Front Porch Chat

Tour Updates

2012-01-27T12:57:00.000-08:00

The post on the GoddessFish Blog Tour for However Long the Night has been updated. Please check the earlier post for the complete schedule.

However Long the Night: Release Date and Promotional Activies

2012-01-26T16:53:00.001-08:00

My new mainstream romance novel, HOWEVER LONG the NIGHT, is being released by Eternal Press on February 7th. Winner of the Lighthouse Book Award for Fiction and the Royal Palm Award for Fiction, HLTN is a 90,000-word contemporary romantic tale with a tense love triangle, family secrets, lots of suspense, a major dose of corporate shenanigans and a historical background. I'll be signing books at the Book'Em North Carolina Writers Conference in Lumberton on February 25-26, where I'll also be highlighted on a panel titled, "Turn the Page" the Suspense is Thrilling Me." Please come see me, if you can. If you can't, a day later I'll begin a 15-stop promotional blog tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. For those of you who might be interested in reading my thoughts on writing and my path to becoming an award-winning writer, I encorage you to read some of my interviews. The link to the tour is posted on my website: www.davidperesda.com. Happy reading and writing to all of you.

GoddessFish Blog Tour (Updated)

2012-01-13T13:29:00.000-08:00

However Long the Night

GoddessFish Blog Tour

Dates are still being filled in, but this is what we have at present:

2/27/2012 Lisa Hazelton's Reviews and Interviews

2/28/2012 It's Raining Books

2/29/2012 Jersey Girl Book Reviews

3/1/2012 Hope. Dreams. Life... Love

3/2/2012 D. Renee Bagby Presents First Chapters

3/5/2011 Novel Reflections

3/6/2011 Romance With an Attitude

3/7/2011 Reviews by Molly REVIEW ONLY

3/8/2011 Sugarbeats Books

3/9/2011 We Fancy Books

3/12/2011 Mark of the Stars

3/13/2011 Rachel Brimble Romance

3/14/2011 Every Day Is an Adventure

3/15/2011

3/16/2011

Check this link for updates, and I'll try to keep it updated here as well.

2012-01-11T10:19:00.001-08:00

Please join me on my blog tour to promote However Long the Night, due out February 7, 2012 from Eternal Press!

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/01/virtual-book-tour-however-long-night.html

Quote of the Week

2011-12-14T17:03:00.001-08:00

If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal,
not to people or things. - Albert Einstein

Book 'Em North Carolina

2011-11-28T22:12:00.000-08:00

I invite you to Lumberton, North Carolina to attend the Book'Em North Carolina Writers Conference on Sat Feb 25, 2012, where I will be talking and signing copies of my books. At 2 pm I will be appearing on the panel Turning the Page: The Suspense is Thrilling me. For more information, please click here.

RIP Anne McCaffery

2011-11-22T17:25:00.001-08:00

When a major author passes, it affects us all. I would like to share this link for a brief summary of Anne McCaffery's wonderful career and all she added to our lives.

RIP Anne McCaffrey

New

2011-11-07T21:31:00.001-08:00

Review of Havana: Top Secret
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fast-paced, tight and intense!, November 7, 2011
By
Patricia M. Terrell "p.m.terrell"

This book starts off at a gallop and never lets up. David Pereda's writing is tight and intense. Each chapter seems to end with a cliff-hanger that will keep you turning the pages well into the night. I like the way he moves back and forth between the female assassin, Marcela, and the doctor, Raymond, and how effortlessly he blends their very different backgrounds together as he propels the story toward the final breathtaking climactic scene.

Pereda's descriptions of places and people are unique and can create a visual in just a few words, which keeps the story moving. This is the first in a series, and I am anxious to find out what happens to the main characters as the series progresses. He ends this book with a great beginning to the next one, which guarantees I'll be coming back for more!

In my opinion, it's only a matter of time before this author is discovered and placed on the bestseller lists. I understand they are shopping his books around for a movie deal, and I for one would be front row and center to watch any movie made from his books. The characters are unforgettable, the plot intense, the backdrop exotic - and this book has all the makings of a bestseller.

Please read the review at Amazon.com and leave comments if you would like. http://www.amazon.com/review/R25HTZOD4WEZNV

Quote Update

2011-10-29T13:26:00.000-07:00

If it’s true that our species is alone in the universe, then I’d have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little.

- George Carlin

Quote of the Day...or Week or something...

2011-10-23T12:13:00.000-07:00

“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” ~ Albert Einstein

Quote of the day

2011-10-09T22:19:00.000-07:00

I ask you to look both ways. For the road to a knowledge of the stars leads through the atom; and important knowledge of the atom has been reached through the stars.
- Sir Arthur Eddington

2011-10-06T16:55:00.000-07:00

"It's important not to define yourself by what you do, but by who you are." - Anonymous

Have you read Havana: Killing Castro yet?

Quote of the Day

2011-10-05T18:11:00.000-07:00

"Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable people."
- George Bernard Shaw

[I'm going to try to update this daily from now on.]

Quote of the day

2011-09-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

"You need experience to make the right decisions but you gain experience by making the wrong decisions." - Moss Bliss

2011-08-24T15:05:00.000-07:00

Another awesome cover by the amazing Dawne' Dominique! This is for my new book, due out in February 2012.

However Long the Night

2011-08-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

My new novel, However Long the Night, will be published by ETERNAL PRESS in February 2012. This book won first place in the Lighthouse Book Awards for Fiction and second place in the Royal Palm Awards for Fiction. HLTN is a 90,000-word contemporary mainstream novel with a romantic flair, a love triangle, suspense, a pinch of corporate shenanigans and a historical background. Keep reading this blog for more news. I will be posting sample passages for you to read and enjoy.

Watch The Book

2011-07-14T21:12:00.000-07:00

I have posted the trailer for Havana: Top Secret at Watch The Book. Please go there and view it. It may take a day or so to get it up, so have patience.

Global eBook Awards nominations

2011-07-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

I received word that both Havana: Top Secret and Havana: Killing Castro have been nominated in the Suspense/Thriller category of the Global eBook Awards. For this, I am excited!

2011-05-18T16:10:00.000-07:00

My friend and fellow author M. David Frost asked me to post a link to his latest blog, so here it is.

