Ya know, when I started writing I didn't set out to write romances, I read them...sorta....actually at the time I'd only read a few of Nora's books shortly after she ventured into single title (as opposed to when she wrote for Harlequin...which I never go out of my way to read...no offense to my Harlequin writing friends). For the most part I read John Saul, Michael Crichton or Dean Koontz type books. But then I started writing my first book, Forget Me Not which I'd penned as a suspense, but somewhere in the middle it became a romance. When it nearly sold to Kensington a couple of years ago the editor wanted me to add more suspense....to give it more of an equal billing. I did the changes (and have done a bit more over the last several months) and I'm happy with it...unfortunately it's still not selling. *sigh*

Anyway, as I was writing Forget Me Not I was also writing Dark Obsession (or rather I was plotting Dark Obsession, I didn't start the actual writing until I'd finished FMN...which only took two months)  Now, I'd started DO with the idea that it would be a romance...kind of City of Angels meets Charmed meets Supernatural....because of the paranormal/supernatural elements.  

My second agent (and now EX) submitted DO to a few house without much interest (except for the same Kensington editor who thought it needed liposuction in the middle cuz...you know...it sagged.)  The editor totally loved the romance and sexual tension throughout the book. Anyway, I decided to use this book to try to get another agent and I've been pitching it as a romantic suspense with paranormal elements (because that is what the EX said we should pitch it as initially).  Last month I got a request for the full manuscript from an online publisher. Yesterday I got the rejection letter...boo hoo, right?   In this letter the editor states (and I'm paraphrasing) that the book is not a romance it's a mainstream mystery. Why? Because the hero and heroine don't meet until 18 pages in (it's really 14 but must have been 18 on her computer) and they're supposed to meet within 5 pages.

Now...although that's been the rule for romances per Harlequin's guidelines it's a bit antiquated. There are no real rules to romance except that there should be a Happy Ever After. As one friend and reader says  

Getting them together in the first five pages seems awfully rushed to me. I like to get a feel for what they're like without each other so I can see how they change each others lives/perspectives...but people seem so impatient nowadays. I'm not sure if it's the readers or just the editors who have to read too many manuscripts. Personally, I'd rather sink into most stories than be dropped into one.

Amen Sistah!

The editor also states that there's too much emphasis on the mystery/suspense and not enough on the romance (there is definitely ALOT of sexual tension before the H/H consumate...which incidently doesn't happen until around page 218--on my computer-- of a 370 page book).

Now, I've been mulling her comments over in my wee little brain (with help from someone I'm more than proud to call a friend..I'd say who, but I don't want her bombarded with emails from writers seeking free help...but for the record, I will be paying her to copy-edit this book before I start resubmitting.)

A N Y W A Y... I've been mulling this over and as much as I hate to admit it...this book is in fact more mystery/suspense than romance...BUT that's not to say it isn't a romance because actually it's a LOVE STORY (that happens to be surrounded by mystery/suspense).  Semantics anyone?

So, my dilemma now is, how do I pitch this book? Btw...the editor totally loved the story she just couldn't 'buy' it because it's too mainstream and not enough of a "romance" for their lines.  

So, where is the line drawn? What do you consider a romance? If you read romantic suspense do you like the suspense peppered in or do you prefer to see more of the romance?  If you're reading romance, how soon do you want to "get to the good stuff?"

Personally, I prefer, as my friend above says, to get to know the characters more before they all of a sudden fall in love.  And as a writer, I want the reader to be so invested in the characters that they feel the wants and needs and heartache. And, according to the few who've read my work, I've accomplished this.

And, since you've made it this far...here's a bit of an excerpt from Dark Obsession. (it's the end of chapter four).  In case you don't know, this book is about a woman who has escaped an emotional and psychologically abusive relationship and now her ex is stalking her using black magic. The hero is Ray, this is one of his scenes.
       
       

Ray awoke two hours before sunrise, his mind dazed and clouded from another restless night of dreams. He couldn’t blame it on alcohol this time since he didn’t have more than two beers all night. Maybe it had been Sylvia’s initial concern about Lexie playing at the back of his mind. Or maybe it was because he had to sleep on the sofa amid the creaking sounds of the house settling around him. His grandmother called the sounds the footsteps of their ancestors and as a child the thought had terrified him. But whatever caused his fitful night, he couldn't shake the feeling that the dream had not actually been a dream but a look into the life he was destined to live.

