#ThrowbackThursday – Great-grandpa Caride

My grandmother would often talk about her dad’s big mustache so when we found this photo, we had no doubt who it was! I’m told that my grandmother’s dad was a blacksmith and gunsmith which meant her family was a little better off than others in Galicia in the north of Spain. Galicia is a Celtic nation, but also one of the poorer economies in Spain which led many Galicians to emigrate to places like Cuba. That’s how both sets of our grandparents ended up in Cuba: They wanted a better life. My family was therefore actually first-generation Cuban, much like my daughter is a first-generation American.
Great Grandfather Caride Galicia

#ThrowbackThursday – Great Grandfather Pineiro

Today’s throwback is to my father’s father. Handsome, right? We’d always heard he was quite good-looking, but really didn’t get to know him. He had divorced my dad’s mom and remarried someone who was a Castro supporter. He stayed behind in Havana when the rest of the family escaped to the United States. He died in Cuba when I was a teenager. Just another family separated by socialism/communism.

#ThrowbackThursday – A Jasmine Halloween

Since it’s almost Halloween, I thought I’d share a little throwback to a Jasmine-themed Halloween! I’m looking forward to the holiday and hoping we get some kids doing trick or treating. It’s such a strange time with the pandemic, and like many, I’m hoping for a return to more normal times.

#ThrowbackThursday – Central Park in NYC and The Calling is Reborn Vampire Novels

I loved working in New York City and also visiting there and exploring the sights that I normally wouldn’t see on a workday. It was that love for the city that led me to make it the setting for The Calling is Reborn Vampire Novels. I wanted to share all the different neighborhoods in New York City with you! One of my favorite places is Central Park because there is so much to see in the Park. Belvedere Castle. Strawberry Fields. All the bridges, arches, and statues in the park. The Carousel and zoo! So many things. Another one of my favorites that is easily accessible right on the edges of the park is the Turtle Pond. On a sunny day, you can see dozens of turtles sunning themselves on the rocks and tree stumps in the pond. Speaking of The Calling is Reborn, HONOR CALLS is now available for free if you’ve got Kindle Unlimited. Please take a moment to check it out at https://amzn.to/2GTBY9D.
Turtle Pond Central Park

#ThrowbackThursday – South Beach Love

We used to love going down to South Beach to get away from winter for a week. It was so much fun to go to the beach, hang out by the pool at the Park Central, and stroll along Ocean Drive. We’d also walk over to Lincoln Road to check out the shops and restaurants as well as take various trips to Little Havana to get our fill of Cuban food. Good times. That’s one of the reasons that I set my book for Hallmark, SOUTH BEACH LOVE, in the South Beach area. I’m so excited about this book! It’s got lots of great food scenes that are bound to make you hungry and a fun twist as two chefs who are starting to fall in love find themselves forced into a competition to decide who is the better chef. You can find out more about SOUTH BEACH LOVE at https://amzn.to/36L1kkm.

#ThrowbackThursday – A lawyer a lifetime ago

It seems like a lifetime ago that I put on these robes to graduate from law school and begin my career as a lawyer. Being a lawyer had its good and bad moments. I try not to think about the bad so much and focus on the good, like the fact that my job let me visit over a dozen different countries. I had many wonderful clients and colleagues. Most importantly, my lawyer job led me back to my writing and I am forever grateful for that. So here I am on graduation day!