#ThrowbackThursday – Liberty States Fiction Writers & Readers Conference & BN Event

I love getting to meet new people, make new friends and spend time with my old ones! This is a picture from one of the Liberty States Fiction Writers and Readers Conferences. This year Liberty States is is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the conference and it looks like it will be an awesome event. I hope some of you will be able to make it. For more info, please visit www.lsfwriters.com.

Also, I have an event coming up on February 9 at the Menlo Park Barnes & Noble! Join a great group of romance authors and kick off your Valentine’s Day celebrations with a great read!

#TeaserTuesday A Second Chance at Love and an Upcoming Book Signing

Good morning! The summer seems to be flying by and so are the days until my upcoming signing at the Edison Barnes & Noble! Please join me on August 4 to sign some of my latest releases! Here’s the info for it:

    Romance at Menlo Park
    Author Event, Special Event, Author Signing
    Saturday August 04, 2018 12:00 PM
    Join us from 12PM-4PM and meet your local romance authors!

    Menlo Park Mall
    55 Parsonage Road
    Edison, NJ 08837
    732-548-4179

And now for today’s Teaser and a Thank You! Thank you all for your support of the At the Shore series! You have really made it special for me! Today’s teaser is from Chapter 1 in WHAT HAPPENS IN SUMMER In this scene Connie and Jonatha are about to see Jonathan for the first time in many years. They are both still the same in some ways and very different in others. They are both still wondering about the “What if?” I hope you enjoy this teaser!

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Jonathan Pierce stared hard at the mirror, wondering what Connie Reyes might see tonight when she and her friends came over for the dinner his brother Owen had arranged. What Connie might think after so much time had passed.

The teen she had known seven years earlier was gone as was the man she’d run into shortly after Hurricane Sandy. That man had been replaced by one who had known his share of hardship and success. Barely perceptible laugh lines that hadn’t been there that last summer bracketed his mouth and eyes. There was a thin scar above one brow thanks to a crash while testing a new vehicle prototype on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Another jagged white line on his jaw was courtesy of shrapnel when a hydrogen fuel cell had unexpectedly exploded in their lab.

He looked away and leaned heavily on the edge of the vanity, noting the other assorted nicks and scars on his hands. They were the hands of a man who had lived life to the fullest and made himself what he wanted to be and not what others expected. He knew he’d sometimes hurt people with his choices, especially his older brother Owen, who’d had to shoulder the burden of the family business as well as their father’s ire whenever one of Jonathan’s escapades caught the attention of the media.

He’d gotten used to the interest the press had in him. After all, he was the renegade son of a wealthy family. A self-taught inventor who had sold his first small invention for millions. He was now revolutionizing the motor vehicle and battery industries with his innovative designs, unconventional methods, and fearless experiments.

He had brought idea after idea to life with detailed research and hard work. There had been failures along the way, but that had only made the successes that much more enjoyable. He had celebrated those successes with his team, his brother, and a bevy of actresses and models who were only too keen to be seen on the arm of a rebellious multi-millionaire who might soon be a billionaire if his company’s stock prices continued to climb.

Only… none of those women could hold a candle to Connie.

Connie, who he would see in just a few hours thanks to his brother. Owen had finally decided to fight for Maggie Sinclair, and he was happy that his brother was following his heart. But while Jonathan would do almost anything for Owen, he wasn’t happy about having to spend time with Connie.

Smart and beautiful Connie, he thought with a sigh and a shake of his head.

He’d managed to avoid her for the last several years. Sure, he’d seen her after Sandy and occasionally from afar when Maggie and her friends had come down to Sea Kiss. Or every now and then when he’d gone to some business event in the city.

He’d tried to tell himself he didn’t like the sleek professional woman she’d become. That she wasn’t prettier than ever. He tried not to imagine peeling off those elegant business suits to reveal the real woman beneath. But he was lying to himself.

He had never really gotten over the Connie Reyes that had emerged that summer they had shared. The woman who had learned to live for the moment and have fun. Who had been carefree and willing to explore their love. He doubted he would ever forget that women and wondered if she was still there, trapped inside her very prim and proper suits.

Maybe he’d find out tonight, he thought, and prepared himself for what might be a very difficult dinner.

***
Connie Reyes splayed her hand across the nervous butterflies in her stomach that were beating their wings so violently, she felt like throwing up. She was tempted to beg off from dinner with the Pierce boys, only Maggie needed her moral support and Connie never disappointed a friend. Especially Maggie, who was like a sister. She’d do anything for Maggie, even suffering through a meal with Jonathan Pierce.

