Fiction Scribe

Hello and welcome to another author interview. Today I’ll be posting an interview with the author of South Beach Chicas Catch Their Man. Caridad Pineiro. I hope you enjoy this very down-to-earth and straightforward interview.

Hello and welcome to Fiction Scribe. Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m Caridad Pineiro and I’m a writer, mom, wife and attorney. My seventeenth novel, SOUTH BEACH CHICAS CATCH THEIR MAN is currently available from Simon & Schuster’s Downtown Press.

Your love of writing began in the fifth grade. Would you mind telling us a little about that?

Our teacher, Miss Kreschenko, walked into class and announced that we would have to write a 20 page book that would be placed in a class lending library. The book wouldn’t get a grade, but you had to do it for her to pass you for the year. I went home, grabbed a pen and paper and started writing. A few weeks before it was due, my mom typed my book. It was 120 pages long and was quite a hit in the class lending library.

How did you get into the realm of writing romances?

Well, that book I wrote in the fifth grade was definitely a romance. I guess that what I found myself reading more often than not was romances. Even classics such as Wuthering Heights are basically romances. When I went to work, I ran across the novel SHANNA and read it. I loved it and began to devour every romance I could get my hands on. I realized then that what I was writing was romance and I’ve been writing romance ever since.

Was there a specific point you truly began to think of yourself as a romance writer?

I think that right after reading SHANNA I realized I was a romance writer. Shortly thereafter, I attended a romance writing conference or two and then returned to writing for the purpose of getting published in the romance genre.

What kind of reactions did/do you get when you introduce yourself as a romance writer?

The reaction ranges from disbelief to denigration to pleasant surprise. The latter usually comes from people who are sick of lawyers who write legal thrillers! It can be a difficult thing to say at times because unfortunately the romance genre is looked down upon by some people.

You also write – more specifically – paranormal romance? How did that come about?

I write romantic suspense, paranormals and women’s fiction. I had been writing contemporary romances when a character and story came to me that I couldn’t refuse. The story was dark. The character tormented. I decided she needed a little bit more upheaval in her life and introduced her to a too-sexy man who would turn out to be a vampire. That novel was DARKNESS CALLS which spawned the successful THE CALLING series, now from Silhouette Nocturne. We’ll be doing books 8, 9 and 10 in 2008 and 2009 and although it’s a series, the stories in each book stand alone.

You’re currently on tour for your book “South Beach Chicas Catch Their Man�?. Can you tell us a little about the book and what inspired it?

With all the angst and darkness of THE CALLING, I wanted to take a break and write a story about everyday women dealing with everyday life issues. I considered what changes I had undergone in my life and decided to write a book about what happens when friends marry, leaving their single friends to wonder if they will soon lose their friendship. That resulted in SEX AND THE SOUTH BEACH CHICAS (Sep. 2006, Downtown Press).

During the course of that book, I struggled with controlling one of the characters and her mother – Sylvia and Virginia. I knew they deserved their own book and luckily my editors felt the same way. SOUTH BEACH CHICAS CATCH THEIR MAN was born. This book considers the challenges modern women face in handling relationships with their friends, mothers, fathers and lovers. It also features a romance about Virginia who is not only Sylvia’s mom, but a sexy and successful fortysomething. I’m really happy that I got to explore older women and their relationships in a positive way.

Are any of the South Beach Chicas friends of yours or you yourself?

I always tell people that I’m Tori. Ever responsible and always the foundation for the people around her. I think all the other women represent a mix of people I’ve met and/or some of my own experiences in life. For example, Juli is a woman who doesn’t see herself as attractive and yet her friends do and help her to see her real self and embrace it. So many women can identify with that and I think that is part of the success of the SOUTH BEACH CHICAS books – that women identify with these strong and successful women.

I find all of the authors I interview have a lot in their lives that seems to make writing a near impossibility sometimes. How did you and how do you have time to write?

I still have a full-time job and family, so I fit in my writing when it won’t interfere with those things. I write on the commute to and from work and on the weekends, I’ll get up really early and put in 3 or 4 hours before the family is up. If I have a deadline, I may write at night, but that’s very tiring after working a full day.

What are you currently working on?

I am working on the proposal for the next CHICAS book, as well as some romantic suspense and paranormal stories. I’m also writing the next three books in THE CALLING.

Are there any authors who inspired/inspire you in your writing?

I love J.D. Robb. I had already created Diana Reyes when I was introduced to Eve Dallas and if these were real life women, I think they would so totally understand one another. I think the Bronte sisters, Emily and Charlotte, inspired me with their romances as did Taylor Caldwell. I read these books and learned from them about romance.

Any non-authors?

Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy and Chris Carter, the creator of The X-Files. I just love their talent and creativity. I think these are two of the best shows that have ever been on television.

Do you have a muse? If so, who or what is it?

I can’t say that I have a muse. When I’m stuck, I’ll watch a movie or television. I’m a very visual person and rely on visual cues to help me create.

Do you have any guilty pleasures when it comes to writing?

Taking trips to research locales and legends is my guilty pleasure. It is work to do it, but I so love historical things and travel, that it’s tough for me to consider it work.

What are your dreams for your writing?

I would love to be able to write full time. Maybe one day do 2 or 3 series books a year and a single title or two. That would be the ultimate joy for me.

Do you have any advice for writers trying to break into the women’s fiction market?

Never give up. Publishing is a tough world that is oftentimes filled with rejection. Use the rejections to improve your writing and keep on writing and submitting your work. It’s kind of like the lottery: You’ve got to be in it to win it.

Do you have any advice for writers in general?

Writing is both a craft and a business. You need to learn both in order to be in publishing for the long haul.

Thank you so much for your time.

Thank you so much for letting me chat with you! I truly appreciate your time and consideration. If anyone wants to know more or write to me, they can visit either Caridad.com or TheCallingVampireNovels.com