Interviews, and Writing and Events -- Oh My!

Greetings friends!

It's a very rainy day here in The Big Apple, and though I am EXHAUSTED I am exhilarated!  It's been a very busy week, filled with very satisfying happenings!

My week began with an "Author Spotlight" interview with my friend Katie Salidas on her blog (http://networkedblogs.com/jDvUr).  Katie is the author of the popular Immortalis vampire series.

She also featured an excerpt of the first chapter of "Sinner's Ride", however, be forewarned, this is not a G-rated excerpt.  Continuing on, I participated in her Virtual Tour in anticipation of the release of the third book in her series "Pandora's Box" and wrote reviews for the first two books in her series.  That experience was really, really cool!

My work week went well, busy, but normal.  By the end of the week I, along with other authors (Michael R. Hicks and Paul Antony Jones) were being interviewed by Jorge Salgado-Reyes on the Indie Authors Press "Shining the Spotlight on .." series (www.salgado-reyes.com).  This one was really interesting.  It's on a forum where not only Jorge asks you questions, but so do viewers of the thread and you truly are virtually under a spotlight.  This is an ongoing interview and can take place over several days.  Also on the site, you can join to become a participant of a Writers/Beta Readers Circle and share ideas, support other indie writers/authors and do critiques.

Regarding ongoing work, I've slowly begun to focus again on my ongoing WIP,  "The Radocians" series and "Resurrection of Dead Dreams" which will be book one.  This one's much harder to write than "Sinner's Ride" was because it's so personal, but I think it is that personal touch that will make it interesting.

Things on the family side are fun too!  My grandson is now heading to the fourth grade and my daughter seems happier than I've seen her in a while.  The highlight was spending time with my nephew/son who was in town.  It's crazy when the three of those get together!  It was like having a house full of kids again!  They drove me crazy -- but it was a good crazy!  Today, I'm taking my grandson and his friend to see "Green Lantern", and a burger dinner afterward.  I'm telling you, I have had my fill of kids' movies!

And finally, my book signing event which is this coming Friday!  I am a little nervous -- not good being in the spotlight like that.  I am more the observant/in the background type.  But, I am extremely excited and I can not wait to see friends and family members I haven't seen in a long time.  Some of those people I haven't seen in decades!  So psyched!  So, for more info on that event, please go to http://lahongrais.blogspot.com/2011/06/sinners-ride-book-signing-event.html?spref=tw.  If you are in the NYC area on Friday, please consider joining us.  Lots of fun stuff planned, including a specially created drink just for the occasion is in store!

I can't leave this space without plugging my book :)  Remember, "Sinner's Ride" is available in e-book format, so why don't you download a copy before you go to the beach?

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend!!

~~ML

Gratitude

I sometimes feel the need to stop and reflect on my life. I'm feeling that need today.

It amazes me that although I come from very humble beginnings, I am so rich in blessings. My daughter is grown, healthy and a productive human being. My grandson is thriving. My adoptive children are finding their way in this world.  

My Dad, although now gone has blessed me with so much love, insight, understanding and a vision. My Mom, now 90 and though pretty much bedridden is still spiritually vibrant. Her mind, well now, that's sometimes something else. But she's my Mom and she's still here; able to see and experience all that my children and I have experienced.  

I have been blessed to still be able to smile, laugh and love, even after years of struggle and hardship.

I have been blessed to be able to live the life I now live. Never did I imagine my life would turn out this way!

I have been blessed with the extraordinary gift of words; blessed that people who know better than me and are experienced in the fiction writing community respect and support me and are even interested in not only working with me, but also seeing more.

I am blessed to have the personal friends that I have because I know I can count on them. I am so blessed that there are too many to count lest I omit someone and offend them.

I am blessed to have a nice place in which to live; a nice place to go work to every day and I am blessed to have an awesome boss who is a sincere, supportive human being.

With gratitude in my heart, I can only pray that I can be reciprocal.

~~ML

Hunters & Prey -- Book Review & Giveaway!

Yesterday I wrote a review for "Carpe Noctem", the first in Katie Salidas' Immmortalis series   Her second in the series, "Hunters and Prey" picks up where "Carpe Noctem" left off.   I was lucky enough to be a beta reader for this installment and the finished product is absolutely awesome!

