Bitch and Rant Post. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Okay...I'm not in a good mood, so I'm going to spew my venomous anger here....sorry....you might want to just move along...although hardly anyone even reads my blog, so, whatever.

Anyway....what's got me so pissed off, you might ask? Contests! The RWA Golden Heart to be exact. What's the GH you ask? It's a contest for unpublished writers held by RWA....duuuhhh

Like an idiot, I entered...two of my novels....yeah, really stupid waste of money. But, I entered because I really thought I had a good chance of finaling...after all both books had been professionally edited and 'doctored', both have gotten rave reviews from my beta readers and both have had many requests by agents and editors, and one recently sold. But, when March 25 rolled around, I didn't get "the call". There was always a part of me that knew I wouldn't because for some reason when I enter a contest (which I very rarely do) I always end up with that one judge who just trashes my scores. (I haven't gotten my scores back yet for GH, but was told recently that neither novel's scores were very high.....which just pissed me off even more!!) It's like they have a personal vendetta against me or something. Maybe they're threatened...who knows? Or, maybe I just get the worst judges they can find...those newbie writers who judge the books based on the "rules" of writing...for instance...Assinine rule #1---the hero and heroine must meet in the first five pages (nope, doesn't happen in my books). Assinine rule # 2....the first male character shown in the book must be the hero (not always in my book). I'm sure there are more, but I can't think of them cuz I'm still annoyed. (I've downgraded from pissed so that's a good thing.) Ranting on a blog really helps....and kept me from replying to an earlier email with a comment so nasty it probably coulda gotten me suspended from RWA...then where would my local chapter be? They're about to elect me president...haha.

Anyway...for anyone thinking about entering GH..ever...DON'T...it's a waste of time and money and you get nothing valuable from it. To be honest, in the whole scheme of things the contest means absolutely nothing. I mean....no one can even tell you who finaled or who won last year (without cheating, that is) and you likely won't find the winning book in the stores because half the time the winners or finalists don't ever sell their book...I can name several people who constantly final but never sell....that should tell you something about the judges. But, that's besides the point.

Am I being too bitter? Damn straight! Do I have a right to be? Hell yeah! Am I shooting myself in the foot by shooting off my mouth? Most likely. Do I care? Not really.

Now...do I feel better having said all this? Kinda.

Anyway....on to something less bitchy.

I finally got my assigned editor for my recently sold book, so hopefully I'll have a release date soon. Which means I'll have to do some promos to help get the book into your hands....and doing promos isn't fun...I'm just not the attention getting whore I need to be. (heh) I'm also trying to rebuild my website...and I must bow down to those people who can build websites without wanting to kill someone!

Ok....Rant's over and it's getting late. I'm going to bed now.

So...tell me fearless reader....what's pissed you off recently?

Never say Never

Okay, we're going to pretend that's NOT a Justin Bieber song.

Well, it's official....I signed a contract with another electronic publisher for my novel Forget Me Not. This is the book that was on the table at Kensington a few years ago, but the editor left and it got kicked to the curb.

Anyway, I refused to give up on the book and sought the guidance and copy-edits of my dear friend the wonderful Lauren Baratz-Logsted!

I had hoped to go to a traditional publishing house with the book but felt like I'd already burned those bridges when I had an agent. And I gave up looking for an agent to help me sell when the two I had previously didn't work out. Such a long story and not worth going into. Eventually I'll look for an agent again....the third time's a charm, right? But, for now, I'm going to stick with taking care of business myself.

I'm really excited that this book is going to be published, but at the same time I'm terrified it's going to be out there for strangers to read and maybe even rip to shreds...not that I expect anyone to hate it, the readers I've had so far all love the story and especially my hero, Scott (who is my favorite character of my works).

So, anyway, I haven't gotten the details on a release date, but I'll post that as soon as I get the word. There's a lot to do before a book can be released...gotta make the cover, gotta go through about five sets of copy-edits, then gotta proof the galleys. Although, electronic publishing is faster than traditional publishing so the book will most likely be on sale within the next six months...maybe by my birthday. :)

So, I hope you'll search it out when the time comes and let me know your thoughts. In the meantime...I have to restart my web-presence, rebuild my website and try to figure out more ways to promote myself (which is really hard cuz I'm not the "Look at me!" type.

Oh, and to whet your appetite for the book, here's the blurb:

Thirteen murders. Six years. One connection.
Romance novelist Casey Martinez thought changing her name would help her escape the pain of her past but when she receives photographs of a grisly murder, it becomes evident that a killer is stalking her. Over the past five years, women who share an eerie similarity to Casey have been found raped and mutilated—each with the remains of Casey’s book by their side. Haunted by the death of her mother twenty five years earlier, Casey does what she swore she would never do-- returns to her hometown, Rosehill, Texas.
Hidden away in a beach house, Casey's stubborn determination clashes with easy-going Scott Weller, the detective assigned as her bodyguard. When Casey is attacked during a break-in, evidence points to a second stalker. And with the gruesome discovery of another body, it becomes a race against time to find the real killer before Casey becomes the next victim.

Happy 3rd Day of the New Year!

I hope you all had a great weekend ringing in the new and tossing out the old. I think most everyone spent the time putting away their Christmas decorations. We were no exception. Funny how fast you can tear it all down. On New Years day I made our traditional dinner of black-eyed peas, cabbage, cornbread and ham. The kids all complained about it, but they ate it anyway...no one was going to chance the bad luck. I even told Becca about the superstition that if you sneeze on New Year's day you'll have good luck for the year. She really took it to heart and sneezed a jazillon times that day! Anyway, the rest of the day was spent doing much of nothing. My husband watched football all day, Adam and Manda both had to work, Jeremy played some game (WOW, I think) on the computer and Becca and I went to see The Little Fockers. It was a pretty funny movie. We planned to see Black Swan, but it was so packed and the only open seats were the ones right in front of the screen, so we passed on that movie and went to see the Fockers.
So, anyway....Becca and Jeremy went back to school today so I've had only peace and quiet all day (Manda slept in--her classes don't start for another two weeks). I was planning to try to start a new book (or jump back into an unfinished one) but I can't seem to get motivated. All the rejections of the past years have really killed my muse. :-/ I need to find another one or steal someone else's ...hmmm....I wonder where Nora Roberts' muse vacations. hah
Okay, so far my new year is a bit dull...or at least the blog is. Maybe it'll get better...my horoscope keeps telling me it will.
I guess I should go try and be productive at something. If you made it this far....wow....sorry. =D
Enjoy your day and thanks for reading. I shall attempt to post another rambling blog tomorrow.
Cheers!

Goodbye to you...2010

Well, less than fifteen hours left of 2010! I can't say I'm sad to see it end! I'm looking forward to ringing in 2011 with our friends and family. It's going to be a great new year, full of new challenges--Becca will be graduating high school and heading off to L A to make her mark. Adam is going to start taking classing in the summer to enhance his law enforcement career. Manda is still in college (she passed with flying colors last semester) and Jeremy, hopefully, will be playing baseball on the high school team. I'm planning to do more writing...just gonna throw up words on the page and hope it turns into a work of art. haha
I hope your new year is spectacular! May you close the door on 2010 and all the regrets and what if's you had and step into 2011 refreshed and full of hope and make your dreams come true!!
And, if you're even a little bit superstitious when the clock strikes midnight and you look at your calendar the date will be 1/1/11...make a wish!


Warm Hugs!!,

Happy Christmas--the year is over--ALREADY???

