And speaking of signs...

When I logged into my Facebook page last night, Selina McLemore left me a little present that Latina Magazine choose Names I Call My Sister and In Between Men for their Top 10 Summer Reads!

No way! WAY!!!

So back to last night ... Just when I was about to shake my groove thing, the Little Dude peed all over the bathroom floor. You know what I did? I let Daddy clean it up while I basked in my glory.

(Singing)

Shake you groove thing, shake your groove thing oh yeah!
Show 'em how you do it now

And now its back to work but with a smile on my face.

Thanks Selina! And MUCHAS GRACIAS Latina Magazine!

Time For Tea

Today, Toni Bruner is celebrating twenty years of owning and operating New & Recycled Romances. She opened her store when her collection of books began crowding out her and her husband. Her philosophy, "romance is good for the heart" is evident when you see her regulars come in with bags of books, eagerly talking about the new author she urged them to try or the latest release of their favorite author. I'm lucky to be one of the authors she recommends to customers who drift into the store and profess (with a shudder) that they don't read romances.

Today, Toni is celebrating her anniversary with an afternoon tea with a whole crew of authors, including best-seller, Brenda Novak (and me, too). If you haven't gotten around to buying your copy of Names I Call My Sister, come on by for a spot of tea from 3 to 5 p.m. at New & Recycled Romances, 145 Broadway in Costa Mesa.

Virtual Booksigning for Names I Call My Sister

The girls and I decided to celebrate National Sisters Day (Aug. 5th) by holding a virtual booksigning. All you have to do is purchase a copy of Names I Call My Sister and then make a photocopy of the receipt.

On an index card, legibly print or type the following information:
Your Name:
Your preferred mailing address:
Email address: (In case we have any questions)
For whom should we autograph the book?

Prepare a self-addressed, stamped 6 x 9 envelope and mail it along with the index card and the photocopy of your receipt no later than July 15, 2007 to:

Sofia Quintero
c/o Chica Luna Productions
1690 Lexington Avenue, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10029

We will send you a personalized bookplate with the signature of all four authors.

When the bookplate arrives, peel off the back, stick on the inside front cover, and enjoy!

Not much to say...

Other than the Little Dude and I are recovering from colds. But I finished revising Act II of my Mariachi story and I'm now deep into Act III.

If you haven't entered my latest contest, hurry on over before Thursday. I'm giving away signed coverflats and will select ten names to be entered into the grand prize drawing: a signed ARC of Switchcraft that the lucky winner will receive a month before the official release!

What else? Oh yeah, if you're down in San Diego and have nothing to do Friday night, come on down to Bay Books in Coronado where I'll be reading from and signing copies of Names I Call My Sister. All the details are here.

Signing out till next time ...

Mary

Mary and her boobs present...

I finally caught my segment on SiTv and dude! My boobs upstaged me!

I had a great weekend. I'd venture to say it was a perfect weekend. Friday night was girls' night and I caught up with good friends I hadn't seen in a long time. We capped it off with milkshakes and fries from In-n-Out. Saturday, Latitude 33 Book shop in Laguna Beach hosted a booksigning with me in conjunction with SCIBA's "I Feel the Need to Read" bus tour. The crowd was wonderfully supportive and friendly (they even laughed at my jokes and met the Little Dude!). I then had lunch at the Sundried Tomato Cafe, one of my favorites spots.

Sunday was laid back. I planted my vegetable garden, hung out with my husband and the Little Dude and then started Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux. I haven't read a book that kept me up almost all night in a really long time.

So today I'm getting back into the revisions of my mariachi book and teaching my online class with OCC RWA.

FYI if you'd like a signed copy of Names I Call My Sister and can't make it to one of my booksignings (it's cool, I understand), contact Latitude 33, Under the Bridge Books, Bay Books or New & Recycled Romances to order one!

And one more thing: New & Recycled Romance is having a parking lot clearance sale this Saturday, May 19th starting at 10 a.m. We're talking $0.25, $0.50 and $1.00 books! Check it out.

Ta dah!

There are some new updates with the release of Names I Call My Sister.

Check out the pearls and my nifty 'do on SiTv's On the Up segments.

Bestest friend and writer extraordinare, Jen Mahal shares a little about our friendship at One Page at a Time. (Love you, man!)

Crafty Chica and good friend, Kathy Cano Murrillo interviewed me on her blog.

I guest blogged at A Slice of Orange today.

And finally...



There's a sneak peek of Switchcraft posted on my website!

Is this a bitchin' cover or what?

Cheers,

Mary

P.S. If you're in Laguna Beach, come meet me this Saturday at 11 a.m. at Latitude 33. Click here for the details.

By this time tomorrow...

I'll have a fourth book on the shelves. How crazy is that?

