This cool little site comes to me courtesy of my good friend Irene Peterson.

Have you ever wondered how many other people share your name? You can visit http://www.howmanyofme.com to find out!

I discovered there’s only ONE of me - Caridad Pineiro. Hmm. People always said I was “unique”. Do you think that’s what they meant?

Also interesting that there are only 9150 people with Caridad as a first name, making it quite “unique” and also quite feminine since 99.9% of the people with that name are female. Most famous person with my last name — Joel Pineiro, the baseball pitcher. He’s currently playing for the St. Louis Cardinals. Wonder if we’re related somehow?

What about you? Are you unique?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 1 or fewer people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

A BIG BIG thanks to Lisa Jackson for providing us with an amazing excerpt and dropping by to visit. Also a BIG BIG thanks to everyone who came to visit and left a comment on the blogs. I’ll be answering all your comments over the weekend, picking the two lucky winners and also, the winners of the copies of HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE.

For those of you who left the answer — SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD — Yep, that’s the name of my upcoming December release from Silhouette Romantic Suspense. As you may know, SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD is part of the COLTONS: FAMILY FIRST Series from Silhouette Romantic Suspense. Check out all the books in the series by this wonderful group of authors!

COLTON’S SECRET SERVICE - by Marie Ferrarella Sept 08
RANCHER’S REDEMPTION - by Beth Cornelison Oct 08
SHERIFF’S AMNESIAC BRIDE - by Linda Conrad Nov 08
A SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD - by Caridad Pineiro Dec 08
BABY’S WATCH - by Justine Davis Jan 08
A HERO OF HER OWN - by Carla Cassidy Feb 08

As for a Fun Night — yesterday was my daughter’s b’day and I drove down to Philly and she and I had a girl’s night at the ballpark. I had my friends Linda and Lena with me and my daughter had two of her friends. The Mets were playing the Phillies — always a good rivalry. Our group was a mix of Philly and Mets fan and one lone Yankees fan.

The weather was amazing and so was the company. We had a great time and for my daughter and me, it was even better since the Mets won after losing the night before. That puts them back in first place, but it really is a pennant race this year with the Mets and Phillies both shooting for the division title.

Let’s hope the Mets don’t repeat last year’s historic collapse. Ugh. That was heart-breaking which is why I guess you really need to be a fan to love the Mets. Like they said in 1969 - YA GOTTA BELIEVE.

The highlight of last night’s game for us was two solo blasts by Carlos Delgado which we were able to watch clear the fence since we were sitting up along the third base line (so we could be sure to watch David Wright!).

If you didn’t watch the game, you can click here to see Delgado’s second solo blast which I think tied up the game:
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200808273378683

TODAY’S THE DAY, Tuesday the 26th and not Wednesday, the 26th hence why it’s a Topsy Turvy Tuesday and Wicked Wednesday combined! Since I got the dates wrong, we will be taking comments and having the contest for these next two days so more time for you to win!

Please give a big WELCOME to Lisa Jackson who is providing us with an excerpt from her latest LEFT TO DIE. I’ll be picking TWO-Two-two lucky winners to receive a copy of LEFT TO DIE, Lisa Jackson T-Shirt and notepad from everyone who leaves a comment on the blog before midnight EST on Wednesday, August 27th. The two lucky winners will also receive a box of books and a CALLING vampire novel t-shirt.

Plus — if you’re one of the first 25 who leaves the name of my next release (hint — it’s in December) as part of their blog comment, you will also get an autographed copy of HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE. I will contact you for a postal address if you’re one of the 25 lucky HOLIDAY winners.

Without further ado . . . here’s your free excerpt from Lisa Jackson! Please note this is for Mature Audiences only.

