Category: News from Caridad

NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Caridad Pineiro shares news about what’s happening!

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Thoughtful Thursday – Dying and Paying Taxes

taxesI think you know that old saying that goes: There are only two things you have to do – die and pay taxes.

Unfortunately, it seems that the paying taxes part only applies to you and me while some people are able to make “careless mistakes”.

Case in point — Our new Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner who said he hadn’t paid some taxes on time due to “careless mistakes.” According to an article in The Guardian, after a 2006 audit Geithner paid arrears on his 2003 and 2004 returns, but not immediately on his 2001 and 2002 returns. Apparently the three year statute of limitations had run on those. He did eventually pay them — after his nomination to the post.

Hmm . . . Does that mean that if he hadn’t been nominated he wouldn’t have paid them? What do you think?

I recall the IRS sending letters to my daughter when a math error meant she owed them like 5 dollars. The letter came with all kinds of dire warnings about what would be done if the 5 dollars and interest wasn’t paid on time.

So how is it some people get away with not paying thousands? Do you wonder how this happens?

Let me know what you think about the U.S. tax system or your own tax situation if you are not in the U.S. I know that many of you in other countries pay even higher taxes.

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Wicked Wednesday – HONOR CALLS Available February 1

HONOR CALLS Available February 1 at EharlequinI’m really excited about HONOR CALLS, the next installment in THE CALLING Vampire novels. HONOR CALLS is a Nocturne Bite e-novella which will be available on February 1 at eharlequin. It’s exciting for me because I get to introduce a new character into the world of THE CALLING – Michaela Ramirez. Michaela has a tortured past and is a really unique character. She’s hiding a secret and bound by a code of honor which will one day put her at odds with the very interesting man that Michaela will meet in HONOR CALLS.

Who’s that interesting man? FBI Assistant Director in Charge Jesus Hernandez who you have met in several of the previous CALLING novels. It’s also exciting for me to let you learn more about Jesus. I am hoping that I will be able to devote a future full length book to Michaela and Jesus.

But for now . . . Here is your Wicked Wednesday excerpt from HONOR CALLS.

Frustration clawed at his gut as he stared at the picture of the latest victim who had been found torn apart in a downtown alley. As he flipped through the status report on the investigation, a familiar name appeared in the FBI case report.

The Blood Bank.

FBI Assistant Director in Charge Jesus Hernandez expected that there would be a fair share of crime in a city like New York, but judging from how often the edgy Goth bar appeared in the reports provided to him, the Blood Bank appeared to be Crime Central.

He supposed the easy way to find out more about the club would be to ask Diana Reyes or any of the other agents in his bureau what to make of the place. But he hadn’t gotten to be one of the top agents in the New York City Bureau by taking the easy way. On the contrary. He believed in personally getting involved when it was necessary.

As he picked up the file again and examined the photo of the body parts found in an alley just a couple of blocks from the bar, he raked his hand through his short-cropped hair and blew out a disgusted breath.

It was definitely time for a visit to the Blood Bank to get his own impressions.

Memorizing the address, he rose from his desk and slipped on his suit jacket. For a moment he considered going by his apartment to change, certain he would look out of place in the expensive suit, then opted not to.

His apartment would be seriously empty since his last lover had moved out nearly a year earlier, complaining about the time he devoted to his job. Considering that in the past year he hadn’t had time to fill the empty spaces on the walls and that the living room still boasted only the recliner she had left behind, plasma television and other high end electronics, she had probably been right.

Plus, as he mentally reviewed the contents of his closet, he knew he had nothing suitable to wear for a Goth bar anyway.

Best just to drive by, scope out the place and decide what to do next, he told himself and for good measure, checked to make sure his gun was loaded and tucked snugly into the holster at his side.

That was the one thing he was sure about the Blood Bank.

It wasn’t the kind of place you went without protection.

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Guilty Pleasures Monday – Tim Tebow

I was watching the Bowl Championship series and there was Tim Tebow, last year’s Heisman Trophy winner. My attention was caught by his determination, size, agility and cuteness!