Wow, only three days until Christmas and less than two weeks until the new year! I can't believe how fast 2010 went, it's practically a blur! Not that I'm complaining, 2010 turned out to be a sucky year! My daughter, Becca, said it's because on New Year's Day we didn't do our traditional "Good Luck" meal of ham, cornbread, black-eyed-peas and cabbage. I've done this meal all my life and except for a few times between '81-'85 (which explains a lot!) I've never strayed from the tradition/superstition. But last year, with my oldest (Adam) living in Houston (and apparently that bummed me out more than I let on) and my kids complaining how much they hated ham/cabbage/black-eye-peas/cornbread, I decided to skip it. And, what happens?? A crappy year!! Becca had A LOT of teenage drama which included a cyber-bully and backstabbing by her "friends". Most girls would have been broken by the betrayal, luckily she's a strong soul. Jeremy didn't make the cut for the high school baseball team (his fault for failing English), but he had a good spring playing ball and even made All-Stars. Amanda--okay she didn't have too bad a year. She graduated high school and started college (although she's going for kindergarten teacher instead of pastry chef because her limitations made it too hard to do the job). Adam--as I said he moved back to Houston before the end of the year. He started out with a good job in construction but then got screwed over big-time! They took him off the construction job and asked him to do security--working him 12 hrs a day 7 days a weeks, but only paying him ten hours of overtime and banking the rest (for rainy days I guess.) Then they told him the site he was watching was closing up for a week and they'd call him when they got back, but never did, so he spent March thru September unemployed and unable to find a job all the while getting behind on his car note and rent....which we had to pay for him so he wouldn't lose his car...which really put a strain on our finances. (I'm still very pissed at the owner of this company who doesn't even pay attention to what his foreman is doing!!) Anyway, in September, we told Adam to just come home, which he did. Within a month he'd found a job with a security company and is doing very well.
So...I say good riddance to 2010!! And, come on over 2011!! You are going to be OUR year!!
Because, not only will I be making my traditional New Year's Dinner, but midnight, when we ring in the new year, we will close our eyes and make a wish....because the date will be 1/1/11....11-11 in other words. For me and the kids, whenever you see 11-11 you close your eyes and make a wish. They don't always come true but a majority of them do (like Jeremy wishing to pass all his finals--and he did!) so we aren't gonna mess with a good thing. =)
Of course you have to make your own luck too, so, for 2011, I'm going to fight callouses and braincells to get more novels written and sold! I'm also going to really fight to lose weight before I hit RWA's National Conference in NY over the summer...which I'm really looking forward to. A full week in NY with Becca and hopefully my niece Sierra.
So....what are your wishes for the new year? Do you make wishes or set goals? (for me, goal is a four-letter word!)
Thanks for reading. Have a Wonderful Christmas and an Awesome New Year!!

Senseless Rambling

October 10, 2010. Five months and five days since my last post. That should mean something, right? (other than my laziness when it comes to blogging--heh).
I've never been into numerology or even understood it for that matter, but some people seem to think days like these are special. Okay, granted, you'll only see these dates once in your lifetime, but that doesn't make them unusal. Just...cool. Like 11:11. For some reason those numbers are supposed to be magical, at least my kids think so and whenever they see them they close their eyes and make a wish. Okay, I do too...I also wish on the first star at night...sue me. ;-P

Anyway...my friend Brenda Birch said I needed to update my blog, so that's what I'm going to attempt to do. If you're familiar with me or my blogs, you'll know I'm not very talkative so my blogs tend to be rather random.

The last five months have been pretty uneventful, so it won't take long to play catch-up. My daughter, Manda, graduated high school and as promised we went to Texas for a party with the family. We rented a beach house in Port Bolivar and had a wonderful time! We also got to spend some time with family and friends and even got to spend some long-past-due time with my niece, Sierra. She even came back home with us and spent another week. Manda is now in college, taking her general studies. She's planning to be a kindergarten teacher, although she'll probably only be an aide since it's not likely she'll be able to handle a full class on her own.
The first week of August my other daughter, Becca, celebrated her 17th birthday. A few days later she got her driver's license. The officer who gave her the driving test was greatly impressed and told her she was the best driver he'd had all day. (yeah, I take credit for being her teacher. heh). School started right after her birthday and now we're doing all the 'senior/pre-graduation' stuff for her.
My oldest, Adam, moved back home--he'd been living (or trying to) in Texas for the past year. He recently found a good job, so hopefully he can get on his feet and start supporting himself!
Jeremy, the baby, is a sophmore, so two more years before we have to do the 'senor' stuff for him. Over the summer he was on the Little League 'All-Star' team. They did fairly well, although if they'd had a better coach, they'd have gone all the way! Now that Jeremy's too old for LL he has to wait until spring to play ball again..provided he makes the school team.
As for me...not much has changed. Still, kinda, sorta, writing. In April I sent my novel, Forget Me Not to a friend, Lauren Baratz-Logsted, who does book-doctoring and copy-edits on the side. She'd worked on my other book Dark Obsession (which is still with two houses...just waiting for them to say YES I WANT THIS BOOK!! HERE'S A BUTTLOAD OF MONEY!!) haha....okay, I can dream, can't I??? Anyway, the year before and I was very happy with the results, so I sent Lauren my next book. She had about two pages of comments about what didn't work for the story so I've been rewriting and deleting a lot of scenes. I even started working with a new critique group who have been very helpful with the inconsistencies as I rewrite.

Okay..so this was boring. Like I said, not much of a blogger.
If you stayed through this whole thing...wow...you're either very sweet or very bored. haha As a token of my appreciation I will send you (via PDF) a copy of my book, Her Will His Way. Just email me at TerriMo2@yahoo.com with your email.

=)

Who do you think you are...Mr. Big Stuff?

My son and I were watching the news earlier and he stated that he was going to sign a petition opposing the new Arizona Immigration Law that went into effect in April. My son is 14 and not the brightess bulb in the box (unless it has to do with math or sports). His position on the law is because Steve Nash from the Phoenix Suns is against the bill. Really? Stick to what you get paid for Steve, although you won't get paid for much longer if you continue to rally against your home state.

Okay...if you know me or read my blogs you know I don't follow politics much...I'm certainly not passionate about it but I have to say, all the hooplah about the immigration bill just really irritates the shit out of me. I mean, seriously...boycott a state because you think the law is unconsitutional?? Who's it unconstitutional to?? Illegal immigrants? They're not legal...they have no US constitutional rights!

What I don't understand is why everyone is making such a big deal about the bill. Govenor Brewer is just enforcing the Federal immigration bill. The new Az law says :

police officers, “when practicable,” can detain people they reasonably suspect are in the country without authorization and to verify their status with federal officials, unless doing so would hinder an investigation or emergency medical treatment.

Now, for some assinine reason, some people seem to think this gives the police the right to "racial profile''. No...it doesn't! Racial profiling happens all the
time--whether intentional or not and sadly, that's just the way life is.
Sure, we've learned to be more tolerant of each other's political, social,
economic and religious views, but that doesn't mean we don't look at certain people and think...are they a terrorist? or are they going to stand on my doorstep and shove pamplets at me and make me listen to how the world is going to end and I'm going to Hell if I don't go to their church? Or if a young woman is standing on a street corner are you going to automatically assume she's "looking for company'? I know, that's not racial...but it's still profiling.

I'm second generation Mexican/American...I was born in the US...my grandparents were lucky enough to escape across the border and build a life for their children and I'm very proud of my heritage...but I do not oppose this new law. I'm sorry, but I see nothing wrong with wanting to keep our borders safe and protect not only those family that live on this end of the border but those families trying to cross over because they believe the coyotes when they tell them they can have a better life. I'm not saying I don't want them here or don't want them to have a better way of life....everyone is entitled to that....all I'm saying is go through the proper channels. Come on over but do it legally. The Mexican president is opposed to the law as well...but dude...treat your people better and maybe they won't keep trying to escape!

As I said, this whole debacle is completely ridiculous. To all those companies and people pulling their business and money out of Arizona: That isn't going to help your cause. Emotional or financial blackmail only makes you a bully and you're hurting the millions of families already struggling to make ends meet. Someone at a forum I ran across said, maybe we should ship all the illegals to one of these states who think we're doing something wrong and let them foot the bill for their care....those states would do a fast turnaround of support.

On the midday news Rev. Al Sharpton stated he planned to march in Phoenix against the bill when it goes into effect. As if that wasn't stupid enough he also stated: "And I'm not going to carry any identification papers!" Uh....are you that fucking stupid Sharpton (that's rhetorical)...you're a US citizen...unless you plan to drive your own vehicle or board an airplane...you don't need your ID. And to those who are worried about the bill or being profiled....if you're here illegally...keep your nose clean, follow the law and don't cause trouble that would have you detained by the police. If you are legal...the same thing applies!!

Anyway....my rant is done for the moment. Until someone else says or does something stupid, that is....which seems to be every day.

Kudos to Danny Glover!!! (I've always liked him as an actor...now I like him even more!)

So...tell me....what are your thoughts?

The Rich Declare Themselves Poor and most of us are not sure

I'm not a politcal person, I don't 'serve' a party and for the most part I pay no attention to the political world around me. And it's not because I don't care, it's because, I'll admit, I'm not smart enough to understand what they're all fighting about. Call me simple...no don't call me that.

