Chelle Cordero's Blog: ...from Chelle Cordero, page 42

Do You Watch "Days of Our Lives"

Oh yes, I'm a sucker for a soap opera - I used to watch "Days of Our Lives" with my disabled mom when I came home from junior high school; since we didn't have VCRs and DVRs back then, I couldn't watch once I went to high school or college. I feel like I've grown up with many of the characters (although certainly not at the same rate, lol)

But, I digress...

I am sitting here watching a Days of Our Lives episode (hope I don't throw any other fans any spoilers here) and Nick is finally confessing to Gabi what happened to him in prison. I sure hope that she accepts him.

I thought of my novel Courage of the Heart  and the scene where Adam Sherman tells Davie Prescott what happened to him...

Wow! The stories are so incredibly close. Unfortunately prison rape is frequently a very real and tragic occurrence...

I have to say that Blake Ferris (actor, Nick Fallon) has done a wonderful acting job. Kudos to him.

I recently created a NEW Book Club Discussion Packet for Courage of the Heart (you can download it here)

This book makes a terrific addition to any book club repertoire. I hope you enjoy it -

...and now, back to my soap.
Courage of the Heart
Adam is attracted to Davie, but he shies away from her innocence because he feels his shameful past is too harsh for her existence. Adam finally shares his darkest secret with Davie and is amazed to find that she doesn´t turn away from him.

But when Adam’s past catches up to him, he soon learns that there´s a lot more at stake than just his nightmares. Adam is prepared to give Davie up if need be in order to protect her until he learns that she´s got a secret of her own. With Davie´s help, Adam learns a courage that is born of love, courage of the heart.

I miss my youth - win a FREE ebook!

I miss the days when I felt confident enough to lead with my heart and not my head - when common sense didn't stop me from having fun - when I had the desire and the impetus to experience adventures - when I felt invincible and couldn't comprehend my parents' worries.

Today as a woman with several decades behind me and offspring of my own, my perspective is quite different. Today I (try to) think before I act, weigh the possible results of every decision, and say thanks everyday that I survived my youth and still manage to make it through my present. I don't lead a boring life by any means, but I do lead a more cautious one.

My two grown children have followed their hearts to travel the world, jump from airplanes, run obstacle races, play extreme sports, explore caves, hike mountains, respond to danger as first responders, learn and use new skills, take gambles, and always push themselves a few steps further. It would be sooo easy to live vicariously through them. And now I truly emphathize with my parents' angst...

My characters are not boring people either. When I write I include some of my past experiences, borrow some of my children's lives, and certainly toss in my dreams, to create people who live life to the fullest.

Have you read any of my books? Would you like to take a guess and try to win a FREE ebook of one of my novels?

Listed below are 3 columns - a character, a profession, a book title.  See how many you can match up. The first 4 people to play this game and get AT LEAST 1 complete answer right will win a FREE ebook. (hint: for easy clues, go to  http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/chellecordero) Submit your answer in the comments below

1:  Adam Sherman A: artist r:: Final Sin 2: Tom Hughes B: state trooper s:: Common Bond, Tangled Hearts 3: Julie Jennings C: FBI agent t: Bartlett’s Rule 4: Caitlyn Price D: pr exec u: Courage of the Heart 5: Matt Garratti E:  business owner v: Hyphema 6: Paige Andrews F: bodyguard w: Within the Law 7: Ryan Hunter G: programmer x: His Lucky Charm 8: Justin Ross H: flight medic y: A Chaunce of Riches 9: Ben Johnson I:  paramedic z: Hostage Heart

VHP Hot Summer Contest 2013

NEW AUTHOR CONTEST SUMMER 2013
Vanilla Heart Publishing is looking for a few more great authors, and we’re sponsoring a contest to find them.
We’re looking for novels in each of the following genres: mystery, suspense, and historical. Full manuscripts will be requested from the authors of the top three contest submissions in each genre. The winning manuscript in each genre as decided by our panel of three judges will be awarded a standard VHP contract.

CONTEST RULES
Contest opens to submissions 12:01 a.m. on June 1, 2013, and will remain open until 12:00 p.m. September 15, 2013. Submissions received before or after these dates will not be considered.Contest is open to both published and unpublished writers, however, the manuscript submitted must not have been previously published in any format, including self-publishing venues and blogs.