Naked, I stand at the window.
Alone.
Waiting.
While sand slips oh, so slowly through the hour glass.
The coming night was near, shadows playing darkly. A hollow wind, keening and savage, cuts through the canyons with the promise of death upon its breath. I hear its plaintive cry from deep in the cabin.
It wants me, I thought. It wants her.
It’s as hungry as I am.
Good!
Feeling the ache, the low, insistent pulse, I peer through the window panes glazed in ice, frosted with blowing snow.
Naked branches of the lonely trees rattle and dance, like skeletal arms raised in supplication to the heavens.
As if God were interested.
I feel the urge to step outside, the tug of the cold tempting me to languish in the caress of frigid gusts upon my bare skin.
But it is too soon.
I’m not going to let myself fall victim to that easy enticement. The timing just isn’t right. Not yet.
I have to be patient.
Because she is coming.
Unfailingly and without any inkling as to her fate, she is drawing near. I feel it.
And everything has to be perfect.
“Come on,” I whisper quietly and feel that sensual twitch deep inside at the thought of her: lightly tanned skin, some freckles, wide hazel eyes and untamed hair a deep brown that shines red in the fire-light. “Come the fuck on.”
The knowledge that she will soon appear causes my blood to race, my mind to fire with images of what is to come. I can almost taste her, feel the texture of her skin as she quivers at my touch. In my mind’s eye I watch her pupils dilate until her eyes are nearly black with fear and a dark, unwelcome desire.
Oh, she will want me.
She will beg for more of me.
And I’ll give her what she wants: what she fears.
Her last conscious thoughts will be of me.
But not yet . . . I have to hold back.
Tamping down those vibrant, exhilarating fantasies, I decide to savor them later. When the timing is right.
With one last glance at the window, I walk to the table near the fire, sit in the smooth wooden chair and feel the varnish against my bare skin. When my body is unfettered by clothes my mind is sharper. Clearer.
I study my maps carefully. Using a magnifying glass, charting my course. The worn, marked pages are spread upon the plank table near the kerosene lantern glowing softly. Scattered upon the scarred planks are the astrological charts, birth certificates and recent clippings of the deaths that no one will ever trace to me. In the articles those beautiful releases of souls are described as brutal slayings, the work of a psychopath.
Reporters, like the police, are idiots.
I can’t help but smile at all their wasted efforts.
The authorities are morons.
Cretins.
Fools who are so easily toyed with.
Burning wood crackled in the grate, anxious flames devouring the mossy chunks of oak and pine, the scent of wood smoke heavy in my nostrils as I reread the stories about the “victims”, tales that have been carefully construed by the stupid cops to ensure that no details they want to keep from the public have slipped into the articles. They have worked diligently to make certain a few clues as to what really happened up on the ridge won’t be available to the general populace for fear a nutcase will claim to be the killer.
Then, the short-staffed Sheriff’s Department will have to sort it all out and spend valuable hours dealing with the fraud. Officers will have to expose him or her to be just some whack job trying to get his or her fifteen minutes of fame or infamy. The department will lose a lot of time uncovering the false murderer, a lunatic pretender who in no way can understand the divinity nor the complexity of the painstakingly executed sacrifices.
Sorry, imbeciles.
You’ll have to find some other killer to emulate.
“Killer.” The word tastes bitter. As did “criminal” or “psycho”. Because what I do isn’t a crime, not just a “killing”, not some psychotic whim, but a necessity . . . a calling. However those who are unenlightened will never understand. What I’ve done, what I will do again, is misunderstood.
So be it.
A window rattles against a gust of wind and I feel a sudden chill slithering down my spine. Glancing up from my work to the icy panes, I see fluttering flakes of snow in the steely day beyond.
Feeling the storm seeping through the cracks in the walls, the cold air kissing my skin, I envision her again.
Beautiful bitch.
Soon you will be mine.
God and the Fates are on my side.
I lick my lips as a thrill steals through my bloodstream. Turning back to the table, I see her picture. In black and white, the surroundings out of focus, her features clear and crisp.
In the glossy photograph, she appears happy, though, of course, her smile is a frail facade. She looks almost flirtatious.
A lie.
As I stare deeply into her eyes, I detect a shadow, a small frisson of darkness that betrays her fear.
In that fragile moment when the camera captures her, she senses that her life is far from what it seems.
And yet she can’t possibly comprehend the truth. Little does she know what is about to happen; that her fate
has already been sealed, that she will soon join the others . . .
Carefully I read the charts once more. The stars are in the right position, the groundwork has been done and December with its cold, stinging kiss will soon be here.
As will she.
She will arrive before the turn of the calendar’s page.
Closing my eyes I imagine our meeting.
Her chilled flesh will press against mine. Her skin will have the salty taste of fear, her cheeks even more so with the tracks of tears.
A frisson of expectation sizzles through my blood.
I glance down at the photograph again.
So clear.
So sharp.
So ready.
“Soon,” I whisper, not saying her name aloud, not wanting to hear it echo through the rafters. “Very soon.”
My groin tightens in expectancy.
Winter and Death are about to meet.

I remember the first ROCKY movie and how so many of us were madly in love with Sylvester Stallone. There was something so earthy, endearing and sexy about him. And all those muscles!! Definitely an Italian Stallion.

The first ROCKY movie was the stuff of which legends are made in the movie industry. It was shot on a very low budget and with an untried star who also happened to have written the movie. The film became a sleeper box office hit, was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won 3, including Best Movie and Best Director, but not Best Actor or Screenplay for Sylvester Stallone.

ROCKY spawned a number of sequels, some which arguably jumped the shark. But, I did get a chance to see the latest sequel, ROCKY BALBOA, and it was wonderful. Had a lot of the heart of the first movie and if you get a chance, watch it!

And if you haven’t seen the original or it’s been awhile, make sure to to do so. It’s a film classic and yes, Stallone is rather amazing looking before he gets all beat up.

As an aside, next time you’re in Philadelphia, join the hundreds who’ve dogged up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum and have yourself a ROCKY moment! Have I done it? Well, maybe . . . LOL!

On Wednesday, August 26th, I’m having a special guest blog by Lisa Jackson. She’ll be giving us a super sexy excerpt from her latest release, LEFT TO DIE. In addition, I’ll be picking two lucky winners to receive a copy of LEFT TO DIE, T-Shirt and notepad from everyone who leaves a comment before midnight EST on August 26th. The two lucky winners will also receive a box of books and a CALLING vampire novel t-shirt.

Plus — anyone who leaves the name of my next release (hint — it’s in December) as part of their blog comment will also get an autographed copy of HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE.

Also remember, anyone who places this FURY CALLS widget on their website/myspace/facebook is eligible to receive a FREE CALLING t-shirt. Just load the widget and e-mail me a link to where I can find the widget. T-shirts will be available while supplies last.

Here’s the FURY CALLS Countdown widget. Just click on GET THIS WIDGET to get the code!

Get this widget!

Had to share this with you! What supposedly happened with Julie Andrews turned 69. Turns out it’s not true but it was still so funny I had to pass it on.

FYI — I love Julie Andrews. Two of my most favorite movies are Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music. My mom actually took us to see The Sound of Music one Easter when it played at Radio City Music Hall. I had chills on my arms as I watched the movie, especially at the end when they start to cross the mountains in order to escape the Nazis. I remember turning to mom and saying something like, “Just like us. We had to run away, too.”

Anyway . . .

