Caridad Pineiro® Romance Author
NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Romance Author
I had a very definite playlist in mind when I wrote NOW AND ALWAYS. The playlist was filled with songs that conjured up sultry tropical nights in Miami and the heartbreak of love that didn’t come easy.
So this Friday we’re falling back to the 1990s and Gloria Estefan’s Can’t Stay Away From You. I could so picture this being Connie’s song as she deals with all the love and angst of a relationship with Victor.
If you can’t see the video below, you can click here.
My latest release, NOW AND ALWAYS, is set in Miami. As a kid, we always went to Miami in August to visit family and friends. It used to be a fun road trip as we made our way from New York, down the East Coast and eventually to Miami. We used to stay in South Beach back then, not because it was trendy, but because it was inexpensive. At one point we stopped staying there as the area had gotten too bad.
It’s nice to see South Beach revived to its Art Deco splendor. I was lucky enough to revisit South Beach a few years back and here are some of the photos from Ocean Drive and the South Beach area. In NOW AND ALWAYS, Connie gets an apartment in this area while she goes undercover and fights her attraction to sexy physician Victor.
This is a view of the beach from Lummus Park. The brightly colored lifeguard stands are a staple of the Miami Beaches.
There are quite a number of glamorous hotels in South Beach. This is the pool area at the Loew’s Hotel. Lovely place right near Lincoln Drive. For those who read KISSED BY A VAMPIRE, lots of action in that book happens along Lincoln Drive, a pedestrian mall lined by restaurants, clubs, and stores.
The smaller and older hotels are famous for their Art Deco style and neon. The neon throws its color into the tropical night, making it come alive.
Hope you liked this behind the scenes glimpse into the inspiration for NOW AND ALWAYS.
It’s release day! YEAH! The e-book is now available at Amazon and the print book should be up by later today. So excited.
I want to thank those of you who have requested an ARC in order to do a review. It is much appreciated.
I’ll be having a cover release party for NOW AND ALWAYS and FAITH IN YOU on July 16th. If you wish to participate, please fill out the form below. You will receive the covers, an excerpt and some links which you can post on your website, blog, Facebook, Myspace, or anywhere else on the Net.
From all the participants, I will pick one person to win a $50 gift card! Thank you!
Here are some of the earlier reviews for the book!
Rendezvous: “. . . a fast-paced, well-developed plot . . . anxiously await other books by this gifted author!â€
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “. . . a compelling love story. . . beautifully imbued with details of everyday life in Miami….â€
Please welcome today my friend and fellow author, Catherine Bybee! I am so excited to have her here today to chat about her latest release. If you’re like me and your guilty pleasure is plunking down with a stack of Silhouette Desire novels, then Catherine’s book is one you are sure to love and since it’s an Amazon bestseller, I think others also agree.
Without further ado, here’s Catherine!
In the giving spirit, I’m going to offer a copy of Wife by Wednesday to a random person who leaves a comment on your blog today. All they half to do is answer one question. What do you think about authors self publishing their work?
My very first Indie published book, Wife by Wednesday has been out less than two months and already I’ve reached so many new readers. I think people need a light contemporary read this time of year. Something to help them escape for a few hours. Wife is #2 in Contemporary Romance one Amazon Kindle this week. I couldn’t be happier with my reviews.
Here is an exclusive excerpt of Wife by Wednesday:
A Contemporary Romance with a dash of humor and a whole lotta sexy…
Rich, titled, and charming… And in need of a wife by Wednesday so he turns to Sam Elliot who isn’t the business man he expected. Instead, Blake is faced with Samantha Elliot, engaging and spunky with a voice men call 900 numbers to hear.
Owner of Alliance, her matchmaking firm, and not on the marital menu… That is until Blake offers her ten million dollars for a one-year contract. All she needs to do is keep her attraction to her husband to herself and avoid his bed. But Blake’s toe-curling kisses and charm prove too difficult to combat. Now she needs to protect her heart so she can walk away when their mercenary life together is over.
After several minutes of packing, Samantha forgot all about the cameras and found her head deep inside her dresser. She grabbed a simple band and tied her hair back out of the way.
“Should I be worried about all these shoes in here?†Blake asked from her closet.