Novels must be complete, and be between 45,000–95,000 words. Submissions short or longer than this will not be considered.

Submission must include only the first three chapters and the final chapter of your manuscript.

Submissions must be in 12-point Times New Roman or Courier Font only .


Submission must also include cover sheet with the following and only the following information: 

Your nameYour pen name, if you have oneGenre of your submission/manuscript: mystery, suspense, or historical only. Other genres will not be considered.Working title of your manuscriptTotal word count of your full manuscriptTotal word count of your submissionYour e-mail addressWhere we can find you on the Web (Website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) with URLs or other direct links.
Submissions will be accepted via email only. Email submissions to: ContestSummer2013@
VanillaHeartBooksAndAuthors.com

We will select three full manuscripts from each genre by October 25, 2013. If your submission is not selected, you will be notified by this date.

Do not submit full manuscript unless requested to do so. Submitting full manuscript if not requested will automatically disqualify entry from contest.


Winning authors and book titles will be announced on the Vanilla Heart Publishing Website on November 25, 2013, after winning authors are notified and under contract, with publications dates and author pages on the VHP Website are completed.

We reserve the right not to declare a winner in one or more genres if none of the submitted manuscripts meet our publishing standards.

The decision of the judges is final. Do not email us questioning why your submission was not selected; such emails will not be answered.

Happy Mother's Day Weekend

Just wanted to wish y'all a
Happy Mother's Day
There are always mixed feeling to such an observance for those of us who are blessed to be moms and for those of us who remember the gentle nurturing of our own mothers. 
So I say thank you to my mom who passed away in 1979, the lessons she taught have carried me through life and I only hope that I have been able to emulate some of her mommy-ness for my own offspring. ~  I also remember my husband's mom and want to say thank you to her for raising such a fine son. I am blessed with wonderful memories of strong and capable women who knew how to let their children know they were loved.
And speaking of blessings, I have the most beautiful of all - my daughter and my son and their chosen mates. I thrill each time one of them calls me Mom. And I marvel at the two babies I coddled and how they have grown to be absolutely fantastic adults. I love them for being my "babies" and I admire them for their accomplishments and talents.
But enough about my boasting...This weekend also makes me think
"What is a mom?"
It isn't necessarily genetics or even gender anymore. A MOM is someone who nurtures and loves, a MOM is selfless and devoted, a MOM can give magical kisses and at least for a while is thought to know all the answers. Most of all, a MOM doesn't lose herself and yet her kids become her world. Being a mom is a great state of being.
So for all the nurturers, all the caregivers, all the huggers and all the confidants, I hope you enjoy your day with your little ones, with your fur-babies, and with the partner who helped make you a mom. (And if you are lucky enough to have your mom around, enjoy.)
Being a mom is one of the best feelings
in the world!

A re-post from Let's Talk Romance...

