::looks sheepish::

So... remember that I was going to give away a copy of Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide To Romance Novels"?



I didn't forget, I swear! Just that Real Life got away from me.

But on the upside, we have not one, but two winners! tigerkat24 and lowc, I've responded to you both via the original post-- if you'll email me with mailing info, I'll get your autographed copies out to you, ASAP!

Okay, haven't done one of these in a while. This is a little of the first chapter of a new romance I'm working on. (The baseball story for those of you wondering...)

And don't forget, if you comment in my review of Beyond Heaving Bosoms, you can be entered to win a copy. And since it looks as if I may actually see SB Sarah this weekend, I'll be able to get said copy signed and who knows? Maybe even bring back TWO copies to give away! (And I'll send them to Canada or overseas-- I'm kind of goofy that way!)

On to the teaser!


****


"Sarita, do you want another cafesito?"

"No thanks, Mami."

"¿Un poquito desayuno? A tostada or pastelito?"

Sara glanced down at the empty bowl that not a half hour before had been filled to the brim with granola, Greek yogurt, and fresh fruit. "I've already had breakfast," she replied mildly as she pulled another section of the Herald free.

Her mother snorted as she reached into the booth to place a fresh cup of Cuban coffee by Sara's elbow and retrieve the empty bowl. "Ay, that's not real food—eso no te aguanta por nada. I'll make you some fried eggs," she declared as she bustled off towards the kitchen.

"Hardboiled, Mami, please," she called out—in vain, no doubt, since her mother had incredibly selective hearing and the bells above the bakery's door were jangling, further obscuring her plea.

"Mami on the warpath?" her little sister asked as she slid into the booth and pulled Sara's untouched café towards herself with a deep appreciative breath before taking a sip.

"Only about my eating habits."

"You know, you really need quit exercising so much and get more fat and cholesterol in your diet, Sarita," Jackie sing-songed the mangled version of their mother's favorite lament. "How else are you going to build up those childbearing hips God gave you and attract a good Cuban boy who'll marry you? You aren't getting any younger, m'ija."

Sara glared over the top of the newspaper at her little sister, taking in this week's midnight black hair, the sleek ponytail accentuating the electric blue streak. Maybe if she was lucky, their mother would turn her attentions to Jackie and how her hair was going to fall out one of these days. "Don’t you have a cake to go decorate or something?"

Jackie nodded as she continued sipping coffee. "Several—lots of Valentine's weddings coming up."

She ducked back behind the paper, muttering, "Suckers."

"Romantic."

"You only think that because you're still young and impressionable."

The paper snapped in towards Sara's face as the little brat flicked it with her fingers. "Tell me, how does that combo of cynic and Zen work for you?"

"They coexist pretty well, thanks." Sara slouched further down on the vinyl bench, shaking the paper out with an exaggerated motion. Maybe Jackie would take the hint.

"You know, Sara, one of these days, you're gonna have to let go of—"

Or pigs would fly.


*****

I'm having fun with it. Let's see where it takes me.

Off to a writing retreat outside Sevierville. Have no idea what sort of internet access, if any, the cabin we're staying at is liable to have, so will in all likelihood be darkish until Sunday.

Also just found out that I won't be seeing Robin Williams next Wednesday, since he's going to be undergoing aortic valve replacement surgery and has canceled the rest of his tour. He'll resume in the fall, so hopefully, that will all work out. Sending all sorts of good thoughts his way-- while I'm disappointed at not being able to see him, I'd rather he was completely healthy.

Oh, and you have to laugh when a reviewer nails you for excessive "teen speak" and the language in question includes the terms "charts" and "ax." Honey, those aren't teen speak terms. Those are musician terms, dating back to the time when the jazz dinosaurs roamed the earth.

*shakes head*

See y'all on the flip side.

I tried registering so I could post my own response on their sub-moronic attempt to be oh, so wit-tay about young adult literature. Book Bench Reads.

There are several responses on there by well-known and certainly far better respected YA authors than myself. However, since when has that ever stopped me, right? Basically, this would have been my response if the stupid site would acknowledge my registration:


I think the fact that my debut young adult novel, Adiós to My Old Life was able to gain recognition not only in young adult circles (A YALSA nomination; the bronze medal in the young adult category of the Florida Book Awards), but also win an award designed for adult books (the 2007 RITA for Best Contemporary Single Title Romance, awarded by the Romance Writers of America) says more than I ever could about how YA can reach across the spectrum and touch a variety of readers. The fact that for the YALSA and the Florida Book Awards I was judged by individuals whose job it is to know what teens enjoy reading and that for the RITA I was judged by my professional peers should also say a lot.

The fact that I've received letters from kids and adults alike saying that they read something in my words that touched them-- that resonated with them and that made an impression should also say quite a bit.