Anyway, despite my lack of understanding at why we have two opposing parties who think they're what's best for our country, I do follow the news programs and count on their intelligence to help me understand in layman's terms what all the hooplah is about. And over the years I've figured out that whenever the Republican party is all about the money...their money. The minute they feel their pocketbooks are threatened they scream our country is falling apart.

Take the new health care bill for example. According to the opposition this bill is "forcing" Americans to get health insurance. WHAT??? Where in this bill does it say "Any American Citizen who does not have insurance will automatically be given insurance whether you want it or not." People....it's a choice--free will---take it or leave it!!!

Can someone please tell me why these f**king idiots are even in office??

Now, seriously, why is there even a debate about this? Who wouldn't want insurance??

As the mother of four, one child with special needs and another who takes a monthly medication, not to mention that my husband and I are getting older and with age come health problems...I'm grateful we have insurance! And to be able to keep my children on our insurance until age 26 not only eases one worry for my daughter--who will be under a doctor's care for the rest of her life (because she developed type one diabetes) it shows that, yes our country is finally looking out for the little people.

My guess is the people fighting the bill are doing so because they feel the money to cover it is going to to come out of their pockets....as always the rich want to continue to get richer while the poor should stay in their place and get poorer.

This link was posted by a friend at Facebook. Check it out and tell me....what is so wrong with this bill??? Really....because I just don't know why it's causing such an uproar.

Untitled cuz I can't think of one

Okay, so I failed my New Year's Resolution. Did you really expect me not to??

To be honest, it wasn't a realistic goal to begin with. I mean, I'm not really a blogger because (1) I'm more private than a blog allows (2) I don't quite see the point. I mean, really, does anyone actuallly care what I had for breakfast (coffee) or that I had a dentist appointment yesterday (no cavities!)?

Sure there are some really good blogs out there and some that are very informative, but, sadly, this isn't one of them. Of course I could probably make it entertaining, but that can take too much thought of which I haven't had enough coffee for and then it will come across as forced. Not that I'm not amusing at times.

A n y w a y.

Another reason for my lack of posting (aside from the dreaded What's my title going to be??) I've been busy putting together interviews for the Desert Rose Blog. Desert Rose is the RWA chapter I belong to in Phoenix. This year we're holding our bennial conference and as a way to "break the ice" we're spotlighting our speakers. It's been a lot of fun so if you get a chance, swing by and comment or just read, whatever. I'm only posting three a week so it gives me time to work on my own writing....which I'm not really doing a lot of anyway.

So, how have you been doing with your resolutions? Have you kept them?

Belated Happy New year

Okay, so I missed a day posting. I couldn't think of a song title for the heading. hah

Right now I'm having my second cup of coffee and catching up on posts for an online writing class I'm taking. Alexandra Sokolov is running it so how could I miss out on that??

I'm really taken aback at how many multipublished authors are in this class, but for any writer, new or established, who is serious about their chosen field, writing courses are a must. You can never stop learning or perfecting your craft. But the classes aren't just for learning the differencce between active and passive voice or showing not telling, they're about getting motivated and inspired to move on to the next book and the book after that. I've been having a bit of a slump in that area, but I'll admit some of it is due to laziness on my part. The other is trying to write when one kid has the TV full blast, the stereo (whining out the Jonas Brothers) and You-Tube on the computer listening to Jim Gaffigan (over and over!). Talk about not being able to concentrate! Thankfully school starts back up Monday!

So, until then, this last weekend will be spent taking apart Christmas and moving into 2010.

What are your weekend plans?

It's Just Another New Years Eve

***Lyrics from a song by Barry Manilow***

Well, so far I haven't failed my NYR (New Year's Resolution for those who are acronym challenged). Although it's not actually the new year....semantics.

After my complaints about 2009 in yesterday's post, I came across a post today by Brett Battles at Murderati . In it, Brett talks about the good things he came away with during the year. Like most of the posts at Murderati, it got me thinking. Unfortunately I can't think of anything about 2009 to be thankful for, but in his post, Brett mentions how nervous they are about his son making the transition to high school in the fall. His son has Down Syndrome.

In today's day and age you can't help but worry about your children and how they'll handle moving from one stage of life to the next, especially if they're handicapped. My daughter is handicapped. She has Cerebral Palsy, Scoliosis and Type One Diabetes. Her CP isn't as severe as some, she's ambulatory (meaning she can walk, no wheelchair or assistance needed). She's smart as a whip...an A/B student and takes regular classes, although some are c0-taught. She has difficulty speaking (because of a tongue thrust) and she has difficulty with her gross and fine motor skills (she needs assistance getting dressed sometimes and brushing her hair). But, the thing about Manda that touches everyone she meets is that, she doesn't think of herself as handicapped (and she doesn't like the lable). She's always ready to greet you with a smile. She's happy and friendly to everyone she meets (although she can instantly dislike someone if they're rude or mean).

She's a typical teenager-- goes to the mall, hangs out with friends, chats on Facebook and even has a job as an usher at the local movie theater. She's a senior in high school and is planning to attend the Art Institute in Arizona this fall, to be a pastry chef.

Like any normal teenager, she has goals and a plan of what she wants to do with her life. As her parent, it's my responsiblity to make sure her goals are realistic (like, sorry baby, you can't be a ballerina or a singer--although she has great tone). I've always tried not to shield her from too much, because I know how cruel the world can be and over the course of her life we've been very lucky in that she has never had any problems with bullies. Of course that could also be because from day one in kindergarten I made a point to be at her school regularly and scare the bejeezus out of anyone who dared look at her cross-eyed. haha

Even today there are a lot of kids in her class who will go out of their way to make sure she is protected and that no one bothers her. It says a lot about society and how we've changed from calling the children with handicaps "freaks" to saying they have "special needs" and treating them as equals.

So, if I have to say something good about 2009 it will be that even with the diagnosis of Type One Diabetes and knowing she will be insulin dependant for the rest of her life, Manda stayed strong and focused, she took the punch and got up, dusted herself off and continued to live.

She never let the CP define her and she doesn't let the diabetes. She's going to make her mark in the world and I can't wait to see what she does.

Okay, so this post had nothing to do with New Years Eve, but I warned ya yesterday, I'll be rambly. ;-)

Thanks for stopping by

You Say Goodbye and I'll Say Hello

**For those of you who don't usually follow my blogs (here or at MySpace) I tend to title them with a song title or lyrics. =)

Only two days left of 2009 and I can't tell you how glad I am to see it finally end!! It's been such a crappy year altogether! I won't even go into all the horrible things 2009 tossed at us because I try to never dwell on the past, it happened, it's so yesterday, and now you can look at it as a learning experience and move on. Suffice it to say, we survived intact.

Okay, to be honest, a lot of the personal crappiness of 2009 is partly my fault. I let the fact that I haven't had an agent since July 2007 get to me. But, how could I not? I mean, finding an agent (twice) was validation that yeah, I can have a career as a writer, but, unfortunately, that agent didn't deem me worthy enough to stick with me through the ups and downs. She didn't fight hard enough to get my work to an editor and she didn't believe in me enough to know I could give her more work to sell. Initially, when she dumped me, I was pissed off, then depressed, then determined. I sold my novella, the one an editor (now at Simon & Schuster) requested I write and I returned to work on my third novel. Of course my momentum died when 2008 ended and I still didn't have another sale or agent and my e-books sales were practically obsolete.

So, I spent 2009 in a funk...not really writing, getting more and more depressed that, although I was getting requests for fulls on my first book Forget Me Not and I got awesome feedback on my second book Dark Obsession from the amazing author Lauren Baratz-Logstead who totally loved my book (she even did the copy edits) I wasn't getting any offers. The eighteen months of rejections totally killed my spirit and I let the depression fester for so long I completely lost sight of the pot of gold that is writing. I let down my family, my friends and my (limited amount of) fans. And, I'm sorry.

Now I'm not normally one to make a New Years resolution because....I don't know why, I just don't. But this year I'm going to give it a try. So, here goes:

• On December 31st I'm going to flush 2009 down the drain, clear my mind of the self-doubt that became my prison and I promise to sit butt in chair and write--non-stop---for two hours a day!
• I will complete not one but two novels this year.

• I will find an agent and an editor by the end of June!!




• I will market myself better than I have been by posting a blog daily---be forewarned, they could be dull and rambly. =)I might add more as the days go by, but for now, there ya go.
  

So, Goodbye and Good Riddance 2009.

Welcome 2010!

So, what are your resolutions for the new year?

