Showing posts with label Carmen DeSousa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carmen DeSousa. Show all posts

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Launch Day for 5 Prince Publishing author Carmen DeSousa

The Library
By
Carmen DeSousa

Available from 5 Prince Publishing www.5princebooks.com  books@5princebooks.com
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Ghosts
Release Date: December 12, 2013
Digital ISBN 13: 978-1-63112-000-8  ISBN 10: 163112000X
Print ISBN 13: 978-1-63112-001-5     ISBN 10: 1631120018


The Library
When Mark Waters decided to be a detective, he didn't plan to investigate ghosts.

But as he sifts through evidence of a supposed suicide by train, he learns a murder that took place eighty years ago may directly affect his case.

Six months after the strange occurrences at The Depot, there’s another murder. This time, The Library holds secrets of several murders, and the dead won’t rest until the murderer checks out too.










About Carmen DeSousa
A romantic-suspense writer, Carmen writes novels that overflow with romance, mystery, suspense, a hint of paranormal sometimes, and of course--tragedy. After all, what would a great story be without a heartrending event setting the stage? Her sensual and gripping stories have earned bestseller status on three continents because of her ability to make readers love, laugh, cry, gasp, and hope.

Author Contact Info:
Website




Excerpt of The Library
Wade inserted the key into the deadbolt the same time he did every night. Only this time, the door glided open as though some unseen force had invited him inside. The house was quiet. Too quiet. Usually he’d hear the sound of the TV, a kitchen timer alerting that dinner was ready, or the constant boom from the stereo upstairs. But this evening, tomblike silence greeted him.
She’d threatened to leave; he just hadn’t believed her. After all, she’d been grumbling that same nonsense for twenty-two years. A romantic getaway for two would straighten her out.
Their only child was going off to grad school in a few weeks. So for the first time in their marriage, they’d be childless. His life had changed the night she told him she was pregnant two weeks away from high school graduation, but it hadn’t stopped him from working his butt off to accomplish his dreams. Yeah, he had to work two jobs, go to night school, and function without sleep, but they’d made it. They had a beautiful house in Edenbury, Pennsylvania, two stylish vehicles in the driveway, and their daughter was heading off to Harvard.
And as soon as he finalized the contract he’d been working on for the last year, Wade could take Vanessa on as many getaways as she wanted. He’d cashed the first check on his way home. Just the first installment was more than they’d made their first ten years of marriage. That’d get her eyes twinkling again.
Burnt meatloaf singed his nostrils as he ventured into the kitchen in search of his wife. She killed their dinner again. His wife would get so busy typing she’d forget everything around her.
He turned off the oven, but left the charcoaled mess inside. Last thing he needed was the new smoke detector he’d installed to go off, once again alerting the neighbors how often his wife nearly burned down their house.
Wade emptied his pockets of his money clip, keys, and receipts onto the credenza by the stairway, as his wife had always requested, then started upstairs. “Vanessa honey,” he called as he trudged up the wooden steps, knowing she wouldn’t hear him, but he tried anyway. He gripped onto the banister, pulling himself forward. He was too tired to climb stairs before eating. But since she always wore her headphones when she worked, she wouldn’t hear if he screamed at the top of his range.
Tugging at his tie, he pushed open their bedroom door. Maybe they could have a quick romp before dinner, get a taste of what it’ll be like to be empty nesters.
Not believing his eyes, he launched headfirst toward his wife. “No!” he screamed.
Out of his peripherals, he saw the long black rod, but it was too late to react. The light extinguished the moment the object made contact with his skull, leaving him in a pit of blackness, a nightmare he’d never escape.



Wednesday, June 26, 2013

New Romantic-Suspense SPLIT DECISIONS by bestselling author Carmen DeSousa is now available!





Split Decisions is a follow-up novel to the romantic-suspense bestseller She Belongs to Me. While you do not have to read the first book to enjoy the second, we believe you should have the option, so click here to avoid spoilers.

If you’re still here, read on for a first peek at Split Decisions and a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.

Book Description:

Sometimes you want something so badly you are willing to abandon everything you’ve ever known—including yourself.