A Miami Brit's Blog

2011-05-11T07:05:00.001-07:00

New Pictures

The Author and his first wife, Kay

The Author and his daughter, Sophia

Sophia's First Communion

Garnets in the Sun

2011-03-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

This overcast weekend my 8-yr old daughter Sophia and I went horseback riding to an abandoned mine and prospected for garnets. Sophia found one, as well as various other stones. On the ride back, the sun pushed through the clouds and, suddenly, we had a glorious afternoon on a clear sky. It was a day to reflect and enjoy nature and realize what's really important in life. God bless you all!

(posted by Moss for David)

Do Something For Yourself

2011-03-08T17:51:00.001-08:00

"A thrilling suspense novel is a little like suspecting your spouse has a lover and you setting out to prove it -- every gut-wrenching word, casual glance or innocent action has multiple meanings and ratches up the unbearable tension until, finally, when you are about to explode, you find out the truth -- which will inevitably surprise you!"

You could start with Havana: Top Secret... just a hint...

Touching base

2011-02-26T19:29:00.001-08:00

I apologize for being remiss to post lately, but I've been busy working on the next installment of my Havana Series of thrillers. Twin Powers is a departure from my previous work for at least two reasons: (1) the action centers around the twin girls born to Raymond and Sonia in Killing Castro, and (2) instead of Havana and Mexico, the plotline takes my main characters to Ukraine and the troubled Middle East. Here is a little snippet for you:

"You want a lollyop, little girl?" the man with the weird hat asked in a squeaky voice that sounded to Stephanie like a violin out of tune."Here!" He squawked, sticking his hand in front of her face and blocking her view."Take it!"

2011-02-08T22:33:00.000-08:00

David reading at Books and Books, SFWA Conference

2011-02-08T22:32:00.001-08:00

Hello!!!
It was a Fantastic Team Effort!!!

On behalf of SFWA, Books & Books and the community; I extend our appreciation and a huge thank you.
Your participation and contribution of your time, talent and creativity in the SFWA/B&B Show Case Event on Saturday, January 29, 2011, made it fun, successful and a job well done.

B&B atmosphere as always, was warm and cozy and the staff as always was welcoming and charming. The attendance was great, the presentations were outstanding, the entertainment was spectacular, the food was good and the libations soothed the palate. The audience were delighted and expressed their appreciation. Kudos to all!!!
We must do this again.
Norma

2011-02-08T22:24:00.000-08:00

South Florida Writers Association Presents

2ND ANNUAL SPECIAL EVENT NIGHT AT BOOKS AND BOOKS

FREE and Open to the Public

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Refreshments 7 pm, Program begins promptly at 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm

Books and Books, 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables

(one block north of Miracle Mile between LeJeune and Ponce de Leon)

$3 for parking garage across the street or street meter parking

David Pereda Seth H. Bramson Shamele Jenkins Eduardo Perez

This program will showcase two members of the SFWA who are exceptional authors--David Pereda and Seth Bramson. Entertainers for the evening will be Shamele Jenkins, a nationally renowned poet/spoken word artist; and Eduardo Perez, an opera tenor, who is also an author and medical doctor from Columbia.

About the Authors and Performers:

David Pereda, a former Latin American government consultant, enjoys writing thrillers and mainstream novels. His second novel in the popular thriller series, Havana: Killing Castro (Eternal Press) has earned rave reviews and several awards, including the Readers Favorite Award, the Indie Excellence Award and the Lighthouse Book Award. http://www.davidpereda.com/

Seth Bramson is the author of 18 books of historical significance on the people, places and events shaping south Florida. He is the owner of the largest private collection of Miami memorabilia in America. His most recent book is Hallandale Beach, Florida: For More Than Ninety Years Broward County's City of Choice. http://web.mac.com/adamrogers/SethBramsonBooks/Home.html

Shamele Jenkins has toured various countries in the Americas, Caribbean, Asia, Europe and Africa, spreading her words to inspire and heal the soul. She has also taught literature, creative writing and poetry and is is the Artistic Director of Lip, Tongue & Ear Poetry Productions.

Eduardo Perez is an opera tenor and medical doctor from Columbia. He sang in the Opera of Bogota in 2002 and in 2007, 2008 and 2009 at the Miami Lyric Opera . He is the author of Biological Nutrition, published in Columbia in 2002.

Catching up

2010-05-13T22:37:00.000-07:00

The Blog Tour with Goddessfish went quite well. I have not yet noticed an uptick in sales, but it was illuminating for me as well as those reading the various blogs. Thanks to Goddessfish and all who participated.

Wil Hough just quoted me on his popular "Roses and Thorns" blog - the quotation is:
"As author/educator David Pereda points out, “We are so concerned with inventing something new every time out that we don't realize that what we have isn't fully invented yet” (or fully understood or fully explained)."

Please come join me at the Kenilworth Book Fair on Saturday, from 10 am to 4 pm at Kenilworth Presbyterian Church. I will be there with the sleep-deprived Moss Bliss, my friend and Senior Editor for Eternal Press and Damnation Books.

David

Havana: Killing Castro takes Goddessfish Tour

2010-04-19T17:28:00.001-07:00

Here are the dates and locations for my tour:

APRIL 19: The Life (and lies) of an inanimate flying object - http://haleymathiot.blogspot.com
APRIL 20: The Many Shades - http://themanyshades.blogspot.com
APRIL 21: You Gotta Read Guest - http://yougottareadguest.blogspot.com
APRIL 22: Liana's Place - http://lianalaverentz.blogspot.com/
APRIL 23: Sandra's Blog - http://sandracox.blogspot.com
APRIL 26: The Perils of Pauline - http://paulinebjones.livejournal.com
APRIL 27: Lisa Leibow's Fodder for Fiction - http://llleibow.com/blog/
APRIL 28: Mystery Writer KJ Roberts - http://authorkjroberts.blogspot.com
APRIL 29: Suspense By Anne - http://suspensebyanne.blogspot.com
APRIL 30:

Got a couple more dates - updated 4/21
GoddessFish gave us a typo for April 23's & April 28's guest blogs, fixed it 4/25

David

New trailer for Havana: Killing Castro

2010-04-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

Just in from Goddessfish...

Havana: Killing Castro

David

Fiore's Special Treat!!!

2010-03-13T22:26:00.000-08:00

Mark 6:30 PM on March 26 on your Calendar!