Julie Andrews Turns 69 (Source of Story unknown)

To commemorate her birthday, actress/vocalist, Julie Andrews made a special appearance at Manhattan ’s Radio City Music Hall for the benefit of the AARP. One of the musical numbers she performed was ‘My Favorite Things’ from the legendary movie ‘Sound Of Music’. Here are the lyrics she used:

(Sing It!) - If you sing it, its especially hysterical!!!

Botox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Cadillacs and cataracts, hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favorite things.

When the pipes leak, When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don’t feel so bad.

Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Back pain, confused brains and no need for sinnin’,
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin’,
And we won’t mention our short shrunken frames,
When we remember our favorite things.

When the joints ache, When the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I’ve had,
And then I don’t feel so bad.

Ms. Andrews received a standing ovation from the crowd that lasted over four minutes and repeated encores. Please share Ms. Andrews’ clever wit and humor with others who would appreciate it

I was sad to hear of Christina Applegate’s cancer news and that she had opted to undergo a double mastectomy at the age of 36. She’s cancer free now, but let’s say a prayer that she heals quickly and stays healthy!

Most everyone may remember Christina as Kelly Bundy, but I came to really respect her when she took the lead role in SWEET CHARITY. Christina broke an ankle during the Boston run, I believe, and then when it looked like the show was going to close, Christina stepped up to the plate to keep the show going.

Since “Charity” is my nickname, we went to see her in the show and she was great. We really really loved the show and so did others since Christina was nominated for a 2005 Emmy for her role. More recently, Christina was nominated for a Golden Globe for the ABC show “Samantha Who?”.

Here’s the promo for SWEET CHARITY featuring Christina!

Before we get into this week’s Wicked Wednesday, just a BIG REMINDER that next week’s Wicked Wednesday is a special excerpt from bestseller Lisa Jackson and a SPECIAL CONTEST!! Two lucky winners will receive copies of one of Lisa’s books, a T-shirt from Lisa and notepad. In addition, I’m going to toss in a CALLING T-shirt and box of books to the two lucky winners, so please drop by and leave a comment on the blog by midnight EST on August 26th for a chance to win these wickedly good prizes!

This week’s Wicked Wednesday brings you another installment of my urban fantasy involving a twist to the werewolf mythology, battles with vampires and a struggle for control in a werewolf pack. The tentative title is UNDEAD UPRISING and I hope you like this next free chapter that I’m offering you.

This chapter is a flashback to Catalina’s birth and what caused the split between her mother, Marina, and her father, Rafael. It’s a bit bloody for those of you who might be squeamish, but it does explain why Rafael had to set aside Marina, his own true love.

For those of you who may have missed the first nine chapters, you can read them here:

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9

CHAPTER 10

New York City, 1982

Rafael gripped her hand tightly and said, “That’s it, querida. Hee-hee-haaaa.” He mimicked the breathing pattern they had practiced at Lamaze class.

Marina shot him a grateful smile and copied his actions.

“That’s it,” he urged, but then shot a worried look to the doctor.

The physician, an older wolf who had served the pack for a generation or more, calmly said, “Do not worry, Rafael. The baby’s almost here.”

Something clawed at the edge of Rafael’s consciousness. A preternatural sense that things weren’t quite right. It was strong enough that he felt compelled to go and see if anything unusual was happening beyond the birthing room. Bending close to Marina’s ear, he whispered, “I’ll be right back.”

With a kiss to her sweat-drenched brow, he rose and headed to the door when the first scream exploded from her. A blood-curdling howl. One he had only heard before when an animal struggled in the throes of death. Racing back to her side, he grabbed hold of Marina’s shoulders as her body vaulted off the operating room table. “Marina, what’s wrong?”

He shot another look at the older wolf, only the man was urgently calling out for help.

As a few nurses and another doctor came rushing into the room, the monitors and assorted pieces of equipment beeped and sent out all kinds of warning signals, but not enough to drown out the sounds of Marina’s screams.

He struggled to hold his wife down while the doctor prepped her and one of the nurses set up an I.V. Within moments, Marina finally calmed, but soon moaned fitfully as the doctor urgently sliced open her belly. Guts and the baby soon filled the physician’s hands.

Rafael didn’t even have a second to see the child as a river of blood suddenly poured from within Marina. It ran down her hip. Pooled on the edge of the operating table before overflowing to the floor. So much of it. Too much.

The older wolf called out for help and the other physician immediately joined the battle to save Marina’s life.

The two men frantically yelled out instructions to the nurses and technicians around them. At one point, someone moved him back from the table, as if to keep him from seeing what was happening to his wife.

It seemed like hours during which all he could hear were the warning sounds of the medical equipment and the anxious words of the doctors who were laboring over Marina’s inert body.

If the baby had cried during that time, he didn’t know. But it was crying when one of the nurses finally placed the squirming bundle in his arms.

“I’m sorry,” the nurse said as she stepped away and for the first time, Rafael stared down into the face of his child and
saw . . .

Not a werewolf or a human, but a mix of both. The nose and mouth were too flat for a wolf’s muzzle, but too long to be human. The ears were pointy, but more wolf than human. Soft reddish fur covered what parts of its body were visible and small paw-like hands had visibly sharp nails. Nails that tore at the blanket, shredding it when they made contact. Like they must have shredded Marina’s insides as the beast child struggled to leave the womb.

After he tightened the blanket around it, the baby howled and struggled against its bonds. Unsure of what else to do, he cradled it close and murmured calming words, all the time trying to also keep an ear on what was happening on the operating room table where things had finally gotten calmer.

But maybe not for a good reason, he thought as he noted the grim faces of the doctors as they stepped away from Marina.

Fear gripped him. He grasped the baby securely. It struggled against him, but he didn’t relax his hold as he moved to his wife’s side.