Eighteen years ago, Jaynee Monroe married the man of her dreams, became the mother of four, and fulfilled her career goals. About to turn forty, she senses something is missing from her idyllic life. While Googling her name in an attempt to find herself, she unearths something so impossible, she contemplates her own sanity. Seeking answers, she embarks on a journey to discover the truth, only to end up abducted by a deranged stranger who insists on calling her Caycee.

Caycee took the road less traveled. Rejecting a marriage proposal from the only decent man she ever knew, she ventures to California to become famous. Eighteen years later, success has left her alone and miserable. Attempting to locate her lost love on Facebook, she discovers his infatuation with her. Not only does his presumed-dead wife have Caycee’s uncommon middle name, it appears he has photo-shopped her face over hers.

Never could Caycee and Jaynee have imagined decisions they made years earlier would threaten not only their lives but also their loved ones. Caycee must now reunite with the southern gent she dismissed eighteen years ago and convince him to accompany her to New York to locate his wife, the most important person in both their lives.

Download Split Decisions here:


Now all you have to do to register to win the $10 Amazon Gift Card is share this page via Raffle Copter. Contest ends 7/1/13 at 12:00 a.m. EST and you can share daily if you want. Good luck!




Thursday, May 16, 2013

What age group/genre do you read/write? Why? Join in! Guest post by @Author_Carmen.


My very special guest today is Carmen DeSousa. Carmen is a bestselling author of romantic suspense novels, which you just can't put down. Today she brings up a discussion on which age group and genres of books we like to read and write. Please join in the discussion!

What age group/genre do you read/write? Why? Join in! Guest post by @Author_Carmen.

When I started writing, I didn’t think about an age group, nor did I really think about a genre. I just wanted to write. As an avid reader, I knew what I liked to read, but again, I never really categorized my preferences. If it had a great cover that grabbed my attention and an awesome hook on the back cover—that’s that thing we now call a book description online, but we used to have to actually pick up a book and flip open the flap or turn the book over in our hands. :)

The thing is I never really cared about the age group or the genre. Since I read so many books, I rarely made it off the ‘new release’ rack.

So what makes you want to read? Personally, I need to know going in there will be suspense of some sort, something that will keep me turning the pages, whether it’s the whodunit aspect or a newfound romance on the rocks. It doesn’t matter what “genre” it is; all books have to meet that minimal criteria to keep me interested. I need to identify with the characters immediately, feel their pain, and want to know how it’ll work out. Again, it doesn’t matter their age. This is what I find via the book description, not the genre or age group.

Funny thing is, all of my stories ended up with heroines who are between the ages of 22 and 25 and the heroes between the ages of 25 and 28. And oddly enough, my beta readers ended up being 17, 35, 45, and 55. I interact with almost all readers who contact me, and there seems to be no specific age in my readers either.

So I wondered, Did I just stumble on the correct age?

Well, here’s what I think: Women who are 22-25 years old have lived long enough that something bad has probably happened to them; they’ve experienced at least a couple bad relationships, they are usually at the age where they’ve just graduated  college and are now searching for a lifelong relationship and/or career.

So mature women can look back at that age and can find something good, whether it was their looks and figure, a new job, or a fun time with their girlfriends planning weddings, vacations, and new adventures. Younger women are looking forward to that age when they are on their way in life with school under their belt and an exciting life in the future.

When querying my books, I also heard, “This is a mystery”, then another agent states, “This is a romance”. Exactly! That’s what I wanted. Isn’t that what makes a great story, a little mixture of mystery and romance, with a thread of suspense running through both. Even in sci-fi, horror, and fantasy novels there always seems to be those key ingredients. Isn’t that what life is—romance and mystery?

So, readers, writers, how do you decide?

Do you care what ages the characters are?
Do you care what the genre is?
What are you looking for in your next read?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.


If you would like to read a little more about what I write, follow the links below. My stories are available in print and eBook formats at your favorite retailer. You can download my mini-mysteries with a paranormal edge absolutely FREE or start with my romantic-suspense bestseller She Belongs to Me for only .99 cents. From there, all my stories are priced 'less than a latte', so READ UP and enjoy!








Monday, January 7, 2013

Launch Day for Carmen DeSousa!


Launch Day
for
Carmen DeSousa's
When Noonday Ends!