Music, Mystery and Mojitos is back...and better than last year!

Join us for David Pereda's reading of his award-winning thriller, Havana: Killing Castro. For $25 you'll receive a signed copy of the book, hors d'oevres and the best
Cuban mojito in town. Plus, you'll enjy watching salsa performances and the
virtuoso Flamenco guitarist Juan Benavides, as he accompanies David while
reading excerpts from his newest book.

New Interview

2010-03-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

EazyCheezy blog did an interview with me. Come read it at

http://www.eazycheezy.net/

New review for Havana: Killing Castro

2010-03-02T21:05:00.001-08:00

David Pereda
Havana: Killing Castro

David Pereda has done it again. In Havana: Killing Castro he continues intriguing readers with the story begun in Havana: Top Secret published last year.

In this sequel, when an old fisherman is gunned down on a Mexican breach, prominent Miami surgeon Raymond Peters becomes the prime suspect. The dead fisherman is believed to be Fidel Castro whom Dr. Peters had helped disguise through clandestine plastic surgery on a trip to Cuba two years earlier. But is the body really that of the Cuban leader?

In order to save his own life, the beleaguered physician must find the killers and retrieve a mysterious journal. And this has to be done while outwitting Marcela, a sensual killer sent by Castro's brother Raul.

David is an award-winning author and college writing instructor living in Asheville, and is a frequent contributor to The Laurel of Asheville. He is the regional director of the Florida Writers Association's Western North Carolina division and the founder of Asheville Writing Enthusiasts.

Havana: Killing Castro, softcover, $13.95, is published by Eternal Press and is available in bookstores and at Amazon.com and davidpereda.com. It is also available as an ebook and for Amazon's Kindle.

(This review will be available at http://www.thelaurelofasheville.com/ as soon as their website is updated for the March issue.)

Last Call, First Reading

2010-02-23T12:28:00.001-08:00

This is the last reminder that my first reading of Havana: Killing Castro will take place at Montford Books at 6:30 PM on Friday, February 26.

We will have several overseas visitors present, including Princess Elizabeth Von Alexander-Bismarck who has flown in from Paris for the occasion. The inimitable Rosita La-La and her dancing partner, Agustin "El Apache" from the Salsationals will get us all in a Cuban mood by showing us how to dance salsa. And Juan Benavides, the virtuoso Flameco guitarist, will accompany my readings strumming his guitar.

So come join the fun and show your support!

See you there!

David Pereda
www.davidpereda.com

Reading for Havana: Killing Castro - 2/26

2010-02-16T09:47:00.001-08:00

The first reading of Havana: Killing Castro will take place at Montford Books at 6:30 PM on Friday, February 26.

The event promises to be quite exciting and will have several overseas visitors present, including Princess Elizabeth Von Alexander-Bismarck who is flying from Paris for the occasion. The inimitable Rosita La-La and her dancing partner, Agustin "El Apache" from the Salsationals will get us all in a Cuban mood by showing us how to dance salsa. And Juan Benavides, the virtuoso Flameco guitarist, will accompany my readings strumming his guitar.

Havana: Killing Castro, a Readers Favorite award-winner, is the second book in the Havana Series of thrillers and continues the adventures and misadventures of the same cast of characters you met in Havana: Top Secret.

Here's a brief synopsis of the book:

When an old fisherman is gunned down on a Mexican beach, prominent Miami surgeon Raymond Peters becomes the prime suspect. The dead fisherman is believed to be Fidel Castro, whom Dr. Raymond Peters helped disguise through clandestine plastic surgery on a trip to Cuba two years earlier. In order to save his own life, the beleaguered doctor must find the killers and retrieve a mysterious journal while outwitting a ruthless woman assassin named Marcela, sent by Castro’s brother Raul.

So mark this event on your calendar and come join the fun!

David Pereda
www.davidpereda.com

Great Review for Havana: Killing Castro

2010-02-11T16:14:00.001-08:00

Please visit the website and leave a comment. - David

=====

Dear David,

We have completed your review Havana: Killing Castro. You will find your book review posted at Pacific Book Review under "Latest Reviews", "Thriller" and "Suspense". We have also posted your review on Amazon and Ezine Articles for you. Allow about a week with Ezine Articles to see the review. I did not see your book on Barnes & Noble, please let me know if it is sold at Barnes & Noble and I will post a review on Barnes & Noble for you. We will be mailing you a letter of authenticity. Pacific Book Review has also chosen your book Havana: Killing Castro to be in the "Top Five Reviews". You will see your book posted in the "Top Five Reviews" beginning March 1, 2010. It will be posted for a full month in the "Top Five Reviews" and will also be on the front page of Pacific Book Review under "Check out these great books" for a full month beginning in March. We will also let you know if your book is chosen for the featured book of the month. We hope you enjoy the review, and we wish you the greatest success with all of your books. Please see review below.

Sincerely,

--
Nicole Sorkin
Managing Book Review Editor
www.pacificbookreview.com
nicolesorkin@pacificbookreview.com
(805) 440-1787

Reviewed by: Gary Sorkin, Pacific Book Review

Title: Havana: Killing Castro

Author: David Pereda

Sitting back, reading David Pereda's novel, Havana: Killing Castro brought the imaginary aroma of a Cohiba Siglo VI cigar to my olfactory sense along with the cerebral stimulation burst of a Cubano con Lache coffee. The book, from literally the very first page, draws you into a fast paced plot of intriguingly wicked characters with power, influence and epic historical importance. David Pereda's candidly honest writing style illuminates the thoughts of his characters down to their deepest carnal motivations. This technique is awesomely exploited throughout the novel, bringing a sensuous undercurrent of sexuality to the actions of his characters. This is dramatically illustrated by Marcela, a seductively attractive female assassin possessing hypnotizing beauty and a quick stiletto bite, sensually aroused by the sweet scent of her victim's dying breath.

His dialog throughout is laced with foreign vernacular and terse subtleties. His characters have survival instincts sharp as a caffeinated cricket in an iguana cage. The only way out is to solve a mystery before they become the prey. The realism of his descriptions make you feel the humidity, the heat, along with the temperate breeze over the 90 mile stretch of ocean separating Cuba from Florida's Keys and Miami. The work is indeed a masterpiece of entertainment, in the caliber of genius. Something Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy or Michael Crichton would raise an eyebrow in admiration.