She was pale, her face ghost-like. Barely breathing. But she was breathing and at that, he finally relaxed his grip on their newborn child.

A beast child, he thought yet again before turning his attention to his wife.

Gently he stroked Marina’s cheek. Her eyes fluttered open. Her beautiful cocoa-brown eyes were consumed with pain. “Amorcito. You’ll be okay,” he said.

When she spoke, her voice was so weak that he almost didn’t hear the one word she uttered. “Baby?”

Fear unlike any he had ever experienced twisted his insides. He couldn’t show her the child. He didn’t think she could deal with seeing what they had created. But then Marina gripped his arm with surprising strength and once again asked, “The baby?”

He nodded and took a deep breath, preparing himself for her reaction once he pulled back the blanket to expose the child. Then he slowly eased the edges of the shredded cloth from the beast baby’s misshapen face, only . . .

Within the blanket nestled a thoroughly human looking child. One with a head of auburn hair the same rich color as the fur that had earlier covered its half-wolfen body. Bringing the child to Marina, he eased his arm behind her back to prop her up slightly so she could see their baby.

Marina smiled and passed a trembling hand over the baby’s head. “She’s beautiful,” she said and for the first time, he realized it was a daughter. He had been too frantic before to notice.

They had a daughter, he thought, but whatever happiness that brought was torn away as Marina went limp in his arms and all the monitors started their anxious warnings once again.

My abuelita Nieves was a fabulous cook! She could take any combination of ingredients and make them taste great. Even something as simple as fried eggs and rice (one of my favorite quick meals).

One of her best dishes was an amazing bread pudding. I always loved it and try to make it whenever I can. The basic dish is simple to make and once you get the hang of it, you can try a number of variations, such as substituting brioche for the regular bread or cinnamon-raisin bread for a super cinnamony/raisiny version.

So here’s my Grandma Nieves’s recipe for Bread Pudding! I hope you enjoy it!

Basic Ingredients:

For the baking process: Large loaf baking pan or round quart and a half dish. Corningware is great since you can make the caramel in it and then add the pudding ingredients thereby using only one pan! You’ll also need a large baking dish to use for the bain marie and enough hot water to fill large baking pan halfway up the sides.

For the caramel: 1 cup plain white sugar

For the bread pudding:

3 whole eggs
3 cups whole milk
1 can Condensed Milk (Not evaporated, but Sweetened Condensed Milk. Magnolia or Eagle Brand are favorites!)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Raisins (about a 1/4 cup soaked in water or an alcohol like rum for a kick)
A loaf of stale Italian bread (no seeds)

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a large baking pan in the oven with hot, but not boiling water about half way up the side of the pan. This will make what is called a Bain Marie. The Bain Marie will help keep the bread pudding from drying out and will allow it to cook evenly.

Step 2:Make a caramel much like you did for the Cuban Flan.
Start with 1/2 cup of sugar and dissolve it in 1/2 cup to 1 cup water. Make sure the sugar is fully dissolved before you begin to heat it (if you have any sugar left, it will form crystals and be gritty). Once the sugar is dissolved, set the pan with the sugar over medium heat in a heavy medium/small saucepan or preferably, an ovenproof dish. Use a wooden spoon to stir until the sugar water is reduced (it should get thicker as it cooks). Grandma liked it light, but you can let it get golden and keep on going until it is a dark brown. (Again, be very careful!! Cooked sugar is very hot and can burn the skin if it spatters.)

Step 3: Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Mix in condensed milk, regular milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Break Italian bread into chunks and place in bowl to soak. Let soak for at least half and hour and then mix with hands to make sure there are no dry spots in the bread pieces. It’s okay if the bread pieces get really really small or even disappear. This bread pudding version doesn’t have large chunks of bread. Once it’s mixed, add the raisins and give one final mix.

Step 4: Place bread pudding mixture into the caramelized pan. Place the pan in the hot boiling water (bain marie) and bake at 350 degrees for about 35 to 45 minutes or until the pudding is set and a knife placed in the center comes out clean.

Cool the bread pudding on the counter for about half an hour before placing into the fridge to chill.

I always loved eating the bread pudding with a drizzle of condensed milk over the top (have you guessed that Cubans love condensed milk yet?)

Hope you try this out!

I have to confess that the first time I saw him, I was not sure if I found him handsome, but the more and more I see him, the more I find him attractive.

I just caught him over the weekend in NO RESERVATIONS which didn’t do all that well at the box office. I remember the movie being billed as kind of a romantic comedy and even the posters and covers for the movie (shown below) make it seem lighthearted and it was anything but that.

Could be why it didn’t do well. No one wants to go see a romantic comedy and have it be a serious movie. BUT — I liked the movie. It was quite touching in parts and Aaron was downright sexy. I wanted to see more of him and Catherine, but the director kept on closing the door every time that it was starting to get romantic. NOT!!! Especially if it’s supposed to a romance. But again, I would recommend it.

Here’s an interview with him about his role in THE DARK KNIGHT, the latest Batman movie:

It happens often. You go to the bookstore and see a cover that looks familiar, but the title is different. Turns out, it’s a different book with a very similar cover. I had that happen recently with the JEWEL OF MEDINA (that we discussed the other day)(shown below) and another book titled SISTER TERESA. At first glance the women on the covers looked very similar to me.

Of course seeing them side-by-side now makes me realize they don’t look that much alike, but now I dare you. Actually, double dog dare you to say that the two covers which follow don’t look alike!

Are you ready? Click to see more! Read the rest of this entry �

Last year I conducted a poll on multicultural fiction. I had a number of published authors (about 40) from diverse backgrounds offer their opinions on the state of mutlicultural fiction in publishing.