But I'm guessing it would be like speaking into an empty tunnel since none of those examples would appear to come close to your lofty and incredibly inaccurate and ignorant standards. As Sara Zarr said, kids have incredible bullshit detectors and a certain lack of patience. Adult readers may have the benefit of a bit more patience, but in today's workaholic climate, not much time. If I can grab a portion of both of those audiences, then I'll consider my work successful. The fact that you don't get it or that in your well-honed literary snobbery are surprised by it? Doesn't worry me so much.

Maybe it's just beyond you.

All right, I'm putting my posting where my big mouth is.

Since I have been known to bitch and moan a wee bit about the lack of good mainstream contemporary romances out there.

Well guess what-- there's a good one out there. Victoria Dahl's Talk Me Down. Admittedly, I haven't read it yet, but A) I've read the excerpt, and I loved it. B) I read Vicky's historicals and love her voice. And C) both Smart Bitch Sarah and Jane at Dear Author both gave it very solid Bs while Romantic Times Booklovers (2stars) and All About Romance (a D) dinged it because, get this, the heroine is sexually confident. Or as the RT reviewer so elegantly put it, "The heroine acts like a dog in heat."

Nice, right? The heroine is sexually confident, likes sex, knows what she likes in sex and this garners a two star review? Bite me.

So anyhow, this is what Smart Bitches and Dear Author have cooked up. (Borrowing verbatim from them because, well, I can.)





Here’s the deal: we dig this book. We dig this book like damn and whoa, and we think you will too. And yet, so many people say the contemporary romance is a dying breed. So, in order to spread the word and the opportunity to read it we’re doing a multi-level giveaway in tandem with our reviews of Talk Me Down.

In conjunction with the great giveaway below, Borders is offering a $1.00 coupon on any order of Talk Me Down to help “save the contemporary” but mostly to help debut contemporary writer Victoria Dahl and her book Talk Me Down. Visit Borders.com between December 15, 2008, and January 15, 2009, and you can save $1 on Talk Me Down. Simply enter promotion code HAR1222D during checkout.

Now, onto the giveaway: (AT SMART BITCHES AND DEAR AUTHOR)

Part the First: free books! Leave a comment with the preferred format (i.e., paper/ebook), and you’re automatically entered to win a copy. We each have 5 paper copies of the book plus 2 ebooks to give away, so drop a word here and at Dear Author and double your chances. Comments will be open for 48 hours starting now.

Second: Spread the Word! Below is a Sprout widget about our campaign, and a simpler animated graphic. Right-click-and-save the graphic, or grab the Sprout for yourself, and put it on your site. Let us know that you’ve done so via email, and you’ll be entered to win a copy of the book, plus a 1GB iPod shuffle, and a $75 gift certificate to iTunes.

But it's of the laughing variety.

Some time back I read a review of Adiós that criticized my depiction of Fabiana. That the villain of the piece also dressed like a cheap hooker and that it was a little too obvious and virgin/whore for their taste, since Ali dressed in such a conservative manner.

That's when I realized I'd screwed up. Because seriously, how Fabiana dressed had nothing to do with her being the villain. That was just a collateral bonus. Really, it had more to do with her burning desire to make it in the Latin entertainment industry where dressing like a cheap hooker is de rigeuer. I even wrote in a Venezuelan beauty queen who had highly questionable taste in clothing.

Case in point, the Billboard Latin Music Awards were held last night and televised on Spanish-language station, Telemundo. Because it's not as high profile an event as say, the Grammys or even the Latin Grammys, the press coverage isn't as thorough, but I have uncovered more than a few photos that support my assertion. Tons of ill-fitting satin and obscenely short skirts, and missing panels of material and enough silicone to raise the Titanic. The real shame of it is that I haven't been able to find any good photos of the female host in some of the numbers she sported throughout the show because Oh. My. God. Her outfits just... defied description. Seriously. They made the infamous Versace that J.Lo wore to the Grammys years ago:



look like a nun's habit.

ETA: HA!! Finally found a picture of the host, Aylin Mujica. While this isn't from last night, this is very similar in... shall we say, flavor to some of her get ups.



Admittedly, Latin women, we're not so much with the discretion and while there's a certain joy to be found in that, there are times you just want to say, draw back... just a little... please









There was even a tacky beauty queen, completely substantiating my theory!



Which is not to say that all of the outfits were terrible. There were some very pretty dresses last night. My favorite was this red number:



So... lesson learned. I should have populated Adiós with a few more tackily dressed women to show that how Fabiana dressed had nothing to do with her status as the villain. It just was. :-)

Back to my revisions where my Carmen character doesn't even come close to dressing like a cheap hooker.