“You feeling okay? You’re looking a little . . .” said Emma Grant, her other BFF. Emma eyed her intently, her green-eyed gaze inquisitive.

“I’m just fine,” she lied, but it was clear from Emma’s meaningful stare that her friend suspected something was up as they followed

Maggie onto the patio and to the long row of tall privet hedges that separated the two Jersey Shore mansions.

She tamed the flutters much as she did when arguing a case before a judge and trudged along behind Maggie as they eased through the hedges and approached the entrance to the Pierce mansion. They had barely reached the front porch when Owen threw open the door, a big friendly smile on his handsome face.

He welcomed them warmly, but Connie couldn’t resist mumbling to Emma, “Said the spider to the fly.” As much as she wanted things to work out with Owen, she still worried about how Maggie would be hurt if they didn’t.

Emma jabbed her in the ribs and luckily, it seemed as if Owen either hadn’t heard her comment or if he had, was choosing to ignore it. She gave him props if it was the latter, since it indicated he was truly trying to be nice for Maggie’s sake.

They quickly walked through the foyer and living room and back to the dining area. Jonathan was in the kitchen, an apron over his jeans and T-shirt. The T-shirt hugged his broad, muscled chest and laid bare the powerful muscles of his arms. His light brown hair still had the kiss of the summer sun and was tied back from his face, revealing the sharp lines of his features.

He looked older, but still so handsome.

She had thought she could handle this dinner for her friend’s sake. That she could face Jonathan and not get caught up in the emotions from years past. But it was impossible to forget the way he’d held her in his arms, a dimpled smile on his lips, his sea-blue eyes bright with humor and love. With that memory, the flutters in her stomach were replaced by an ache in the region of her heart.

Please also take a moment to explore WHAT HAPPENS IN SUMMER at these retailers:

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2y6hi4h
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2y92UIQ
B&N: http://bit.ly/2BJNcov
B&N Paperback: http://bit.ly/2sHmY3l
Google: http://bit.ly/2hKg3BW
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2HlVlly
iBooks: http://apple.co/2hKgP1J
Kobo: http://bit.ly/koboWHS
Audible: https://amzn.to/2M2ZWfY

Don’t forget you can download ONE SUMMER NIGHT for #99cents at these retailers:

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2krMwfE
B&N: http://bit.ly/2kNuo0p
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2ik8EfG
iBooks: http://apple.co/2qsqdwx
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2fuEphL

#WisdomWednesday – Leaving Home with a Book

We didn’t have a lot of money when I was growing up so we travel was a luxury, but that didn’t stop me from visiting so many new places via the page of a book. I was always reading and I loved going to the library or waiting for the bookmobile to get a new book and explore the places it took me. So today’s wisdom is from Saint Augustine. Somehow appropriate since I went to a university run by an Augustinian order.
book quote saint augustine

#MotivationMonday – Motivated to Meet You!

I’m so excited to be participating in two awesome signings in the coming weeks! The first one is the RWA Readers for Life signing at the upcoming Romance Writers of America National Conference in Denver. The Literacy Signing is open to the general public and all proceeds benefit a local literacy group. For more info, please visit http://bit.ly/2LoK7j4 or check out the info below!

On August 4 I am doing a signing with several other authors at the Edison Barnes & Noble! So excited to be there and I hope you’ll be able to drop by and spend some time with us! For more info, please visit http://bit.ly/2Jp6XFC or check out the info below!

Hope you can make it to one of the events because I’d love to meet up with you! I’ll be sharing photos and news from the conference over the course of the week at Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter so check those sites to find out more. Links are below!

    https://twitter.com/caridadpineiro
    Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Caridad.Author
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caridadpineiro

Pesto Artichoke Pizza- #Tuesday Tip

I’ve had a rollercoaster of weight loss and gain my whole life. The last few years I dropped up to 40 pounds by eliminating carbs, but then put it back on the moment I had any carbs. I love carbs so sticking to that kind of lifestyle was impossible so this time I sought moderation. I’d have carbs, but only occasionally and so far it’s worked. It’s taken longer to lose the weight, but it hasn’t been a hardship and I feel like this is a lifestyle I can maintain.

With that disclaimer, we made pizzas over the weekend and since so many of you asked after seeing them on Facebook, here’s my recipe for a delicious Pesto Artichoke Pizza!