One of the topics on which I polled authors was Literary Segregation, namely, the practice of shelving books based on the author’s ethnicity or race or on the content of the book. This is something that happens in a number of book stores. I can’t speak as to whether it happens at many libraries as in general, I have not seen it done in my local libraries, but if you are aware of the practice at such locations, please chime in.

The vast majority of the writers were not in favor of this practice. Many felt that it reduced their sales and limited their opportunities for cultivating new readers who were not multicultural. During a recent discussion at the RWA National Conference, this issue arose once more and the consensus of the group that participated was again that this practice hurt diversity authors.

What do you think about this kind of segregation? Do you go to such sections in bookstores and/or libraries?

There seem to be many bookstores with African-American sections. Do you see similar sections for Latino books?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Many of you have been asking about the next book in THE CALLING vampire novels and I wish to thank all of you for writing and letting me know how much you love the series! It really makes it all worthwhile.

The news on THE CALLING is that the next book, FURY CALLS, will be out in March 2009 from Silhouette Nocturne! Remember that if you download the FURY CALLS countdown widget and put it on your website/social network page, you can get a free CALLING t-shirt!**

ARDOR CALLS, featuring Stacia, one of my favorite vampires, will be out in 2010 along with VENGEANCE CALLS. VENGEANCE introduces two new characters for you, including one who is a different kind of immortal.

To help you with the gap between FURY CALLS and the other books, there will be a Nocturne Bite e-novella titled HONOR CALLS which features FBI ADIC Jesus Hernandez who you have seen in a number of books. To also help you bridge the gap, I’ll be writing a series of free short stories for you to let you know what’s been happening with Diana and Ryder behind the scenes of all the books.

My editor and I have already spoken about another book for Diana and Ryder, so I’m really excited about that although it will likely be a long way off. In the meantime, here’s your first free short story read in THE CALLING:

This free read occurs in the months after the conclusion of DEVOTION CALLS.

**T-shirts while supplies last! I am in the process of sending out those to the first people who posted the widget, so look for them soon if you’ve already done that.

Diana Reyes stared at the pile of files precariously stacked on the side of her desk. Earlier that night she had just finished the last of the paperwork from the day before when an apologetic clerk had dropped this fresh load in her office.

Anger surged through her at the thought of another day at her desk, checking references and other information so that the subjects of the files would receive their proper security clearances. This wasn’t why she had joined the FBI, but then again, there had to be some kind of punishment for failing to prevent the deaths of so many agents during her last real assignment.

Those deaths and the nearly crippling injuries to her partner David Harris weighed heavily on her mind as did the personal aftermath from the night of the failed raid.

The santero’s words to her from months earlier still troubled her.

I can’t heal what you have.

What she had, Diana thought, laying her hands out before her and staring at them hard.

Human hands. Warm and filled with life. But within that life was something new. Different than before. And something that worried her still.

Deciding that she couldn’t linger a moment longer, she escaped the confines of her office, racing past David’s empty one and onto the elevator.

Out on the street before Federal Plaza, she stopped and breathed in the warm summer air. Thick and humid. The faint scent of garlic wafted from the Italian restaurant a few doors down. Her stomach growled with hunger.

She hadn’t eaten dinner that night, but she’d grab a bite later with Ryder.

Right now, she had something else to do. Something that called to her more than the physical demands of her body.

With a blast of inhuman speed, she surged to the nearby subway entrance. She stopped to catch a breath and still the wild beating of her heart. A wave of weakness ripped across her body, reminding her that all was not right.

The superhuman healing and powers that had taken over her body after her injuries during the raid were slowly leaving her. Worse, even her everyday tasks seemed to take more of her energy than before.

She worried that soon she might not have the strength left for even the every day things and after that . . .

Diana drove that thought away and headed for the subway for the trip up to Spanish Harlem.

Ricardo may have told her that he couldn’t heal what she had, but she had never asked him just what that was.

She intended to do so that night.

Hate to say it, but sometimes I’m a little more forgetful than I used to be. We all experience those brain fog moments for many reasons. Age. Stress. Medical reasons. So to stay sharp, I’ve gone back to doing something I used to do all the time as a kid — playing word search games and doing crossword puzzles.

For a great article from LIFETIME on playing games to keep your brain sharp, you can click here! The article mentions a number of games/DVDs, but you can also do puzzles, Soduku and other activities. Also check out what the article says about chocolate and cocoa! Always a good thing when science reaffirms the magic of such tasty things.

Also, for all you Harlequin fans, they are running a Buy One Get One Free promotion from today, August 12 to August 14. You can click here for the BOGO Sale going on at Harlequin.

Not to mention a big WOO HOO as the first book in the Coltons series has hit the shelves. You can click here for Colton’s Secret Service by the wonderful Marie Ferrarella. My contribution to this series, SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD, will be out in December 2008.

I was pondering who to share with you this morning and realized I hadn’t shared one of my favorites! So today’s Guilty Pleasure Monday is Pierce Brosnan. I first fell in love with him in a television movie series called The Manions (I believe). It was a story about the Irish and he was just so good looking.

Then one day I’m flipping through the channels and there he is again as Remington Steele! Heaven, I’m in heaven. I loved this show and the chemistry with him and Stephanie Zimbalist was wonderful. Hopeful romantic that I am, I kept on hoping they’d get together. I bought the first season on DVD and enjoyed watching it again.

When there was talk of needing a new Bond, it immediately occurred to me that Pierce would be the perfect Bond and so did the producers! Unfortunately, when Pierce was chosen as the new Bond, NBC decided to renew Remington Steele (which had been cancelled). This cost Pierce the role at that time. A shame since it would have been great to have more of him as James Bond.

