Thoughtful Thursday – Points of Light

lightsI truly believe that each of us is a point of light that can make a difference in someone else’s life. Whether it’s a small donation to a cause in which you believe or giving a little bit of your time to someone else, you can help improve someone’s life.

I try to do that in a variety of ways, like participating in a writing group – www.libertystatesfictionwriters.com – or by brainstorming with a fellow writer. By bringing you new faces to meet or by offering up some goodies for a worthwhile cause, like Brenda Novak’s auction.

Little things, but when lots of people do them, they amount to a big difference and they don’t take a lot of cash, just a small piece of yourself.

So, I leave you with that thought for today – What little thing can you do to help make a difference?

I also want to remind you that you have until midnight EST Friday to leave a comment on my friend Kathye Quick’s blog post for a chance to win a CALLING T-shirt.

http://caridad.com/blog/2009/05/06/wicked-wednesday-kathye-quick/

Finally, please drop by to check out the items that I’ve made available at the Brenda Novak Diabetes Auction!

First there is this amazing Sabor Latino basket put together by my friend, Olga. Besides some of my novels, there are some wonderful food items as well as a lovely pair of silver earrings and matching pendant.

elsaborlatinobasket

To bid on this item, you can click here or paste this link into your browser:
http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?e=rb&id=1306195

You can also bid on the following items that I’ve donated for the auction:

A signed ARC of SINS OF THE FLESH (A June 2009 release)
A signed copy of FURY CALLS
A t-shirt for SINS OF THE FLESH
http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=1379107

Complete set of The Calling Vampire novels – PLUS — Calling T-shirt. Novels: DARKNESS CALLS, DANGER CALLS, TEMPTATION CALLS, DEATH CALLS, DEVOTION CALLS, BLOOD CALLS, HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE, DESIRE CALLS and FURY CALLS
http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=1341802

Guilty Pleasures Monday – Jon Hamm

There’s just something very powerful and manly about Jon Hamm in MAD MEN, hence my selection of him as this Monday’s Guilty Pleasure. His character on the show, Don Draper, is interesting – you might even say predatory! Plus the men’s fashions of the 50’s just add to the allure.

If you haven’t caught this show on AMC, give it a shot or visit their website by clicking here. You can also download lots of fun things at the site!

Hope you enjoyed this Monday’s Guilt Pleasure! Also, I’m on my way to the Romantic Times Convention this week, so I’ll be on hiatus until next Monday on the blog. If time allows, I’ll be posting on the happenings at the convention and hopefully some fun photos of what’s going on! Have a great week!

Thoughtful Thursday – Unsocial Networking

nullI belong to a couple of social networks, namely Myspace and Facebook. Must confess to liking Facebook much more. It’s easier to use and has allowed me to catch up with lots more of my friends. I hadn’t really planned on joining, but was convinced to do so. I’m not sorry that I did, except for what I’d like to call the unsocial networking aspects of both it and Myspace.

As an author who likes to get the word out about herself, I understand that a lot of connections are made for purposes of promotion. You friend people and join groups. Post everyone now and then. Notice the every now and then part of it because at some point the strictly promo aspect becomes a little too much hence the unsocial part of it. Those daily reminders or huge Myspace comments that are little more than commercials for what you’re offering.

It’s okay to get the word out there about your work. People expect some of that when you friend someone like an author. But it’s also supposed to be about getting to know each other. Sharing what you think is fun (or not). Showing people a new side of you or pictures of interesting things. Giving people a slice of your life and seeing a slice of someone else’s. If you’re a friend, that’s what you’ll share with me and I hope that’s what I’ll share with you.

My two cents on this Thoughtful Thursday.

Also, while tomorrow is Fun Friday, it’s also Good Friday. In light of that, there won’t be a blog post tomorrow in light of the Holy Day. Look for me to post the names of the various blog winners sometime over the weekend.

Fun Friday – Fun Happenings!

logo-villanova-universityWe have three fun things for this Friday!

The first comes from my pal Gretchen who is trying to help out a friend replace a lost bass. If you like dangly earrings, check out this blog post by clicking here or using this link: http://www.gretchenjones.com/?p=293

Second – root with me on Saturday night for my alma mater as the Villanova Wildcats battle UNC in the Final Four round in Detroit. GO NOVA!! GO CATS!!

Third – but not the least – join me and some friends on a brand new loop for some fun and prizes. Here are the details for you:

9 Dangerous Women Writing!
3 days of fun and prizes!
heartheartheart
It’s a launch party with tons of prizes and great fun!

Starting at 3pm central time Friday April 3rd with scheduled fun all the way through Sunday the 6th!!

To join us send a blank email to [email protected]

Who are the DANGEROUS WOMEN WRITING?

The Authors are…

Nina Bruhns, Anna DeStefano, Donna Grant,
Rita Herron, Caridad Pineiro, Lisa Marie Rice,
Debra Webb, Lori Wilde, Lisa Renee Jones/Faith Winter

Available Now!
Dangerous Women Writing!

Lastly, I’ll be picking winners for all the blog contests this weekend, so look for the announcement on Monday!

Undead Uprising

ww.jpgThis Wicked Wednesday I’m doing something different – the excerpt for the first chapter of Undead Uprising is taking part in the Full Moon of Werewolves being run by my friend and fellow author Lori Devoti!

Also one lucky commenter will win a a SINS OF THE FLESH t-shirt along with a copy of TEMPTATION CALLS. Just leave a comment on my blog post to be entered. Winner will be announced at end of the Full Moon promotion. Last day to enter Saturday, March 25th at midnight central U.S. time.