Guest Blogger Lucha Corpi

Today I'm honored to introduce to you a very facinating woman. Lucha Corpi.

Lucha is a poet, novelist, and children's book author. As a woman, a Hispanic, an immigrant and a mother, she has always found herself breaking down barriers in both life and literature. Her art has always meant activism.
In 1970, she received a National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship for poems later included in Palabras de mediodia / Noon Words (Fuego de Aztlán Publications, 1980; bilingual edition Arte Público Press, 2001). Her first collection of poems appeared in Fireflight: Three Latin American Poets (Oyes, 1976), and a third poetry collection followed: Variaciones sobre una tempestad / Variations on a Storm (Third Woman Press, 1990).

In 1990, Corpi was awarded a Creative Arts Fellowship in fiction by the City of Oakland, and she was named poet laureate at Indian University Northwest.
She was a tenured teacher in the Oakland Public Schools Neighborhood Centers Program for over 30 years.

An Essay by Lucha Corpi

I spent the first eight years of my life in a small tropical community that fostered the creation, performance, and appreciation of music and poetry, in addition to storytelling. Located in the southern part of the state of Veracruz, my hometown, Jáltipan, had a population of about two thousand when I was born.
Although we enjoyed the use of electricity, we lacked other modern conveniences. Since there was no tap water, for example, people caught rainfall in large drums for washing and bathing. Folks who could afford it paid water carriers to bring cans of drinking water to their doorsteps from the natural springs outside town.
Twice a week, Tirso, the water carrier, brought the spring water to my grandmother’s house. Sometimes Tirso would let my brother Víctor and I sit on his mules while he carried the cans inside. Water carriers were famous for being among the toughest and most foul-tongued men in the region. Our Tirso was no exception. But unlike other water carriers, he delighted in teaching the children in town some of his favorite colorful expressions. Víctor and I were only five and three years old, but we were Tirso’s star pupils.
Being a great deal more cautious than I, Víctor did not use this kind of colorful language in front of our parents, and he suggested I follow his example, a warning that I, naturally, didn’t heed. I filled up with those forbidden words, as if they were mangoes or guavas—meaty, sensual, sweet. Encouraged by my aunt’s and cousins’ chuckles, I practiced my newly acquired vocabulary quite often.
During one of those practice sessions, my mother heard me. “I’ll wash your mouth with soap if I ever hear you use bad language again,” my mother warned then added, “I promise you.” I gave her innumerable opportunities to keep her “promise,” and she did. That year I was the three-year-old with the cleanest, though not necessarily the purest, tongue in town.
****
Despite the two-year difference between us, my brother Víctor and I were inseparable, but he was already six years old and he had to begin school. Despite promises and threats, he refused to start school without me. I was four years old. The only way I could attend school was by permission from the principal and the first-grade teacher.
Whenever people became too nosy about each other’s private affairs, my mother was fond of saying that a small town can be a big hell. But one of the advantages of living in a “small big hell” is precisely that people know one another well. In my case, this proved to be a blessing since my parents knew Professor Martínez, the school principal, well. My father took Víctor and me to see him. My father explained the reasons for his unusual request. The principal agreed but warned, “You understand that even if she stays the whole year, she will have to start the first grade when she finally reaches the legal age to attend.”
My father and I agreed. Two days later, Víctor and I began school. I was given a desk in the back of the classroom. I liked sitting in a corner, thoroughly fascinated with the subjects we studied. During the next two-hundred school days, I sat in my little corner quietly content. Quietly also, I learned to read and write, to add and subtract, to tell fruit from flower, clock from calendar, caterpillar from worm, dolphin from shark.
At the end of my first year in school, naively, I asked if I could participate in the cultural program or if my drawings could be included in the students’ art exhibit. But I was refused. Everyone liked me and the teachers admired my tenacity and constancy, but I wasn’t even a name or a file number on the school roster. I was four, free to go to school or stay home, but I was also an illegal student. I was invisible. The next year, nonetheless, no one objected to my returning to school. So my brother and I started the second grade. At the end of the year, everyone was pleased that I would be legally attending school the following February. But it was decided that I was too young to go on to the third grade, even though I passed every test with only minor errors. So I was asked to repeat the second grade. I loved going to school so I had no objections.
On the first school day in February 1952, my father and I walked into the second-grade classroom. The teacher showed me to a student desk in the front row, close to her desk. But I wasn’t happy there and I got her permission to sit at my usual place in the remote corner of the room. Because I already knew the subjects well, I was often asked to tutor other students. The following year, trying to keep me challenged, my third grade teacher began to instruct me in the recitation of poetry. She taught me how to deliver an impeccable line by sensing the rhythm of the poem, in the same way that my piano teacher later helped me to understand musical phrasing.
Because by age seven, I could read well, my father asked me to read to him from any section of the regional newspaper, except the crime page—la pagina roja. He pulled it out and folded it to dispose of it later, but he didn’t tear it up. I always found it and read it. After awhile I tired of reading about brawls, knifings, bloody accidents, but began to get interested in the kind of crimes, in which someone plotted to kill, rob, kidnap, or defraud someone else, and in the cops or the amateur detectives who conducted the investigation of the crime. This is basically the detective story. That is the kind of mystery novel I write and love.
Death at Solstice, out this year, is the fourth of the Gloria Damasco series. It joins Eulogy for a Brown Angel, Cactus Blood and Black Widow’s Wardrobe. Each of the novels deals with the history and culture of Mexican Americans and Latinos in the U.S., elements that are integral to the plot without sacrificing any of the conventions of a good fast-paced crime story. If I’ve done my job well, these will be of interest to you and your readers. Gracias for inviting me to share my story and my work with you and your readers today.
About the Book

Chicana detective Gloria Damasco has a ''dark gift,'' an extrasensory prescience that underscores her investigations and compels her to solve numerous cases. This time, the recurring vision haunting her dreams contains two pairs of dark eyes watching her in the night, a phantom horse and rider, and the voice of a woman pleading for help. But most disquieting of all is Gloria's sensation of being trapped underwater, unable to free herself, unable to breathe. When Gloria is asked to help the owners of the Oro Blanco winery in California's Shenandoah Valley, she finds herself on the road to the legendary Gold Country. And she can't help but wonder if the ever-more persistent visions might foreshadow this new case that involves the theft of a family heirloom, a pair of antique diamond and emerald earrings rumored to have belonged to Mexico's Empress Carlota.
Soon Gloria learns that there s more to the case than stolen jewelry.
Mysterious accidents, threatening anonymous notes, the disappearance of a woman believed to be a saint, and a ghost horse thought to have belonged to notorious bandit Joaquin Murrieta are some of the pieces Gloria struggles to fit together.
A woman's gruesome murder and the discovery of a group of young women from Mexico being held against their will in an abandoned house send Gloria on a fateful journey to a Witches' Sabbath to find the final pieces of the puzzle before someone else is killed.
Corpi weaves the rich cultural history of California's Gold Country with a suspenseful mystery in this latest installment in the Gloria Damasco Mystery series.

Find more interesting stories about Lucha at her Red Room Author's Page You can also find her at these sites during her tour.

Death at Solstice Book Tour
Dec 3 Lara Rios Julia Amante Author's thoughts on her previous books
Dec 4 Ana The Sol Within Indept and soul-searching answers
Dec 7 Misa Chasing Heroes Author's seeking Heroes
Dec 8 Monie Reading WithMonie What are her writing achievements
Dec 9 Carol Book-lover Carol Part One: How Series came to be
Dec 10 Tasha Heidenkind's Hideaway Part Two: How Series came to be
Dec 11 Nilki Musings Author writes on her theories of writing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prizes
As you visit each blog on the tour, leave a comment with your email addy and be eligible to win an autograph copy of Death at Solstice.
Also the author is offering a Grand Prize of a set of all her books in the series to the person that visits and leaves a comment and their email addy at the most blogs during the tour.

Guest Blogger Anjanette Delgado

It’s always a pleasure for me to host guest bloggers, especially debut authors. Today’s blogger is Anjanette Delgado, whose debut novel The Heartbreak Pill is available now.

Please help me extend a warm welcome to Anja Delgado.

Thank you so much for hosting me Terri. It’s a pleasure to be here.

It isn’t often that contemporary “chick-lit” concerns itself with research-based, scientific theories of love. For that matter, it isn’t often that Time Magazine delves into the field of romance novels. So when the issue of love and pain pops up in both, within weeks of each other, we might wonders if the apparently shallow topic of romantic heartbreak may not be quietly entering the realm of current events, as relevant to the future of society as the centuries-long, global trade wars.