Hope you enjoyed this Guilty Pleasure Monday! Also, don’t forget to check back on August 26th for a special blog by Lisa Jackson! I have autographed books, t-shirts and other goodies from Lisa to award to anyone who drops by that day and leaves a comment on the blog.

Last night we went to a Jonas Brothers concert at Jones Beach Theater. Although I grew up just minutes away, I’d never been to this venue and it’s gorgeous. The stage is set right at the water’s edge, so you see the wetlands and beach as you sit there and watch the show.

The concert was great. Lots of fun. Photos are still on my daughter’s camera, so I’ll share some photos from the last JoBro concert (yes, we are fans!). This concert was at the Meadowlands and was mobbed. Rumor has it that it sold out in about 2 minutes. This is a picture of Joe Jonas, the middle brother.

This is my daughter and me at the show. A friend of hers made T-shirts with lines from the JoBro songs and we wore them. The gold jacket is from one of their videos. My daughter bought it at American Apparel and everyone kept asking her where she had gotten it.

Had a great time as you can tell from the big smiles. I love spending time with my best bud.

This is the official video for one of their hits - SOS. It’s one of my favorite songs from the JoBros. The new one, BURNING UP, is really cute!

Reuters video of the opening fireworks over the Bird’s Nest Stadium on 08-08-08, a very lucky day apparently.

A wonderful friend of mine — Irene Peterson — forwarded this to me.

Please go to the end of this message and click on link. It’s hilarious, but I caution you, it will take a minute or so to load up, so be patient. As for who is behind this fun website — here’s what Irene’s e-mail said:

• HEMA is a Dutch department store. The first store opened on November 4, 1926, in Amsterdam . Now there are 150 stores all over the Netherlands . HEMA also has stores in Belgium , Luxemburg, and Germany In June of this year, HEMA was sold to British investment company Lion Capital.

  Take a look at HEMA’s product page. You can’t order anything and it’s in Dutch but just wait a couple of seconds and watch what happens.

  Don’t click on any of the products pictured, just wait and see what happens. And be sure you have your sound turned up.

  This company has a sense of humor and a great computer programmer, ya?

So without further ado, here’s the link and for those of you old enough to remember — it reminds me of one of those Rube Goldberg devices, doesn’t it?

http://producten.hema.nl/

Speaking of Rube Goldberg, here’s an Office Rube Goldberg device! The people in this office clearly have too much free time (or a boss that’s on vacation!)

Thanks to morebeefplease Jesse for this video!

Hope you all have a good weekend!

This is probably as controversial a topic as any we’ll discuss here. Not something I normally do, but the whole idea grabbed my interest and saddened me at the same time. What’s this topic about?

A New York City publisher cancelled the publication of a historical novel by Sherry Jones about one of the wives of Muhammad due to concerns that the book might be offensive to some and also “that it could incite acts of violence by a small, radical segment.” For more information on how this book was pulled from the market, please click here to read an essay by Asra Nomani of the Wall Street Journal.

Ms. Nomani, who is no stranger to the Muslim community and has worked for change toward women in the Muslim world, notes in her article that these actions saddened her.

It saddens me as well for a number of reasons and I’m interested to hear what you have to say. As for the reasons it saddens me, here goes:

It saddens me as a proponent of free speech that someone’s work is apparently being censored.
It saddens me as a writer to see years of hard work and the dream of publication being ripped away at the last minute.
It saddens me as a romance writer to see something which is described by one as a “racy historical novel” being called “soft core pornography” by another.
It saddens me as an American that the threat of terror has silenced someone much like terrorists hoped to silence America by taking down the Towers.
It saddens me for all the Muslims who do not believe that violence is the answer since unfortunately, it is the radical elements of any society that seem to get the press.
It saddens me as a woman since part of the goal of this novel who wanted to give a voice to the women in the book.

How do you feel? What do you think about what has happened to this book?

For some other comments on this event, you can check out these links:

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/publishing/has_random_house_let_the_terrorists_win_90974.asp?c=rss
http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/the-jewel-of-medina-is-now-on-sale-no-wait-nevermind/

This Wicked Wednesday’s treat is an excerpt from my upcoming December release - SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD. But first — the winner of the Fear of Flying Blog Contest is Ellen! I’ll be contacting her about her box of books! Also, look for a special guest blog and contest with books and other goodies from Lisa Jackson. Lisa will be dropping by on August 26th to blog.

Now back to SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD.

This story was a wonderful change of pace for me. There’s suspense and action, but also a truly heart-warming tale about two people separated by time and misunderstandings. Macy Ward, the heroine, is the mother to troublesome teenager TJ Ward. TJ’s a good kid, but he’s still not handling the loss of his father from cancer six years earlier. The hero, Fisher Yates, is a decorated Army Captain who is at a cross roads at his life. He has the choice of going back for another tour of duty in the Middle East or teaching at West Point. He’s not really considering the latter since he doesn’t picture himself as a family man . . . until Fate brings him back together with Macy Ward. Fisher can definitely imagine a family with Macy, but what he doesn’t expect to find out is that he already has one — TJ is his son. Together Macy and Fisher must not only work out their differences and rediscover love, but also deal with a threat to TJ and their family. SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD will be out in December 2008 from Silhouette Romantic Suspense.

Today’s Wicked Wednesday excerpt is from a flashback scene to the fateful night when Fisher and Macy first get together! Hope you enjoy it. (P.S. - You may be wondering why a picture of a cowboy. Well, even though Fisher is a soldier, the story is set in Texas so he does his fair share of wearing a Stetson!)