David Pereda's "2009 Reader's Favorite" award winning novel, just over 300 pages, is covered in a photographic portrait montage of its main characters along with the Cuban flag and a subliminal image of Fidel Castro. A perfect book for screenplay adaptation and a blockbuster movie, of which I believe plans may be in the making. Inside, the scores of short chapters play out a fast paced "mental storyboard" of scenes seemingly at first disassociated but brilliantly laced together. David Pereda develops suspense with the timing of a virtuoso. He allows for the reader's mind to skip along his words while venturing into imagination and back like a rock skimming along the surface of water once flicked. In full control of the reader's knowledge base, he foreshadows and illuminates events satisfying one's curiosity while always respecting the intelligence of his audience.

Whether you're a seasoned suspense novel enthusiast, or just an evening "cup of tea" story fanatic, this is food for thought. For me, I couldn't wait to pick up and finish Havana: Killing Castro - and my first thought when done, "Wow."

Excerpt -- Havana: Killing Castro

2010-01-26T22:20:00.000-08:00

ADULT CONTENT WARNING

SEX

The two women left the bar arm in arm, giggling. To a casual observer, they could have been two friends who had had too much to drink, maybe even lovers. The parking lot was crammed with cars.

“Where’s your car?” Marcela asked.

“Over there.” Tula made a vague gesture, slurring her words. “I think I’m drunk.”

“Give me the keys,” Marcela said.

Tula opened her purse and looked inside. “I’m dizzy.”

“You had a lot to drink.”

Tula handed Marcela the keys, wobbling. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Breathe in deeply and you’ll feel better,” Marcela said. “What kind of car is it?”

“A Corolla.”

“Red?”

“That’s the one.”

“I see it.”

“Where are we going?”

“I’m going to take you home, undress you and tuck you into bed.”

“No, no, no.” Tula giggled. “You can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“You’re as drunk as I am.”

“Not quite.”

Marcela opened the passenger door for Tula and helped her inside. Tula’s short dress climbed up her thighs as she slid in, and Marcela felt a glow in her belly. The night is promising. She lifted Tula and positioned her in her seat so she could buckle her seat belt.

Marcela went around the car and got in. “Where to?”

Tula slurred the address, eyes unfocused and head lolling. She slumped in her seat and rested her head against Marcela’s shoulder. Tula’s warm breath on her arm sent delicious shivers down Marcela’s spine. She started the engine.

“You’re strong,” Tula said, raising her head and squeezing Marcela’s right bicep.

“I go to the gym a lot.”

“Very strong.”

Marcela couldn’t control herself. She leaned forward in her seat and kissed Tula’s open mouth. Tula’s saliva tasted of mojitos.

“Don’t do that,” Tula said, head bobbing.

“Why not?”

“You’re a woman.”

“I’m really a man disguised as a woman.”

Tula snickered. “No, no, no. You’re just trying to confuse me. You’re a woman.”

“What if I’m a woman? I can’t kiss you then?”

“I like men, not women.”

“You ever been with a woman before?”

“No.”

“How do you know for sure then?”

Tula giggled. “The smell.”

“The smell?”

“I like the way a man smells, sweaty and rough. Not sweet and soft like a woman.”

“How do I smell to you?”

Tula leaned in her seat and smelled Marcela’s neck.

“You smell a little bit like a man.”

“Who’s your favorite film star?”

“Brad Pitt.”

“Would you have sex with him if he invited you?”

“I might. I don’t know.”

“Just close your eyes and imagine I’m Brad Pitt.”

“But you’re a woman.”

“Let your imagination flow. With your eyes closed, who knows who I am?”

Tula closed her eyes, and Marcela kissed her. With the tip of her fingers, Marcela caressed Tula’s thighs and ran her hand all the way to Tula’s crotch. Tula moaned and opened her eyes.

“Are we home already?”

“You were snoring.”

“I don’t snore.”

“Okay. Give me your hand. Good. Now lean against me.”

Marcela helped Tula walk to her ground-floor apartment in back. She tried a couple of keys until she found the right one, pushed the door open, and stepped in, dragging Tula behind her. Once she closed the door, she lifted Tula easily and carried her to the bedroom.

“You are so strong,” Tula said.

“I told you I’m a man.”

Tula giggled. “No, you’re not.”

Marcela propped up Tula by the bed while she yanked the bedcover to the floor. Then she lifted Tula again and deposited her on the bed.

While Tula rested her head on the pillow, Marcela undressed her. She removed Tula’s dress and black-laced brassiere. Marcela’s head pounded with excitement. She removed Tula’s black-laced panties. Tula hardly stirred.

Marcela removed her clothes and got in bed beside her. She ran her fingertips over Tula’s body, kneading her nipples gently. She nibbled Tula’s ears and kissed her neck. Then she opened Tula’s legs slightly, leaned over her and gave her little sucking kisses all over her body. Tula stirred restlessly, eyes closed.

Marcela finally got down between Tula’s legs and started licking, first the inside of her thighs, then around her labia, and finally her clitoris.

Tula moaned. Marcela inserted a finger in Tula’s vagina and the tip of her thumb in Tula’s anus and squeezed. Tula’s body jerked. Marcela licked faster.

Tula lifted her back, and her body became taut. Marcela knew what was coming. She stroked Tula’s clitoris with her tongue with rapid motions. A moment later Tula stopped moving for a long instant and then screamed. Her anus puckered and started twitching. Marcela loved that feeling in her hand. She removed her hand and smelled Tula’s aroma.

What a wonderful scent. Only one of my favorite smells is missing.

Marcela lay on top of Tula and rubbed her body against hers while Tula continued to gasp and moan. They were both bathed in sweat. Marcela was so excited that the moment she started massaging her own clitoris, she felt the wave coming. She closed her eyes and moaned. The wave came fast, toppling everything in its wake, and she lost consciousness of what she was doing. When she stopped convulsing, she slid off Tula’s body and lay on the bed next to her. Tula was snoring softly again.

Marcela smiled and drifted into sleep.

Havana: Killing Castro is a 2009 Readers Favorite Awards winner, and is now available as an eBook from Eternal Press, and also in print and eBook format from Amazon.com and select booksellers.