The story begins with Alyssa having just fed. Alyssa has pledged to only feed from criminals deserving to die; those who are like the men who nearly elminated her existence.  They have become her "prey" and she, in essence, has become their "hunter".   When she arrives home in the morning, she settles in to bed and falls into a restless sleep where she is dreaming about her nemesis, Santino, the vampire hunter working with the Acta Santorum.   She awakens with a start and Lysander, her mate and maker, attempts to soothe her to no avail. Unable to fall back to sleep, she pads to the living area and channel surfs looking for something to keep her mind occupied.   She stops on the local news channel when she is interrupted by her clan-mate Nicholas, who startles her when he answers a question she was mentally asking herself as to who might be the head of the Acta Santorum and whether or not Santino could be alive and whether or not the Acta Sanctorum might have something to do with the gory story that was running.

Nicholas is a news junkie and as he sits down to watch the news with her announces that he knows that Alyssa is looking for clues about Santino, (the vampire hunter we met in Katie's first installment), answering some of her queries after conceding, in a roundabout manner, that he had read her mind.   Later that evening, Alyssa goes out to feed and while she's out she encounters Santino.   With nowhere else to go, Alyssa jumps into a cab and goes to the cafe where she used to hang out.   She couldn't go home lest she expose her clan-mates and put them in grave danger.   Once at the cafe, Alyssa begins to have feelings of longing for her old life and just as she's about to turn away from the entrance door, it swings open with her friend, Fallon coming through it.   Now what to do?

Questions streamed from Fallon's mouth about Alyssa's sudden disappearance.   Alyssa, still concerned that Santino has followed her there, decides to go inside with Fallon figuring it was the safest place for her to be.   While hitting Alyssa with another barrage of questions, Fallon notices Alyssa's eyes and teeth, making the connection that Alyssa is now a vampire.   Awkwardly trying to reassure her friend, Alyssa tells Fallon the story of what happened the night Fallon stood her up, the night of her turning and what her life is like now.   After a while, Alyssa borrows Fallon's cellphone to call Lysander and explain to him where she was and that Santino was after her.   He's none too pleased and asks her to wait for his phone call while he discusses with the rest of the clan what should be done.   He is extremely upset that she has exposed their truth to a mortal.  When he calls her back and tells her to meet him at a casino, Fallon refuses to let Alyssa go by herself and as they head out, Alyssa notices that Santino is standing at the door of the cafe.

"Hunters and Prey" is action packed with an incredible story line filled with vampires, zombies, survival and acceptance. It is also a story of love, sacrifice and strength. I mean, let's face it, it takes a lot of strength to trust that which you fear.   Fierce battles ensue between the clan and the hunters after which Fallon is accepted by the clan as an "honorary" member.

Alyssa loves her friend so much that she fights her basic instinct to feed on her when they are held captive together and she is in dire need of feeding.   She teaches her clan-mates what it means to stand beside a loved one in war, no matter what life form they may be in. It is a lesson to be learned by all.   It is a known fact that I admire Katie, that she and I have a friendship, and it is because of that friendship that I feel the need to be totally honest.   There is nothing I can criticize here.   Once again, she has left me wanting more.   This tour is to promote her third story in the series, "Pandora's Box", which I have begun reading and believe you me, I wish I had a block of time so that I can sit down and read it in one sitting as I have all her previous works.   You will not be disappointed in this story and it will make you hunger for "Pandora's Box" which is available now in e-book and other formats come July 12.

A very generous Katie has once again agreed to offer a free giveaway of one copy of the smashwords edition of "Hunters and Prey".   This time, since 13 is my lucky number, the thirteenth person to post a comment on my blog will be the winner! Here is a sample for your reading pleasure: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12ZAW35FurIbQbIg1lh78ynBRZpDQfE8vuFUcYiVpG10/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=CKy6noMK

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Katie and her work, here is her bio:

Katie Salidas:

The youngest of four children, Katie has always had a desire to entertain. Since, early childhood, she's dreamed fantastical characters and scribbled them into pages of various journals and notebooks. Taking an interest in vampires, she devoured every book, featuring those blood sucking creatures, in any genre she could find. It was only natural that a love of reading vampire stories, turned into a love to write them. Katie is also a Las Vegas native, having grown up in the famed City of Sin. She loves to feature it as a recurring setting for many of her stories.

Here is a link to Katie's blog:  http://networkedblogs.com/jDvUr

Yes, I am featured this week :)

Finally, to tempt you just a litlle bit :), here is a synopsis of Katie's newest installment, "Pandora's Box":

Pandora's Box:

Alyssa thought, after a few months as a vampire, that she’d learned all she needed about the supernatural world. But all that will change when a mysterious package shows up on her doorstep - a Pandora's box. An ancient prison, created by powerful magic, the box was used to trap the most dangerous and deadly creatures on earth. Once opened, it releases an ancient evil, with an insatiable lust for vampire blood. Within moments of its release it the feeding frenzy begins. Alyssa must find a way to return the creature to the box. If she doesn’t, it will not only destroy her clan, but the rest of the vampires in existence.