He wanted to lick the plate of the last remnant’s of Miss Sue’s famous apple cobbler, but his dad had raised him to be a gentleman so he held back.

Macy must have seen the hunger that remained in his gaze since she offered up the last few of the pie on her plate. “You can finish mine.”

His mouth watered at the site of those extra few bites, but he shook his head. “I couldn’t take the last of your dessert.”

“Go ahead. I need to watch my figure anyway,” she said, moving aside her plate and pushing hers before him.

Fisher dug into the cobbler, but after he swallowed a bite, he said, “Seems to me you’re worrying for nothing, Mace.”

Truth be told, she had a wonderful figure. Trim and strong, but with womanly curves in all the right places. As he thought about that, he shifted in his seat as his jeans tightened painfully. He had imagined those curves next to him once too often since that fateful kiss.

“Something wrong, Fisher?” she asked, innocently unaware of the affect she had on him.

“Not at all,” he lied, quickly finished the cobbler and paid the tab.

With his hand on the small of her back, he walked her out to the sidewalk where they stood there for a moment, enjoying the early summer night. Dusk was just settling in, bringing with it the cooler night air and the soft intimate glow of the street lights along Main Street as they snapped to life.

“Thank you for dinner,” Macy said, glad for not only the fine food, but his company. He had always been a distant fourth Musketeer to their little group and tonight she had been able to enjoy his presence without the interference the others usually created.

As he turned to look at her, she noticed the gleam in his green eyes. The kind of gleam that kicked her heart up into a hurried little beat. She might have been going out with Tim for as long as she could remember, but she could still recognize when a man found her attractive. And considering her break up with Tim, it was a welcome balm that someone as attractive as Fisher appeared to be interested.

He smiled, his teeth white against his tanned skin and his dark five o’clock shadow. He was the kind of man who needed to shave more than twice a day. He was a man, she reminded herself, trying to ignore the pull of her attraction to him. Nothing like Jericho and Tim even though Fisher was only two years older. There had always been a maturity and intensity about him that had set him apart from the others even when he had been younger.

“It’s early still,” he said, the tones of his voice a soft murmur in the coming quiet of the night.

“It is,” she said.

He leaned toward her and a lock of nearly jet black hair fell forward onto his forehead as he said, “Too early to call it a night, don’t you think?”

She met his gaze, glittering brightly with interest, the color like new spring grass. Kicking up that erratic beat of her heart and making her want to reach up and brush away that wild errant lock of hair.

“Did you have something in mind?” she asked in a breathless voice she didn’t recognize.

“How about a drive? I’ll even put the top down on the CJ.”

She imagined driving through the night, Fisher beside her. The scents of the early summer wildflowers whipping around them as they sped along in the open Jeep through the Texas countryside.

“I think that sounds really nice.”

#

They drove through the open meadows and fields surrounding Esperanza, the scented wind wrapping them in its embrace while bright moonlight lit the road before them until Fisher took a dirt road to one of the few nearby hills. He parked the CJ so it faced the lights of town and the wide starlit Texas sky.

She imagined she could see the lights of San Antonio, well to the south of their hometown. She and Tim had planned on going to college together there until Tim had said he was reconsidering that decision. She gazed at the lights of Esperanza and noticed the cars parked around Bill’s house where Jericho and Tim would be with the rest of the baseball team. Where she might have been a few weeks earlier if things hadn’t changed recently.

“Penny for your thoughts,” he said and pushed back some strands of wind-blown hair from her face. The pads of his fingers brushed the sensitive skin of her cheek, sending a shiver rocketing through her body.

“Do you ever wonder if some things happen for a reason?” she asked.

“Meaning?” He arched one dark brow in question.

“Tim and me. His breaking it off.” She shrugged and turned in her seat to face him. “If it hadn’t been for that –”

“Being the nice girl that you are, you wouldn’t be here tonight.” He once again brushed the tips of his fingers across her cheek, then trailed them down to cup her jaw.

“Is that what you think I am? A nice girl?” she shot back, slightly perturbed which was ridiculous. She was a nice girl unlike many of the women with whom Fisher had been seen around town.

“Don’t get so riled, Mace. There’s nothing wrong with being a nice girl.”

The words shot out of her mouth before she could censor them. “And boys like you don’t think about doing things with nice girls.”

“Boys like me?” he asked with another pointed arch of his brow and a wry smile on his lips.

Macy fidgeted with her hands, plucking at the seat belt she still wore. “You know, love ‘em and leave ‘em types like you.”

He chuckled and shook his head, but he never broke the contact of his hand against her chin. Instead, he inched his thumb up to brush softly across her lips.

“Let’s get something straight, Mace. First of all, I’m not a boy, I’m a man. A man whose daddy would tan his hide for the thoughts he’s having right now about the nice girl who happens to be sitting next to him.”

The warmth on the pad of his thumb spread itself across her lips and with his words, shot through the rest of her body. “Thoughts? What kinds of thoughts?”

He chuckled again, only there was something darker and dangerously sexy there this time. “You always were the daring type.”

“He who dares, wins,” she reminded him.

The smile on his face broadened and he leaned toward her until the warmth of his breath replaced that of his thumb against her lips. “Then I guess I should dare,” he said and brought his lips to hers.

The shock of his hard mouth against hers was quickly replaced by a sense of . . . rightness which surprised her considering that this was Jericho’s brother. That up until a few weeks ago, she had thought she was about to embark on a life with another man.

Another man who had rejected her. Who had never made her feel the way Fisher was now making her feel.

