Join me and host NYT Bestselling Author Caridad Pineiro – August 24 at 9 pm EST!

DATE: August 24th, 2011
TIME: 6:00PM Pacific / 9:00PM Eastern
DURATION: 30-45 Minutes

About Caridad: New York Times and USA Today bestselling paranormal and romantic suspense author Caridad Pineiro wrote her first novel in the fifth grade and a decade later, Caridad is the author of over twenty-six novels and novellas.

How to watch: click here to view the recorded event

Our 1-year-old pug, Dexter, is a rambunctious little boy. He’ll chase, tumble, climb and chew until he’s all played out.

He is supposedly 100% pug. But I suspect he is actually a cross between a Vervet monkey and the Energizer Bunny.

=

But he’s the sweetest little angel puppy when he’s sleepy.

He was only 7 months old in these photos. Now that he’s older, he’s definitely calmer. But I have definitely come to understand the meaning of the saying, “Let sleeping dogs lie.”

Sleep when the baby sleeps?  I’d rather write when the baby sleeps.  😉

One more reason I love Harlequin: they’ve just published Sarah Matheny‘s new vegetarian cookbook, Peas and Thank You.

Sarah, a.k.a. “Mama Pea” has created a gorgeous book filled with delicious recipes, accompanied by photos of the beautiful Pea family.  The book is an absolute delight.  An inspiration for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, it has given my vegan diet a much-needed boost. And the recipes have even impressed my meat-lover husband. Peas and Thank You has already become a great resource in our kitchen.

Here’s the book blurb:

Anna Akhmatova – “MUSE” (1924)

When, in the night, I wait for her, impatient,

Life seems to me, as hanging by a thread.

What just means liberty, or youth, or approbation,

When compared with the gentle piper’s tread?

 

And she came in, threw out the mantle’s edges,

Declined to me with a sincere heed.

I say to her, “Did you dictate the Pages

Of Hell to Dante?” She answers, “Yes, I did.”

***

Anna Akhmatova (1889-1966) was a Russian and Soviet modernist poet.

We married in March 2010, on the island of Oahu.

Hawaiian photographer Frank Amodo shot our wedding. To see Hawaii through Frank’s lens is to see an extraordinary part of the world through extraordinary eyes.

We are touched to be included in his new ad in Pacific Weddings Magazine:

You can see a larger version of the ad on his blog. These are the photos of us that Frank included in his ad:

Frank is a true artist, a master photographer who is constantly evolving. And for our wedding, he brought along fellow master photographer, San Francisco-based Ed Pingol. They lent an incredible energy to our celebration.

Know a real life angel?  I’m sure you do!  Please take the time to nominate her for Harlequin’s $15,000 “More than Words” Award.  Last year, Harlequin gave this award to five recipients.

It will only take a few moments of your time, and won’t cost you a penny.  To be nominated for an award really is an honor – we all know women who work tirelessly to make the world a better place and deserve to be recognized.  (Obviously, there are lots of fantastic men out there, too, but sorry guys – this one’s just for the ladies).

Wow! Can’t wait to read Gena Showalter’s Dark Taste of Rapture – it’s releasing on August 23rd – the same day as Where Demons Fear to Tread.  An extraordinarily talented writer with an amazing sense of humor, Gena is one of my all-time favorite romance authors.  And a superstar with four (!!!!) books releasing between the end of August and the end of September!  The cover of this one is gorgeous, and I’m drooling over Hector Dean!  Read an excerpt on Gena’s fan site.

***

One of my favorite parts of being a writer is meeting kindred spirits!  Writing is largely a solitary pursuit.  So I appreciate every chance I get to hang with other writers, editors and book people.  Last week was the annual conference of the Romance Writers of America, where two thousand such kindred spirits gathered at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square.  It was a whirlwind week, full of gorgeous parties and fascinating people.

I hate to be all name-droppy.  But conferences are all about people.  And I’m so incredibly grateful to so many of them.  So here goes…

Candle 79

My editor, Valerie Gray, is not only a phenomenal editor, but also an incredibly thoughtful person.  She took me to organic, vegan restaurant Candle 79 (I’m vegan and love organic food).  By the end of the meal, I was stuffed full but could not stop eating the soy ice cream that accompanied the peach dessert that came in a martini glass.  Mmmm.

Cocktails at SD26

My literary agency, Trident Media Group, hosted a beautiful cocktail party at SD26, a restaurant near their offices.

Here I am with Valerie Gray (middle), and Reka Rubin (left), Harlequin’s subsidiary rights manager.  Wish I had gotten a picture with my fantastic agent Kim Whalen!  (Thank you, Kim!)

Where Demons Fear to Tread, will be in bookstores in less than two months, and I’m constantly in awe of how this novel is making its way into the world.  Here’s a photo from my very first book signing at BookExpo America in New York last month (May 24, 2011):

I was fortunate to have my first signing in a booth alongside romance idols Gena Showalter, Laura Ann Gilman, Rachel Vincent, Heather Graham, Sophie Littlefield and Amanda Stevens.  As a debut author, the experience exceeded my wildest dreams.  Harlequin generously provided copies of the ARC (Advance Reader Copy).  You can read more about the signing here.