In all honesty, I can't quite wrap my mind around it. Maybe I'm hormonal today, but I still feel like a newbie writer checking and then rechecking her lottery ticket to make sure the numbers are right. The stories never get easier, nor do my characters become more cooperative. Also, the thrill of reading an email from a reader never lessens.

In short, this whole author thing is much cooler than a day job. And man, am I grateful to be where I am today.

But wait! My SíTv segment will air tomorrow through the 10th and then again on the 12th and 13th. On The Up isn't scheduled at a regular time; it just pops up between shows and commercial breaks. But I'll have a copy to post online soon.

Salud!

Mary

Now I'm Getting Nervous

...because Names I Call My Sister will be unleashed on the reading public and all I can think about before I go to sleep are all the things I wish that I'd written differently.

Get this widget!

I do this to myself with every book. And I have a feeling that it will only be worse with Switchcraft because it came from a deep and very personal place in my heart.

Cheers,
Mary

Look Ma: I'm Gonna Be On TV!

Dudes, I'm going to be interviewed for Si Tv's "On The Up!"

So at 11:30 a.m. (PST) on Tuesday, think good thoughts that I don't (a) have lipstick on my teeth, (b) babble or (c) forget that the title of my book is Names I Call My Sister. (Repeat to self!)

The last time I was interviewed on TV it was for Good Morning Arizona during my Hot Tamara book tour. I was fifteen weeks pregnant with the Little Dude and during the live segment, he started kicking me. It was hard not to grab my stomach and tell all of Arizona that I felt my passenger move for the first time.

In a way, I'm a bit sad that I'll be flying solo this time around.

Oh and I found a red, wrap dress (ala Diane von Furstenberg) at Le Target. I'm trying to decide if I should go with pearls or a chunky, arty piece.

Cheers,
Mary

How do you know it's any good?

This week I've been in deep revision mode and I was on deadline for an article that will be published in the June/July issue of Tu Ciudad! Busy! Busy!

But the other day I was nosing around online and came across a message posted from a writer who asked when do we know a story is any good? How do you know if its worth pursuing?

For me, it's gut instinct. If the characters come to life and refuse to go away until I finish their story, then I know this is a journey I have to complete. I don't judge if the story is "good" or "bad." My agent does that for me. How I feel is that every story and character who has come into my life has done so for a reason.

Right after I turned in In Between Men (waaay back in September 2004), I wrote a drama about two sisters who never knew the other existed until their father was diagnosed with cancer. I loved the characters Dori and Sela, but the story was so so. I talked to my agent about it she asked me what I was doing writing a heavy-handed drama when I've been writing comedies? Unfortunately, she has a really annoying tendency to be right and that story has since become an organ donor.

But I missed those sisters. Five or six months later, I was at a wedding and while eavesdropping on a conversation, found the story for Sela and Dori. Next month, "Till Death Do Us Part" will be inflicted on the reading public in Names I Call My Sister.

I'm not sure if I successfully answered this question. For those of you writing out there, how do you know if your story is "good enough"?

More Tease, Please!

Sad news: the sneak peek into Names I Call My Sister will be removed from my site.

Good news: an excerpt will be up with a new contest! Also my comadres, Berta and Sofia have posted excerpts of their novellas as well!

Till Death Do Us Part, Mary Castillo: Dori and her sister Sela, live up to the name “those Wild Orihuela girls” at their brother’s wedding and it’s just what their future sister-in-law deserves.

What Stays in Vegas, Berta Platas: Anita has always counted on her dependable big sister. But now Susu is acting like the wild-child, and its Anita’s turn to be the responsible one.

Whipped, Sofia Quintero: Always ceding the spotlight to Jen, Michelle went and got a secret life. But now that Jen is running for office Michelle’s alter ego may be a secret no more.

Diss-Connected, Lynda Sandoval: If your sister can’t keep a secret than who can? As host of a popular radio show, Marisol can’t help but talk too much. But this time she let slip her seemingly quiet sister, Christy’s, darkest secret—on air.

Almost a Real Book

I just finished reading the copyeditted version of Switchcraft and the story wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

When I started this book way back when I was six months pregnant, the wiring in my brain got all twisted around because I've been living with this bone-chilling fear that the story is the worst I've ever written. My agent loved it. My editors loved it and so you would think that I'd believe them.

But until I read the manuscript again, I realized that it's pretty good. There are some areas that need a bit of work. Overall, I think Switchcraft is touching, sexy, funny and honest and I can't wait for you to read it.

(By the way, it took me five minutes to write the previous sentence because I have a weird thing about praising myself.)

Quick reminder: the sneak peek to "Till Death Do Us Part" (from the anthology, Names I Call My Sister) will only be up for two more weeks! So if you haven't checked it out, or you haven't entered the contest, you better get over there!

Cheers,
Mary