Christ, he was starting to sound like Sylvia now.

Ray scrubbed his hands over his face and blew out a frustrated breath. He wasn’t enjoying these early morning wake up calls.

He pushed himself off the sofa and grabbed the shirt he had tossed over the arm of the love seat. He needed air. Maybe a quick walk in the fields would clear his head. He always found comfort in his fields.

He grabbed his boots and carried them with him outside. The temperature had cooled during the night bringing with it a soft desert breeze. He stepped from the porch, careful to avoid the loose floorboard that creaked under pressure. Sounds of the predawn night surrounded him; crickets and frogs battling in a symphony of noise; rustling in the dried grass made by a snake or small animal.

He followed a path around the front of the house and continued to the edge of the field. The grooves he and his grandfather had recently plowed lined the earth. Dried dirt and fertilizer scented the air.

He continued along the length of the ground, absently checking the texture of the soil in places with the toe of his boot. They would be planting soon, lining the land with stalks of sorghum this time instead of corn.

When he was a child he would spend hours playing among the tall stems, waiting for the sun to drop so he could listen to the sounds of the night as if they were speaking directly to him. Sometimes he would hear the soft beat of a drum or the whispered chant of a song. But those sounds stopped coming to him when his parents died. Or maybe he just stopped hearing them.

He knelt and picked up a handful of dirt, letting the dry earth spill out between his fingers. The land had been in his family for four generations and he spent his whole life working it with his grandfather. It was something he had been born to do and he never once doubted that this was where he belonged. Even the four years he spent away at college hadn’t been as hard as he anticipated because he always knew he would be back. And when Victoria told him she no longer wanted to marry him and called off their wedding, this was the first place he came for solace.

He grabbed a clod of dried soil and stood. Rearing his arm back he threw the dirt as hard as he could into the field.

It wasn’t comfort he sought now, but peace of mind. The dream that had awakened him, though somewhat sketchy, had left him with a sense of foreboding he wasn’t sure he could shake off. But what bothered him most about the dream was that it hadn't been just about him. It involved Lexie as well.

And in his dream, he killed her.

I wrote up a blog at my blogspot blog, so instead of repeating myself here or trying to think up some rambling nonsense to entertain you, I'm just going to point you to my Monday blog.
You can find it at my Blogger Blog Behind Brown Eyes and it's titled Take Me Out to the Ballgame....for those of you who like to know what song I've chosen as my subject header.    Here's the link http:// right2write. blogspot. com (take out the spaces though cuz the dumbasses of myspace won't let me link to the page.)
See ya next blog!
Oy...how many times can I say Blog in one post??

Wow...it's been a long time since I've written a blog. I don't know why I don't keep up with them. Although, I guess part of it's because I don't get many readers. Also, I'm a fairly private person so writing a daily or even weekly blog is like putting myself out there for scrutiny. But, if I think about it...being a writer does that anyway.  Oh, I've just thought of another reason I don't blog often....I tend to babble. 
Anyway...this has been a crazy year so far and has kind of put a damper on my writing. First, I didn't make the deadline I promised another writer I would make for my novel House of Cards.  And, being so discouraged with that and the book, I've decided to shelf it for now....who knows I may go back to it...or even work on it at the same time I'm working on my sequel to Dark Obsession (tentatively titled  Body & Soul).  Hey, that worked when I wrote Forget Me Not...so, why not??  Another reason for my absense if that my daughter got sick unexpectedly.  Shortly after New Years she was hospitalized and we found out she now has Type 1 diabetes.  She's been on insulin for about a month but her numbers haven't improved much. They doctor thinks she may be insulin resistant so he has her on some pills as well. Her numbers are still off, but not nearly as bad.  So....if you're a praying sort, keep her in your prayers.
Anyway....going back to what I mentioned about House of Cards, the author who gave me the deadline is currently promoting his current release so go on out and pick up your copy today!  Which brings me to the point of my blog....hence the title Tell Her About It (yeah, that's a song...can you guess who sings it?)
When a writer sells a book the first neuroses that hits is...will anyone like it? Then we think....will anyone buy it??  The first question is a bit superfluous since it someone didn't like it, it wouldn't have sold (but writers are notoriously neurotic, so...there ya go.) But the second statement...will anyone buy it....is a haunting question that never goes away. Even with all the promotions and appearances...it's still a crap shoot.  One of the ways an author hopes to make a sale is by word of mouth. If someone reads the book and loves it so much they tell a friend, who tells a friend, who tells a friend....you get the point...then before you know it, you're on the best seller list.  I don't expect that to happen for my book, it's an e-publisher and they don't reach those type of eyes...but I'd like to at least see more favorable sales. So...I am planning to give away a free copy of my book to the first five people who promise to blog about it (provided they like the book that is) and help me with promotion. I will even be more than happy to make an appearance at their blogs.  So, if you're interested in taking this challenge, please drop me an email at TerriMo2@yahoo.com and let me know if you'd like a copy of the book. It is a comtemporary, sensual, and very romantic romance....so Adults only, please.
Below is the opening chapter to whet your appetite.