This post appeared on the Let's Talk Romance blog in January 2010
An Interview With Chelle Cordero
How did you get started writing?
In high school I took a creative writing class under the tutelage of the late poet Daisy Aldan, she helped my organize my earlier scribbles into cohesive thoughts. Later, while I was in college, I volunteered with the NYC Auxiliary Police and wound up working with the community relations officer of our precinct. Henry (Hank) Spallone taught me to write press releases and deal with the media – when a 16-year old boy was killed when he came to the aid of a mugging victim, Hank asked me to write an article for the local newspaper, the piece was published. That was the start of my professional writing career.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love knowing that my words have an effect on people – they can share emotions with my characters in my novels and hopefully they will “think” about the situations. Since I am also a freelance reporter for several publications, I also like providing valuable information to my readers and hopefully help them make sound decisions about their health, home and lives
Is there anything you would like to share about yourself or your work?
My work is an extension of me so I feel I do share myself with every story – while my characters may not resemble me in who they are, they do share many of my ideals. I believe that I have done many interesting things in my lifetime and I like adding some of those adventures and mis-adventures into the subplots.
How would you describe your love scenes?
HOT, but always appropriate My sex scenes tend to be explicit but I don’t believe in violence or force – just two people wanting to show each other great tenderness and pleasure.
How would describe your voice?
My “voice” comes through my characters – they write their own stories. I build a character by giving each a history and they react to the situations I throw at them based on past experiences and attitudes.
Where can fans follow you?
My personal web-site is http://chellecordero.com and my author blog is http://chellecordero.blogspot.com
Any professional advice for other authors?
Keep at it. Don’t let rejections deter you. Hone your craft, keep your writing tighter and keep writing and submitting. Read A LOT and don’t limit yourself to only one or two favorite genres – open your mind and absorb those words.
What is your favorite television show?
I enjoy shows such as Ghost Whisperer and Medium because I like the idea of exploring things we can’t see and may not believe in (btw, I DO believe in ghosts and ESP) – this gives our minds a chance to stretch beyond our known comfort levels.
What kind of music do you like?
I like most music but have a fondness for country songs and ballads that tell a story. I often work with music playing and enjoy allowing the music to “grab me”.
What is the most memorable book you’ve read?
The Bible. I took a theology class in college and the textbook was the King James version of the Old and New Testaments. I am Jewish and I enjoyed seeing the common origins between Judaism and Christianity. I also enjoyed the morals and lessons throughout this great book.
Do you have any pets?
Yes, aside from my hubby and kids (lol), I currently reside with three rambunctious cats – Tigger, Mario and Luigi. We’ve had cats all of our married life (34 years) and I feel a great love and have terrific memories of each cat that has since passed on.
Thank you for visiting A History.— April Dawn

May is National Pet Month

National Pet Month is a celebration of the benefits that pets bring to people's lives - and vice versa. It is observed annually in the United States in May... (from Wikipedia)

I love cats - I have three of them. Each pussycat has a unique and distinct personality. Often I swear they talk back, sure, it may sound like a "meow", but it certainly means more than that.
Mario  ~  Luigi  ~  Tigger(please don't be insulted dog lovers, I like pups too,
but I am highly allergic to them)
Some time ago a reader asked me about writing pets into my novels and I was ashamed to admit I had only done it once, in Courage of the Heart my heroine Davey had a dog named Gizzy that lived in her childhood home with her dad.

So feeling a little bit guilty and noticing the three felines pictured here staring at me as I work on my latest WIP, I've written a cat into it. My hero owns a cat, or rather, resides with one. The feline is named Mauszer, he gets underfoot quite a bit and hisses at the heroine a lot... but that is really expected for such an intuitive animal.

My current work is a paranormal named KARMA
Somehow I picture Mauszer as an older, possibly overweight, grey tabby. The hero inherited him from a previous tenant. I think he's an indoor cat (as mine are)
So how about you? Have you read (or written) about any memorable pets in your favorite stories? Please, tell me about it.

Living, Breathing, Writing - like having an artist in residence

Living, Breathing, Writing by Chelle CorderoThis book is available for download on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iBooks and on your computer with iTunes. Books must be read on an iOS device

.
DescriptionIn celebration of Volume 1 going to print edition due to demand, Chelle Cordero and Vanilla Heart Publishing have put together another complete month of lessons about the craft of writing and being a writer, from time management to social networking, organizing queries to publication, and more. Includes more than 50 brain-starting exercises and prompts to help you get those words on paper.

$5.99 Available on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Category: Language Arts & Disciplines Published:Aug 05, 2011 Publisher: Vanilla Heart Publishing Seller: Smashwords Print Length: 87 Pages Language: English
Based on the highly successful Amazon Kindle Blog
Living, Breathing, Writing  by Chelle Cordero - Blog Subscription$0.99 / month Kindle Edition