To visit my blog post at Lori’s Full Moon of Werewolves, just click here or cut and past this link into your browser window: http://loridevoti.com/blog/2009/03/25/full-moon-of-werewolves-excerpt-from-caridad-pineiros-undead-uprising-prize/

Wicked Wednesday – Honor Calls and more contests!

Thanks for making me the post of the day over at Cataromance by visiting Single Titles! Woo Hoo!

Contest week continues this week and up until midnight EST on March 20th! Visit any of these blogs and leave a message and you could win a copy of SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD, an autographed ARC of SINS OF THE FLESH and a CALLING T-shirt. Also drop by Fresh Fiction on March 20th because they are featuring FURY CALLS as their Fresh Pick! (So excited about this!)

Share some coffee and chat with me at Over Coffee:
http://siamckye.blogspot.com/2009/03/balancing-work-and-passion.html

Single Titles Interview:
http://singletitles.com/?p=1607

Loves Romances and More:
http://loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/2009/03/welcome-to-caridad-pineiros-guest-blog.html

Since today is Wicked Wednesday, I’m sharing with you another bit of HONOR CALLS which is available online at various e-book retailers. HONOR CALLS will also be available as part of the AWAKENING THE BEAST collection in October 2009!


HONOR CALLS February 2009 Shit, Jesus murmured under his breath as he realized his intent to just drive by The Blood Bank wouldn’t be possible.

The small street on which the club was located was not wide enough for the passage of a car. As he rounded the block for the third time, he scoped out a free spot a short distance away and after parking, headed on foot toward the Goth club.

He hadn’t gone more than a few feet before the heat and humidity of an August Manhattan night had him sweating beneath the weight of his suit jacket. Since he was armed, removing the jacket wasn’t possible and he was starting to regret he hadn’t gone by his apartment to at least change into a t-shirt and jeans.

Swiping at a line of perspiration along his brow, he paused at the mouth of the street, one of the older ones in the city. More like an alley, which seemed apropos for the place he was about to visit, he thought. Definitely a back alley kind of operation from what he had seen in the various reports that had crossed his desk.

Ahead of him and about four small blocks down was a line of people at a nondescript building – The Blood Bank he assumed. The line was relatively long considering the hour and filled with a decidedly rough-looking crowd clad in lots of black, leather and metal. That at least was not very different from what he had expected.

As he proceeded along the cobblestones, bright with the light from a full moon and uneven beneath his shoes, he kept a wary eye on the smaller, even narrower side streets and tight gaps between the buildings. It was at the mouth of one of those alleys that the last body had been found.

Or at least, parts of the body.

A grunt, loud and painful-sounding, snared his attention as he passed the entrance to a space between two turn-of-the-century brick buildings. The buildings were built so closely together that the moonlight did little to illuminate the area between, but even with the lack of light, he detected the activity going on in the gap.

Another grunt came followed by the din of metal trash cans crashing against one another.

Definitely a fight and judging from the sounds of it, someone was getting their ass kicked.

He pulled out his Sig and advanced to the opening of the space between the buildings. He took a step within and his eyes adjusted to the lack of light, revealing the two people locked together in combat. One tall and much bigger than the other and as they grappled together, the light from a side door lamp illuminated their features.

The smaller one was a woman while the other. . .

Eerily bright blazing eyes shot a glance his way while long white fangs gleamed from the artificial light of the lamp. The creature growled at him, the sound like the rumble of a mountain lion, but then turned back toward the woman.

She had her arms braced against the creature’s jacket, trying to keep those wickedly long fangs away from her face, but with the vampire’s greater height and bulk, he feared she might be fighting a losing battle.

Ño, he cursed as she continued with the fight, totally ignoring his presence.

The creature spun the woman around and as the light swept over her face, he could tell she was young. Mid-twenties he guessed before she whirled out of sight again, struggling to break away from the demon’s grasp.

With a quick upward jab of her arm, the woman snapped the creature’s head back. It emitted a louder growl and another glimpse of its face showed its lethal fangs once again.

The woman’s blow did little to slow the demon. It reached behind to grab the woman by the scruff of her neck and whip her away from him and against the brick wall of one of the buildings. She hit the wall with a thick thud and fell to the ground dazed, prompting him to action.

Guilty Pleasures Monday and a Birthday Bash!

Dennis Quaid - Photo in the Public DomainEvery time I see Dennis Quaid I think, man he’s still got it! Now, his latest movie VANTAGE POINT was so not good, but he looked great in it.

One of my favorite Quaid movies is FREQUENCY which also starred Jim Cavaziel (another cutie!). THE ROOKIE is another good one with a very inspiring message to always follow your dreams!

bday1.gifAs you all may know, I’ve been very lucky to be able to follow my dreams as well. It’s wonderful to be able to write for you and share my books and to celebrate that and my b’day, we are having a birthday bash week!

Just visit any of the blogs listed below this week and leave a comment and you’ll be eligible to win a prize from me! At Barbara Vey’s blog, there are tons of other prizes as well!

I’ll be visiting all of these blogs and if you’ve left a comment at any of them, you’ll also be eligible to win a $25 Godiva gift card! The more times I see your name at the different blogs, the more your chances improve to win the gift card. So take a moment and stop by one or all to improve your chances of winning a prize.

The contest ends on Friday, March 13th at midnight EST, so be sure to get your comments in there on time!

Barbara Vey’s Beyond Her Book Blog for lots of fun and giveaways!
http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/880000288/post/1240041524.html

Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=1602

Harlequin Paranormal Romance blog: http://paranormalromanceblog.wordpress.com/

Liberty States Fiction Writers (leave a comment on any of the blog posts): http://www.libertystatesfictionwriters.com/blog-read-around-the-world/

Long and Short Reviews: http://longandshortarchives.blogspot.com/search/label/Caridad%20Pineiro