Just want to thank Gabriella for Blog Swapping with me today. If you want to know where she is, Gabriella is over at my blog chatting away.

(Note from Magic Fairies: Gabriella (Sasha & Patrizia) are happy to have Caridad here.)
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It seems like yesterday that I first met Sasha at the New Jersey Romance Writers conference (and if you are in the New Jersey/New York area and an aspiring writer — don’t miss this awesome conference this October!) From the moment we met, we clicked since we had so much in common. We were both Latinas, had grown up close to one another on Long Island and loved romance novels.

Whether writing them or reading them, Sasha and I couldn’t do without our romance novels.

When we met at the conference, I had just released DARKNESS CALLS, my first vampire book for Silhouette Intimate Moments.

DARKNESS CALLS had been a challenge for me on many levels. I was in a dark place emotionally. The Encanto line had folded two years earlier and despite having published six books and having an agent, I had been unable to sell a book in all that time.

Even though everyone told me DARKNESS CALLS wouldn’t sell, I knew I couldn’t leave the story alone. The main characters, Ryder and Diana, had been screaming in my head to tell their tale and so during a Christmas break, I sat down and finished the book even though I didn’t have a contract and no hopes of one.

After that I made a difficult decision. I fired my agent and decided to send out DARKNESS CALLS on my own. Six months later, Harlequin acquired the novel and there’s definitely a happily every after to the story of my vampires — I’m contracted for books 8, 9 and 10 in THE CALLING series for 2008 and 2009!

So why did I decide to mention that? Because when I met Sasha, we were in similar places, struggling to sell our work. Both of us believing in our books and wanting to see them get published. Happily, it’s worked out for both of us and I am so excited that Sasha and her partner have a book that’s soon to be published.

It’s an important thing for all writers, both published and pre-published, to remember — Never give up! Never. The road to the next book is always a new and uncertain journey. It may even take you on a different path than the one on which you’ve been traveling.

After writing a few of the vampire books, I knew it was time to go down a different path challenge myself as a writer once again. I think that’s something that helps you keep learning your craft and also, avoiding familiar crutches in your writing.

So from writing contemporary novels for Encanto to paranormals for Nocturne, I turned to something different — women’s fiction, but with smarts and spice.

The first novel, SEX AND THE SOUTH BEACH CHICAS, explored what happens to a lifelong relationship between four women when one of them elopes. I had a blast exploring the changes in the friends and how they find balance in order to keep their friendship thriving.

I also found that I had to rein in one of the characters, Sylvia, from taking over the book which said to me that I had to think about what to do about Sylvia. The answer came quickly enough — I had to write Sylvia’s story, but even better. I had to write Sylvia’s mom’s story because it was just as interesting and because the relationship between Sylvia and her mom is a wonderful one.

Where will the next fork in the road take me? I’ve been itching to write another romantic suspense like SECRET AGENT REUNION which is out this month. Definitely more paranormal series with yet other kick-butt heroines.

What will I be doing when I’m not writing? I’ll be digging into my TBR pile which will soon include a copy of Gabriella Hewitt’s DARK WATERS, the book Sasha has written together with her partner Patrizia M.J. Hayashi.

To see what I’m reading, writing or just chat with me, drop by at www.caridad.com

Now go over and see what Gabriella is blogging about at my site. Blog Swap!

Available Now!