Cherie Noel's Blog, page 3

Fabulous Friday: Even when it Rains

I woke to the sound of rain pattering down on the porch roof outside my window. The grey half light that accompanies rainy days here in Tonawanda was not yet at full strength, but the sky was starting to lighten a little around the edges. About half of me wanted--okay, three-quarters of me wanted to roll over and let the soothing patter of water drops on the roof lull me back to sleep. However, there was one excited voice that rose up louder than all the rest...



Do you wanna know what that little voice was stage whispering right in my ear?

"Get up, fool. You only have four days left to get ready for GRL."

Seriously, I get no respect from my inner voices. Heh. But, it did have a point. Today is the Friday before GRL. It's like a big gay Christmas/Pride/Bestest-Sleepover-with-400+Friends.

And that?

Is simply fabulous. So I'm up. I'm writing. And I'm feeling a lot of joy about it. Nothing profound here, folks. Just simple joy. And to celebrate, as well as in honor of my fabulous Kidlet who makes me smile more than I frown, let's kick off this day with a little old school Motown from the Temptations.

Thursday's Think Tank: Pulling Triumph from Unforseen Adversity

Today's Think Tank post has been brewing in the back of my head for a few weeks. It's seeds are in my admiration for the perseverance and determination of a man many of you know, Eric Arvin, the extremely talented author.

You see, Eric's been through some tough times. And yet he keeps going. It made me think, really think about how the challenges I've faced in the last year or two can be reframed, even turned into opportunities to triumph.

So, I hit my head, *pauses to let everyone get their laughter over with* the summer before last. And my brain hasn't been quite the same since. Now, I could whinge and cry about how hard things are, or I can look at this from a different angle. I write differently now. I have to take more time. I have to double and triple check everything from daily meds to making a list where I can check things off as I go through my days. And while all of that is a bit of a pain in the keister, I've decided to look upon my new normal as an opportunity to be more deliberate in my life.

I'm planning out times to spend with my Kidlet. I'm having to relearn how long it takes me to accomplish tasks, and that's not a bad thing. It lets me look at everything I do with fresh eyes.

Oh, I intended this post to be so much longer, and more profound. But I have commitments to meet, and not enough time in my day to get everything done. So I'll leave you with this thought: I didn't know what I could accomplish in the face of adversity until I got slapped down a few times. No matter what you're going through, try to look at it from the a different angle. You may find that it's more a blessing than a curse if you can achieve that.

Oh, and if you want a sterling example of this, go check out Patrick Rummerfield's website. You'll be amazed.  This quote tops his page: "Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit." ~Napoleon Hill

Work in Progress Wednesday: Oh, there's oodles to choose from...

Here's what I'm working on right now. :)
Blurb: On the surface, Jackass Flats seems as common as ticks, tornadoes, or tumbleweeds on the plains of North Texas. But, scratch past the small town charm of Mama Cee's restaurant, or Gear Grinders Garage & Machine Shop, and you'll find a whole mess of interesting goings on. Mix a DEA investigation running off the rails, a Paul Bunyan sized French émigré dealing exotic cars, a long eared, lonely deputy scouting for stuff and nonsense at the infamous local casino, and a bow-chicka-wow-wow romance track playing at full volume, and things get spicy with cayenne, cilantro, and a heartwarming dash of good natured hilarity. 

As Sheriff Drayton Jeepers likes to say whilst stroking the road kill he claims is a toupee, "No one south of the highway lives in their own skin." 

Yeah, we don't know what he means either, but finding out promises to be fun!

Tuesday Newsday: 6 October 2015

Have I got news for you?
Woo-hoo, yes I do, news, news, news, news, oh yeah, glorious news.

1) The day before yesterday I sent the revised and ridiculously expanded version of Kiss & Tell--Kevin and Tony's story--off to my fabulous editor, Val L. Hughes. *gives a happy sigh* I lurve my editors so verra much.

2) The Super Seekrit Squirrel Project with Rhae Camdyn has finally been revealed. *massive grins*
It's a sweet, naughty, over the top tale of two bunnies-rabbits-jackrabbits-shifters--aw hell, two hot-tas-tic fellas full of fun and shenanigans. Set smack dab in the middle o' nowhere, Texas. *cackles*
And here's a sneaky peaky at the fantabulous art work that Catherine Diar has come up with for us. *points up at the pretty picture*
3) I'm also in the final stretch of two more stories...one for another favorite editor, Kris Jacen, and one that will be releasing next week, Nightflyer. And here's the cover for THAT: 
Okie dokie. Enough news for the day. Time to go make some more magic. :)

Monday Mayhem and Foolishness: On the Road to GayRomLit 2015

Eight days and a wake-up. That  is all the time I have before I'll be hanging out with my tribe at GayRomLit 2015-San Diego. Wooooooooooooo! I 'm so very excited. And terrified. Because, reasons. Serious reasons. What?
You want an explanation?
Um...okay. See, I have a ton of things to accomplish between now and then, and the attention span of a gnat. No, really. A freaking gnat. And we're not talking the most focused gnat of the group. Heh.

So, while I'm thrilled that I'll be able to see Carol Lynne, Ethan Day, Jp Bowie, Reese Dante, Teresa Emil, and the rest of the crew at GRL, I'm quaking in my support hose over the idea that I might drop the ball and not pull off all the cool things I have planned for this trip.