She laughed. “You’re the one who told me to go shopping,†she teased.
“Looks like I’ll be hiring a handyman to build another walk-in just for you.†There was laughter in his voice.
“Women love clothes.â€
“And shoes, apparently. God, I didn’t think anyone needed this many.â€
Samantha tucked her panties into a box and reached for more. “I’m short, in case you haven’t noticed. I need heels to see how the rest of you live.â€
Blake’s voice moved closer. “You’re not short,†he said.
She turned to see him holding a pair of four-inch pumps.
“Vertically challenged, then.†She stood to prove her point. “See?†Beside him, the top of her head met his chin. “Short!â€
His eyes seemed to drag her into his frame. “I wouldn’t change anything about you,†he told her. Blake reached out and tugged the band from her hair. His fingers brushed over the ends and Samantha forgot to breathe. The closer he moved into her personal space, the less air was available for her lungs. She tilted her head as he moved in and allowed his mouth to move over hers.
To order WIFE BY WEDNESDAY, just follow any of these links:
Amazon Download:
http://amzn.to/pus1jM
Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/94015
Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wife-by-wednesday-catherine-bybee/1106329395?ean=2940013652019&itm=6&usri=catherine%2bbybee
For more information on Catherine and her novels (did I mention she also does time travel stories?), check out Catherine at www.catherinebybee.com.
Over ten years ago, Kensington Publishing launched the short-lived, but innovative, Encanto Latino romance line. The women who came together to write for that line formed the Encantadoras sisterhood. A sisterhood that has continued for many of us through the trials and tribulations of the publishing world.
That’s why it’s so exciting and joyful for me today to have with me Diane Escalera, one of my writing sisters. Diane is going to share with us her new release, DANGEROUS DESIRE, from Lyrical Press.
Please welcome Diane today! To help celebrate the release, I am offering up a $10 gift card and a copy of THE LOST to one lucky reader who leaves a comment by July 21, midnight PST (I want to give my California friends the time to post!)
Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, I relocated to South Florida, a sultry paradise I instantly fell in love with. Unlike most authors, I didn’t know I was destined to write. In fact, I worked in banking for many years, but deep down knew that it wasn’t my dream job.
At the young age of thirty-five, my sister died of an illness. I realized the same thing could happen to me. There are no guarantees. I couldn’t waste another moment doing something I didn’t love.
Writing was one of my greatest joys when I was growing up. While still working at the bank, I decided to enroll in an intensive course where I learned everything I could about the craft. It didn’t take long before I left the bank to pursue a writing career.
Still living in South Florida, I’m married, have two children and a super cute Dachshund I can’t get enough of. I feel truly blessed to be able to share my stories. I only wish I could have shared them with my sister.
Dangerous Desire will be available on July 18th at Lyrical Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Digital Bookstores everywhere. The Print Edition comes out in October.
Please visit www.DianeEscalera.com to learn more about my sexy tales. I love to interact with readers! “Like†my fan page at www.Facebook.com/DianeEscaleraOfficial. Follow me on www.Twitter.com/DianeEscalera.
In full view, Cruz stripped off his sweaty black tee and Sienna nearly had a heart attack. Jesus Christ. The men at her gym would’ve despised him.
Her eyes slowly drank him in. Good God. He had the sexiest bod she’d ever seen. Taut and tan, his muscles were chiseled in a way that gave his dimensions beautiful symmetry. Tori would’ve been impressed. She’d always preached about the importance of muscle balance. Some men took it to the extreme. Not Cruz. He sported a tapered waist with shredded abs, V-shaped torso, and arms that made her drool because, if she had to pick a favorite body part, arms were it.
He used the dirty shirt to dry sweat off his gorgeous frame. Her eyes followed his movements, stopping at the bulldog tattoo etched on his sculpted pec, with the word Marines below. He’d been in the service, a kickass Marine. How hot!
He busted her checking him out.
She yanked her eyes away. Jeez. Her face probably looked as red as it felt.
Holding up a fresh shirt, he shook it out a few times. The sound of fabric caught her attention. Her gaze slid that way again. Okay. Sound had nothing to do with it. She just had to look one more time. He pulled the shirt over his head. Terrific. Now he wore a white muscle shirt tailor-made for his ripped physique. The thing should’ve been outlawed.