Excerpt -- Havana: Killing Castro

2010-01-25T21:42:00.000-08:00

INTRIGUE

Pepe didn’t arrive in an hour, as promised. It was nearly two hours later that Raymond answered the knock on the door. This left him ample time to unpack, shower, change into fresh clothes, and get organized.

“Raymond!” Pepe cried effusively and gave him a bear hug. “Long time no see!”

Pepe’s cancer was definitely in remission, Raymond decided. His cheeks had a healthy pinkish color, and his eyes projected an intensity that wasn’t there the last time they saw each other.

“Fidel, how nice to see you.” Raymond returned the hug, speaking loudly and carefully for the benefit of the two muscular black bodyguards behind Pepe. He noted they had physiques and facial expressions similar to Marcela’s. He wondered what had happened to the old bodyguards. Maybe it’s a matter of security, he thought. The old bodyguards knew Fidel too well. “It has been a long time indeed. You’re looking good.”

“I feel good. You don’t look so bad yourself, Raymond. Still run every day?”

“Every morning.”

“You look healthy and fit.”

“Gracias, Fidel—so do you.”

“I brought good Cuban rum and hierba buena so we can drink some mojitos while we talk.” Pepe laughed loudly, showing a brown paper bag to Raymond. “You like?”

“I like.” Raymond smiled back and stepped aside to let him enter.

“Por favor, come in.”

“You stay outside,” Fidel instructed the two bodyguards. “Watch the door, and don’t let anyone interrupt us.”

“Sí, mi Comandante!” the two men shouted as one, clicking their heels and saluting smartly. “You will be undisturbed.”

“What’s with your new security personnel?” Raymond asked as soon as the door was closed and he was certain he couldn’t be overheard. “You seem to have changed everybody.”

He slumped on the living room sofa. Pepe sat on a chair across from him.

“It’s Raul’s idea. He and Fidel are great believers in Santeria. All the people in charge of my security now are Abakuas.”

“Aba…what?”

“Abakuas.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a secret organization that believes in African gods, very tight. It’s very difficult to become an Abakua. And they’re very loyal.”

“Is it safe for you?”

“The religion?”

“The security.”

Pepe nodded. “Security is tighter than ever. These people take their job very seriously. It’s a matter of honor with them.”

“Honor?”

Pepe made a face, pursing his lips as if he had bitten into a lemon, and Raymond stared curiously at him.

“Something wrong?” Pepe was smiling at him. “Hey, I’m talking to you, Raymond!”

“No, nothing’s wrong. Why do you ask?”

“I was talking to you, and you were in limbo.”

“Disculpa, Pepe. What were you saying?”

“The code of honor of the Abakuas is well known and feared in Cuba. An offense to one of them can lead to a knife duel to the death.”

“Sounds like a pretty bloody group,” Raymond said, watching Pepe’s hands, which seemed smaller and less gnarled than he remembered.

“And you feel safe with them?”

“They are very honorable.” Pepe threw his head back and laughed. It was obvious that the years of impersonating Fidel Castro had changed his friend. “Well, Raymond, are you going to help me fix some mojitos, or are we going to sit here and talk all afternoon?”

“Both, I hope.” Raymond grinned. “I didn’t know you could make good mojitos.”

“Not good, Raymond—great. I had to learn to make great mojitos to impersonate Fidel. Remember, it was his favorite drink.”

“I remember.” Raymond rose from the sofa. “Well, let’s go make a batch of mojitos so we can continue our conversation. We have much to talk about. What are we waiting for?”

“Let’s go.”

Pepe stood, and Raymond followed him to the small bar in the corner. As kids, he used to be nearly a head taller than Raymond was, and now he seemed to be almost the same size. Something was different.

Maybe it was the aging process. Maybe his own memory was failing him.

****

“So what did you want to talk to me about, Raymond?” Pepe stretched on his chair to clink glasses and then took a long pull of his mojito, drinking with his pinkie finger straight up. Raymond shook his head in disbelief as he sipped from his own glass. He put his glass on the table as Pepe gazed at him. “You said it was important.”

“It is.”

“You know who killed Fidel?”

“You mean the fisherman shot dead in Mexico?”

“Yes.” Pepe drained the rest of his drink in one mighty gulp and stared at his empty glass. “Ready for another, Raymond?”

“Not yet.”

“Mind if I have another?”

“Go right ahead.”

“Keep talking.” Pepe leaned forward to refill his glass from the pitcher on the table, settled back in his chair, and took another pull of his drink. “I can drink and listen at the same time. You know who killed the fisherman?”

“I think so.”

“And that’s the reason you’re here?”

“Not really, Pepe. I came to confirm information—and to talk to you in person. As you always say, you never know who’s listening on the phone. By the way, where is Raul?”

“He’s going to join us for dinner tonight. Drink up, Raymond. I’m already finishing my second, and you haven’t really started on your first.”

Raymond sipped his drink thoughtfully. “Remember what you said to me a couple of years ago in Miami?”

“I said many things to you in Miami, Raymond.”

Pepe drained his glass and served himself another. This time he didn’t ask for permission.

“True. I mean, do you remember how you convinced me to come to Cuba with you? You told me that story about us as kids and how you had saved my life?”

“Of course I remember.” Pepe gulped greedily from his third drink.

“Do you? Tell it to me again.”

Raymond laughed amiably. “The same old Pepe, testing me out.”

Pepe laughed too.

“Okay, I’ll tell you—so you’ll know I still remember that story. We were in the park, and I got in a fight with Marcelino. He pulled a knife on me and tripped me. He was about to plunge the knife into me when you knocked him out with a punch. I’d never seen someone hit with such force. Marcelino’s head hit the grass so hard he was out cold several minutes. We were so scared you had killed him, remember?”

“Of course I remember,” Pepe said.

Raymond rose slowly, glowering at Pepe.

“That’s not the story. In the real story, you saved me from drowning in the Almendares River—remember? You’re not Pepe Orozco. And you sure as hell are not Fidel Castro either.” He leaned forward and said in a sharp voice, watching the man’s face blanch, “Who are you?”

Havana: Killing Castro is a 2009 Readers Favorite Awards winner, and is now available as an eBook from Eternal Press, and also in print and eBook format from Amazon.com and selected booksellers.

Excerpt -- Havana: Killing Castro

2010-01-24T17:29:00.000-08:00

SEDUCTION

In three days, Marcela had been able to locate the suspected killers. And like the experienced predator that she was, she had selected her first target, the weakest link: the stocky man named Mauricio. He came to the Versailles

for coffee every afternoon at around three p.m.

