Blog: Combining Fact and Fiction in Today’s Paranormals by Caridad Pineiro
If you ask most people what was their most boring school subject, it would probably be a toss up between math and science. Possibly science would win out, so you are probably asking yourself why I decided to combine science with something as unusual as a romance novel.
Well, I’ve always loved science and since I equally love romance . . .
It just seemed like the perfect combination!
But before I could mix up those two unlikely subjects, I had to create the perfect characters for such a story.
The idea for Caterina came first. I pictured an elegant and determined young woman faced with a horrible circumstance – a brain tumor. I wondered what she would risk in order to save her life and continue to enjoy her music.
Since Genetics was one of my favorite courses in college, it immediately occurred to me that Caterina’s cure would be one created by using gene therapy.
Unfortunately, the scientists Caterina trusts with that therapy also decide to use Caterina for a guinea pig and implant other genes which produce a number of side effects, the most evident of which are the changes to Caterina’s blood, skin and eyes.
The glow in Caterina’s skin is the uncontrolled proliferation of the implanted genes which have been tagged with green fluorescent proteins (also known as GFPs). GFPs are used by scientists to track the expression of genes since they know where the GFP-tagged genes have gone when phosphorescence occurs.
Scientists have even been able to create fish, cats and mice that glow in the dark using these GFPs. Why do this? The glow helps scientists determine if the genes they wish to use are being incorporated where they should go. With the glowing fish, scientists use them to track the effects of pollution and other problems associated with fish populations.
If you want some glowing critters of your own, you can visit www.glofish.com.
That’s the fact part in SINS OF THE FLESH.
As for the fiction part of the story, there was no doubt that it would revolve around a romance and a hot, sexy bad boy hero – Mick Carrera. While the first thing Mick Carrera notices about Caterina is her glowing blood after she’s been shot, it’s certainly not the last thing that grabs his attention!
Interested in finding out more about SINS OF THE FLESH? You can visit http://www.caridad.com/books/paranormal/sins-of-the-flesh/ for more info and behind the scenes details about the science, locations and foods in the book.
As for the glowing skin, here’s a short video showing a cat that has been implanted with GFPs. Watch for the glow in the visible skin areas of the cat.
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Donna said:
Thank you for this very interesting informative blog Caridad. Everyday we see science fiction becoming science fact and your research gives your writing that added punch we readers love.
Karin said:
Enjoyed the videos. I wish our cat was also a night light. Then maybe I wouldn’t trip over her when I get up in the night :>)
Caridad Pineiro said:
I wish my cat was a night light as well. I wouldn’t stub my toes all the time when I get up to write at the crack of dawn.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!