Available from 5 Prince Publishing www.5princebooks.com  books@5princebooks.com
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Suspense
Release Date: January 7, 2013
Digital ISBN 13: 978-1-939217-18-9   ISBN 10: 1939217180
Print ISBN 13: 978-1-139217-19-6  ISBN 10: 1939217199

When Noonday Ends
When a new attorney accepts a pro-bono case of an abused woman suspected of attempted murder, he ends up with more than he bargained for. She’s the ex-wife of one of the oldest and wealthiest families in Ashville, and her in-laws will stop at nothing to conceal family secrets—even murder.

Unable to ignore his attraction, he gets closer than he should. But when all evidence points to the woman he’s falling in love with, he will risk everything—his reputation, disbarment, maybe even his life to uncover the truth.


Bio for Carmen DeSousa:
Carmen characterizes her stories as modern-day fairytales, as they overflow with romance, mystery, suspense, and of course, tragedy. After all, what would a fairytale be without a tragic event setting the stage? All of her novels are sensual, but not erotic, gripping but not graphic and will make you cry, gasp, laugh, love, and hope.

Her first two novels, She Belongs to Me and Land of the Noonday Sun, have reached bestseller status right alongside Nicholas Sparks, J.D. Robb, and other great authors. Her third novel, Entangled Dreams, just published September 2012.


All of her novels are standalones; however, she does link each of her stories with a little surprise. If you read out of order, you'll never notice. But if you read in order, it's fun. 


Author Contact Info:
Website

Excerpt from When Noonday Ends
Sitting at the back of the courtroom, Tom’s mind wandered. One person after another approached the judge, claiming their innocence. He hated doing this, but the law firm where he worked required all new attorneys to accept hardship cases. To get your feet wet, they’d said.
Like his father before him, he’d chosen a career as an attorney. And for once in his life, his parents were actually proud of him.
Still, most attorneys spent their days off golfing. He couldn’t stand golf, but he’d give anything to be kayaking right now. Often he thought of changing careers, as his best friend Chad had done. He had thrown away four years of medical school to manage an outdoor store he’d inherited from his parents. Tom had always thought that it had been a stupid decision, but now he wondered. His best friend was married to a beautiful woman, had a son, and could kayak every day if he wanted.
What Tom really wanted was to take a few months off from life and hike the Appalachian Trail. After the year he’d had, he really needed some time away from life—all life. But then, his parents would be disappointed, and he’d really miss his niece, Samantha. His sister had been one of the wildest women he’d ever known. But since she’d had Sam, she’d finally settled down and was trying to be a good mother. Being a single mother wasn’t easy, and Michelle needed him. If only to give her at least one night a week to unwind.
Tom threw his head back and closed his eyes. Just the smell of the courthouse was grading on him today. The oil they’d used on the old wooden floors was giving him a migraine.
“No contest, Your Honor.” A soft country voice roused him from his brooding.
Tom forced his eyes to focus on the woman standing in front of the judge. It couldn’t be. The smooth blond hair, that beautiful country voice. Brandy? He shook his head to clear it. Brandy was dead; he’d shot her more than a year ago.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

12 Days of Christmas Guests day 9: Carmen DeSousa


If you've read me, you know that I believe in Happily Ever After. My guest today is Carmen DeSousa and she is living her happily ever after! Please join us as she tells us about her most memorable Christmas!  Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win at the end of my 12 Days of Christmas guests!  You might win one of Carmen's books! :)


A new man, a new life, and a gun for Christmas. Why not?

Like many kids, I come from a dysfunctional family. Unfortunately, my family is a tad bit more dysfunctional than other families. But since this is a Christmas story, I’ll save the tales of horror for Halloween. J

I did have a ray of light in my life, though. I had wonderful grandparents and an Uncle and Aunt who were wonderful role models. Still, many years sitting at my cousins’ Christmases, made me long for the family I never had.

So the weekend before Thanksgiving it wasn’t unusual for me to start feeling depressed. I was twenty-two, I’d been living on my own and dating the wrong men since I was seventeen, and my prospects weren’t looking good that I’d ever find my happily ever after. I’d prayed to God more nights than I could remember for Him to rescue me from the road I was travelling.