Today she would make contact.

Mauricio was there when she sashayed around the corner. She skipped past the cars cramming the Versailles’s parking lot and took a place standing next to him at the counter of the crowded coffee bar. The dark-haired waitress looked at her and posed a silent question with her arched eyebrows. She held a steaming pot in each hand, one filled with coffee and the other with boiled milk.

“Un cafesito,” Marcela said. “And a guava pastry.”

“Con leche?”

“Black.”

“Coming right up.”

Marcela felt Mauricio giving her the eye, but she pretended not to notice. She had stuffed herself into tight yellow latex pants and a white sleeveless cotton blouse with a plunging neckline that left little to the imagination. She wore minimalist dental-floss panties, so her buttocks showed nice and round, and no brassiere. To bring out the color of her eyes, she had combed her hair back and tied it with a bright yellow band. Marcela knew she looked good.

She was dressed to kill.

The waitress put coffee and pastry on the counter, and Marcela, smiling, turned to Mauricio and caught him staring at her. “Pass the sugar, please?”

“Sure.” Blushing, he placed the glass sugar container in front of her.

“Never seen you around here before.”

Marcela poured sugar into the small cup and stirred it with a teaspoon before answering. “Never seen you here either, so that makes two of us.”

“I come here every day.”

“Good for you.”

Marcela took a bite of her guava pastry and chewed. For effect, she breathed in deeply and kept her back straight. God, she looked good, and she knew it. She had a terrific and fit body, with large, pointed breasts, long legs and a muscular ass. Cuban men liked nice asses, and she had one of the best.

Mauricio was looking at it right now.

Marcela let him ogle a little longer, build up expectations, before talking to him again. “I was living in New York. I just moved down to Miami. Too cold for me there.”

“How do you like it here?”

“I don’t know yet. I’ve been here a week, and I haven’t been anywhere.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t have a car, and I don’t know anybody here.”

“You know me now.” Marcela noticed how Mauricio puffed his chest when he said that and knew the fish had taken the bait and was on the hook. “And I have a car.”

Marcela cocked her head and inspected him up and down. “You married?”

“No.”

“Let me check your hands.”

Marcela took Mauricio’s hands, one at a time, and checked the fingers for evidence of wedding rings. Oh, the human touch! She let her fingers linger a while before removing them. Mauricio had goose bumps.

“I guess not.”

“How about you?” Mauricio coughed.

Marcela put her arms on her hips. “Do I look married to you?”

Mauricio cleared his throat. “No boyfriend, either?”

“That’s the reason I left New York. I broke up with him. He used to get drunk and beat me.”

Mauricio scrunched up his face sympathetically. “Sorry to hear that.”

Marcela gave him her alarmed face, squinting eyes and all. “Say, you’re not one of these men who like to beat up women, are you?”

“No, no,” Mauricio mumbled. “Of course not.”

“Or one of these sexual predators from Miami I hear about all the time. My girlfriend Elisa warned me. She told me there’s a rapist on Calle Ocho who has killed dozens of women. Is that true?”

“It is, but the police caught him already.”

Marcela looked directly into Mauricio’s eyes while Mauricio tried hard not to look at her breasts. Men are so predictable.

“No, you don’t look like a sexual predator.”

“You have beautiful eyes.” Mauricio fidgeted. “Yellow. I’ve never seen eyes that color before. They’re odd.”

You haven’t seen anyone like me before. “Is that the best pickup line you have?”

“No,” Mauricio blurted out. “I mean, it’s no line.”

“You’re not trying to pick me up then? I thought you were going to offer to show me Miami?”

“No, I mean yes.”

Marcela placed a hand on Mauricio’s arm, resting on the counter. “I was just teasing. When?”

“When?”

“When are you going to take me out and show me Miami? I’m so tired of seeing only the four walls of my room.”

Mauricio hit his cup with his elbow, sending a small wave of coffee splashing to the counter. “Whenever you want.”

Marcela was getting excited, imagining what was coming. Her nipples became erect. She leaned forward so Mauricio could glance inside her blouse and feast his eyes on her breasts. Time to yank the line and reel the fish in. She batted her eyelashes.

“You have anything planned for tonight?”

Havana: Killing Castro is a 2009 Readers Favorite Awards winner, and is now available as an eBook from Eternal Press, and also in print and most eBook formats from Amazon.com and selected booksellers.

Excerpt - Havana: Killing Castro

2010-01-23T18:21:00.000-08:00

DECEIT

To Marcela’s delight, Tula arrived promptly at eight. She paused at the door, scanning the crowded bar. Her red halter dress and black spike heels with ankle straps did the job she’d obviously intended them to do.

Marcela waved from her small table in the back of the room, her heart quickening. Tula waved back and started skirting the tables. Men and women stared at her as she passed by, triggering in Marcela a strange jealousy.

She rose when Tula reached her table, and both women greeted each other with the customary exchange of kisses on the cheek. Tula’s eyes were somber.

“Something wrong?” Marcela asked, sitting down again. “You look— ”

“Sad?” Tula said, sitting down next to Marcela.

Marcela nodded.

“A friend of mine died recently,” Tula said. “A very good friend. We used to come here sometimes. It made me sad when I walked in.”

“Sorry,” Marcela said. “You want to go some other place?”

“No. This is fine. I need to get over it.”

“What did your friend die of?”

“He was murdered.”

Marcela raised an eyebrow. “Miami is a violent city.”

“You can say that again.”

“How did it happen?”

“He was shot in his apartment.”

“My God!” Marcela said. “A thief?”

Tears came to Tula’s eyes. “Who knows? He was such a good person. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to kill him.”

“Poor thing. Did they catch who did it?”

“Not yet.”

“Do the police have any leads?”

Tula shook her head and suddenly started sobbing.

“Now, now,” Marcela said, leaning forward and patting her hand. “You need a drink.” She waved to the waiter. “What would you like?”

“A mojito.”

“Just what I was going to order myself,” Marcela said as the waiter arrived. “Two mojitos. And when you see these glasses empty again, you bring some more.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the waiter said.

An hour and four mojitos later, Tula had to go to the bathroom. Marcela got up to go with her. When Tula’s head was turned, Marcela slipped two roofies into her drink.