Quickie flyby post—lovely four star review for Accent on Teens Read Too.

Nice thing to find in my inbox when I'm feeling crummy and the last place I want to be is at a conference.


Oh—as it turns out, I'll have to be shlepping an evening gown cross country. They asked me to present the RITA for Best Contemporary Single Title. That'll be cool. *g*

*blows kisses from safe distance*

I suppose it's a good thing that I've done more publicity for Accent than I did for Adiós, because lemme tell you, the reviews? They are coming in so few and far between that I have to wonder WTF is up? I know the book doesn't suck-- too many people have told me it doesn't. But it doesn't seem as if most publications really give a rat's patoot one way or another.

Luckily, I did get the PW review, which is a biggie, obviously and for which I'm profoundly grateful. But Booklist, which gave Adiós such a lovely review, has apparently declined to review Accent. Hell, it would appear I've even been blown off by Harriet Klausner! Talk about feeling rebuffed.

Anyhow, I did come across this lovely little blog review/blurb--

Children's Book Shop.

Because I firmly believe it's one of the reasons last night's reading/signing was so lovely.

Another small crowd-- but the size wasn't what really stood out. The thing that really stood out was that I had an family- parents in their sixties and their two daughters, who attended. At DAD'S behest. He apparently is a HUGE reader and is in that particular B&N frequently. Because I was going to be having my reading there, they had a display up at the front with my picture and a table of the books. They were there this past Saturday, saw it, were captivated by the cover and wound up buying it. Plus, Mom, who was utterly sweet and lovely, said there was just something about the book and my picture that made her feel as if she HAD to meet me. *g*

Anyhow, they show up at the reading and Dad's got the book with him and it's already all dog-eared and marked in places and they asked the BEST questions about the book and about writing in general. It was a total blast-- all the best stuff about being a teacher, without having to be in the classroom!

Tonight's the last signing- Borders, up my usual hood. Hopefully, this will be my largest crowd. Wish me more luck and good vibes!

I'm in Barnes and Noble, waiting, because in little more than a half hour, I'll be doing the reading/signing thing.

This is the one I'm most nervous about because it's been the least publicized. And considering that last night's drew a small (yet extremely lively and fun) crowd, I'm a little concerned.

Have no clue what the hell I said although my mother has already received several phone calls extolling my virtues (in Mom-speak, that would be, "You looked beautiful, you sounded SO intelligent, you're very well spoken.").

I have a video.

I'm terrified to look.

I will.

After several stiff drinks later tonight.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

P.S. I've been up since 5:15 this morning and am on my third venti.


Twitchy, much?

I've had more radio interviews--

Spoke to my local chapter *waves at FCRW* yesterday. Perhaps babbled is the better term. But they were very gracious and lovely and put up with me and asked some rockin' questions.

Apparently, the book reviewer for the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinal enjoyed my book enough that they assigned me to a reporter who conducted an interview this past Friday. The story will be on the front page (or at least merits front page mention) in the Lifestyle section this coming Wednesday.

The review itself appeared in a special supplement that's handed out to all the high school students in Broward County. Over six thousand students received my review. Probably six of them read it, but that's okay.

My Chicago Sun-Times mention was blogged about over at The Debutante Ball, a very nifty blog of debuting authors, of which my friend, Jenny Gardiner, is a part.

I blogged about my fear of my upcoming booksignings over at Fresh Fiction's blog.

Speaking of the booksignings, those are next week. I'm nauseated thinking about it. I need to pick a passage to read from the book and I have no idea what to choose.

Oh, and I have a television interview scheduled for Tuesday morning in Miami, for Channel 33, which is a sister station to the local CBS affiliate, Channel 4, in South Florida. Television. In the morning. And yes, I'm really, really nauseous about that. And I have to pick something to wear. I was thinking this dress.

Of course, I'll probably change my mind thirty-two times before Tuesday morning, but it's a start.

The Chicago Sun-Times made Accent their Young Adult Paperback Pick for September 2!


This is good, right??

RIGHT?!

AAAAYYYYYIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!

Behind the cut because they give away a fairly big mid-book spoiler, but, AAAAAAAAYYYYIIIIII!!!!!
( FLAILFLAILFLAILFLAIL )



AAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!

First review on IT'S NOT ABOUT THE ACCENT and to borrow from cupcake_goth, GEEBLE!

Romantic Advances

Following up her debut novel Adios to My Old Life, Caridad Ferrer delivers a bold and captivating story about the daring escapades of a young woman who decides to reinvent herself...

Reminiscent of Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez’s The Dirty Girls’ Social Club, this feisty and fun novel is proof that Caridad Ferrer is a rising star in the rapidly growing teen fiction genre.

I have no idea who this reviewer is, but they're my new best friend.

And again, GEEBLE