#ThrowbackThursday My Celtic Grandparents

It seems like an apropos throwback to share a photo of my Celtic grandparents! Although my parents and my sibs and I were born in Cuba, all my grandparents were from Galicia in Spain. Galicia is one of the Celtic nations.

My dad’s side was Roman, though. His family was from Puentedeume, a coastal village originally settled by the Romans. That side of the family can apparently trace its ancestors to those Roman conquerors.

My mom’s side of the family is Celtic, however, and from a small town near Orense in Spain. I have lots of green-eyed and red-haired cousins on that side of the family. I guess that’s where my mom and I got our green eyes!

This is a picture of my mom and my grandparents. The picture was taken in Cuba either right before or after a trip back to Galicia to visit family.
Mom&Abuelos

#WriteWed Conferences and Craziness

I feel like the year is just flying by! It’s already mid-March and I’ve got the awesome Liberty States Fiction Writers Create Something Magical Conference this weekend. I’m excited to be doing a workshop there and the book fair on Saturday, which is open to the general public. If you’ll be in the Woodbridge, NJ area, I’d love to see you there! The signing is from 4 to 6 pm and you can check out what other authors will be there by clicking here.

What other craziness? Well, I’ve been busy writing my story for the SUMMER HEAT box set and also working on a new project. I’ll have news for you soon on that one! Good news that I’m very excited about.

In the meantime, I’ve been working out and trying to get more fit. Writing (and working at a law firm) are both such sedentary tasks, but I’ve been up and about and on my way to 45 pounds lost. I’d love to lose another 25 to 30 by the time that San Diego and the RWA National Conference rolls around. I’ll be doing a workshop there and also participating in the Literacy Signing. Woo hoo! Very excited about that one as well.

Hope you are all having a fabulous Wednesday!

#TeaserTuesday Under the Boardwalk & Summer Heat

UndertheBoardWalkFinalGood morning! It’s Teaser Tuesday and I’ve got a little something for you from UNDER THE BOARDWALK, my contribution to the SUMMER HEAT Contemporary Romance Box Set. This set has 16 – count ’em 16! – sexy stories by 16 amazing authors!

I have to tell you that UNDER THE BOARDWALK is one sexy story – hotter than a ghost pepper – five alarm hot 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥! But it’s also a very emotional story about two people who are trying to find their way back to each other after the demands of life pull them apart. I hope you’ll enjoy it.

Blurb

Natalie Ramirez has spent less and less time with her husband over the last year and more and more time alone. She longs for the happy days of summer when she and Chase would pass the time together on the beach and under the boardwalk, exploring the passion that simmered between them as hot as any summer sun.

Chase Smith had to work hard for everything he ever had, including his wife Natalie. His wife had never wanted for anything in her life and Chase didn’t want to disappoint her. But somewhere along the way, Chase lost sight of the most important thing she wanted: his love.

A passionate night under the boardwalk brought them together, but can Chase and Natalie rekindle that lost love and save their marriage?

Teaser

At the far entrance to the Casino, the start of the Asbury Park boardwalk loomed large and he knew that once he stepped out onto it, there was no turning back from tonight.

But he didn’t want to turn back. He wanted Natalie back in his life. Back in his bed.

He pushed ahead, his gaze skipping from face-to-face in the crowd until it seemed to part before him like the Red Sea and there she was, standing by the railing.

After a month apart, he drank in her beauty like a thirsty man at a desert oasis.

Her cream-colored dress hugged her sexy curves, but the skirt was loose and billowing in the ocean breeze. Her longish caramel-colored hair was loose and wafted around her face. As he watched, she tilted her head back, eyes closed, and a peaceful smile crept over her lush lips.

She was so lovely. So beautiful. Warmth pooled in his gut at the sight of her just as it had nearly a decade earlier, when he’d first seen her on this very same boardwalk.

He took a deep breath, fighting back desire and fear, and walked toward her.

***

Natalie sensed his presence and as she dipped her head and opened her eyes, she caught sight of him from the corner of her eye.

Or at least she thought it was him and resisted the urge to do a double take. When he reached her side, she finally allowed herself to face him and savored the view of every inch of him.

Being a desk jockey hadn’t added a pound to the long lean body she’d lusted over when she’d first seen him that fateful summer. And the tight black jeans and T-shirt accentuated every sculpted muscle far better than his usual preppy-style clothes.

“Chase. You look . . . different,” she said, a hint of awkward in her tone, as she leaned forward and skimmed a restrained
kiss on his cheek.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Chase said, an uncertain smile on his lips, and took hold of her hand.