Wearing a sly smirk, he combed his fingers through his short, spiky hair. Running down the inside of his arm below his rock-hard biceps, he had another tattoo, this one with five small Chinese symbols. What a unique spot for a tattoo, and unbelievably sexy, like everything else about him.
Even his name sounded hot.
He climbed into the driver’s seat and snapped his door shut. He didn’t look at her, but then, he didn’t have to. She knew he knew what kind of effect that little display had on her. Oh yeah. He had it written all over that smug face. He might be a soaking-wet dream she didn’t mind entertaining on a nightly basis, but she didn’t have to be so obvious.
Sienna grabbed her seatbelt and tried to latch it.
“Damn,†Cruz mumbled, as he watched her struggle with the belt. He turned on the ignition and flipped the air conditioning to the highest setting.
She looked at his face instead of his sinewy arm. It took willpower, because those arms really did it for her. “Is there a trick?†The mechanism wouldn’t click into place.
“I keep forgetting to get that thing checked,†he said. “Don’t usually carry passengers except for Roman.†He looked back at his dog and grinned. Roman sat on the bench seat patiently waiting to go bye-bye.
“It doesn’t work at all?†She preferred to wear a seatbelt, and not just because of the law. South Florida had some loony drivers.
“It just takes a little maneuvering,†he replied. “Let me give it a try.†He turned all that magnificence toward her and reached across her chest.
Holy crap, he was totally in her face, his delicious body stretched across her lap. She held her breath and pressed her back into the seat, felt his weight, smelled his soap and baby shampoo. Her every cell fell under his spell. She tried to find her voice. “Any luck?†she squeaked out.
They were eye-to-eye, his mouth so close that if she puckered her lips, that would be it. His gaze traveled downward. He tilted his head like he wanted to kiss her. Uh-oh. She hadn’t made out in years. She probably sucked at it by now. A magnetic intensity pulled her to him, and she had a feeling she’d relearn pretty quickly. Her body buzzed with sexual urgency. Not once in her life had she felt this consumed, this desperate to feel a man’s lips on hers.
Whew, is it hot in here or what? I hope you enjoyed Diane’s visit. Feel free to leave questions and comments for Diane and the giveaway.
Also, if you feel like chatting, I’ll be at the Writerspace chat room tonight at 9 pm EST. Stop by for some fun and prizes!
Those who know me know I am like the Energizer bunny after a double-dose of a triple venti Starbucks coffee. I’m always on the go. So this summer I plan on doing something different: relaxing. Well, at least relaxing as much as I can because I really can’t just get away from it all for a variety of reasons. Still, I am going to do my darn best to plan my spontaneity. LOL!
So this morning’s Thursday 13 is a list of my summer wishes! Feel free to add your summer wish as a comment!
1. Relax. I want to dip my toes in the water and just take it easy.
2. Read more. My TBR pile is looking too much like the Washington Monument.
3. Relax.
4. Sell a proposal to Harlequin Desire. I just love these books and so wish I could get back into writing contemporary romances.
5. Relax.
6. Hope the new books sell well.
7. Get to the beach more.
8. Take long naps on the beach.
9. Enjoy early morning and evening strolls along the boardwalk.
10. Lose more weight and be healthier (unfortunately that flies in the face of #11).
11. Eat a short shot ice cream at Day’s every weekend night.
12. Relax.
13. Try my hand at self-publishing some of my earlier releases and a new story.
Hope you’re having a good spring so far and looking forward to the summer! Feel free to share what you would like to do over the next few months.
You can visit more Thursday 13 participants by clicking here.
The winner of the Summer Splash Blog Hop prize is Laura H. Please contact me with your postal address so I can send your prize.
There’s a body switch going on today since I have with me fellow author V.K. Sykes while I’ll be over later at the Writerspace blog. Please drop by for a visit to find out why I wanted to hate Jesse Bradford, the hero of my upcoming November 2010 paranormal romance release STRONGER THAN SIN.
But for now…..drum roll please….
Please welcome V.K. Sykes. V.K. Sykes is actually the pseudonym for a wife/husband team that writes sexy contemporary romance for Carina Press. Vanessa and Randy can be found on the web at: http://www.vksykes.com. Vanessa also writes Regency-set historical romance under her own name, Vanessa Kelly. You can visit her on the web at: http://www.vanessakellyauthor.com.
