September 24, 2013

For Love or Vengeance by Caridad Pineiro {Author Interview & Giveaway}

FBI Special Agent Helene Alexander is a goddess. An actual frickin’ goddess. And her mission is clear, see that justice is served at all times or her days as a goddess are numbered.

Helene’s new FBI partner defines good-looking, but Miguel Sanchez, wants nothing to do with her ends-justify-the-means attitude. He knows through experience the type of guilt her actions can bring and Miguel wants nothing to do with Helene’s careless ways. Even if she’s so damned hot she makes him burn with the need.

When the serial killer they’re tracking strikes again, Helene and Miguel are drawn into a case that will challenge their most fundamental beliefs about justice and vengeance. But it’s the passion between them that forces a goddess to choose: eternal life with all her powers…or death—to save the man she loves.


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The Book Excerpt


Peace filled Helene as Miguel lazily stroked her back. She snuggled closer to the warm strength of his body and he splayed his fingers across the small of her back to urge her even closer.

She went willingly, basking in a serenity that filled a part of her that had been empty for so long, she hadn’t known it could be any other way. But now she knew. And when he was gone from her life, as surely he would be soon, she would feel that emptiness even more profoundly.

“Helene?” he asked. “You okay?”

“Yes,” she replied, unwilling to allow him further entry into that space. Distracting him from probing deeper by saying, “I’m just thinking about the case.”

“We’ll get a break soon. I promise.”

Such earnestness in his voice and the way his hand tightened at her waist. But then, she had sensed that determination in him from the first. Admired it.

“I know, Miguel. I just wish we’d had that break a little sooner.”

“Yeah.” He moved so they were face to face, cupped her cheek and ran his thumb across her lips. “It was hard to make the call to Lanie’s parents.”

Very hard. She recalled the words of comfort he had used, and the pain in his voice as he’d said them.

Which was only a fraction of the agony in the cries and denials from the girl’s parents when he had broken the news.

But he had done it, gracefully and full of compassion.

Raising her hand, she trailed it over the tight line of his jaw. “You handled it well.” Far better than she could have. In a few hours, they would have to speak to the roommates. “Will you tell her friends? I’m not sure I…”

“Can do it right?” he completed for her. He touched her chin with his fingers and urged her gaze upward. “I know you feel for them.”

He moved his hand down to her heart. “I see you hurting. I understand how much you want justice for Lanie.”

She glanced down to where his hand rested. She covered it with hers, pressed it tight, until he could feel the steady beat of her heart. A human heart that was filled with uncertainty.

Not like her real heart. Her immortal heart knew no doubts or hesitation. Only black and white. Only true justice.

“Maybe the pain I feel is because I’ve failed. Failed to find justice,” she said, unwilling to believe it was about anything else.

He shook his head. “You know that’s not true. You feel pain for the victims and their plight. And you haven’t failed. This was a setback, yes. But we will not fail. You know that.”

She wanted to believe him. She wished that she wouldn’t disappoint his belief in her. And yet she knew she would. “The only thing I know for sure is that I want this bastard to pay for his crimes. That’s the only certain thing within me.”

The Interview

Thanks so much for stopping by the Authors' Cafe today, Caridad. I'm very excited to host you and your book, For Love or Vengeance, and I just LOVE the cover! Okay, I see you've got your favorite beverage, so let's get right to the interview.

At what point in your life did you realized that being an author was no longer going to be just a dream but a career you were going to turn into reality? 


I have been wanting to write since the fifth grade when a teacher assigned a project: to write a book for a class lending library. I started writing and literally never stopped. After my daughter was born, I decided that I wanted to show her that you had to reach for your dreams and decided to finish the book and try to get it published. It took several years, but eventually I was able to sell my first book and I've now published 40 novels/novellas.

Woot - That's awesome!!! Which of your characters is most like you? 

FBI Agent Diana Reyes from THE CALLING/REBORN series is most like me. Headstrong, determined, passionate, loyal and loving. We share a lot of good and bad traits! LOL!

If you were stranded on a desert island, which character from For Love or Vengeance would you want with you? 

That's a tough question. I would say Helene because she's a no-nonsense take charge heroine and would know how to get things organized and make sure everyone was taken care of.

Where do you write? 

