OMG! I can’t believe it! Summer has photobombed the end of October selfie with a big bang! It reminds me of that Halloween when we got slammed with a blizzard, and let’s not even mention Hurricane Sandy. But I’m not complaining about this unexpected heatwave, especially since my batch of tomatoes could use the kiss of the sun to ripen. Hubby and I are getting our tan on at the beach today, and I hope you’ve got something awesome planned too!
Finalist Best Romance Latino Book Awards
I’m so excited to be able to share that The Family She Never Met is a finalist in the Best Romance category at the Latino Book Awards. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony to be held on October 21st at Los Angeles City College. Many thanks to the Latino Book Awards for the nomination and to my wonderful editor Christa Desir at Sourcebooks.
Do you love vampires or shifters?
Do you love vampires or shifters? I have to confess that I’ve written way more vampire romances than shifter stories, but I really do love shifters as well. Especially werecats like jaguars (Crazy for the Cat) or cougars (Night of the Cougar). There is something elemental about big cats like that and what it would be like to have such powerful animals controlled by a human mind. How about you? Do you love vampires, shifters, or like me, both?
Hello Autumn!
Summer is my favorite time of year and I’m sad to see it go but I love the changes that autumn brings. Cool nights and breezy days. The splashes of color in the trees and my fall-flowering plants. I’ve set out a few mums here and there along with some pumpkins and I’ve just picked up some fun hanging Halloween decorations. I’ll set them out as soon as it stops raining. The rain is welcome since I just put some new perennials in the garden. How about you? How do you feel about fall having arrived?
Getting to know me!
As I mentioned the other day, I’m part of a Latino Romance Author chain on Instagram to bring awareness to the many Latino authors that are writing romance. Today it’s time to share a little bit more about me!
My Heritage: I was born in Cuba and identify with that culture since it shaped my earliest memories, but my grandparents all came from Galicia in Spain. Galicia is unique in that it’s a Celtic Nation.
What I Write: I currently write contemporary romance and romantic suspense, but for many years I wrote vampire suspense stories! I was also the ghost writer for the Jane the Virgin Novel, Snow Falling, and my sweet contemporary romance South Beach Love was an Original Hallmark Movie in 2021.
Why I Write: I loved to read as a child and often escaped into stories of places I didn’t know and people who had amazing adventures. I want to be able to create those worlds and places for other readers so that I can bring them enjoyment, peace, humor, romance, and hopefully, a greater understanding of my culture.
One Thing About Me: I am basically shy. Yes, I hear a lot of laughter after saying that, but it took a lot of courage to learn how to be more outgoing. I’m glad I did get past my shyness since I’ve met so many fascinating people.
My Books You Should Read Now: I love my new South Beach Security romantic suspense series set in Miami. I’m excited to say that it continues with a K-9 division spinoff in May 2024. There is also The Family She Never Met which is based on my family’s experiences in coming from Cuba. I’m excited to say that it’s nominated for a Latino book award and I hope to be able to share more info on that soon.
The Chain continues tomorrow with:
- Taylor Torres @taylortorreswrites
Andrea Gonzalez @andreagonzalezromance
Hispanic Heritage Month and an Anniversary
It’s Hispanic Heritage Month but also a happy anniversary for me! This September it’s been 24 — yes 24 — years since my first novel was released for the Encanto Latino Romance line. That first novel was set in Miami much like my current South Beach Security series. Miami for me was the replacement for the country I couldn’t visit — Cuba. I also was raised in a very non-Latino neighborhood – Levittown, Long Island. For those reasons, I use a Miami location to share my Cuban culture. But you’ll notice that the image I created says something else in Spanish: Latin Heritage, American Heart. Very true for me. Although I value and honor my Cuban (and Spanish) background, my heart is very much American also and I honor the Nation that has given me so much. It’s not a perfect Nation, but I truly believe it is an amazing country that has provided so many opportunities for so many. It’s a nation that’s let me not only keep my culture but also share it with others, the way that I do in so many of my novels. But not all of my novels as some of you might know. Why? I love exploring all aspects of different cultures and people. The key for me is to always do it accurately and respectfully. My two cents on this Monday!
Happy Latino Heritage Month
Sept. 15th marks the official start of Latino Heritage Month. I love sharing my Latino culture, art, food, traditions, and history as often as I can but this month is a perfect opportunity to recognize the contributions of my fellow Latina/Latino/Latinx/Latiné authors in the adult romance genre.
I’m excited to share that we’re taking over Instagram for the next 30 days for the first-ever “Latinx/Latiné Romance Author Chain”!
Here’s how it will work. On the 16th, authors Claire Contreras @clairecontreras and Dominique Laura @justdominiquelaura will post a bit about themselves and their books and then tag 2 more authors for the next day. Then they’ll tag 2 more authors and so on and so on. If you follow the chain all month, you’ll be introduced to 60 Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latiné romance authors! You may already know and love some of these authors. Others may be new to you and we hope you’ll rush to check out their books.
To make sure you don’t miss a post, follow the hashtags #LatinxRomanceAuthorChain and #LatinéRomanceAuthorChain. You can also support the chain by sharing posts with your followers.
Please help spread the word and celebrate Latina/Latino/Latinx/Latiné voices in romance together.
Vamos! Let’s go have some fun and discover new authors!
