Monday Moments on Features would like to introduce you to the latest work from Caridad Pinero.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling paranormal and romantic suspense author Caridad Pineiro wrote her first novel in the fifth grade when her teacher assigned a project – to write a book for a class lending library. Bitten by the writing bug, Caridad continued with her passion for the written word and in 1999, Caridad’s first novel was released. Over a decade later, Caridad is the author of more than thirty published novels and novellas. When not writing, Caridad is an attorney, wife and mother to an aspiring writer and fashionista.
Caridad’s Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Caridad's sharing a little of her journey to publication with us today.
Thank you so much for letting me visit with you, Nancy.
A lot of people ask me when I first realized I
wanted to be a writer. The answer is
always the same: the fifth grade.
People are generally shocked when I say that and
I understand. It’s kind of young to
realize what you want to be, but it was one of those awakenings that you never
forget.
See, I was always an avid reader. Precocious even. By the fifth grade I was already reading Wuthering Heights.
I got all caught up in the saga of Heathcliff and Catherine and hated
that it didn’t have a happily-ever-after.
I always wanted the happily-ever-after. For as long as I could remember, I’d been
putting myself to sleep by creating stories in my head. Tales of romance believe it or not.
And then my fifth grade teacher assigned a
project: to write a 10 typed page book
for a class lending library. The book
could be about anything and it wouldn’t be graded. But you did have to do it to
pass the class.
I went home and started writing. I wrote all year long until it was almost
time to turn in the book. My mom helped
me type it. 120 pages and I didn’t
really get to put the whole story down because I’d run out of time!! So I hastily cobbled together an ending and
turned it in.
It was a big hit with the class and never spent
much time on the library shelves.
I knew then that I wanted to be a writer! When my daughter was born many years later, I
decided that it was time to try to get published and although it took several
years, I finally was lucky enough to achieve my lifelong dream.
Thanks again for letting me visit and listening
to my story. Now, I’d like to hear
yours! Did you follow a lifelong dream?
How did you do it?
I'm not sure about any readers of the blog post, but like you, Caridad, I've always been an avid reader. Unlike you, I had no thoughts at all about being a writer - beyond what I did to teach the 11-12 year olds in my primary classes. It was only when a teacher friend volunteered me for a non-fiction writing project that I stumbled into the world of published writing.
But let's fnd out about Caridad's newly released novel, 'For Love or Vengeance'.
FBI Special Agent Helene Alexander is a goddess. An actual frickin’ goddess. And her mission is clear, see that justice is served at all times or her days as a goddess are numbered.
Helene’s new FBI partner defines good-looking, but Miguel Sanchez, wants nothing to do with her ends-justify-the-means attitude. He knows through experience the type of guilt her actions can bring and Miguel wants nothing to do with Helene’s careless ways. Even if she’s so damned hot she makes him burn with the need.
When the serial killer they’re tracking strikes again, Helene and Miguel are drawn into a case that will challenge their most fundamental beliefs about justice and vengeance. But it’s the passion between them that forces a goddess to choose: eternal life with all her powers…or death—to save the man she loves.
Here's a little excerpt to keep you going till you purchase the book!
“My job was to protect her,” he finally
said through a tightness in his chest that threatened to strangle him.
To his shock, she reached up and cradled
the side of his face. Her palm was smooth. So smooth. So warm and…comforting.
He had never expected that a woman as hard as Helene could offer comfort, but
there it was, adding yet another intriguing layer to his partner. That
sensation coursed through him, freeing up the tension in his chest so he could
breathe again.
“It was her time. Nothing you did could
have changed that,” she said with absolute certainty.
Her words resonated within him, bringing
unexpected peace as if she were a priest who had just granted him absolution.
He brushed his hand against the thick waves
of her hair and urged them away from her cheek. Then he dug his fingers into
their softness, cupped her jaw, and tracked his thumb along the edge of her
mouth.
“Thank you,” he said, at a loss to find any
other words to express what he was feeling. Knowing in his gut that there was
only one thing that might.
He leaned forward until her warm breath
spilled against his lips. Her gaze filled with part surprise and part
anticipation. A heartbeat later, he allowed insanity to take over.
* *
* *
Helene’s breath became trapped in her chest
as Miguel closed the distance between them and covered her mouth with his.
Craziness, she thought for a millisecond before all that he was—all that
goodness and honor and sexiness—made her lose her head. Her supposedly more
powerful refined goddess senses didn’t stand a chance against the wonder of his
kiss.
He moved lightly against her mouth, an
invitation rather than a command, as if knowing the latter would have been
refused. Tentatively she accepted, meeting the sweep of his lips and deepening
the contact. She opened her mouth to taste him and permit his exploration as he
eased the tip of his tongue in to graze hers.
She moaned with need and the unexpected
desire he aroused. The sound was loud in the quiet of the room. So loud it
awakened them from whatever insanity had possessed them, breaking them apart.
They were both breathing heavily as she
stood there, her fists clenched against the desire to reach for him again.
Someone walking in might have assumed they
were fighting. And maybe they were. She was definitely fighting—for control.
He spoke first. “I’m sorry, Helene. That
was out of line.”
“No need to apologize. We’re both adults
and desire is a natural thing,” she said, attempting to downplay her fear that
it had been much more than passion that had brought them together.
It worked. Miguel wasn’t the kind of man
who indulged in desire just for desire’s sake. That would be too shallow. His
lips—those mobile, engaging lips that had only seconds before brought her such
pleasure—became a pencil-thin line.
Very intriguing, Caridad....
For Love or Vengeance Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books
Entangled Publishing – ignite imprint
Publication Date: September 23, 2013
Best wishes with your launch, of 'For Love or Vengeance' Caridad!
Slainthe!
I enjoyed your story about your first book. What was it about?
ReplyDeletejmcgaugh (at) semo (dot) edu