts me a whole year behind, and that begins to sound overwhelming. I’m going to have to set aside some time to deal with this. And though I dread it, I think I’m looking at a trip to Costco in the near future.

Girls weekend . . . fun times to treasure

Ah, it's the last day of my girls weekend at home with my daughter. Dad and the boy kid are off skiing. Of course, we'll be glad to have them back, but it's been a fun -- and too quick -- few days. We've done a lot of eating out. We've watched several movies, both at home and in the theater. We've munched on cookies and popcorn and chocolate. Turns out we're quite compatible in these things.
We've spent quality time together, and also apart, each retreating with our laptops for a few hours.

She's given me valuable feedback on some of my works in progress. I haven't done a lot of writing, but I've done some reading. Was able to finish my book club read for the month, and completely read back through my newly finished romance novel.

Even though we've been at home, it's been like a mini retreat. Staying up late, sleeping in (a little). Being on our own schedule has been nice. Reality will hit tomorrow. And we'll have home issues to deal with, laundry, taxes and FAFSA to get done, and activities to schedule. And in a couple of weeks, she'll be gone again. These little weekends will become less frequent as she moves away, goes back to school and launches her career. I think this one will stick in my mind . . . fun times to treasure.

The Mom in Me . . . gift ideas for 18-year-olds

Most of my posts here have to do with my books and writing career. But I'm also a mom, and have decided to occasionally post a thought or two about that part of my life under the heading The Mom in Me. 

A friend of mine’s son turned eighteen recently, and we were discussing how much harder it is to buy for teenage boys than girls. It made me remember some of the fun gifts we gave our daughter when she turned eighteen. Being me, I had to come up with something that fit the “theme.” :-)

So, with that in mind, I set out to find items that somehow related to her and/or the number eighteen. Thought I’d share a few of them, just in case anyone out there is looking for some inspiration.

First off, in doing a little research, we discovered that Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th president of the United States, and that his image just happens to grace the cover of a fifty-dollar bill. That was a no-brainer!

After cash, jewelry almost always works for a girl. She got 18k gold earrings and an 18-inch strand of pearls.

From there we had to get the creative juices going. I think we came up with 18 different shades of blue, and gave her a blue shirt or socks or something like that. We found 18 kinds of candy that she liked, and wrapped 18 individual little gifts. That was a fun box to open (and watch her open).

In Kansas City, 18th & Vine is a famous historical jazz district. She likes jazz music, so we gave her a jazz CD featuring some local artists.

I can’t remember everything, and that’s probably about the extent of it, but you get the idea. We did some online searches and spent time brainstorming. It took some effort and thought, but it made for a fun and memorable birthday.

Feel free to share additional ideas! What creative gifts have you given?

Crime in Literature

Was looking through some reading lists the other day, and was reminded of one of my all-time favorite college courses – Crime in Literature. English was one of my concentrations in college, and this was an elective. We read some awesome books that stick with me to this day (uh, yeah, that was a while back).

I can’t remember the whole list, but here are some:

The Godfather

Crime and Punishment

All The Kings Men

Red Harvest

The Onion Field

I wish I had the full list and the syllabus for the class. And I’d love to know how the list has changed in the past twenty-some years. Couldn’t find that same class in the university course book, though.

What would you put on such a list? Can you think of crime novels (not mysteries) that made a lasting impression? I know I’ve read Murder on The Orient Express, but I can’t recall if it was for this class. Possibly. It’s another good one.

The two of these that stand out the most for me are The Godfather and Crime and Punishment. Oh, my. There’s something about reading The Godfather that makes it even more horrific than the movie. I thought I would never get that scene with the man and the head of his dead horse out of my mind.

And I can remember silently screaming at Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment not to do it, and later being fascinated by the psychology at play in his guilt and ultimate incrimination of himself.

Some of these are still read in colleges and high schools. The Godfather is probably more well known as a movie. All are worth reading and discussing. If I were choosing today, I'd add The Shawshank Redemption.

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Limited time offer!

http://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Legacy-Darlene-Deluca-ebook/dp/B00AW5NTC4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389574082&sr=1-1&keywords=darlene+deluca

Chatting with Readers is Refreshing!

Today I had the pleasure of meeting face-to-face with a group of readers who belong to a book club at the local library. It was so much fun! I needed this. I needed to connect with real people, people who enjoy books, but aren't authors.
I've met some wonderful authors in the past year, as I've joined the publishing industry. But so many of them have been in cyberspace only. And often I've felt that I was caught in an endless loop of authors promoting to authors.

It was good to meet people who enjoy reading and were willing to spend a few minutes listening to me talk about my books. They happily took bookmarks and asked question. They thumbed through the books and declared them to be interesting and well-written!! YAY! This is a big deal, because, I'm sorry to say,  several of them mentioned having seen self-published books that were embarrassing in their lack of professionalism. That, I'm afraid is an uphill battle.

The other big battle for a self-published author is getting in front of readers, finding an audience. So, I'm very grateful to the library for inviting me, and to the lovely ladies for indulging me. I think I've got a second wind now! Maybe this would be a good time to tackle that next chapter! :-)

Anniversary sale . . . celebrating publication!

In honor of the first anniversary of my debut novel, Unexpected Legacy, I'm putting the digital version on sale for just 99 cents. Hope you'll take advantage of the price reduction and check it out!
The novel is a contemporary romance/young adult crossover about people, relationships and real-life situations. It was a quarterfinalist in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, and has five-star reviews from librarians!
You can buy the book, read the awesome reviews, and get a sneak preview on Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Legacy-Darlene-Deluca-ebook/dp/B00AW5NTC4/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1388898469&sr=1-3&keywords=darlene+deluca

For other digital formats, please use Smashwords, coupon code GD47C.
Thanks, and happy reading to all!