Stronger Than Sin Blog Tour: Interview and Giveaway with Caridad Pineiro

By Caridad Pineiro

It's been six months since Liliana Carrera helped her brother rescue Caterina Shaw from Wardwell Laboratories, a group of fringe scientists experimenting on human beings. Now, Liliana--with funding from the FBI--has set up a new facility to continue testing the inhibitor complex, a cure for the patients of Wardwell. What's even better is the FBI has managed to recover another of the patients, Jesse Bradford.

When Jesse arrives at Liliana's facility, he has been drugged and displays violent erratic behavior. As Liliana helps him detox, Jesse demonstrates strange powers--superhuman strength and the ability to heal quickly.

Despite their growing attraction, Jesse is secretive and Liliana remains fearful of him. Eventually he admits that Wardwell scientists threatening his sister's life in order to maintain control over him and his powers. As they try to locate her, they begin to suspect that the scientists may have corrupted the FBI. Unless they can discover Wardwell's master plan soon, Jesse's sister, the other patients, and an unknown number of innocent people, will pay the price.

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Please help me welcome Caridad Pineiro to the blog today!  Caridad is the author of 25 published novels, including the award-winning THE CALLING Vampire series and the contemporary CHICAS novels.  Last year she debuted her paranormal romantic suspense series that began with Sins of the Flesh.  Her latest release Stronger Than Sin is the second book of the series.

1. Stronger Than Sin and your previous release Sins of the Flesh involve scientists preforming experimental gene therapy on patients that makes them superhuman. Where did you get your inspiration for these books?

I was a science major in college and took some courses in genetics. I loved the subject and even after college, I kept up on what was happening, especially since genetic engineering was becoming such a hot topic in the news. I saw that there was a lot of concern about genetically modified organisms and their introduction into the human food chain via genetically altered plants and animals. It made me wonder what would happen if someone decided to create the ultimate genetically modified organism – a human with special powers. Once I started thinking about that and refreshing my knowledge of what was currently happening with genetics, the idea for the stories developed.

2. What kind of research was involved for writing Stronger Than Sin?

For STRONGER THAN SIN I watched a lot of football (okay, so I do watch football anyway!). I also went online and back to my text books to decide on what kind of bone diseases would cause bones to break and how such diseases were normally treated. I viewed a couple of documentaries on people with these diseases to see how they were being affected and treated. Then I took that to the next level to develop the story of how Jesse Bradford is injured and becomes involved with the scientists who promised him a miracle sure so he could return to the only thing he had left in life: football.

3. What are your plans for future books in the SINS series?

I’m happy to say there will be at least two more books in the SINS series. It’s actually expanding into the SIN HUNTER series since we’re going to see a race of energy-gatherers descend on the Jersey Shore in search of a missing son who is the key to maintaining their race. There will be familiar places and faces, including Liliana and Mick’s younger sister Bobbie Carrera. The SIN HUNTER series will be darker though and the Hunters will possess powers that others covet and want to create via either genetic engineering or breeding. Did I mention there was another sect of the Hunters called the Shadows who are the equivalent of energy vampires and are in a civil war with the other Hunters? The new mythology and stories are even more action-packed and sexier and I think readers will really enjoy where the series is headed with the addition of the Hunters and Shadows. THE LOST is the next book and will be available in August 2011. THE CLAIMED will be available in early 2012.

Five Fun Facts from Caridad:

1. Although New Jersey is home to two professional football teams, neither one bears the Jersey name. So for her home state and Jesse Bradford, the hero in Stronger Than Sin, Caridad created a new team: The New Jersey Marauders.

2. If Caridad had to pick one character who was most like her, she’d pick Dr. Liliana Carrera because on the surface Liliana seems professional and logical, but deep down she is very passionate and likes to draw outside the lines.

3. The hero’s superhuman strength, speed and bone formation are paranormal elements based on real life science which was a natural for a former science major like Caridad.

4. To make the ethnicities of the hero and heroine accurate for what is seen along the Jersey Shore, Caridad chose to make Jesse Bradford of Irish descent while Liliana is Mexican.

5. To do research on the Jersey Shore, Caridad spent many a weekend traveling around the various towns in which Stronger Than Sin is set. You can check out the photos of the locations here and here.

Thank you, Caridad!

Giveaway Details:

Thanks to Hachette Books, I have 5 copies of Stronger Than Sin to give away! Here's how to enter:  Please leave a comment about the interview or a question for Caridad along with a way to contact you.

Contest open to residents of the US and Canada. No P.O. Boxes, please. Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if they win the same title in two or more contests, they will receive only one copy of the title (or one set in the case of grouped giveaways) in the mail. Contest is open until Friday, 11/12/2010, at 11:59 pm Central Time. Winners will receive their books directly from Hachette. Good luck!

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The contest is now closed.

Winners will be announced in a separate post.

Thank you!