Chapter One

“Are you sure you don’t mind closing up for me?” Anita asked her assistant, Berta, as she scooped her purse from the desk drawer.

The young woman waved her off. “No, not at all. It’s only a couple more hours. Besides, I don’t think we’re going to get a mad rush of people wanting carnations,” she said with a grin. “Now, go on and get ready for your date with Officer Hottie.”

“It isn’t a date. I’m just making him dinner,” Anita said. “He goaded me into it.”

“Yeah, right. And you don’t have the least bit of interest in him,” Berta said with a dubious nod.

“No, I don’t. I can barely even stand the man’s company.” Anita frowned at her friend. “Would you stop with the mmm hmm’s?”

Berta held up her hands and shrugged. “I’m just saying the way he looks at you...you’d have to be blind not to see it.”

“There’s nothing to see. I’ve known Tony for almost twenty years. He’s an arrogant son of a bitch who thinks he knows everything.”

“And you, being so proud, can’t resist proving him wrong. It has absolutely nothing to do with that killer body or those bedroom eyes,” Berta said.

“I’ve never noticed.”

Berta laughed, nodding her head. “Oh, yeah that was convincing.”

Anita grinned and adjusted her purse strap over her shoulder. “I’ll see you Monday.” She made it to the door before stopping. “Oh shoot! I forgot Mr. Jimenez is supposed to drop off some more of his vases.”

Berta stepped forward and placed her hands on Anita’s shoulders, turning her back to face the door. “I can handle Mr. Jimenez. I did work for your grandfather for a couple of years before you took over the place. Now go make yourself sexy for your date. And I want to hear all the horny details Monday.”

“It’s not a date!” Anita said before the door closed behind her. “He tricked me into it. Just like he always does,” she added with a frown.

Damn that Antonio Hernandez! In all the years she’d known him, he’d looked for ways to tease her into some sort of debate, and she would have a determined need to prove him wrong, never realizing until later that he’d been setting her up.

She slid into her car and thought about how he’d cornered her in her grandmother’s kitchen two days earlier. He’d been mowing the lawn and came in for a drink. When he noticed her at the stove, he started speaking in Spanish, smirking when she didn’t respond.

“It’s a shame you have so little respect for your heritage,” he said, shaking his head.

“Just because I don’t speak Spanish, doesn’t mean I’m any less a Mexican.”

“You can’t even make a simple plate of migas,” he said, gesturing toward the mess of eggs sticking to the skillet.

“I can cook as well as you,” Anita returned.

Tony stepped closer, caging her in against the counter, a mischievous gleam in his dark brown eyes.

“Yeah? Prove it. You can cook me dinner Saturday night.”

Wisps of black hair draped his forehead. The smell of freshly cut grass clung to his skin, mixing with his own musky scent. She silently cursed her libido for reacting as if she’d been hit with a flamethrower.

“I don’t have to prove anything to you,” she said, glaring up at him.

Tony’s smile was crooked and every bit as cocky. “That’s what I thought.” He leaned in, his mouth inches from hers. “You’re afraid to be alone with me,” he said in Spanish. His smile spread when her eyes hardened. “Prove me wrong,” he said, switching back to English. “Saturday night. My place.” He stole a kiss then caught her arm when her hand came up to slap him.

“You only get to do that once,” he said then left her alone in the kitchen.

Jerk!

Anita laid her hand against the quiver in her stomach. It was the second time since she’d known Tony that he’d kissed her. The first time was after he had the nerve to tell her to break off her engagement to Paul.

Arrogant bastard.

It didn’t matter that he’d been right about her ex-husband. Antonio Hernandez had no right to tell her whom she should or should not marry, and she’d told him so with a slap across the face.

She spotted the state trooper’s car and felt the flutter of anticipation settle in her stomach.