Carpe Diem

It’s been a tumultuous week. It began with the horrendous bombing at the Boston marathon, an explosion in Texas that devastated a community, followed by the senseless killing of an MIT police officer and the latest today, a 6.6 earthquake in China in an area still trying to recover from another earthquake a few years back.
Some people say the end of the world is near. They say that mankind has been “naughty” and like Sodom and Gomorrah, life as we know it will be struck down. It’s been intimated that we angered a supreme power and we must now pay the consequences.
I say that these events, heartbreaking  certainly, and overwhelming to families who have lost loved ones, have also allowed human beings to show their resiliency and strength in the face of unremarkable obstacles and threats. In times of calamity, mankind has always found a way to unite with fellow man.
The world sent messages of support, prayers, hopes and good thoughts to the city of Boston. Die-hard Yankee fans cheered for the Red Sox just because. Just hours after an explosion shattered the community of West, Texas, cars and trucks were lined up on the highways bringing supplies and offers of help. And back to Massachusetts, where cheers were loud and boisterous and emotional when the surviving Boston bomber was apprehended. South China was hit with an earthquake and once again folks huddled around television sets hoping for anything positive.
People care. It is the acts of heroism, compassion, selflessness and demonstrations of strength and calm that fill me with hope every day.
No one is ever sure of what will happen tomorrow or even if there WILL be a tomorrow. This makes it so important to live each day as if it were your last – never miss a chance to tell your loved ones how you feel, experience life and not just walk through it, and truly appreciate all of the good things around you  and the people in your life.
There are no guarantees and in a way that’s a good thing – why else would we force ourselves to live each day to its fullest and savor each delight that comes our way?
Laugh often, revel in the sounds all around you, enjoy the beauty of nature, and always give shelter and compassion to people in need. We can all be there for each other and sometimes even when you might ask for help, it does more than just make you feel better, it makes another person less frustrated and feel necessary.
When we do face adversity, intolerance, cowardice and terrorists, and hate – know that these are thankfully fewer than the good people around us and certainly not as vital to our communities as we are. Don’t live in fear, don’t stop living, don’t stop believing in yourself and in the good of people overall.
Be there. Live. Rejoice.

A Parent's Joy & Final Sin

During a private moment between Jake and Julie in the novel Final Sin, Jake tells Julie how he didn't live up to his mother’s expectations. Julie suggests that his mom just likes to complain but that she loves her children anyway.Isn't that was a parent is supposed to do? Love their children and to kvell (Yiddish, “to be delighted”, “bursting with pride”) over every milestone and accomplishment. A child doesn't have to win every competition or accomplish the seemingly impossible to earn his parents’ praise and love.Parents can take joy in every birthday, graduation (even from grade school), every time their daughter is on stage even if it is not a lead role, a new job, a new home, a marriage,… every little thing that is not so little to the parent watching an offspring blossom. Parents simply enjoy watching a child grow.It should never be about a competition, a comparison, or winning – every time a child shows a personal best, it is a huge accomplishment; every milestone in a child’s life is to be celebrated; every recognition is to be applauded. When all is said and done, the joy and happiness is a parents’ privilege.              "Tell me more about you.  I want to know you."  She spread her hand against his chest.  "Tell me what you were like as a child.  What's your family like?"            He shrugged slightly.  "I was just an ordinary boy, nothing special."            "I don't believe that.  There is certainly nothing ordinary about you now."            "Nobody expected anything great out of me.  At least I didn't let them down."            "I think you are underestimating yourself.  I think you are kind of great."            He gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze.  "My parents weren't thrilled when I got together with Helen.  They thought I was, well, thinking with the wrong brain."  Jake sighed.  "I think they were surprised when I decided to work towards my degree anyway."            Julie yawned.  "Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude."            "You need your sleep."            "No, I want to hear about you."  She was fighting to stay awake.  "How did they feel when you got divorced?  Did your folks like her?"            "I don't really know how my dad felt, he never really said.  Maybe he was just too busy letting my mom do the talking… I embarrassed her, I was the first to get divorced in the family.  I don't think my mother liked her, she just felt that once I was married, I should have stayed that way."            "Is your sister married?"            "Well… that was another reason for my mom to complain.  My sister has a partner, a same sex partner."  His mother's lament was having a son who couldn't keep a wife and a daughter who didn't choose a man.  "My sister and her partner came out, they're lesbians."  Jake wondered if he was just trying to see how Julie would react to that.  She didn't flinch.            She looked up at him in the darkened shadows.  "And your parents didn't approve?  How about you?"            "I guess I was a little uncomfortable at first, I had never known anyone, really known that is, who was… homosexual."  He shifted a bit.  "But then I went out to visit them, they live in California, and they are really happy together.  Maggie makes my sister really happy and that's important to me."            "That's good."  She sounded like she was beginning to drift off.  "Everyone should have a good person to love."            Jake held her close to him.  He thought about the disappointment he was to his mother and father.  And he thought about his ex-wife and how different she was from Julie.  Jake wondered briefly how different his life might have been if he had met Julie first.  Right, he thought, then he'd probably be in jail for child molestation!            Then he thought about how special Julie made him feel.  Jake realized that he had never really spent a lot of time thinking about how he felt, he just did the things he had to do each day.  Since meeting Julie, though, he did think about how good it felt to be with her, to hear her voice and how everything seemed to fit in place when she was around.            "Your mom probably just likes to complain.  I bet she really loves both of her kids."  When she spoke again, she sounded like she was almost asleep.  "And Helen is just a fool who seems very unhappy with herself."            It was uncanny how Julie seemed to get inside his head just then.