Ingredients

For the Pesto Sauce

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 cup basil leaves
2/3 cup pistachios (shelled)(you can also use the traditional pine nuts or walnuts)
2 cloves of garlic cut in half

For the Pizza

1 lb pizza dough (makes two 8-9″ individual pies or one big pie)(Bridgeford dough works or check your local supermarket. Most carry fresh dough now)
1 1/2 cups chopped artichoke hearts (I used bottled marinated ones and drained off the oil)
2/3 cup chopped roasted red peppers
2/3 cup caramelized onions
3 sliced cloves of garlic (You can cook these with the onions)
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
6 slices crisply cooked bacon
Parmesan cheese to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly oil your pizza pan and spread out the dough to the edge. Create a little lip to form the edge of the crust.

Once the oven is hot, cook the dough for about 10 minutes until it has a slight crust. While the dough is baking, prepare your pesto sauce.

Place oil, garlic, and basil in blender or food processor and blend on low until it basil is chopped. Add nuts and blend again. If the mixture is too tight/thick, add oil little by little until you can easily spread. Don’t overdo oil though since we do want to keep this a little healthy.

Remove dough from oven after ten minutes and begin to top the pie.

Spread out your pesto sauce all around up until the lip of the crust. Spread out the caramelized onions and garlic. Spread the chopped artichokes next. Then add the roasted peppers. Break the bacon into big chunks and layout all over the other ingredients. Layout the mozzarella cheese. Feel free to break the slices apart to create an artisan look to the pizza. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Bake in oven for approximately 30 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown along the edges and on the bottom.

Let sit for a few minutes and then slice and serve!

Hope you enjoyed this recipe! Of course, you can vary it yourself. Try sausage instead of pizza. Add capers. Use goat cheese instead of mozzarella. Spice it up with some jalapeños or make up your own combo. That’s the fun of making your own pizza at home!
Pesto_artichoke-pizza

#ManCandyMonday – Jonathan Pierce from WHAT HAPPENS IN SUMMER

When you plot out a series, you have to think about who will be the heroes and heroines in subsequent books. I always knew that #2 in the At the Shore Series, WHAT HAPPENS IN SUMMER, would feature rebellious younger brother Jonathan. What I didn’t expect is how much I fell in love with Jon in #1 ONE SUMMER NIGHT. As he came alive on the page I realized he was a tortured soul that needed love so badly because he had already lost it twice. First when his mother abandoned him as a child and then when Connie pushed him away after their summer fling. Not to mention that for all his rebelliousness all Jon ever wanted with a place he could call home surrounded by family and the friends to whom he is loyal. That’s why I love Jon and I hope you will too. When I saw this model, I knew he was just how I pictured Jon to look, right down to that sexy grin! So what do you think about today’s Man Candy?

Jonathan Pierce What Happens in Summer

You can purchase WHAT HAPPENS IN SUMMER at the following locations:

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2y6hi4h
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2y92UIQ
B&N: http://bit.ly/2BJNcov
B&N Paperback: http://bit.ly/2sHmY3l
Google: http://bit.ly/2hKg3BW
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2HlVlly
iBooks: http://apple.co/2hKgP1J
Kobo: bit.ly/koboWHS
Audible: https://amzn.to/2M2ZWfY

Also, don’t miss out on the special pricing for ONE SUMMER NIGHT! It’s just 99 cents for a limited time!

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2krMwfE
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2kYLWZV
B&N: http://bit.ly/2kNuo0p
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2ik8EfG
iBooks: http://apple.co/2qsqdwx
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2fuEphL
Audible: https://amzn.to/2l2D0S2
Radish: Read three chapters for free – http://bit.ly/2AERQFk

#ThrowbackThursday – RWA National Conference at Disneyworld

Last year’s RWA conference was so much fun on so many levels. Great workshops, wonderful book signings and most of all, getting to spend time with both old friends and new ones! It was great to see so many people in and around the conference hotel as well as at the Literacy Signing. It was also so nice to spend time with some buddies on a trip to Disneyworld where we got to see the awesome fireworks. I just love fireworks. Believe it or not, this photo was taken with my smartphone. The cameras in them are getting better and better every day.

This year’s conference is in Denver and if you’re in that area, I’d love to see you. The Literacy Book Fair is open to the general public and all proceeds go to a local literacy group so it’s for a good cause. For more info, you can visit www.rwa.org.