So what if Tony is a handsome man, she thought. And so what if the taste of him had stayed in her senses and sent her hormones in an uproar. It didn’t mean she would go against her principles and date a Mexican. It’s not that she’s prejudiced; after all she’s full-blooded Mexican herself. But she had seen how domineering the men in the Valley are to their wives, and she refused to allow a man to tell her what to do. The dinner tonight was to prove a point, not become a couple.

He’d called her a gringa, she thought with disgust. Just because she’d been raised in Chicago and didn’t know Spanish or how to make tamales didn’t make her any less Mexican did it?

Regardless, it was her own pride that had her agreeing to cook him dinner. He told her she had lost all respect for herself by losing respect for her heritage. Maybe it was true, but it wasn’t because she didn’t respect her heritage. She had come back to the valley hadn’t she? Okay, so maybe inheriting her grandfather’s flower shop had been a deciding factor, but it wasn’t the only reason. She’d also come here to take back what was stripped from her when her parents decided to raise her in Chicago.

She’d spent every summer in the Rio Grande Valley from the time she turned twelve until she married at twenty-one. It was only natural that she would return when her life was such a mess.

And it had nothing to do with Antonio Hernandez!

* * * * *

Antonio watched the little Ford Escort pull away from the curb in front of the flower shop and considered switching on his lights just to give Anita a fright. If they weren’t already set to have dinner later, he would have stopped her for some sort of traffic violation just to steal a few minutes alone.

They’d first met nearly twenty years ago when she’d spent her first summer with her grandparents. He’d never really paid much attention to her until a couple of summers later when she’d spent the day helping his mother make tamales to sell to the migrant workers.

Anita had argued with him about something ridiculous and, after several more debates, he’d suddenly found himself falling madly in love with her. Although she was only fourteen at the time and he had just graduated high school. He would never have lived it down if his buddies had found out he’d had fallen for a girl barely on the cusp of womanhood. But he didn’t want to chance losing her, so when she came to town he spent whatever time he could at her grandparents’ house doing odd jobs for the elderly couple and finding ways to irritate Anita so she would notice him.

A smile curved his lips. He wondered if she were still pouting about making him dinner tonight. After all, he did trick her into it by inferring she had no respect for her Mexican heritage, not that he really believed it. But that was the fun of dealing with Anita; she would take whatever criticisms he threw at her and try to prove him wrong.

The Escort slowed at the stop sign and continued through the intersection.

Antonio shook his head with a laugh. He’d let that one go this time. After all, giving Anita a ticket would ruin his plan to have her fall in love with him.

(gotta love Air Supply!)

I think I'm falling out of love...with my WIP, that is.

It's been nearly four years since I started work on my supposedlybreakoutnovel House of Cards and I'm still sixty thousand words short of completing it...yeah...you read that right...sixty thousand words!  My word count goal is at least 90K, I'm at 34K...okay so it's not exactly 60K to the word but it's close. Anyway...I know I could probably come up with hundreds of reasons for why I haven't completed the novel but  for now, I'm gonna go with....I don't love my book anymore.

I've said it before...and probably so much my subconscious believes it...I don't think I'm a good enough writer to do justice to this story. The strange thing is, though, that when I verbally tell someone about the book (plot/characters/etc) they get very enthused and tell me I need to finish it. Granted, I get enthused as well because it's a great story...in my head.  

I've tried to get back into the book by re-reading from start to stop, making a chapter by chapter outline, penning future scenes and rewriting previous ones...but I just can't seem to move into the second act of the story.  Granted, my lack of motivation has alot to do with my current book sales (or lack of...seriously..LACK of) and my current unagentedness as well as still waiting on editors who've had my other books for nearly four months....okay....pass the pity party punch.

So anyway. I decided to do NaNo this year to help me fall back in love with the book...although I'm no officially signed up at the NaNo site...I'm actually participating at Backspace and Red Room because I "know" people through those two sites and it'll be easier to stay on task if someone I know is pushing me along...or encouraging me. Although, the encouraging hasn't seemed to help lately.  I think I need happy pills or something.

So...wish me luck.  And, tell me, what do you do to fall back in love with a project?

Okay, I've decided to stop whining about what isn't and post a (somewhat) enjoyable blog for your reading pleasure.