In an age where people still have safety concerns about having a “potentially-emotional” woman president, my novel “The Heartbreak Pill,” tells the story of a professional in the cusp of her career as a scientist, who loses her bearings in the midst of shocking betrayal. She then uses her knowledge of organic chemistry, and her position as head of research at an upstart drug company, to create a pill that will eliminate the pain of love for all mankind; all while (initially) sidestepping FDA watchdogs and using herself as a guinea pig.

Notwithstanding the literate humor of this debut novel’s ensuing Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde scenario, or the irony and the surprising depth of the heroine’s arguments for her actions, the fact that it’s not a fantasy or sci-fi novel, presupposes that this premise is actually possible and, even more controversially, that it is needed.

I believe it’s absolutely possible. There’s a fantastic amount of scientific proof, readily available in everything from popular magazines to scientific journals to prove that love is indeed in our brains and that we could, and should, at least attempt having a say in what it does to us. In fact, the nature and depth of a person’s love for someone can already be confirmed by viewing the changes caused by the direct correlation between feeling and the chemical imbalances of certain substances in our brains. These are the substances that Erika is wreaking havoc with in the novel.

When I talk about scientific proof, I'm referring to modern-day love doyenne, Helen Fisher, a Rutgers University Anthropologist who’s written books such as “Anatomy of Love” and “Why We Love” to both critical and popular acclaim. According to Fisher, “perhaps no single phrase in all of literature so clearly captures the essence of passionate romantic love (better than): a state of need.” Fisher, who has conducted wide-ranging studies on humans over a period of time using advanced brain-scan machines such as FMRIs, writes "that human need for emotional union with their beloved is so intense that it is capable of blurring the lover’s sense of self.”

But, getting back to the quest at the… uh, heart, of “The Heartbreak Pill,” how lofty a goal is eliminating growth-inducing heartbreak? We’re playing with fire when we say to people, ‘you’ll get over him or her.” It’s one thing to eat like a pig or make prank calls after a breakup. It’s another to suppose that that’s the extent of how deep it can cut. We have only to look at the numbers of people killed by previously-stable, non-violent partners, or at the statistics for leading causes of suicide among the widowed and the divorce. These are not all emotionally-immature people losing their minds all of a sudden. There’s something going on in their brains. Something they’re unable to deal with. That’s the heartbreak Erika’s trying to cure.

Anjanette Delgado is an Emmy award-winning writer and producer with over eighteen years of local and network news experience. She has produced for CNN, NBC, Univision and Telemundo, among others, producing extensive coverage for events such as the 1991 Gulf War, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the present war with Iraq, which she executive produced for Telemundo in 2003. She won her first Emmy for her human-interest series “Madres en la lejanía,” about the plight of Latino mothers who leave their own children behind and come to the United States to work illegally... as nannies.

THE HEART ♥ BREAK PILL
ANJANETTE DELGADO

Erika Luna is a thirty-something scientist living and working in Miami. When her husband of seven years; the very successful, very smart, very good-looking, founding partner of one of Miami’s most successful Public Relations firms falls in lust with another woman, their marriage spirals to hell and Erika’s practical nature leads her down the strangest of paths.
What’s a scientist to do when slapped with pain so deep it interferes with breathing? Try to cure it, of course! This is the premise of Emmy award-winning writer and producer Anjanette Delgado’s delightfully funny and touchingly poignant debut novel, THE HEARTBREAK PILL (Atria Books; April 2008).

To learn even more facinating things about Anja, you can find her at her website: www.anjanettedelgado.com

Anja will be stopping in all day to answer your questions, so please feel free to ask her anything. Also, while Anja continues her tour, all who leave a comment will be placed in a drawing to win a copy of her other works.
To find Anja’s other stops, check the list below.

Heartbreak Pill Book Tour

Nov 9 Richard Lori http://www.un-loaded.com/
Nov 10 Lara Rios http://juliaamante.blogspot.com/
Nov 11 Anna Rodriguez http://www.thesolwithinanna.blogspot.com/
Nov 12 Mayra Calvani http://www.examiner.com/x-6309-Latino-Books-Examiner
Nov 16 Misa Ramirez http://chasingheroes.com/
Nov 17 Nilki Benitez http://nilkibenitez.blogspot.com/
Nov 18 Monie Garcia http://www.readingwithmonie.com/
Nov 19 Vanessa Torres http://thathappenedtome.blogspot.com/
Nov 20 Icess Fernandez http://www.locacrazywriter.blogspot.com/

Celebrating Veteran's Day and a Shout Out to the Spouses

When I was a kid all I cared about when Veteran's Day rolled around was--NO SCHOOL!! During that time the Vietnam War was going on, but because we didn't watch TV (or the news) and didn't know anyone in the service, what I heard about the war I heard after the fact--when it ended and our town was one of the many on the gulf coast saturated with refugees looking for a new life.

Anyway

When I met my husband he was a third class petty officer in his eighth year in the Coast Guard stationed in Sabine Pass, Texas. Of course my first thought when he told me he was in the Coast Guard was....they're part of the military?? And, don't deny it, that's your first thought too.

Many people don't know this, but the Coast Guard has been around for over two hundred years and was founded by Alexander Hamilton, who was a founding father and the first secretary of treasury....okay, he's that scary looking guy on the $10 bill. Although founded in 1790 they didn't become part of the Armed Forces until 1915.

Anyway, while thoughts and prayers go out to the men and women giving their lives to the service, no one really thinks about what their spouses and families go through. The separation anxiety is just as hard if not more difficult, and when the children are small and don't quite understand it's up to the single parent to keep them feeling safe and leading a "normal" life. And it's even harder on both parents when the military spouse comes home and is a stranger to his/her children. This actually hit home for me when we were stationed on a small island in Alaska. We only had two children at the time, Adam-6 and Amanda-1. Matt had been gone for a month, their cutter had to go to the 'yards' which was in Ketchican--a whole other island away from our island, and when he came home our daughter was totally scared of him. In fact, one night I went to meet with some other wives and left the kids with Matt. During the night Amanda was about to get into some mischief and Matt told her "no". The kid totally freaked out and ran to her big brother, clinging to him for dear life. Adam thought it was amusing and got to play protective big brother while it took my husband the rest of the night to convince his daughter he wasn't going to harm her. They say it takes a strong person to be married to someone in the military, I think we passed that test in Alaska.

Though my husband spent almost all of his twenty year career on land, aside from the two years in Alaska (where he was gone 70% of the time) we were only separated one other time before he retired in 2000. He had to spend his final year at a station in Raymondville while the kids and I lived in Port Arthur--long story short, we'd bought a house in PA because he was supposed to finish his term there but then got send to Raymondville. Finances and no housing forced the kids and I to move back home while Matt finished out his tour.)

Anyway, when he retired (which was pretty uneventful, although we had a big party at our home in Port Arthur) I received a letter of accomendation from the President thanking me for my service to our country as well. Pretty Cool, huh? I have to admit, getting that letter really surprised me, I mean, I didn't think I did anything special. And maybe I did, maybe I didn't but I do know it's true: it takes a strong person to be married to a career military man and I'll add, anyone in law enforcement.

So, while you're out celebrating our vets, take the time to thank their families as well.

Give your Shout Outs here!

I'll start: Jennifer Ratcliff and her two children Coral and Thomas!! Thank you for sticking by your man, (Ret.) Senior Chief Bryon Ratcliff! ;-)

To learn more about the US Coast Guard visit them at their site: US Coast Guard

We are Family

Today I'm participating in a mass blogging!

WOW! Women On Writing has gathered a group of blogging buddies to write about family relationships. Why family relationships? We're celebrating the release of Therese Walsh's debut novel today. The Last Will of Moira Leahy. (Random House, October 13, 2009) It’s the story about a mysterious journey that helps a woman learn more about herself and her twin, whom she lost when they were teenagers.

Visit The Muffin (http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/blog.html) to read what Therese has to say about family relationships and view the list of all my blogging buddies. And make sure you visit Therese's website (http://www.theresewalsh.com/) to find out more about the author.

Families can be a complicated thing sometimes. No one ever really understands what makes one family close while another is totally dysfunctional.