CADDYGIRLS is their new release from Carina Press.
Torrey Green once had a promising golf career, but now she’s stuck caddying for butt-pinching businessmen. She doesn’t mind playing dumb while hauling clubs if it means she can get her golf career back on track, and she’s going to need an influx of cash to focus on the pro circuit. A booking from video game mogul Julian Grant could be Torrey’s cash-flow solution.
In Las Vegas for a business deal, Julian’s partners plan for a little action on the greens. They’re looking for some fun with their rent-a-caddy girls, and have a lot riding on who can score, on the course and off. This type of gamble isn’t Julian’s style, but he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his partners happy – even if that includes breaking a few hearts along the way.
Julian soon discovers that Torrey is more than just a caddy girl and they spark an intriguing attraction – but if Torrey discovers the truth behind his idiotic wager, all bets are off…
On their first date together, Julian takes Torrey to a black light, mini-putt golf course…
Julian had never been to Pirate’s Cove, but he’d walked and driven past it dozens of times. Cheesy was the first word that had sprung to mind whenever he’d noticed the popular Strip attraction. The entrance to the course was a pirate ship’s prow that looked like it had been molded from a dingy chunk of Styrofoam. Precariously balanced on the edge of the prow stood a twenty-foot statue of Pirate Pete, saber pointing defiantly skyward. Too bad the tip of Pete’s nose had broken off, spoiling the ferocious effect.
Pirate’s Cove actually had two mini-golf courses—one regular and one black light.
“Which one should we try?†he asked, leaving the decision up to her.
She didn’t hesitate. “The black light sounds like more fun.â€
Julian paid, grabbed the putters and balls and led her through into the black light course. A flood of lurid colors washed over them—bizarre shades of blue, purple, pink, red and green. Even the putters and balls glowed in the dark. Garish, pirate-themed props—some hanging in mid-air—popped out of the darkness.
He turned to Torrey, intending to rip on the tackiness of it all, but the sarcastic remark died on his lips. Her black dress had essentially vanished under the black light, leaving her white underwear clearly visible, almost as if she were in an x-ray machine. She took the putter from his hand, obviously unaware of the rather spectacular display of her lush body.
His throat felt suddenly dry and prickly. One minute she’d been in a severe black dress—the next, her feminine undergarments and what they covered were in full, glorious view. Actually, her lacy bra and panties seemed quite demure, not like the scraps of fabric some of his dates had sported. Still, the glowing white shapes of her full breasts and deliciously curvy ass were the sexiest things he’d seen in a long time. He was getting an embarrassing hard-on in the middle of a family amusement center.
“Torrey?†He handed her a radioactive-looking ball as he dragged his eyes level with her face.
“This is going to be fun, Julian. You want me to go first?â€
“I was thinking that maybe this isn’t such a great idea after all. I’m afraid everybody can see your underwear in this crazy light.â€
She cast her gaze down and let out a tiny gasp. “Oh, my God, you’re right.†She looked up at him, her eyes even bigger than usual. “But why can’t I see yours?†She glanced across the room and pointed at a woman a couple of holes ahead. “I can see that woman’s panties, too!â€
“It looks like the light picks up white things under dark outerwear,†Julian said, mentally kicking himself for his lame idea. The last thing he wanted was to embarrass her. “Why don’t we try the regular course instead? Or we could just leave, if you want.â€
She grinned, her teeth glowing an unnatural shade of white. “No, let’s stay here. I can handle it, Julian,†she said with a little laugh. “I’ve worn bikinis that reveal a lot more.â€
He smiled back. I’d like to see those.
“Okay,†he replied. “Just don’t be surprised if I can’t keep my eyes on the game.â€
“Oh, you’re too much of a gentleman for such sexist behavior.â€
“Tell that to my hormones.â€
She tilted her head and feigned exasperation. “Are we going to play some golf or stand around here jawing all night?â€
He laughed, so turned on by her easy self-confidence that he wanted nothing more than to haul her back to his hotel room and make love to her for the rest of the night.
Later, he promised himself.