I'm sure you've all seen those "get to know you" questionaires that go around. A list of questions you answer then choose to send to someone else. They're supposed to be a way to sort of get to know the person. I don't know how accurate they are unless you're a profiler with the FBI. Hmmm.....maybe I should be careful how I answer. hah

Anyway...I was tagged by Jane Taylor, who was kind enough to ask first. Me...I'm just gonna tag someone randomly, cuz when I was a kid (long before computers were invented...can you imagine???)....when you played tag outside until the mosquitos chased you in...you tagged the first person you reached. So, first, I'll post my Q&A then I'll post my Tagees.

And, uh, don't read too much into my answers Mr Profiler.

If you have pets, do you see them as merely animals, or are they members of your family?

We have a dog, Lizzie. I'm not the big dog person I was as a kid, but I guess I consider her part of the family. My kids certainly do.

If you could have a dream come true, what would it be?

That my children have wonderful fulfilling lives when they move into adulthood.

What is the one thing most hated by you?

Ignorance

What would you do with a billion dollars?

First of all....who really needs that much money?? But, if I had it to burn, I'd first give every member of my family (but just the ones I know, not the ones who claim to be of my blood) and my husband's immediate family one million dollars....cuz if you can't live on that, you don't deserve the money. Then, I take the rest and rebuild all the smaller, unknown towns along the gulf coast that were hit by Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Ike.

What helps to pull you out of a bad mood?

Spending the day out with my kids....they still make me laugh.

Choose one letter from your name and come up with a word to describe yourself.

TERRI–I=Intuitive

How do you unwind?

I watch TV...it's the best way I can think of to stop my brain from over thinking. Haha

What is your bedtime routine?

I don't have one. When I'm tired I go to bed.

If you could watch a creative person in the act of the creative process, who would it be?

I don't know. I'm more of a doer than a watcher.

What kinds of books do you buy?

Since becoming a writer I've met a wide variety of authors. So, their books are what I now buy.

Where do you want to be in ten years?

Alive, hopefully. And, living back in Texas with my books on the NYT Bestseller list for the tenth straight year.

What's your fear?

That I'll die before I have a chance to see my children start their own families (yeah I know...morbid). Oh, and bugs. I really hate bugs!!

What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?

I only know Jane online, but she's one of the sweetest online friends I could ever make. She's very encouraging and supportive and always knows the right thing to say. I'm proud to call her a friend.

What's the first thing you do when you wake up?

Wake my daughter's for school then go downstairs and grab a mug of coffee!

What's your favorite food?

Southern Fried Chicken!!!

Formal wear or casual wear?

Casual...I'm a jeans and t-shirt kinda gal

Sports: football or baseball?

Most definitely Baseball. I'm a Cincinnati Red's fan....when I was younger I thought Johnny Bench was a hottie!! lol (in case you don't know who he is, he was the catcher back in the 70's)

What do you consider your guilty pleasure?

Mmmm....Oreos. I could eat a whole package in one sitting....which is why I had to stop buying them.

Now....who can I tag next? Hmmm.....I think I'll tag Brenda Birch . Sorry hun. If I can find more people to tag I will...if you want me to tag you....I can do that too. 

Oh, and one more thing. This is a Mutation Tag, so if there are questions you'd like to add or delete, feel free to do so. But, try to keep under 20 questions.

It's been said that electronic publishing is the wave of the future...or some such drivel...so when I got an offer from an E-Publisher to publish my first book (Her Will His Way--a contemporary sensual romance) I didn't consider it a bad move. Afterall, the Kindle and those other gadgets are pretty popular, I figured I'd have a pretty good chance at making a few bucks, not enough to quit my day job of course...although my day job is Mom so I can't ever quit that....but enough to help with my writing expenses maybe pay for a conference or two.  Well....I think I've given a whole new meaning to delusions of grandeur. 

My book has been on the virtual bookshelves for six months and hasn't been doing well. Heck, I've had more people read my blog in a month than I've had total sales....how pathetic is that?  And it's not because I've written a horrid book....it wouldn't have been published if it were horrid...it's because....well, I don't know why.  I've done what I'm supposed to do promotion-wise (guest blogs up the wahzoo, joined different websites, had a contest...etc) but all I seem to get is the equivalent of a pat on the head and a 'ain't that sweet' smile.

So, what happens next? I dunno, I guess I just keep doing what I've been doing...not that it helps.  Maybe I should openly grovel on my blog and plead for those reading to go out and buy my book *inserting link here*  

Maybe I could also ask that those who have read to spread the word that this is an enjoyable book to read.

