Tell us about 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.

What genre is it?
It’s a cross between general fiction and contemporary romance. While the romance is a main theme, there are a couple of other story lines as well.

What kind of readers will it appeal to?
I think it will appeal to readers who like a story that deals with real-life issues, and who doesn’t want a lot of graphic sex or violence. It’s pretty clean. Those who enjoy books by Barbara Delinsky may also enjoy Unexpected Legacy.

How long did it take to write?
From start to finish, with lots of critiquing and revising, probably about a year. I work on multiple stories at a time, so it’s hard to pin down an exact time frame.

What was the most challenging part of your creative process?
Filling in the parts between A and Z, and keeping those middle chapters moving along and interesting. Once I hit about 60,000 words, it becomes harder to keep the focus and keep track of details in multiple story lines.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
Books have always been a part of my life, and reading has always been a favorite pastime – from my childhood bookworm days when I would hide away with Trixie Belden or Laura Ingalls Wilder, to my busy parenting days when I forgo laundry, housecleaning and sleeping to carve out time for my latest book club read. I love curling up with a cup of tea and getting lost in a good story.

So far, my completed novels and works-in-progress fall into the genres of women’s fiction, contemporary romance, and mainstream with romantic elements. My novels are about people and their relationships – what brings them together, what keeps them apart, what brings them joy or annoys the hell out of them. My intent is to bring to life interesting and ‘real’ characters that readers can relate to in real-life situations that combine a little fun, plenty of drama, and big helpings of friendship, love and self-discovery, and will leave you either cheering or sighing with a satisfied smile as you turn the final page.

And just so you know . . . I like a happy ending.

I began my writing career as a newspaper reporter, then moved into corporate communications, writing and editing for business-related employee, company and industry publications. I spent twenty-five years in Corporate America before launching into the world of fiction writing.

How can we keep up with you online?
www.threewritersofromance.com. Please sign up to get updates and newsletter!

I also have a Facebook Author page. Would love to connect with readers there, too!
Twitter: @darlene_deluca1.

What’s next?
My second Novel, Meetings of Chance, is another general fiction/contemporary romance crossover. It launches April 1, 2013. This summer I plan to release the first book in a small-town trilogy called The Women of Whitfield. This one is more along the lines of Women’s Fiction rather than romance. Check out my website for descriptions of both!