“You look stunning. Is this dress from your new line?” he asked and applied gentle pressure to guide her into a little twirl.

Natalie fought back the pleasure at his words and at the intensity in his cerulean gaze. “Actually, I made it just for tonight. I’m glad you like it.”

The blue of his eyes darkened to almost midnight as he raked his gaze up and down her body hungrily.

“I like . . . a lot,” he said, the tones of his voice low and strumming alive desire in her core. Maybe if they still shared passion, just maybe, they could find a way back to the couple they once had been.

SUMMER HEAT

The SUMMER HEAT Box Set is specially priced at 99 cents for a limited time and is now available at:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1SXcNjW
BN: http://bit.ly/1VIZ7qJ
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1XPUCvS
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/20CGJBa
SummerHeatAuthors.com: http://bit.ly/1oI4s7c

SummerHeat_BoxSet_NOBCK

#ManCandyMonday Daniel Henney and Drama Fever

Today is a shoutout to my Mini-Me and her obsession with K-Pop, Korean dramas and Drama Fever.

Daniel Henney is an American actor of Korean descent who is known for a number of movies, including Big Hero 6, and for a number of popular Korean dramas. Daniel is also a model who has appeared in various commercials and magazines.

He is currently starring in Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders with another favorite of mine, Gary Sinese.

Thanks to Daniel’s Facebook page for this photo!

#FreebieFriday JUST ONE NIGHT #Military #Romance & a Signing

Happy Friday! I love Fridays and thinking about a fun weekend. This weekend I’ve got a book reading and signing on Saturday from 6 to 9 pm at OG Surf & Skate in Ocean Grove, NJ. I’ll be with my buddies Shelley Noble, Linda Parisi, Samantha Scordato, and the awesome Three Little Kittens Feral Rescue ladies will be with us also. We will have snacks, refreshments and door prizes so if you are in the area, I hope you can make it!

It’s also Chocolate Lovers Weekend in Ocean Grove, so there are a whole lot of activities going on in town. Always a fun place to be!

I’ve got a free read of JUST ONE NIGHT for you today! JUST ONE NIGHT is the first book in the Take a Chance Military Romance series.

Here is a little blurb for the story! You can download the free read here: http://www.instafreebie.com/free/mpx6b

JUST ONE NIGHT Military RomanceHe has just one night to prove to her that anything is possible…

Jason Hart, Jase to his friends, has just graduated college and earned his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. It’s the night of the graduation party and she’ll be there. His best friend’s slightly older sister, Nickie. Nickie is the only woman he’s really wanted for a long time. He has just one night to make it happen.

She has just one night before the man of her dreams leaves, maybe forever, but can she find the courage to take a chance…

Nicole de Salvo has been in love – and lust – for her little brother’s best friend for years. For years she’s watched from afar and done nothing about her attraction for Jason Hart only now their time together is almost at an end. On their last night together will she find the courage to do something about her feelings, or will she live with regret for the rest of her life?

I hope you all have a great weekend and if you’re in the Jersey Shore area, please pop on down for a fun night!

#ThrowbackThursday Sharing Birthday Babies

OMG, I can’t believe it’s Thursday already! I hope you are all having a great week so far. I had a special day on Monday – another birthday – and I share it with lots of people. Hubby for starters. He’s younger than I am by hours. A best friend’s daughter and a work friend’s daughter. Last, but not least, my nephew and godson shares that special day.

Today’s throwback is a picture of him with my daughter many years ago! What cuties and they both are still gorgeous if I must say so myself.
Sam&Brendon

#WriteWed Philadelphia Flower Show

I love flowers and gardens if you don’t know by now! I love growing them and seeing the lovely colors. It’s fun to be able to eat the veggies I get from my garden, even if I do have to battle the deer, raccoon and ground hog for them.

I also love sharing that love with you on the blog and in books. Some of my favorite books have had heroines who have lovely gardens or are very knowledgeable about them, like in MORE THAN A MISSION. Elizabeth, the heroine in that book, is a chef who has beautiful gardens surrounding her home and restaurant and whose knowledge of herbs and possibly poisonous plants made her a prime suspect in the murder of a crown prince.

To celebrate that love of gardening and flowers (and my birthday), we always do a trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show. It’s just so much fun to see the displays and amazing flowers everywhere.

I’m sharing some photos from the show here, but you can also visit my album on Facebook (it is public so all can see it!) for more photos.

Lovely visit to the Flower Show. This year's theme was Explore America and the show was dedicated to the National Parks System.

Posted by Caridad Pineiro on Wednesday, March 9, 2016