WHY WE WROTE THIS NOVEL THE WAY WE DID...

Diana and I love South Beach, Florida, and we wanted to write a fun, romantic comedy together, so we decided to write SOUTH BEACH SIZZLE. Of course it required many beach days and lots of delicious Latin food and drink. 

SOUTH BEACH SIZZLE went on the become a QUILLS AWARD nominee!

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I co-wrote this book with my daughter Diana Gonzalez.  Here she is at the beach getting her South Beach Sizzle on!

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Publisher: 
Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group
ISBN-13: 9781416900115
Ages 14 and up
Series: The Romantic Comedy line

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Excerpt:

Chapter Five
"What good is getting a sexy suit if you're going to wear the world's biggest T-shirt at all times?" Jeff asked as they left Ocean Drive and strolled along the beach's cement walkway a few days later.

"All right! All right!" Lula cried. Yanking off her oversize T-shirt, she scowled at Jeff. She turned in a circle, showing off the skimpy hot pink bikini. "There! Are you happy?"

"You look great. I'd be even happier if you'd lose the glasses," he replied.

"Can you tell me why you want to see me stumbling around the beach, half naked and nearly blind!" she grumbled.

"You don't have to be blind. You know you could wear your contacts," he countered. "You have them, so why don't you use them?"

"They make my eyes feel dry."

"They do not. You just never gave them a chance," he insisted. "Your eyes are awesome! Why do you want to hide them behind glasses?"

Lula suddenly sat down on a bench set back off the walkway. "Why are you picking on me today?" she asked.
"I'm not," he insisted with an edge of annoyance, but then he softened and sat down beside her. "Am I? I don't mean to. It's just that it seems as if you hide behind those big shirts and beach cover-ups and your glasses. And sometimes I think you even..." He stopped himself, deciding not to say what had been on the tip of his tongue.

"What?" she demanded.

"Well, maybe you hide behind me, too," he added.