I grew up in a large family. On my mother’s side alone I had eighteen aunts and uncles, twenty-six cousins and of course my own six siblings—and we were all very close. Growing up it was more like having eighteen moms and dads and thirty-two brothers and sisters. Okay, I'll admit at times my family was a bit dysfunctional, but I love being from such a large family. It was like having you're own little community. I even wanted to have a large family of my own, at least six kids. Unfortunately I had to stop at four….to which my daughter Becca is very grateful….not always, but sometimes.

I can almost understand her feelings since my older brother was the same way. He hated that there was so many kids and so little money. But…such is life. My mother had to struggle to make ends meet after the death of my father. It wasn’t easy being a single mom, especially back in the seventies. It didn’t help that we were minority and poor as dirt, but we managed. And when she suddenly passed away, her siblings rallied around and took us in, even though money was tight for them too. We were a very close family and still are. I’ve lost a few of my aunts and uncles over the years and I often wonder if they knew how much I appreciated what they did for us, the support and encouragement they continuously gave.

Because I know what it’s like to lose a parent at an early age, I try to teach my children to understand the value of family. I try to instill how important it is to stick together and take care of each other. Being kids, they balk at the thought, but I know they take it to heart. My oldest daughter, Manda, was born with Cerebral Palsy. It’s a mild form, but it still limits her from doing certain things. In January of this year she was also diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. When she was little we never treated her any different than we treated the other three kids, and they didn’t treat her any differently either and they still don’t. While Manda is very independent (don’t dare tell her she’s disabled), she is also aware that she may not be able to live independently. Her siblings understand this as well and often joke about who gets to “keep” her. But, their jokes aside, I know they’ll do right by her and each other.

But, telling my children about family isn't the same as showing them. Before moving away from home, I made a point to get together every birthday, holiday and summer vacation with my Aunt Minnie and my cousin Michelle. Minnie was like a second mother to me--although technically she's only 13 years older-- but she was always very maternal and my sister, Becky, (my bestest friend) and I lived with her and her family for a short while, so Michelle has always been like a little sister to us. We grew very close when I moved back to Texas (in '87) and she was still in high school. She used to call me every Thursday night (during Knot's Landing-haha) to help her write her essays for AP English. (Oops, now you're gonna get in trouble for cheating on your assignments!)

Anyway, Michelle was also one of my best friends. She used to babysit my kids when I needed her (she was even there for a couple of the births). I had the honor of being a bridesmaid in her wedding (and even helped her with the wedding plans), and I did my share of pacing the halls during the birth of her kids--she has four, like me...the copycat! Although our children aren't close in age, they're very close in relationship...even with the twelve hundred mile distance and two hour time zone that separates us. I miss seeing and talking to her and her mom on a regular basis. (yes, I admitted it, Michelle.)

My children are getting older and within the next five years will all have left home. You’d think this would make me sad, and I’m sure when the time actually arrives I’ll cry my tear ducts dry, but I know regardless of where life takes them, they will always know they have a family to go home to.

Scribbler Award!!

A special Thank You to Jo Ann Hernandez at BronzeWord Latino for recognizing me with this special award.

As a recipient I too would like to honor some blogs. Each of these blogs that I honor are asked to do the same. In other words, here are the ground rules:

• Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends.• Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.

• Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to This Post, which explains The Award.

• Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, we’ll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!

• Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

So, here is my list of The 5 Recipients of The Scholastic Scribe’s Superior Scribbler Award:

I hope you enjoy them as well.

1. Murderati


2. Murder She Writes


3. STET!


4. Killer Fiction


5. The Scruffy Dog Review Blog

Congrats to all!

How far into your reading list are you?

I've been on a bit of a tear lately...uh, that's the expression, right?
Anyway, while I wait on my son to finally move out and give me back my office--(that sounds bad, but the kid is almost 22 and has no life) I decided to tackle my "To-be-read" list of books. I have a lot of them, some a couple of years old that I've just totally forgotten I had because I buy new books from my writer friends as they come out and add them to the stack. Yeah, I know, I should start my reading with the bottom of the pile, but, I don't.

Anyway, in the past couple of weeks I've read
Girls Just Wanna Have Guns (book three in the Bobby Faye series by Toni McGee Causey)
Natural Born Charmer --Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Kill Her Again--Robert Gregory Browne
Kiss Her Goodbye--Robert Gregory Browne (although I read this one last month)
Fatal Secrets--Allison Brennan (also read Sudden Death last month)
Say Goodbye--Lisa Gardner
Chasing Darkness--Robert Crais
Two Minute Rule--Robert Crais (my son read it too and was disappointed it wasn't an Elvis Cole book..hah)

I'm getting ready to read Black Lightning--John Saul
I love his work but haven't read anything in a while, so I'm looking forward to being creeped out. hah

On Friday the local library had a book sale (1/2 price) so I went to pick up some books I had once planned to buy but forgot about. So, yeah, instead of my list getting shorter, it's getting longer. (not that I'm complaining.) =)

I've always been a reader, even when I was a kid. I think I developed the love of books from my mother (and I hope she'd be happy to know she passed on something good to me) she was a fan of books. She used to go to the library every couple of weeks and check out up to ten books at a time. Mostly Barbara Cartland, at least those were the ones I noticed on her dresser. No, I didn't pick them up to read (I was only 11--but I did sneak one of her books once and it scared the crap out of me because it was Helter Skelter.) lol I think that's why I later became a John Saul fan...

Anyway, I suspect my mother's love of reading (like my own) came from a sort of lonliness and despair she felt at being a single mom of seven. I even suspect she planned to die at an early age (40) so she wouldn't have to be lonely (the mind can be a powerful tool).

Uh, anyway that's a post for another time (or couch) hah

Although my inital love of reading came from my need to 'escape' my life (as a teen), over the last ten years I've started using my love of books as a training tool. I'd always had stories in my head and occasionally I would write the stories down, sometimes in screenplay form (not that I knew how to do that..again, I was a teenager), but I never really thought to pursue the dream of being a published writer. It was a fleeting thought sometimes, but I never had enough faith in myself to go for it. Shortly before I turned 40 I decided it was time to do something about that dream...part of it was because I was nearing 40 and so far it looked like I'd surpass the age. (that's another 'couch' blog)

Okay, if you're not totally dizzy with this rambling post, I'll get to the point....whatever that was. ;-P

I guess I just want to thank those writers out there who had the courage to bleed onto the page and send those stories out there to be published. Without their knowledge and talent (and encouragement from many I've had the pleasure to meet--some of whom are listed above) I wouldn't have jumped on the bandwagon too. Their words not only entertain me for hours on end, they also teach me how to entertain others.

National Hispanic Heritage Month--and Reminiscing

This is actually a repost from last year. But, since today marks the first day of National Hispanic Month, I thought I'd put it up again...hence the word repost. heh

From September 15 to October 15 the nation will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. I'm not sure when the holiday started or rather, when the nation decided to acknowledge it, but for as long as I can remember, there was always a celebration in my hometown, Port Arthur, Texas.

Every third weekend in September my family (and I mean everyone in my family) would attend a three day "Mexican Fiesta" held by the Mexican Heritage Society in Port Arthur. At that time, it was held in the parking lot of the local strip mall, Jefferson City (I remember only because last year someone commented and reminded me. She also remembered the Woolco department store that used to be on the corner...Geez, how old does that show my age or what?)

Anyway, the festivities would start on Friday evening and consist of mostly food booths....what better reason to go to a fiesta, I ask?? The food was so totally awesome! made by local families and parishoners from Our Lady of Guadelupe Church and the money raised for the Heritage Society and the Hispanic community. They also had a pagent to crown a queen (done on Saturday evening), mariachi players, Calpulli dancers, tamale eating contests (which my brother Dave won once) and a street dance (literally since we were in a parking lot) with bands from Victoria Texas or Corpus Christie and other towns. Most of the people attending either sat on the gates of their pickup trucks or brought lawn chairs to sit on, circling around an area designated the 'dance floor'. My brothers and sisters and cousins and I used to jump in when the band played The Cotton-eyed Joe....one of the few dances we could do without a partner. Occasionally we were allowed to work a food booth or drink cart...always fun when you're a kid. (and on a side note, I had my first kiss at the fiesta, but I won't say who he was or my age at the time.)

Nowadays the fiesta is held at the Port Arthur Civic Center and (imo) isn't the celebration it used to be. It's lost a lot in it's transition (mostly the tradition). Last year Hurricane Ike forced the cancelation of the celebration, but it came back strong over the weekend. One of these years I'm going to make it back home for one of these celebrations.