A Teaser from Final Sin

There wasn't anyone there who didn't look like they weren't ready to heave. Julie felt sorry for the vollies, the members of the local volunteer ambulance corps. At least she and Matt were being paid to be there. Then again, no amount of money was worth witnessing the carnage that was lying there before them.Matt had done the unwelcome task and already pronounced one of the girls dead. It was obvious death, obvious to anyone. Trying her best not to step into the pool of blood or disturb anything else vital to the crime scene investigation that would follow, she finished preparing the one girl who was still alive for transport.A young man in his late twenties or early thirties, Julie wasn't sure without reading the patient care report, had been burnt when his shirt had caught fire. He was sitting huddled and guarding his severely burnt arm as Matt treated him. He looked scared and in shock at the events around him and wouldn't look at any of the police officers who had responded. Julie assumed that it was his need to deny the trauma.A broad shouldered officer came through the door and took command of the scene. He seemed hardened to the butchery, almost as if he had seen too many gruesome scenes just like this one. Dressed in a dark blue baseball jacket, open collar knit shirt and khaki pants, he donned a pair of latex gloves he had carried in his pocket and began an almost detached visual inspection of the room. The springy snap of the elastic gloves stretching to fit his large hands was in sharp contrast to his motionless stance. Other officers at the scene deferred to his judgment and took instructions from him as he calmly took in the entire scene. He was concerned with the best way to collect the pertinent evidence to tell the story of what had happened.As Julie and one of the ambulance crew members moved the surviving girl to the gurney, she risked a quick look at the tall officer’s dark eyes and noted that there was a thinly disguised veil of dismay. He had intrigued her with his stony expression and seeming aloofness to the horrors, and his complete focus on the collection of relevant clues.  Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, it was a comfort to Julie that the cop was not completely indifferent to this horror or detached from the human cost.For Matt and Julie, their tour of duty had started out like many others. There had been a call to a minor motor vehicle accident, another for chest pains and one more for a cancer patient who needed to go to the hospital for treatment. Many of the upstate New York communities had contracted with Paramedic services to complement the existing ambulance corps and provide emergency medical response. Whether paid or unpaid, the certified corps always responded with Emergency Medical Technicians who were capable of handling most emergencies. When the Paramedics were dispatched as well, IV drugs and additional hands could often help make critical differences when necessary.This call had gone out over the radio for a burn victim, so none of the responding police, fire fighters, volunteer ambulance crew nor paramedics were prepared for what they found when they reached this isolated tool shed. From the outside, the grayed wood had seemed serene enough, and the one small window had been caked over with dirt. She didn't think that she would have given the shed a second glance under normal circumstances. But this was far from normal. No one had anticipated the horror scene inside.

Final SinFinal Sin is the first of my two EMS mystery stories.
I've been a NYS Emergency Medical Technician since 1987 and a volunteer with Stony Point Ambulance Corps ~ my whole family works and volunteers in emergency medical services. While Final Sin, and it's sequel Hyphema , are works of fiction, many of the EMS perspectives are very real.
Being an EMS volunteer has been a completely enriching experience and has given me a wonderful opportunity to be a vital asset to my community which depends on volunteer emergency services. All of these years of being an EMT has also given me great insight into the beauty and fragility of human life.

I hope you will share some of my experiences - please read my books Final Sin and Hyphema. And why not consider volunteering in your own community and helping your neighbors in their times of need?