And then, a funny thing happened. My roommate wanted me to go out partying on Saturday night. I’d refused repeatedly. I had a final on Monday, and if I didn’t pull my grade up, I’d get kicked out of college. Needless to say, I crumbled under peer pressure and her comment that I might meet “Mr. Right.” Humph! At a bar? I don’t think so.

Well, we weren’t in the club two minutes when my friend ditched me—a normal occurrence. But as I’m standing in the doorway of the lounge, deciding whether to take my car and leave her, a man walks up. A man I’d met a couple of times since he was a friend of one of the losers I’d dated. In fact, I’d tried to hook him up with my friend.

The man says to me, “Hey, where’s your friend?” He’d taken her number a few weeks ago but never called her. LOL! I was secretly glad.

Ticked off at my friend, I planted my hands on my hips, allowed my mouth to fall in a subtle pout, and said as I pointed at my roommate, “Over there. What’s wrong with me?”

“Um, nothing,” he stuttered. “Wanna dance?”

On December 1st, thirteen days later, this extremely interesting man, who was in the police academy to be a police officer, took me shopping to buy our first Christmas tree together. That night we went to a quaint Italian restaurant, and he asked me to marry him. Yes, you read correctly…thirteen days after our first “official” meeting.

The week before Christmas, this man started his new career as police officer, and for Christmas, he presented me with a Taurus .38 Special as a gift. Yes, I thought it was very romantic. And yes, he did get me other things, but that’s the gift I remember. He also bought me a diamond, but I made him take it back since we would need furniture for our new apartment he leased for us.

We moved into the new apartment on December 30th and on December 31st we eloped. We still kept the wedding plans for March 25th and remarried in front of our friends and family, though.

This year on New Year’s Eve, we celebrate twenty-three years of marriage. Yes, I believe in fairytales and Christmas wishes, because I’m living one.

Merry Christmas, friends. Always remember to BELIEVE!

Carmen DeSousa

Carmen characterizes her stories as modern-day fairytales, as they overflow with romance, mystery, suspense, and of course, tragedy. After all, what would a fairytale be without a tragic event setting the stage? All of her novels are sensual, but not erotic, gripping but not graphic and will make you cry, gasp, laugh, love, and hope.

Her first two novels, She Belongs to Me and Land of the Noonday Sun, have reached bestseller status right alongside Nicholas Sparks, J.D. Robb, and other great authors. Her third novel, Entangled Dreams, just published September 2012.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Launch Day for Carmen DeSousa's ENTANGLED DREAMS

Today is LAUNCH DAY of Carmen DeSousa's third book with 5 Prince Publishing, ENTANGLED DREAMS. Life is not a fairy tale and again, Carmen brings to us likeable characters who are flawed and the reader cheers them on until the end.



When Alexandra Nicole was eight, she thought she was a princess in a fairytale. But after a tragic accident shatters her magical life, she finds herself in a cold and heartless reality.

As an adult, she once again faces harsh truths and decides to take control of her destiny. Unfortunately, choices have a way of entangling her dreams and pushing her down a dark and dismal path.

Alexandra must trust her instincts to escape danger, but be able to surrender all to find her happily ever after. Knowing how to decipher the difference, will be her toughest challenge.





While Carmen DeSousa does not write "Christian" books, she does share her characters' Christian beliefs. Her characters are real people who come with real flaws; no perfect people allowed.
She characterizes her stories as modern-day fairytales, as they are overflowing with romance, mystery, suspense, and of course, tragedy. After all, what would a fairytale be without a tragic event setting the stage? All of her novels are sensual, but not erotic, gripping but not graphic and will hopefully make you cry, laugh, love, and hope.
Both of her published novels, She Belongs to Me and Land of the Noonday Sun, have reached bestseller status right alongside Nicholas Sparks, J.D. Robb, and other great authors.