And of course, I can not end this post without putting you on about the legal stuff:

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of The Virtual Book Tour Cafe' and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by The Virtual Book Tour Cafe', no payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely of my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Thanks again for your support and for allowing me to share this with you!

~~ML

Immortalis Carpe Noctem -- Book Review & Giveaway!

I first stumbled upon Katie Salidas' "Immortalis Carpe Noctem" a year ago on my Kindle.   I cracked open a bottle of wine, and settled in on my couch to read it as the sun set.   I read it in one sitting and to my surprise it was dark out when I finished it.   It had drawn me in and didn't let me go.

This story is the first in Ms. Salidas' "Immortalis" series and it begins with the main character, Alyssa waiting for her best friend Fallon to arrive at their regular hangout - a cafe near a college campus -- on the day she had lost her job.   When Fallon calls to beg off, Alyssa leaves the cafe deciding to take a shortcut home and encounters two seemingly harmless men who ask her for directions to the library. Grudgingly, she responds and is suddenly attacked.   As she lays on the ground close to death, her hero, Lysander appears, seemingly out of nowhere, and quickly does away with her attackers -- but not before he turns her in order to save her life. When Alyssa finally regains consciousness, she's not sure where she is or what's happened.   She's experiencing changes in her body that she doesn't understand and this is where I got wrapped up.   Katie's description of what Alyssa is experiencing is so vivid and realistic that you can't help but continue reading.   As a fan of the genre, I had never seen the physicality of "the change" described so clearly.  

The story continues with Alyssa's "maker" (Lysander) making some major adjustments himself. Lysander is a somber, introspective vampire -- the "strong, silent type", who when you first meet him you find out that he is a lone vampire.   He is not part of a clan per se at this point in the story but now that he's turned young Alyssa, he is responsible for her and this has his maker, Kallisto pretty upset.    Kallisto is also Lysander's former lover.   Her anger towards him stems from the fact that he has broken the rules set in place long ago for fledglings, and as the story unfolds you will see that she harbors a mean spirited jealousy toward Alyssa. 

When a travelling clan, The Peregrinus, which is made up of some of Lysander's "children" come to visit, they begin to bond as a "family" with Alyssa.  In addition, Lysander, Alyssa and their new clan members all have to deal with the Acta Santorum, a band of vampire hunters comprised of self-righteous vampires themselves who feed off animals .  They are working with the Vatican to eradicate vampires who are not like them. They consider other vampires evil.

As you become engrossed in the story, you will learn about Alyssa's new traits, strengths and weaknesses right along with her.   You will see age old myths and beliefs about vampires de-bunked. Alyssa struggles with her new self and as she learns to adjust, you see her inner self begin to mature. You will grow to love all of the characters. The unfolding story will break your heart as you experience challenges and losses right along with her and her clan-mates.

I see this as a story about inner growth and slow maturity; a story about love and family; although the blood ties that bind this clan are not biological.  This is a wonderful read and I highly recommend it.   It is a great introduction to those who have not experienced the genre and those who have, will find that it is different from anything they've read before.

Full disclosure: Katie and I have an ongoing virtual friendship.   I am her latest interview featured in her "Author Spotlight" on her blog:  http://networkedblogs.com/jDvUr

Notwithstanding all of that, I believe Katie Salidas is an author you'll want to keep an eye on, someone to watch.   Apart from that, she's just a wonderful human being, so visit her blog to see all that she's up to!

Oh, by the way, Katie was kind enough to offer a free giveaway for a smashwords copy of "Immortalis Carpe Noctem".   Since this was her first book and "Sinner's Ride" is my first novel, the first person to leave a comment on my blog will win a copy!   Here is an excerpt:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PD365LmgoI6pP2jEpaWvqjnljHVIzv8LsCTE4mR2U-U/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=CI3E06sB

Here is a short synopsis of Katie's latest "Pandora's Box":

Pandora's Box:

Alyssa thought, after a few months as a vampire, that she’d learned all she needed about the supernatural world. But all that will change when a mysterious package shows up on her doorstep - a Pandora's box. An ancient prison, created by powerful magic, the box was used to trap the most dangerous and deadly creatures on earth. Once opened, it releases an ancient evil, with an insatiable lust for vampire blood. Within moments of its release it the feeding frenzy begins. Alyssa must find a way to return the creature to the box. If she doesn’t, it will not only destroy her clan, but the rest of the vampires in existence.