Maybe I should post an excerpt--different from the one on the website--and give you a taste of what's to come so you'll want to read the whole thing.  And, once you've read the whole thing I'm sure you'll agree with the reveiwers at Joyfully Reviewed and Coffeetime Romance, and Nightowl Romance and Romance Junkies who have all truely enjoyed the book.

Is that enough groveling? Cuz, really, I could do more.

Enjoy the excerpt and I hope you'll pick up the book as well.

Thanks for reading.

excerpt:

“Are you sure you don’t mind closing up for me?” Anita asked her assistant, Berta, as she scooped her purse from the desk drawer.

The young woman waved her off. “No, not at all. It’s only a couple more hours. Besides, I don’t think we’re going to get a mad rush of people wanting carnations,” she said with a grin. “Now, go on and get ready for your date with Officer Hottie.”....

“It isn’t a date. I’m just making him dinner,” Anita said. “He goaded me into it.”

“Yeah, right. And you don’t have the least bit of interest in him,” Berta said with a dubious nod.

“No, I don’t. I can barely even stand the man’s company.” Anita frowned at her friend. “Would you stop with the mmm hmm’s?”

Berta held up her hands and shrugged. “I’m just saying the way he looks at you...you’d have to be blind not to see it.”

“There’s nothing to see. I’ve known Tony for almost twenty years. He’s an arrogant son of a bitch who thinks he knows everything.”

“And you, being so proud, can’t resist proving him wrong. It has absolutely nothing to do with that killer body or those bedroom eyes,” Berta said.

“I’ve never noticed.”

Berta laughed, nodding her head. “Oh, yeah that was convincing.”

Anita grinned and adjusted her purse strap over her shoulder. “I’ll see you Monday.” She made it to the door before stopping. “Oh shoot! I forgot Mr. Jimenez is supposed to drop off some more of his vases.”

Berta stepped forward and placed her hands on Anita’s shoulders, turning her back to face the door. “I can handle Mr. Jimenez. I did work for your grandfather for a couple of years before you took over the place. Now go make yourself sexy for your date. And I want to hear all the horny details Monday.”

“It’s not a date!” Anita said before the door closed behind her. “He tricked me into it. Just like he always does,” she added with a frown.

Damn that Antonio Hernandez! In all the years she’d known him, he’d looked for ways to tease her into some sort of debate, and she would have a determined need to prove him wrong, never realizing until later that he’d been setting her up.

She slid into her car and thought about how he’d cornered her in her grandmother’s kitchen two days earlier. He’d been mowing the lawn and came in for a drink. When he noticed her at the stove, he started speaking in Spanish, smirking when she didn’t respond. .

“It’s a shame you have so little respect for your heritage,” he said, shaking his head. .

“Just because I don’t speak Spanish, doesn’t mean I’m any less a Mexican.” .

“You can’t even make a simple plate of migas,” he said, gesturing toward the mess of eggs sticking to the skillet. .

“I can cook as well as you,” Anita returned..

Tony stepped closer, caging her in against the counter, a mischievous gleam in his dark brown eyes. .

“Yeah? Prove it. You can cook me dinner Saturday night.” .

Wisps of black hair draped his forehead. The smell of freshly cut grass clung to his skin, mixing with his own musky scent. She silently cursed her libido for reacting as if she’d been hit with a flamethrower. .

“I don’t have to prove anything to you,” she said, glaring up at him..

Tony’s smile was crooked and every bit as cocky. “That’s what I thought.” He leaned in, his mouth inches from hers. “You’re afraid to be alone with me,” he said in Spanish. His smile spread when her eyes hardened. “Prove me wrong,” he said, switching back to English. “Saturday night. My place.” He stole a kiss then caught her arm when her hand came up to slap him.

“You only get to do that once,” he said then left her alone in the kitchen..

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.

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, was held in the parking lot of the local strip mall (can't remember what the name was, but there was a Woolco there...Geez, how old does that make me?)  

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 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, Calpuli dancers, tamale eating contests (which my brother Dave won once) and a street dance (literally since we were in a parking lot) by 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 in, 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).  Sadly though, because of Hurricane Ike, the fiesta was canceled this year.

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 to celebrate 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?

Set in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas Her Will His Way is a lovestory you won't want to put down with characters you won't want to let go. Available now at Cobblestone Press for only $3.99

(oh, come on, you knew I was going to pitch my book)