Enjoy the prologue of ENTANGLED DREAMS

Prologue


As a child, Alexandra Nicole was a princess in a fairytale. Her royal family would spend every Sunday on the pristine beaches of Destin together. Her father, the king, would carry her on his shoulders, pretending to be her noble steed as he pranced around at her behest. He would battle dragons, the vicious Chihuahua that chased them; conquer new worlds, also known as a sand dune further down the beach; and build elaborate castles, well actually, sandcastles.
If her father was the king, then her mother was most definitely the queen. She would laugh softly under her umbrella as she watched Alexandra and her father roll in the gentle surf. When her mother did venture into the crystal-clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico, her long, platinum hair would blow softly in the breeze, her blue eyes sparkled like the water below her, and her skin glistened from the ever-present sunshine in their lives.
But alas, as in any good fairytale, everything good and wonderful must come to an end.
After the tragic accident that snatched her mother away from Alexandra, her father moved them away from the beaches of Destin to another beach in Florida. Cocoa Beach.
Cocoa Beach was loud, the water murky, and there were no weekend adventures as there had been in Destin.
Her father married her evil stepmother, Lilith, who Alexandra was certain was a witch with her long, black as midnight hair and pale-white skin as if she’d never seen sunlight. Her father had admitted he wasn’t in love with Cruella, as she had come to think of the witchy woman, but that he’d wanted Alexandra to have a mother and siblings.
Well, she definitely got that.
The king started staying out later and later at night, and the princess had to do excessive amounts of chores around her new castle. Her stepmother treated her like a pariah; certainly, she’d rather have the dogs at their dinner table. Her stepsisters were ugly inside and out and were forever jealous of Alexandra and her golden-blonde tresses. Anything nice Alexandra ever received mysteriously disappeared.
Alexandra knew something was wrong with her father, but she was too young to understand. Her father, forever the happy-go-lucky guy, had turned to drinking to drown his troubles. 
It sounds like your typical fairytale, but it isn’t. There are no furry creatures to help the princess prepare a gown for the prom, no fairy godmother to waive her magic wand and produce glass slippers. In fact, at age sixteen Alexandra found herself living on her own with no family contact and no prospects of a healthy, normal life.
Alexandra had only one advantage, if you could call it that. Alexandra was beautiful. But so far, her beauty had not opened any doors; actually, it had only caused her misery.
      The only people who welcomed Alexandra were the outcasts. The parents of other losers in school fortunately didn’t care who slept over and what they did when they stayed the night. So, Alexandra Nicole, now deciding to go by Nicky, as she was no longer a princess, found herself wandering from house to house throughout her remaining high school years. 
     And then she met him… 

Thursday, April 26, 2012

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Thriller
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When a team of assassins destroys the lab Gretchen Greene, ecoterrorist turned energy researcher, is working in, she must flee for her life. Cunning and crafty Randy Black has undergone a transformation from his previous tragic past and believes he's been sent to save Gretchen, but he must learn what she's done and why she's surrounded by armed men all intent on having her in one way or another.


After secrets and a mysterious background leave a wife’s life hanging by a thread, a husband must look for answers in the only place he knows—the past.



Gabriel Maguire thought he'd buried his past until the night he met Holly, only to lose the woman he cared about, again. Holly Jacobs has always put the cart before the horse. A prodigy who shot to stardom in textile design, she never knew a normal life—and there's nothing she longs for more than to be normal.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Guest Blogger Romantic Suspense Author Carmen DeSousa



"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at the typewriter and bleed." ~ Ernest Hemingway

Though I believe that quote by the famous Florida author is accurate, I don’t know that it is one hundred percent complete.

If you really want to bleed, submit your work to an agent or publisher. Although we need constructive criticism and I appreciate every agent who takes the time to actually comment on my work, it still hurts. Actually, it is downright painful.

As an author—and I know it’s authors reading this blog—I know you’ve been there. As much as you hate the standard rejection letter that rambles on the same, tired script, “Sorry for this impersonal letter, but your project just isn’t the right fit for us. But, opinions are subjective, so we wish you the best…”, it still hurts when you get that honest letter. The agent that is not afraid of your backlash at how you will someday be a super star—because your mom says so—and is willing to offer you beneficial feedback.
I welcome these letters; with every one of them, my writing has improved and will continue to do so.

And when my editor actually gets a hold of my pages and tears them to shreds to make them better, I listen to her suggestions, welcome them even. Because I believe in the end, it will only make me a better author.