So, I’m sharing Tim with you today as the Guilty Pleasure Monday choice. As well as being a cutie, however, I understand he’s quite a leader and a humanitarian since he does missionary work.

Also — the winner of last week’s Wicked Wednesday give-away is Cyclops8! Please e-mail me at cpsromance@att.net with your address so I can send the prize.

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Wicked Wednesday – Wicked Writer’s Mind

😈 I know you’re expecting a wicked excerpt from something, but I’ve been debating about which book to discuss and decided I wanted to give you some insights from this wicked writer’s mind into the two main characters in the upcoming CALLING books – HONOR CALLS and FURY CALLS.

I think I’ve mentioned that the heroes in FURY CALLS are ones you’ve met before in TEMPTATION CALLS. Blake and Meghan became favorites way back then, so I’m very happy to finish their story, particularly Blake’s. Now, I don’t know about you, but I hate perfect heroes. You know the kind. Look good. Act good. Know the answers to everything.

Boring. I like my heroes to be imperfect with lots of flaws. Heroes who mess up on occasion, but somehow rise above their flaws to become bigger than life.

FURY CALLS by Caridad Pineiro, Silhouette Nocturne, March 2009Blake is one of those kinds of heroes. He comes from a poor upbringing and difficult times. He survived them in the most harsh of ways and has been paying the price for his actions for centuries. When Blake finally acknowledges his own inner strength, he realizes he can be a hero in the true sense of the word. Somehow that transformation is much more rewarding for me as a writer, and I hope you enjoy such changes as a reader.

Michaela from HONOR CALLS is similar in some ways. Different at birth, she has dealt with loss and alienation from an early age. To avoid the pain the world brings, she has shut herself off and embarked on a campaign that honor demands she fulfill. Like Blake, it will take an extreme act of self-awareness to make her more than what she is — a slayer. It will be that self-awareness that will lead her on a new path where the call of her honor may conflict with that of her lover.

Imperfect heroes, Blake and Michaela. You gotta love ’em.

So what do you think about such heroes? As a surprise for you, anyone leaving a comment by midnight EST on Friday will be eligible to win a copy of DESIRE CALLS and a CALLING T-shirt!

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Guilty Pleasures Monday – Cary Grant

Cary Grant in the Philadelphia Story - Photo in the Public DomainMy daughter and I were walking in New York City the other day when we passed the Warwick Hotel. We had spent a week there during a conference years earlier, and I mentioned that Cary Grant had lived there for many years.

She said, “Who’s Cary Grant?” Ugh.

So today’s Guilty Pleasure Monday is a blast from the past — Cary Grant. He was handsome, witty and charming on screen. He starred in more movies than I can list, although two of my favorites are THE PHILADELPHIA STORY and TO CATCH A THIEF.

Hope you enjoyed today’s Guilty Pleasure Monday.

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Thoughtful Thursday – Baby It’s Cold Outside!

cold1This Thursday’s Thoughts are mainly about the cold, but also about how we become creatures of habit as we get older.

For example, if it’s over 30 I wear one coat. Over 40 another. Below 30 and out comes my big long coat and I add a sweatshirt underneath. When it goes below 20, as it has the past few days, I stick my head out from all the bundling and decide whether or not to do the walk to work.

Below 15 — definitely do the subway. If I do take the subway, I am totally spoiled because I walk straight into my building and never go outside in Manhattan. Which why I was surprised to see those big flurries of fat snowflakes dancing outside my window.

beachOf course, all that snow has me thinking of warmer locales because I am so not a person who loves the cold! I always tell people it’s because I’m not genetically prepared for it, having been born in Cuba.

That’s just my work habit. Then there’s my writing habit, especially over the weekend. Get up at 6 and make the coffee. Head up to my office at home, plop down on my couch, drag the blanket over me, grab the laptop and power it up. While it’s booting up, turn on the TV and look for something to have on while I write and if nothing interests me, slip in a favorite DVD. 😀

Habits. Funny ones to some people, I’m sure. What about you? You have any habits you’d like to share?

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