Anyway, if you've never been to an actual Mexican Fiesta, you should go. Aside from the one in Port Arthur, Brownsville also holds a week long celebration called Charro Days. It's held yearly at the end of February, and celebrates the sister cities of Brownsville, Texas and Matamoras, Mexico. I've never had the opportunity to attend this party, but one of these days I will. Especially since I've introduced it in my current WIP, House of Cards (soon to be sold...uh...once I finish it.)

So, how do you plan to celebrate Mexican Independence Day and National Hispanic Heritage Month? I know....why not curl up with a hot Latina Romance?

Today only I'm giving away copies of my novella, Her Will His Way to everyone who leaves a comment. Just send me your email info.

Her Will His Way is a romantic love story set in the Rio Grand Valley, Texas.

After her husband’s infidelity ends their ten year marriage and allegations of fraud send her interior design business into bankruptcy, Anita Perez is more than happy to take over her late grandfather’s flower shop in the Rio Grande valley. However, she has a problem–she doesn’t speak Spanish, which is something her grandmother’s sexy neighbor, Antonio Hernandez, feels the need to remind her of on a daily basis.
Antonio has loved Anita for as long as he can remember, but the only attention she’d give him was in willful response to a dare. Now that she’s returned to the valley Antonio will stop at nothing to win her heart.
But Antonio’s plan may backfire if Anita finds out that he made a deal with the devil, and he used the flower shop to lure her into more than just his bed.

Excerpt:
Antonio’s lips curved into a sexy grin. “Are you still afraid of me, Anita?”
The amusement in his eyes stopped her from answering. He was baiting her again. Well, two could play this game, she thought smugly.
She moved her hand to the V of his shirt, skimming her finger over his chest. The warmth of his skin shimmered through her, charging every nerve in her body. She’d never seduced anyone before, but maybe it was time she did. After all, she’d moved to the valley to start a new life. And taking what she wanted, when she wanted, was the best way to do that.
She sent him a feline smile and gripped his shirt. “Maybe it’s you who should be afraid of me,” she said, pulling him into a kiss.

**For those of you who stopped by today (9/19/2012)...you get a copy of the book Her Will His Way or one of the other books of your choice (since there are three now...and one on the way.) Just email me at TerriMo2@yahoo.com.

Guest Blogger Mayra Calvani

Today I’m honored to host Guest Blogger Mayra Calvani.

Multi-genre author, reviewer and animal advocate Mayra Calvani hails from San Juan, Puerto Rico. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, playing the violin, and interviewing other authors for her blogs and newsletters. She’s a member of SCBWI and the Latino Books Examiner for Examiner.com, as well as a regular contributor to Suite101 and Blogcritics. Visit Mayra at: http://www.mayrassecretbookcase.com/ http://www.mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com/ http://www.violinandbooks.wordpress.com/

For a special treat Mayra has posted one of her short stories.

Déjà vu
By Mayra Calvani

Amanda stood on the sidewalk overlooking the sea. The splash of the waves against the rocks below resonated in the air. She could taste the salty tang sharply on her tongue, feel the cool breeze tousling her hair. She hugged her arms to stop the goose bumps.

Tonight Old San Juan vibrated with a magical quality. Twinkling multi-colored lights and shimmering garlands adorned shop windows and balconies. Christmas trees glowed from inside the flats that lined the street.

Amanda admired the sea a little longer; it was late and she had to go home. She and her husband were giving a party. They always did on Christmas Eve. She was stalling and she knew it, though she didn’t know exactly why.

Abruptly someone bumped into her. She turned to see a little boy running down the street. She froze for a second before realizing what had happened—he had stolen her handbag.

“Hey!” she said, running after him. “Come back here!”

A sensation of unreality grabbed her. She saw the little boy running in slow motion, his dark curls floating behind him as if there were no gravity. An intense feeling of déjà vu shook her to the core. She had to catch up with him. She had to stop him!

“Stop!” she shouted, breathless.

Everything happened in a matter of seconds. The boy glanced behind his shoulder just as he tried to cross the street. A fast approaching car was coming in his direction. Amanda reached for the boy’s shirt and pulled him harshly to the sidewalk and away from the street. The boy struggled against her, but she held on, a wave of relief flooding through her.

“Stop that. The policeman will see us,” Amanda said, her eyes on the strolling officer across the street. Oddly, he looked bored, as if he had not noticed anything unusual.

The boy relaxed under her grip and for the first time she had a chance to look into his face. He had shoulder-length curly hair and large brown eyes surrounded by thick lashes. Under the streetlight his chestnut curls glowed. He couldn’t have been older than eight. In spite of his arrogant attitude, he reminded her of a cherub.

“What do you think you were doing? Trying to get yourself killed? That car almost ran into you!” she said.

“Are you going to have me arrested?” he said, lifting his chin.

Amanda glanced at the officer, who was now far away. She sighed. “Are you going to give me back my bag?”

Looking oddly calm, he gave her the bag.

“Thank you,” Amanda said drily.

“Can you let me go now?”

Amanda realized she was still holding on to him. Confusion and fear filled her being. She didn’t want to let go.

“I’m not going away,” the boy said enigmatically.

Their eyes locked momentarily.

“Oh… all right…” She let go. “What’s your name?”

“Felipito.”

“Why did you try to steal my bag?”

His small, thin shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Why do poor kids steal rich people’s bags?”

She decided to ignore his wisecrack. “You should go home. It’s late. Your parents must be worried.”

“Nah, they never worry.”

They began to walk side by side.

“Let me bring you home.”

“I don’t want to go home. There’s always too much fighting in there.”

“It’s Christmas Eve. I bet your mom is preparing a nice meal.”

“I don’t want to go home,” he said coldly, stopping her in her tracks.
Amanda looked at him. She was not ready to say goodbye. “Well, do you want to come to my house? We can have something to eat together.”

“Do you live in a mansion?”

“You could say that.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“I have a dog,” Amanda said.

His expression brightened. “What’s his name?”

“Noah. Well?”

Felipito seemed thoughtful as he stuffed his hands inside his pockets and resumed his walk. “I’d like to meet Noah.”

***

At Amanda’s home the party was at full swing. Guests in sophisticated attire were gathered around the pool with drinks and cigarettes in their hands. Some couples danced. Others ate by a long buffet table. Holiday music poured out of hidden speakers.

Amanda led Felipito to the back of the garden and towards the back door of the kitchen.

“Do you know all these people?” he asked.

“Yes and no.” She halted momentarily to look at the guests. “My husband is an important man. These are mostly his co-workers.” Her voice had turned sad, bitter. “ I’ve always been sort of a hermit.”

“What’s that?”

“I like being alone.”

“Oh.”

“My husband is a very important man.”

“So you said.”

They looked to the kitchen as a large blond dog stormed out the door and dashed into their direction.

“Noah!” Amanda said, smiling for the first time that night. “Come here, boy! Let me introduce you to someone.”

She bent over to stroke him and scratch him behind the ears. Felipito laughed as he joined in the petting. Noah whimpered as if he couldn’t have enough of Amanda’s affection.

“Let’s go inside,” Amanda said.

She led him to a table at the far end of the kitchen, while the servants continued their duties on the other side of the room. After bringing an assortment of food and pastries to the table, Amanda sat across from Felipito. Noah lay at her feet, his tail still swaging from contentment.

“Go ahead, eat,” she said.

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I’ll just have a drink,” she said, lifting a glass of wine as if in toast.

Felipito studied the servants in the kitchen, then turned to Amanda. A dark cloud crossed his features; he appeared infinitely older than his years.

“Do you have any kids?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I’ve always wanted kids, but I can’t have them.”

“Oh…”

After Felipito finished eating, Amanda said, “I probably should bring you back now. It’s late. Your mom must be worried.”

Amanda leaned over to stroke Noah, who had started whimpering again as if sensing her parting.

***

Amanda and Felipito stood by the door of the small house which was his home.
Felipito looked somber. Amanda was about to knock when he stopped her and said, “Don’t. Let’s just go in.”

Inside the small living room there was no Christmas tree; no lights or garlands or poinsettias.

A woman sat alone in the dark, her back to them. She had something in her hands.

Felipito took Amanda’s hand and together they approached the woman until they stood over her shoulder.

Felipito sighed. “Don’t cry, Mami,” he whispered.

“What that in her hands?” Amanda asked.

Then she saw it. It was a photo of Felipito.

Amanda turned to him, the floor shifting under her, the room swirling around her. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

“I died one year ago,” he said calmly.