Havana: Killing Castro is a 2009 Readers Favorite Awards winner, and is now available as an eBook from Eternal Press (http://eternalpress.ca ), and also in print and eBook format from Amazon.com and selected booksellers.

Havana: Killing Castro - help the author

2010-01-15T14:46:00.000-08:00

I would like to ask everyone who reads my latest work, Havana: Killing Castro, to help me promote this exciting work by writing comments and/or leaving a review on one or both of the following sites:

Comments:
http://readersfavorite.com/cat-71.htm?review=2746

Reviews:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00336EXHO?ie=UTF8&tag=readsfavo-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00336EXHO

David Pereda

Reading scheduled for Havana: Killing Castro

2010-01-15T02:38:00.001-08:00

Hello Family, Friends and Scribes,

This is an advance notice that the first reading of my award-winning thriller, Havana: Killing Castro, will take place on Friday February 26 at Montford Books at 6:30 PM.

The event promises to be quite exciting and may have several overseas visitors present, including Princess Elizabeth Von Alexander who has vowed to fly in from Paris for the occasion if her duties as a UN goodwill ambassador don't interfere. The inimitable Rosita La-La and her dancing partner, Agustin "El Apache" from the Salsationals will get us all in the mood by showing us how to dance Cuban salsa. And Juan Benavides, the accomplished Flameco guitarrist, will accompany my readings playing his guitar.

Havana: Killing Castro is the second book of the Havana Series of thrillers and continues the adventures and misadventures of the same cast of characters you met in Havana: Top Secret. Here's a brief synopsis of the book:

When an old fisherman is gunned down on a Mexican beach, prominent Miami surgeon Raymond Peters becomes the prime suspect. The dead fisherman is believed to be Fidel Castro, whom Dr. Raymond Peters helped disguise through clandestine plastic surgery on a trip to Cuba two years earlier. In order to save his own life, the beleaguered doctor must find the killers and retrieve a mysterious journal while outwitting a ruthless woman assassin named Marcela, sent by Castro’s brother Raul.

So mark this event on your calendar and come join the fun!

David Pereda

www.davidpereda.com

2010-01-09T18:09:00.001-08:00

In the midst of all this snow and freezing weather, I want to share with you a warm spot. My new thriller Havana: Killing Castro -- the highly anticipated sequel to Havana: Top Secret -- was released this week by Eternal Press. For those of you who are into this series already, I'm hard at work writing the next book, Havana: Twin Powers, which will take readers on another whirlwind chase around the world, this time as far away as the Middle East.

I have great expectations for Havana: Killing Castro. It has won several awards already and is now one of four finalists in the thriller category of the Readers Favorite Contest.

To learn more about it and to purchase the e-book version (the print version will not be available for another week), please go to www.eternalpress.ca or visit my website: www.davidpereda.com

Have a great weekend and whatever you don't do, please do keep writing!

See you all soon.

David Pereda

Havana: Killing Castro launches Jan 7

2010-01-06T18:52:00.001-08:00

Havana: Killing Castro, the latest thriller from David Pereda, will be released tomorrow, January 7, 2010 by Eternal Press. This book has already won many awards... why not let it win your personal Reader's Favorite award? (Also available soon at Fictionwise, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and many other fine eBook merchants.)

Another Review, Award Finalist

2009-12-30T13:49:00.001-08:00

My next book, Havana: Killing Castro, has received a 5-star reader review and is one of four finalists in the Reader's Favorite poll in the Fiction-Thriller category. Winners will be announced on January 15th! This book will be available from Eternal Press and Amazon.com on January 7.

2009-12-28T11:39:00.000-08:00

My new book, Havana: Killing Castro, which has already won several awards, will be released on January 7, 2010. This is a sequel to my previous book, Havana: Top Secret, and features all the main characters of that book. I'm planning several readings, beginning at the end of January. I hope to see you at one of them. Happy New Year to all!

Asheville Havana:Top Secret Book Tour Underway

2009-06-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

My Asheville Havana: Top Secret book tour is underway with four readings programmed for this month. When preparing my book tour, I had one main objective in mind-- to make each reading unique, entertaining and FUN. My debut reading -- "Music, Mystery and Mojitos" -- will be all of that...and so much more! It will take place at Fiore's Ristorante Toscana at 122 College Street on July 2 at 5:30 PM. My good friend Anthony Cerrato, the owner, is offering a special package for the occasion: $20 will get you a signed copy of my book, delicious hors d'ouevres, a real Cuban mojito, a reading like none you've ever had, and live Latin music. If you're in town, come join the party and partake in the festivities. Reservations suggested -- 828-281-0710.
t

New Havana: Top Secret Review

2009-05-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

The following review of Havana: Top Secret was published yesterday in The Rose and The Thorne Literary Ezine: http://roseandthornreviews.blogspot.com/

To read previous reviews, please go to my website: www.davidpereda.com

Havana: Top Secret Review on Havana Journal

2009-05-09T13:31:00.000-07:00

Havana: Top Secret continues to receive excellent reviews. The following review appeared yesterday on Havana Journal, a blog written by a highly respected newspaperman which deals with Cuban-American issues:

"If you love Cuba, political intrigue and clandestine government operations, you’ll love Havana Top Secret."

Rob Sequin, Havana Journal

Havana Top Secret Released!!!!

2009-05-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

My new thriller Havana Top Secret was released today. It's available as e-book and in a week it will be available in print at Amazon. Need I tell you I'm excited?

An Intriguing Excerpt From Havana: Top Secret

2009-05-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

Here is an excerpt from my forthcoming book. If you want to read more, go to my website and open one of the four secret doors:

“That was uncomfortable,” Raymond said. “And the sugar business? What was that all about?”

“My cover, Ramon. Everyone in Cuba might suspect I’m with the CIA, but I still need a cover. I buy sugar for a Mexican consortium. Actually, I’ve gotten pretty good at it considering I didn’t know anything about sugar when I started.”

“I must admit I’m impressed. There’s never a dull moment with you, it seems. One moment you’re with the CIA, and the next you’re a sugar buyer for a Mexican group.”

“You know who that major was?” Pepe said.

“No,” Raymond answered. “But he sure asked a lot of questions.”

“He’s the head of national security, reporting directly to Raul Castro.”