Here's Katie's bio:

Katie Salidas:

The youngest of four children, Katie has always had a desire to entertain. Since, early childhood, she's dreamed fantastical characters and scribbled them into pages of various journals and notebooks. Taking an interest in vampires, she devoured every book, featuring those blood sucking creatures, in any genre she could find. It was only natural that a love of reading vampire stories, turned into a love to write them. Katie is also a Las Vegas native, having grown up in the famed City of Sin. She loves to feature it as a recurring setting for many of her stories.

And now for the legal stuff:

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of The Virtual Book Tour Cafe' and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by The Virtual Book Tour Cafe', no payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely of my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Thank you all for allowing me to share this with you.

~~ML

Written in Blood: What Happens When Your Whole World is Turned Upside Down

Good morning!

Yesterday, Katie Salidas featured me on her blog as part of her series "Author Interview".   I hope you had a chance to read that.  If you haven't, here is the link:  http://networkedblogs.com/jDvUr#

Today she has excerpted chapter one of "Sinner's Ride".  If you haven't read "Sinner's Ride" and haven't seen my explosive beginning, then you might like to see it.  Go to Katie's blog to see what everyone is talking about!

http://networkedblogs.com/jFl8q?a=share&ref=nf

Hope you like it!

~~ML

Author Spotlight Interview

Greetings all!

This journey began for me in May of 2010. It was Mother's Day and it was the end of a beautiful day which I spent with my daughter. Regrettably, it ended way too early because she had to go pick up my grandson and I needed to do some housework. Once I got home I looked out the window at the beautiful sunset, and decided housework could wait. I walked over to my wine stash, picked out a bottle and poured myself a glass. Next, I grabbed my kindle and curled up on the couch to find something to read as the glow of the sunset washed over me.

While browsing, I stumbled across a piece by Katie Salidas, and finding the title interesting, I settled in for some urban fantasy reading, a genre I had recently become engrossed in, but more on that later in the week.

As a new author, I am learning so much that is awe-inspiring. I am just this simple girl from East Harlem with crazy ideas and I am diving right in what with the blogging, tweeting, networking in general, events ... who would've thunk it? I am having the time of my life encountering some really wonderful, supportive, talented people and I feel like I have just awoken in my heaven. Among these people, is Ms. Katie Salidas. I owe all this to her. She encouraged me and made me believe I could do this, and that people would be interested. So imagine my glee when she asked to interview me for her "Author Spotlight" series on her blog. This would be my first interview for the masses! I was thrilled!

Please peruse this talented author's blog and read about her books, her publishing/editing tips -- which by the way, were extremely helpful to me -- as well as an impressive array of previous author spotlights. You'll fall in love with her and her work just as I did!

And now, for your reading pleasure, I'd like to share my interview with Katie. http://networkedblogs.com/jDvUr#

Enjoy!!

~~ML

Happy Father's Day!

Since this post was originally published, I have gotten a lot of comments.  I know that as a writer, I am expected to have a perfect writing style.  Obviously, this is not perfectly written.  It is a literal translation of the original eulogy which was written in Spanish.  I decided to translate it literally ... though now, I'm not sure why....

9/4/11

**********

I woke up thinking about my Dad this morning ... not that that's anything new. I have been waking up thinking about him every single day for the last 2,103 days. My Dad is my hero. In my eyes, he was Superman. I thought he just had to be! To me, he looked just like that guy on TV (George Reeves ... I grew up in the early 60's, and Superman, the black & white 50's era television series was running in re-runs). Because of this, I got into a fight in elementary school defending my truth.

It was probably my 7th or 8th birthday that was coming up and my parents were throwing me a birthday party. My Dad said I could invite anyone I wanted. I was elated. A few days later, at school, during our lunch period, I was telling a bunch of kids that my Dad, who was Superman, was throwing me a birthday party and that I could invite whomever I wanted. I added that he would be there as Superman. One girl said: "How can your father be Superman? Superman is white and your father is Puerto Rican."

I flew into a rage ... never mind that she made all kinds of sense! I was scared, but I rammed into her and we fell into a heap all arms and legs. No one cheered me on. No one but Dominick D. We are still friends today. Happy father's day Dominick!!

Today I want to honor "Superman"; my Dad, by sharing with you, the eulogy I wrote for him on September 18, 2005.

