Tuesday Tip – Autumn Gardens and Lots of Contests!

In the Public Domain and Courtesy of WikipediaIt was in the thirties this morning, which means Autumn has firmly grabbed hold in New York. That also means that the annuals will start to die back, leaving only the hardier of the late blooming perennials to offer color in the garden, unless you are going to add some chrysanthemums and flowering kale to prolong life in your October garden.

I love the bold colors of chrysanthemums, but hate the smell of their leaves and sometimes the flowers. This also could explain why the flowers are used to make pyrethrines, a form of natural pesticide.

In Asia, however, the flowers are used as a medicinal tea and the leaves are steamed or boiled and eaten as greens.

Did you also know that in many parts of the world, chrysanthemums are symbolic of death and only used for funerals or on graves? Many years ago a dear neighbor brought over a huge bouquet of purple chrysanthemums to welcome our new Italian au pair and she flinched at the sight of the flowers! The moment was quickly smoothed over with an explanation that in America the flowers do not have that signficance.

You can click here to read more about chrysanthemums! I’m going to hit the stores in the next week or so and pick up a few hardy ones to plant in the yard for some October color.

Speaking of October, it’s a paranormal writer’s favorite month! Spooky things and vampires abound and to celebrate them, as well as my upcoming December release, SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD, I’ve got two great contests going! Just follow the links below to check out the prizes and enter.

Contest at Writerspace: http://www.writerspace.com/contests/caridadpineiro.html


To celebrate every vamp writer’s favorite holiday, Halloween, as well as Caridad’s upcoming releases, SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD (December 2008, Silhouette Romantic Suspense), HONOR CALLS (Nocturne Bite, February 2009) and FURY CALLS (Nocturne, March 2009), Caridad is having a spectacular October paranormal contest! Enter here for a chance to win a prize package which includes a CALLING T-shirt as well as Vampire Vaccine Candy, Vampire Bat Plush Box with candy, Vampire squeeze water tube, Ellora’s Caveman Calendar, Christine Feehan‘s DARK HUNGER graphic novel and signed cover flat, HELL’S BELLES by Jackie Kessler, EVERLASTING BAD BOYS anthology, THE HOST hardcover by Stephanie Meyer, PLAYING WITH FIRE by Gena Showalter as well as autographed copies of DANGER CALLS, DEATH CALLS and BLOOD CALLS by Caridad Piñeiro.

Contest at Fresh Fiction:
http://freshfiction.com/contest.php?id=1351

Win copies of MORE THAN A MISSION, SECRET AGENT REUNION, DANGER CALLS, TEMPTATION CALLS, DEATH CALLS, FRIDAY NIGHT CHICAS, a CALLING T-shirt as well as a $25 American Express Gift Card to help you with those everyday needs or a special gift!

Join USA TODAY and NY TIMES Bestseller Caridad Pineiro in her celebration of her upcoming releases – SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD in December 2008 and FURY CALLS, the next book in THE CALLING Vampire Series in March 2009. Enjoy her sexy romantic suspense and the unique paranormal romantic suspense of THE CALLING Vampire Novels.

Pre-Order SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD and FURY CALLS