Guest Blog by Caridad Pineiro - Stop and Smell the Roses - December 24, 2012

It gives me great pleasure to welcome Caridad Pineiro to The Qwillery as part of her Hurricane Sandy NJ Relief Campaign and Blog Tour.

From now until March 1, 2013, Caridad is donating 100 percent of her proceeds from The Prince's Gamble to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund to help the folks who are still suffering from the effects of the Hurricane Sandy.

Stop and Smell the Roses

Friday night as I rushed to catch the train home, I noticed others scurrying about thanks to the Christmas rush. The short, but cute, stubble-faced guy heading to the Amtrak ticket window as the speakers overhead crackled an “All aboard.” A young couple arguing, hand movements sharp and determined.

Yards away, a little old lady, barely 4’8”, dodged and weaved between the people in the crowd, her bob of silver hair bouncing beneath her shocking pink beret. A quick swerve around the corner by the donut shop and she was almost gone, but the sweet smells of just fried dough lingered in her place while visions of sugar glazed donuts tempted me as they glimmered beneath the lights in the display case.

As the last bit of pink beret faded from sight, I thought, “It’s Friday night. Maybe she has a hot date.” Or maybe she's rushing home to family for the holidays.

In New York City, where an escalator just means you can walk up the stairs even faster, rushing to somewhere is just a way of life. Not that NYC is so different from many other places. As a whole, our way of life seems to be rush, rush, rush.

We’re so busy rushing to somewhere that we’ve lost our to ability to experience the where we are, much less remember the where we’ve been sometimes.

It’s the old stop and smell the roses adage.

As a writer, you almost have to stop and smell the roses a great deal of the time because one of the greatest tools a writer can have is her power of observation. The ability to remember the details of people, places and things. It’s those little details that breathe life into our characters and stories.

Next time, stop and think about the scene that you are going to write. Think about the smells in the air. The feel of the location and the noises (or lack of noises) that surround you. What do you see as you stand there, experiencing the where you are? Do you taste anything as you stand there? Where had you been before and was it different?

The five senses, or as many of them as you can possibly include, should be present in that scene to bring it alive for readers. When you enhance the descriptions by infusing them with your personal observations, it brings a scene to life in a way that can’t be accomplished just by research.

If you’re a writer, stop rushing to somewhere and take the time to experience what’s around you.

For everyone else, stop and smell the roses anyway! Time is too short to always be rushing to somewhere without savoring the here and now.

P.S. – Do you think that little old lady in the pink beret will ever make into a story?

On this Christmas Eve, I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!





The Prince's Gamble

The Prince's Gamble
Dead Sexy (Entangled Publishing), November 13, 2012
eBook, 219 pages

Prince Alexander Ivanov is scrambling to save his reputation and his livelihood. One of the Russian Nights Casino's hostesses has disappeared, and his business is suddenly under investigation by the FBI for associations with the mob and money laundering.

Special Agent Kathleen Martinez has no patience with rich, entitled aristocrats, especially one like Alexander Ivanov whom she believes is involved in the vicious human trafficking ring which she'd tried—and failed—to shut down two years earlier. With a second chance to bring him to justice, she goes undercover in the casino, but instead of facing the villain she expected, she finds herself battling a sizzling attraction to the man.

Now, forced to work together to trace the source of the illegal activities, the danger—and the passion between them—grows out of control, and they slowly begin to realize the biggest danger isn’t to the casino, it’s to their lives…and to their hearts.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble

About Caridad

USA TODAY and NY Times bestselling author Caridad Pineiro has nearly forty published novels and novellas. In 2007, a year marked by six releases from Harlequin and Pocket Books, Pineiro was selected as the 2007 Golden Apple Author of the Year by the New York City Romance Writers. In 2012, Pineiro was a finalist for the romance industry’s top award, the RITA. Past awards won include Top Fantasy Books of 2005 and 2006 by CATALINA Magazine and Top Nocturne of 2006 by Cataromance. In addition, Caridad’s books have received award nominations for RT Book Reviews, Affaire de Couer, Harlequin Readers’ Choice, RIO Reviewers and SingleTitles.com Top Contemporary Romance.

Caridad has appeared at BookExpo America on several occasions, including helping launch Kensington’s Encanto multicultural line and Silhouette’s Nocturne series.

Caridad has appeared on various television shows, such as the FOX News Early Edition in New York, and articles featuring her novels have been published in several leading newspapers and magazines, from the New York Daily News, and LATINA to the Star Ledger. For more information on Caridad, please visit www.caridad.com or www.rebornvampirenovels.com.

You may also find Caridad on Facebook and Twitter.




The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter will win a digital copy of The Fifth Kingdom from Caridad!

Dr. Deanna Vasquez hasn't spoken to her mother in years, not since the renowned archaeologist abandoned her family in her quest to find the lost tomb of Montezuma. When CIA agent Bill Santana shows up in her classroom with the news that her mother has been abducted by terrorists, Deanna has to help in any way she can.

Bill needs Deanna's expertise to determine the location of her mother's latest find, before her kidnappers do. He fears whatever mysteries the tomb holds could be deadly in the wrong hands. In an effort to make contact with the terrorist cell, Bill accompanies Deanna to Mexico posing as her fiancé--a ruse made doubly dangerous because of the very real heat between them...

How:   Answer Caridad's question:

Do you think that little old lady in the pink beret will ever make into a story?

Please remember - if you don't answer the questions your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1)   Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2)   Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

There are a total of 3 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry) and Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry).  This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook or Twitter mentions. You MUST leave a way to contact you.

Who and When:  The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Monday, January 7, 2013. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.

*Giveaway rules are subject to change.*