I still have my full time job, so I write on the train during the commute and also devote 3 to 4 hours on weekend mornings to my writing. If on a deadline I will write at night during the week, but generally leave that time for updating my websites, working on blog posts or spending time with my friends and fans online and via e-mail.

Wow, it sounds like you're really organized! Do you have any “rituals” you go through before you write? 

The first thing I do is get a big cup of coffee. Other than that, I just sit down and write.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) of For Love or Vengeance to write and why? 

The heroine in the book is actually Nemesis, the Goddess of Vengeance, so I loved the scenes that show what's happening in Olympus with her parents and the other gods/goddesses and how that impacts on Helene's life.

Now I'm going to have to read the book! How did you come up with the title? 

The original title was Born for Vengeance, but the story really is about Helene choosing between her love for Miguel and vengeance, so we decided that this should be reflected in the title.

What would YOU like your readers to know about this book or you in general? 

In general, that my books are filled with characters that you come to care about as if they were real, that they're sexy and also, that they have a good deal of action and dark humor.

Better and better! What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors? 

Never give up. It's tough, but if you give up you will never achieve your dream.

Do you have a favorite author? 

I have quite a few authors that are must-reads for me, but it's hard to name just one as my favorite.

What is your favorite quote? 

"Nothing worthwhile is ever easy." My mom told me that and she was right. 

What genre of books do you read for pleasure? 

I generally read contemporary romances for pleasure.

What’s the most amusing thing that’s every happened to you?

Wow, that's a tough one. I would have to say the way I met my hubby – namely by telling him he was in the wrong seat in our bio class when we hadn't really met yet – was amusing and embarrassing.

I'd like to hear the rest of that story. . . What do you like to do when you’re not writing? 

I like to travel, cook and go for long strolls on the boardwalk.

If all TV shows were real, what show (all time) would you most like to live in? Another tough one. So many shows, so little time! 

I'm going to say . . . drum roll . . .The X-Files.

OMG I LOVE the X-Files! I had the biggest crush on Mulder. Hulu has all 9 seasons up for viewing, so I'll get caught up in an X-Files Marathon some weekends!

Random-Ness

Party dress or blue jeans? Jeans for sure.

Plotter or Panster? Plantser. LOL! I kind of outline, but very free form.

Print or e-Book? Print. I love the feel of print books and cracking the spines. Yeah, bad me!

No, I'm with you on the print books! Coastal walks or extreme sports? Coastal walks for sure or a nice ride on my bicycle.

Cookies or cupcakes? Cookies.

Super hero or super villain? Super hero.

If I had a free afternoon . . . I’d go bowling.

Peanut Butter: Crunchy, Creamy, or I hate peanut butter and am addicted to Nutella. Crunchy.

You suddenly realize you live in a haunted house. Do you:

  1. Run screaming for the door.
  2. Bravely go to a church, load up on holy water and try to get rid of the ghost.
  3. Set up ghost hunting equipment to capture phenomenon.
  4. Call in the Ghost Adventures crew so that you can ogle the lead guy Zac’s amazingly stiff hair when you’re not ogling his uh….physical attributes.
  5. Deny you have a ghost and just let it scare the bejesus out of your visitors.
OMG CALL ZAC!!!


Could you tell us five random facts about yourself?

  1. I used to play the bassoon. That's the one that kind of looks like a bazooka and sounds like a fog horn.
  2. I can speak several languages.
  3. I'm afraid of heights.
  4. I have a horrible sweet tooth.
  5. I believe in paying it forward.


About Caridad Pineiro
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads



New York Times and USA Today bestselling paranormal and romantic suspense author Caridad Pineiro wrote her first novel in the fifth grade when her teacher assigned a project – to write a book for a class lending library. Bitten by the writing bug, Caridad continued with her passion for the written word and in 1999, Caridad’s first novel was released. Over a decade later, Caridad is the author of more than thirty published novels and novellas. When not writing, Caridad is an attorney, wife and mother to an aspiring writer and fashionista.

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5 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for letting me visit with you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you so much for letting me visit with you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cant wait for this one Caridad u rock :)

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  4. Great excerpt! And I love the X-files, too, but wouldn't want to live there. Too creepy. lol

    ReplyDelete
  5. I enjoyed the excerpt and the interview.
    jmcgaugh (at) semo (dot) edu

    ReplyDelete

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