So, remember, when an agent offers her opinion, take it in stride, learn from it, heck, even thank her for her opinion. Who knows, she may be the one that listens to why you wrote what you wrote and realizes you are an author willing to accept her ideas, and she may even offer you representation.


Of course, self-publishing is always on the table…then you don’t have to listen to anyone—wrong! You will always have your readers. Someone will always have an opinion on your writing. Get used to it and carry on


Carmen's book She Belongs to Me will release from 5 Prince Publishing in December 2011.  Visit her at www.carmendesousa.blogspot.com for more insight into her writing and upcoming projects.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Interview with author Carmen DeSousa


Today I am very excited to have Carmen DeSousa with me!  This up and comer is full of ideas and the stories just keep getting better.  Her first book, She Belongs to Me, will release in December 2011 from 5 Prince Publishing.  So let's get to know this fabulous author.

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
 I love the opportunity to share my experiences and situations that I have lived through in stories that people can relate to in their own life.

 Are you a plotter or a pantser?
 Pantser. I typically have only my hook before I start. I envision an idea for a story and just start typing. I will write a chapter in the morning, edit my writing the same evening, and then the characters come alive when I close my eyes and act out where the story will go.

Why do you think people should choose your books over another author?
 My stories only lack one element—they're not vulgar. I fill my novels with romance, thrills, and suspense without using vulgar language and explicit scenes as filler.

What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?
 Though tragedy is a part of life, you can overcome your circumstances with a belief in God and a soul-mate who will stand beside you no matter what.

How would you describe yourself if you were “speed dating” your readers?
 I have lived a tragic, but thankful life. As much pain as I have endured, I realize that if I hadn't lived through everything I did, I wouldn't be where I am. And today, I have a wonderful, supportive husband of twenty-two years and two perfect sons.

What books or authors have most influenced your life?
 There are so many, I wouldn't know where to begin. My family instilled of love of reading in me since I could read. On average, I read about two books a week. My favorites though are Sidney Sheldon, Nicholas Sparks, Iris Johansen, Jaime Rush, Heather Graham, and of course Bernadette Marie.

 Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself.
 I am a Florida native but have also lived in North Carolina for ten years. When I am not writing my own novels, I proofread for a couple of publishers and many authors. Though I have wrote short stories my entire life, it was only two years ago I decided to dedicate my time to writing novels.



Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases.
My first novel, She Belongs to Me, will be available December 2011. Please check out the first chapter: http://carmendesousa.blogspot.com/2011/07/sample-she-belongs-to-me.html

Land of the Noonday Sun is complete and will be available spring of 2012

From there, I have many stories waiting to share with my wonderful readers. I've waited twenty years to share my love of the written word and hope that you will be just as excited as I am.


Where can our readers find you online?




Tell us a little more about yourself. 
I love writing. As far back as I can remember I created stories—no, not to my parents—with my best friend. We would sit for hours playing with Barbie dolls, creating new adventures with the iconic toy. Then when I was eight, I actually wrote my first story. A horror story about gigantic fleas of all things, I guess I had a fear of fleas. Who knew I’d grow up to be a romantic-suspense writer?

When I was in college, I wrote my first novella. My professor wanted something that entailed drinking and fishing—he was a huge Hemmingway fan. Well, he sure received a surprise when he read my short story. It did have drinking and fishing, but there was nothing funny about it. It was sad; it was real life. Luckily, he enjoyed it, even admitted I was the first student who ever made him cry and that I had potential.

Unfortunately, it just wasn't in my future at the time. After all, I needed a roof over my head and food on my plate. At seventeen, I was on my own and a career as an author just wasn't feasible at that juncture in my life. At that time, if you didn’t live in the mecca—aka New York—you didn’t stand a chance, or at least that is what my peers insisted. So, I set out to conquer the business world, and I did. I spent the last decade and a half in sales, rising to the top of a Fortune 500 company.

Now fifteen years later, I'm back. And guess what, it's a new world where dreams really do come true. My first novel, She Belongs to Me, will be available December 2011, and from there, I have many stories waiting to share with my wonderful readers. I've waited twenty years to share my love of the written word and hope that you will be just as excited as I am.

Please join us on Thursday when Carmen joins us again as our guest blogger.