* * * * * * * *

September 18, 2005
Santa Isabel, PR
My Daddy

Pedro Juan **. He was a companion, husband, father, grandfather, great-granfather, brother, uncle, cousin, godfather, son and friend; born May * *, in Coamo, Puerto Rico. Son of Rosario * and Juan *. He was a good brother to Cornelio, Felipe, Claudina, Concepcion, Marcos, Baudilia and Jose Luis...better known as Guiso; as well as his adopted siblings Rolyn and Carmin. Husband and companion of Maria Mercedes for 58 years, raising four children: Raymond, myself, Papo and Cuca. Grandfather of Taina, Mimari, Peter and Ross; Rafael, Angel and Carmen. Great-grandfather of Dayne - the apple of his eye.

At the age of 24, he left PR to make a life for himself in NY, following his great love, making her his wife; his life companion. Learning English on his own and during more than 20 years, taking on menial jobs he never forgot his family in PR. Always remembering that maybe they were in need and always helping them the best he could even though he had his own ongoing struggle to raise his family.

If anyone in his family had a dream to live a better life in NY, my father, without reservation and without question opened his home giving more than 20 members of his family the opportunity to realize their dream and he was very happy when that dream was realized for that person.

My father loved it whenever someone in the family came to visit. But despite his struggles, he always maintained his faith in God, not only for himself but for those around him as well.

In 1979, he himself realized his dream to become the Sargent of Security for Rockefeller University in NY, retiring after 24 additional years of hard work. That was his dream job.

Pedro Juan * * was a man who lived for his family -- his wife and children. Any pain felt by us, you could count on him to give you sage advice and the strength to confront and resolve whatever it was that troubled you.

When he retired in 1993, he returned to PR and built his house exactly as he dreamed. He was so happy. He was happy because now he had the opportunity to be with his "other me" every day, all day and he dedicated himself to adjusting to his new life. Telling jokes, being mischievous, eating and giving orders. But all of that was done with love, a laugh and sometimes a toothless smile.

When my mother fell ill, that man almost died. Putting his faith before everything else, he would go to the hospital daily to take care of, comfort and show love to his companion-wife believing in God that she would rise from her sick bed. And so it was. Mami did rise and recuperated so that she could struggle with him.

My father suffered a stroke on June 22, 2005. My brother, Raymond, arrived there that same day. Supporting our mother, dealing with our father. While hospitalized, no one expected that he would return home. But he did.

My father died Thursday, September 15, 2005 at his dream house, with his wife at his side. But not before his last mischievous act ... he played with the water my mother lovingly offered him.

When his first granddaughter, Taina was born in 1980, that man was in the clouds. He didn't know what to do with himself. And when Tania was 27 days old, with his wife at his side, he took custody of his granddaughter, to begin anew in raising a family as if they were young again.

After Taina, my adored daughter, Mimari came. Mimari was the one that took him back to his childhood. Almost til the day he died, they spent time talking -- he counseling her and her telling him jokes. They got along like hand and glove. They would pull each other's leg, winding each other up.

Then came the boys ... Peter and Ross. His relationship with Peter was one of few words. Peter didn't speak Spanish well, but they learned to communicate with one another, primarily through their hearts. My father's only wish when it came to Peter was that even with all his travails, he finish High School. He knew that it would be hard for Peter, but he also knew that if Peter could achieve this, he would be "a man". Imagine his pride when the grandson he least expected, the one that everyone thought would be a failure graduated from high school. My father cried giving thanks to God. Peter wants everyone to know that his grandfather and grandmother, Mercedes could now be proud of him. Because they, my father and my mother supported him and gave him the strength and above all the love he needed to achieve this.

That was my Daddy.

When he did not expect any more grandchildren, Ross was born, Cuca's son. My father nicknamed him "Macho Man". The day that Ross was born, was the same day that our aunt, Saturna was to be buried. Ross is the grandchild of the future of this family.

That boy knows computers better than anyone I know. In the shadow of the pain of the death of our Aunt Saturna, the sun of the future of this family was born. Ross. My father recognized that in his grandson. He always spoke about him with love.

That was my father.

Pedro Juan * *


And you still ask yourselves why I called him Superman?

* * * * *

I now have a grandson who still remembers his great-grandfather and will once in a while mention that he is now in Heaven. He remembers laying on his chest listening to his heartbeat the way I did as a child.

I hope Dayne will grow up to be like his great-grandfather: A loving, good hearted man who did not shy away from showing his love to others.

Happy Fathers Day to all fathers, biological or not. And to all the single mothers playing both roles.

~~ML