Amanda took a step back. “No…”

She moved away from the crying woman and away from Felipito. His big eyes shimmered with emotion as he extended a hand towards Amanda.

“Come. I’ll show you,” he said.

“You can’t be dead. You’re here, with me, talking to me. You just played with my dog, ate at my kitchen. You can’t be…”

“Come.”

***

In the late hour the Old San Juan cemetery was cold and windy and Amanda could hear the waves crashing against the rocks below.

“Where are you taking me?” she said.

Now it was his turn to hold on to her. “You have to know, Amanda. You have to let go.”

She shook her head, tears flowing down her cheeks. “You’re going to show me your grave, is that it?”

His small hand pressed tighter around hers, his nails digging into her.
“There,” he said, pushing her in front of a tombstone.

She read the name engraved on the stone and covered her face with her hands, while all her life, all the memories rushed through her mind until that last very moment. “No! No! No!”

“Why is it that no one can see or hear us—no one except Noah? How do you think we moved from here to your house without a car?”

“No!”

“You have to let go,” he said.

“No!” She fell to the ground, wallowing in the knowledge, guilt and pain.

“You’ll be here forever without freedom or peace until you forgive yourself. Look at me, Amanda.”

Her sobs weakened as she looked up at him.

“It was not your fault that I tried to steal your handbag. You had to run after me. It was not your fault that I got ran over by that car. You’ve punished yourself enough, drowning in alcohol and pills. Why did you take so many pills that night?”

“It was an accident…”

“I know.”

“I never meant to kill myself!”

“I know.” Then he said, “I forgive you, Amanda. This is why I’ve come here. Tonight.”

They were quiet for a long time. Amanda stood up and looked around her. Would she smell the sea again? Play with Noah? She felt scared and lost. “What now? Where do I go?”

Felipito took her by the hand. “Let me show you the way.”

The End

More of Mayra’s works ::

The Magic Violin
By Mayra Calvani
Illustrated by K.C. Snider
Guardian Angel Publishing
Tel: 314 276 8482
ISBN: 978-1-933090-49-8
November 2007
Paperback, 32 pages, $10.95
Picture Book, Ages 4-8

“This is a beautiful book with lyrical text. Vivid descriptions make Melina’s
emotions tangible. The accompanying illustrations are a perfect match.
They give a charming view of 19th Century Europe. A lovely addition to any
child’s bookshelf.” --Julie M. Prince, YABooksCentral

“Filled with old world charm, children will find this book has a distinctive foreign flavor. Illustrations are reminiscent of earlier days and the story itself conveys an old-fashioned feeling. The magic of a European Christmas Eve comes to life through text and pictures in this gentle tale for music lovers. Young violinists may discover their own dose of self-confidence in this unique picture book.”
–Nancy K. Wallace, VOYA reviewer

Order Here at Amazon.com

Crash!

by Mayra Calvan

iIllustrated by Anna Pylypchuk

Guardian Angel Publishing
ISBN: 1-933090-54-5
April 2008Paperback, 32 pages, $10.95Picture Book, Ages 3-6

Join Marcelo as he learns to care for his brand new—and very peculiar—puppy and sets out to choose the perfect name for it.

Find out more about Crash here

Check out the Spanish edition, Chocalin:

In a bazaar in Istanbul one evening, ten-year-old Alana Piovanetti glances into the shadows to find a man watching her. He smiles, and over time she convinces herself that it was just her imagination that placed sharp fangs amongst those flashing teeth.
Twelve years later, Alana is surprised when she is chosen to manage a new restaurant opening in her home city of San Juan. She has neither training nor experience to justify her success. But La Cueva del Vampiro has the kind of ambience she adores, for Alana has always had a penchant for horror and the dark side of life. Yet she is also plagued with dreams of dark sensuality, dreams that take on shattering reality when she meets the stunningly handsome, charismatic Sadash.
For Sadash is the man she saw in the shadows so many years before...and Sadash isn't human….


WHAT REVIEWERS ARE SAYING:

"[Embraced by the Shadows] is a superbly written, deftly balanced story of love and death and twisted loyalties that will keep you enthralled from beginning to end. More importantly, it will make you think and perhaps take a closer look at the shadowed corners of your own psyche.” –The Blue Iris Journal

"Mysterious, intriguing and somewhat unsettling at times, this novel is a must for all vampire reading fans. A rich, twisting plot and a surprising ending awaits you."
--The Midwest Book Review

"[Embraced by the Shadows] is a wonderful tale of a woman torn between a love she can not resist and a life she does not understand. Alana is a character to fall in love with... Mayra Calvani did an exemplary job in weaving this story of passion, love and betrayal. Once the reviewer started the prologue she was hooked and could not put this book down. This is a must read for fans of paranormal!" –Love Romances

“A dark brooding novel, Calvani takes us on a journey into the darkest corners of our hopes and desires, especially the desire of all humans to somehow survive and how far would we go if we were given the chance to live forever...This is a must read for all fans of vampire romance novels.”
--Murder & Mayhem Book Club

"...For any of you female readers that have always had the fantasy of your masculine vampire following you all through your life and not revealing himself until he thinks you are ready, this book is for you. This was an excellent read."--ParaNormal Romance Reviews

Embraced by the Shadows
By Mayra Calvani
Twilight Times Books

The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing
By Mayra Calvani & Anne K. Edwards
Twilight Times Books
http://www.twilighttimesbooks.com/
Twilight Times Books
Trade Paperback
188 pages, $16.95
Writing/Reference
Foreword by James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, Midwest Book Review
*2009 ForeWord Best Book of the Year Award!
*EPPIE Finalist
*Next Generation Indie Finalist
*USA Book News Award Finalist
Ebook ISBN: 1-933353-89-9, Available on Fictionwise
Trade Paperback coming in October 2009
Visit the author’s website at http://www.mayracalvani.com/

Are you passionate about books? Do you have the desire to share your thoughts about a book with readers, yet are unsure about what makes a good review? Are you curious about the influence reviews have on readers, booksellers, and librarians?
If you’re an experienced reviewer, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing will serve as an excellent reference tool and amalgam of resources. If you’re a beginner, this book will show you how to write a well-written, honest, objective and professional book review. It will also teach you:
· How to read critically
· How to differentiate the various types of reviews
· How to rate books
· How to prevent amateurish mistakes
· How to deal with the ethics and legalities of reviewing
· How to tell the difference between a review, a book report, and a critique
· How to start your own review site
· How to publish your reviews on dozens of sites and even make money while you’re at it, and much more

If you’re an author, publisher, publicist, bookseller, librarian, or reader, this book will also bring to light the importance and influence of book reviews within a wider spectrum.

Visit: http://www.mayracalvani.com/ and http://www.slipperybookreview.wordpress.com/
Sunstruck

by Mayra Calvani

Zumaya Publications

Release date: February 2009

Print ISBN: 978-1-934841-18-1

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-934841-19-8

Parody/Satire/Women's Fiction

Available on Amazon and as ebook from EReader.com

Visit: http://www.sunstruckthenovel.blogspot.com/ for reviews, excerpt, etc.

Meet…
Daniella, a naive and deeply sensitive architecture student who feels herself surrounded by carnivorous creatures from the Mesozoic Era.
Zorro, a deranged criminal running rampant on the streets of San Juan, terrorizing women who wear miniskirts.
Tony, Daniella's boyfriend, smug and selfish and demonically handsome, who seems oblivious to everything about him except to his own obsession with fame and LSD.
Ismael, Daniella's ex-husband, as cruel and innocent as a child, an art critic whose fantasies of revenge will force him to do something that will shock the entire island.
Irene Carlier, Ismael's new wife, better known as Lady Dracula, a ghastly rich woman who collects torturing devices and in whose penthouse apartment something utterly dreadful will be discovered.
Set in steamy San Juan, Puerto Rico, these and other crazed, eccentric characters swirl together in an intriguing, warped, darkly humorous world where not even Turkish cats are safe from marijuana smoke.

Mayra’s tour continues thru September 18.

Find out more about her at these wonderful blogs.

8 Roxanna SpanglishBaby
9 Silva Martinez http://www.mamalatinatips.com
11 Icess Fernandez http://www.locacrazywriter.blogspot.com/
14 Efrain Ortiz Jr. http://efrainortizjr.blogspot.com/
16 Christina Rodriguez http://christinaerodriguez.blogspot.com
17 Ricardo Lori http://www.un-loaded.com
18 Misa Ramirez Chasing Heroes http://chasingheroes.com