The tip of his tongue tasted her lips, gently asked for entrance at the seam of her mouth. She opened her lips and accepted the thrust of his tongue. Joined it with hers until they were both breathing heavily and had to break apart for air.

Fisher turned away from her and clenched his hands on his thighs, struggling for control. This was Macy, he reminded himself, rubbing his hands across the soft denim of his jeans. Jericho’s best friend and Tim’s intended, he reminded himself as he held back from reaching for her again.

Only she wasn’t Tim’s anymore, the voice inside his head challenged and then urged, “And now she can be yours.”

He faced her and seeing the desire in her eyes, he asked, “Are you sure about this?”

She nodded quickly and he didn’t second guess her decision. Reaching into the back seat of the CJ, he grabbed a blanket he kept there and stepped out of the car. Swinging around the front, he met her by the passenger side door and slipped his hand into hers. Twined his fingers with hers as he lead her a few feet away from the Jeep to a soft spot of grass on the overlook.

He released her only long enough to spread out the blanket and then he urged her down.

For long moments they lay side-by-side on their backs, staring up at the late May moon. Listening to the rustle of the light breeze along the taller grasses and the profusion of wildflowers which perfumed the air.

Fisher rolled onto his side and ran the back of his index finger along the high straight ridge of her cheek. He had known her all his life and all his life he had thought she was the prettiest woman he had ever seen.

“You’re beautiful.”

Much like before, an embarrassed flush worked across her cheeks as she avoided his gaze. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

He laughed and shook his head. “Now why do you think I’m such a hound dog?”

“Because I’ve seen you around town with all those dangerous women,” she answered and the blush along her cheeks deepened.

“Jealous?” he asked, but then immediately confessed, “Because every time I saw you with Tim, I was jealous.”

A little jolt of excitement rattled her body before Macy turned onto her side and cradled his cheek. His five o’clock shadow tickled the palm of her hand. As she met his gaze, made a silvery green by the light of the moon, she detected no deception there, just honesty.

“Why didn’t you — “

“You were Tim’s girl and Jericho’s best friend. I wasn’t going to be responsible for breaking up the Three Musketeers,” he said and shrugged.

“And now?” she asked, mimicking his earlier move by bringing her thumb to trace the warm fullness of his lips which broadened into a sexy dimpled smile with her caress.

“He who dares, wins,” he said and brought his lips to hers.

Copyright 2008 Caridad Pineiro Scordato www.caridad.com

Having to pack not only clothes but promo items made me think of all the things you can do to travel with a little less mess! With another month left to the summer, I hope some of you have plans to take a few days off and that some of these tips will help.

1. To reduce the weight of your bags, lose the wheels on your luggage if you can.

2. Go with soft-sided luggage which expands and is generally more lightweight.

3. Buy those travel size deodorants, shampoos, etc. Not only will it make it easier to go through the TSA lines if you’re carrying on the luggage, but it will also help lighten the weight of the luggage.

4. If you’ve got shampoo, mouthwash or some other liquid product, remove the cap and place some plastic wrap over the mouth of the bottle. Then slip the cap back on over the wrap. That will help reduce spills. Of course, to be doubly sure, place the liquid products in a zip/slide top plastic bag.

5. For sensitive paper documents/photos, use a zip/slide top plastic bag or get a wide mouth sports water bottle and roll/slip the papers within the bottle. Not only will the bottle keep them from getting wet, it’ll keep them from being torn or crushed.

6. To save space and keep your shoes from being crushed, slip your socks or other small unmentionables into your shoes.

7. Roll t-shirts and other soft fabric goods. The rolling will save more space and also avoid wrinkles.

8. Bring a large bag for your dirty clothes along with a scented dryer sheet. Slip the scented dryer sheet in with your dirty clothes to help keep your suitcase smelling fresh.

9. If you need to display some of the items you are carrying, look for collapsible storage bins to hold the items instead of baskets or other hard to pack items.

10. For those quick need something to drink in the hotel room, bring the individual dry mixes to add to tap water. They’re available now for most powdered drink mixes. Why tap water? Think about the carbon footprint for bottled water, namely, the packaging, transportation and recycling for something that most people can get right out of their faucets!

Hope all these tips help make your next trip a little easier! Bon Voyage.

WHOA! I’m back and boy am I beat! I had a great time at the conference and will be writing about it a little more later in the week once I get my feet back on the ground.

But now, it’s time to get back into the swing of things ‘cuz I’ve really missed you all! With it being Monday, you know what it is — Guilty Pleasures and this Monday, it’s a Guilty Pleasure for the young and those who are young at heart. Welcome to Jonas Brothers Monday!!

This is a picture of the Jonas Brothers with my daughter after a House of Blues concert back in late 2007. Back then, we’d seen them a few times in concert and got to meet them afterward. Very cute, polite and lovely young men. We’ve seen them in concert recently and on Friday, we’ll be seeing them again out at the Jones Beach theater. For those of you brave enough to take a chance, they’ll also be the free concert this Friday at Bryant Park as part of the Good Morning America concert series.

Why brave enough? Well, anyone with a young daughter will understand this — If the military could somehow recreate the sound of a young teen’s idol screech, they’d have the most effective weapon ever devised. LOL!

Seriously though. The Jonas Brothers are talented, cute and seem like a great bunch of kids. If you haven’t checked them out, do so or visit your local Disney store for all the CAMP ROCK stuff. The middle brother - Joe (the one right next to my daughter in the picture) - was the lead in that made-for-TV movie. Also look for a behind the scenes tour video on Disney as well as a show with all three brothers in the fall, I believe.

Hope you enjoyed today’s Guilty Pleasure Monday.