“What?” Raymond stopped abruptly, and a woman following behind slammed into him. She was blonde, shapely and was wearing tight white shorts. Out of the corner of his eye, Raymond saw her dive into the mass of humanity and vanish. She reminded him of Sonia. “He’s what?”

“Keep walking.” Pepe yanked his arm. “I don’t know what Major Teceira was doing here. Maybe he was checking airport operations. Or maybe he was checking you out.”

“Me?” Raymond’s stomach contracted into tight, cold knots. “Why me?”

Pepe didn’t answer. He charged ahead in silence, his head rotating like a lighthouse as his eyes scanned the crowd. Raymond’s heart beat like a high school band drum.

When they stepped onto the sun-drenched sidewalk outside, Pepe stopped and said, “He’s Sonia’s husband.”

Read Excerpts from Havana Top Secret

2009-04-25T11:26:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends and Scribes,

As of today, you can now read four different excerpts from "Havana: Top Secret" on my Web site -- one for every type of mood: erotic, romantic, dangerous or intriguing. Come visit with me and leave your comments:

http://www.davidpereda.com/havanatopsecret.html

I'm Going Green Today

2009-04-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

I was interviewed recently for a blog on Green Publishing, which appeared today.

What did I say? Read the article.

I'll advance you this much -- e-books are in!

http://kbkeilbach.blogspot.com/2009/04/going-green-in-print.html

Guest Blogging Today at Tender Graces

2009-04-21T11:11:00.000-07:00

I'm guest blogging today at Tender Graces. The subject is the "Hook" -- that seductive first line of a story that grabs you by the scruff of your neck and plunges you headlong into the book. Please visit with me and tell me what you think: http://tendergraces.blogspot.com/

I'm guest blogging today at Eazy Cheezy

2009-04-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

I'm guest blogging today at Eazy Cheezy. If you'd like to know more about the Basic Tools of Fiction or simply connect to what's new with my life and with the release of my new book, Havana Top Secret , click here.

Undersize me, please!

2009-03-28T16:53:00.000-07:00

Does size matter?

Many Americans think so. In fact, in our great and wonderful country, big has beome synonymous with better and soon will be appearing in our friendly thesaurus. Professional athletes keep getting taller and bulkier. Fifty years ago, a professional basketball player at 6' 9" was considered tall. We now have players 7' and taller. Yao Ming, the great Chinese bgasketball player for the Houston Rockets, measures 7' 6" and weighs a whopping 260 pounds of solid muscle. When Rocky Marciano was the heavyweight boxing champion of the world, he barely made 5' 10" and weighed 180 pounds. The current champion, Vitali Kitischko, measures 6' 7" and weighs around 260 pounds. When "Refrigerator" Perry was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1985, he amazed the world by weighing more than 300 pounds. He was considered the biggest lineman ever at the time. Today, he would be undersized against many pro linemen.

As Americans, we proudly announce to the world that our world-class athletes are taller, stronger and faster than ever before -- thanks to improved nutition, better healthcare, and more sophisticated training methods.

As everyday Americans, we don't just eat anymore. We supersize it.

If you happen to be an alien who linked to my Web site by mistake and don't know what supersize means, please climb into your silver spaceship with multiple jet engines and shuttle to earth to visit a McDonald's. All you need to say when you place your order is, "Supersize it." When you see the mountain of French fries, you'll understand the term.

As for me, undersize me, please. Think about all the money we'd save if we really did live in a less is more world. Do you know what a billion is? That's right, 1,000 millions. And a trillion? Right again, 1,000 billions.

It used to be that $1 million was a hefty sum. Now a scam artist like Bernard Madoff does a convoluted Ponzi scheme and cheats sophisticated investors of $65 billion or 65,000 stacks of million dollars. Did you get a hold of that number in your head? Try this one. Put in a bank at 6% simple interest, $65 billion would generate 3,900 million dollars a year. Mind boggling isn't it?

I don't need that much to live well. Do you? I'd be happy with $1 million.

Undersize me, please!

2009-03-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

I'm counting the days till my new book is published. I thought I would offer a sneak preview and also ask your opinion along the way. If you'd like to sound off, click here. Thanks!

Judging a book by its cover

2009-03-01T21:18:00.000-08:00

I just received the cover art for my forthcoming book, Havana: Top Secret. Like any proud father, I couldn't wait to show off my baby's picture.

This is the first in a series of mystery thrillers I've written that are set in the intriguing city of Havana, Cuba.

I'm eager to know what you think of the cover.

Miami and Asheville

2009-02-07T21:49:00.001-08:00

I’m in love with two cities – Miami and Asheville. The former is sultry and sensual and likes to dress in string bikinis and dance to the beat of Cachao’s bongos; the latter is artistic and soulful and enjoys stimulating conversation and vintage wine. I liken one to electrifying my body at Starbucks with a triple espresso, and the other to pampering my body with a shiatsu massage.

Which one do I prefer? It depends on the time of year, my mood and my digestion. The heat of Miami in summer is like a sauna – which is okay if you are into saunas, which I’m not. The cold of Asheville in winter is like being inside a refrigerator – which is fine if you are into refrigerators. Do I need to say I’m not?

Miami is bright-colored, quick and now. I love its vibrancy and sensuality, its noise and its kitsch. I like to sit at one of the myriad outside restaurants dotting Miami Beach and watch the women strut on the sidewalk, hips working and necks tilted in that arrogant-yet-insecure way that screams, “Look at me! Am I gorgeous or what?” By the size and type of their breasts and nose, I can usually tell if their plastic surgery was done in the United States or abroad. Sometimes, I can even tell who did it. Plastic surgeons, after all, have their own signatures. Occasionally, one will catch me looking and will stare back at me, lips pursed like biting into a grapefruit, as if saying, “So what?”

Asheville, on the other hand, is pastel-colored, oblique and surprising. The women of Asheville are into tattoos and rainbow-colored hair, into wine and literary workshops, into art and cooking lessons, into exoticism and piercings, into self-expression and expanding their kundalini. Forget about plastic surgery and physical insecurities, Asheville women are more interested in self-realization than in physical reconstruction. They are more inner-driven than outer-directed, more into displaying that marvelous ruby pierced to their navels than showing off their massive, er, muscles.

The truth of the matter is that I am in the throes of a dilemma. I love them both.