Eh, I guess that happens to us all on some level, hmm?

Okay. So, there are things I want to do. I can do this, right? I just need to get organized. More organized. Um, sure. I can do that. Make a list, check it twice, and plan to be both naughty and nice to the characters of my stories releasing that week, as well as all my fellow GRL attendees.
I'll have some giveaways--both during my super-awesome panel with Daniel Kaine and Erica Pike:

Storyteller Spotlight  Located in the: Del Mar Room End of the World as We Know It Daniel A Kaine | Cherie Noel | Erica Pike
Woo-hoo, this is going to be AWESOME-SAUCE.

*que the soundtrack*

Fabulous Friday: Sneaky Peeking!

Ta Da...I'm so pleased with this cover I want to break into song. Or, you know, finish the story and get it rushed through edits so that it can publish on October 12th, a mere two days before the start of 2015's GayRomLit Retreat in sunny San Diego.


















Hee hee hee. A fabulous Friday indeed.
And now, some music from our Dj...something with angels like my fellow up there on the cover, hmmm? Thankee kindly, maestro. Enjoy the music, dear readers. I know I will.

Work In Progress Wednesday: Traumatic Brain Injury, Domestic Violence and Other Dark Matters of the Heart

You might be wondering what TBI has to do with matters of the heart. Well, in my current work in progress, a greatly expanded (over 30k added) and heavily revised 2nd edition of Kiss & Tell, I introduce you to a main character who suffers from Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI, as the result of an assault.  Tony is an old hand at dealing with devastating acts of domestic violence, having lived through several years of abuse at the hands of an older brother before moving out of one bad situation only to fall into another, arguably worse one.

Like many LGBTQ domestic abuse victims, Tony has little recourse. His support system is negligible, his resources strictly monitored by his abusive partner, and his options for community assistance seem impossible to locate. Until a dedicated nurse throws him a lifeline in the shape of a one page resource access card.

Please, if you know or suspect someone is living in a domestic violence situation and/or has suffered from a head injury, share the resources at the end of this post with them--but remember to do so in a manner that will NOT place them at higher risk for assault/injury.

****
****
The unedited version of that lifesaving interaction:


Tony flinched back, head jerking up and gaze darting to the door. Ugh. That tore it. Kevin had never seen that response in a patient who got injured in an accident caused by sheer clumsiness. Big, beautiful, and seemingly tough Tony Giuliani needed one of Kevin’s LGBT friendly cards more than Lindsay Lohan needed a five year AA/NA chip and a sympathetic director/casting agent. And Kevin was going to make damn sure the big guy took one. Kevin quickly folded the card into thirds. “See, I even had them made so you can fold them up and fit them in your shoe. In case your friend or you know, whoever, needs to keep the card hidden. It’ll fit right under the lining of your shoe. There’s always a little gap—well, in most shoes—right where the side of the shoe meets the arch. At least in my not nursing shoes.” Kevin laughed and held up his foot to show the crocs he currently wore.“You can fold up one corner so it makes a little tab. Use that to lift the edge of the—oh, can I borrow your shoe to show you? So you know how to show someone else?” Kevin held his breath as he waited for Tony’s answer.Tony’s glance ping-ponged from the card to the exam room door. “Uh, sure. I don’t mind.”Kevin’s pulse thundered in his ears. Every time he passed one of these cards out he thanked himself for having them made up. After he read the cards the hospital passed out to suspected domestic abuse victims the first time, he realized any gay man—scratch that, any man period—in an abusive situation could expect zero help from the places listed on the card. And women in same sex relationships were in almost as bad a spot, because while they might have an easier time finding a shelter, so would their abuser. With a little research, however, he found a couple of shelters that were both gay friendly and willing to forbid entrance to abusive partners regardless of the gender and/or sexual orientation of the parties involved. His card wasn’t perfect, given that it left little recourse for straight men in abusive relationships. He’d had no luck finding shelters for men abused by women. Then again, little in this world was perfect, and at least his cards covered more of the possibilities than those the hospital routinely passed out.
Kevin reached into the side pocket of his scrubs and pulled out another of the LGBT friendly Domestic Abuse cards he’d made up. “Why don’t you try to fold that one up and then see if you can get in into your shoe? That way you’ll know how to show someone else.”********

Information Resources for Traumatic Brain Injury Finding a Shelter Near You Link_GenericNational Domestic Violence HotlineGLBT Resource HotlineGay Men's Domestic Violence Project

Tuesday Newsday: All the Stuffs and Nonsense that's fit to Print

Guten Morgen, my dears!
Erm, that's good morning in German.
Dunno why I'm speaking German to you.
It started last night. Eh, I just nod and smile these days, because who the heck knows what my brain is going to get up to when I leave it unattended for hours at a time. I suspect it's been sneaking into memories of my time serving at Budingen Kaserne in Germany.

O.O No, seriously.
I swear the slippery little sucker takes off on holiday while I'm sleeping and I don't always get the notes about where el Brainio has been. Again I say, O.O

Okay, so news, and a few more gratuitous pics of the town of Budingen, where I was stationed with the 69th chemical company from 1998 to 2001.
Erm, the news is exciting. Sort of. Nothing new out yet, but Hey Presto, I've got my mojo back!
Wrote over 4k yesterday, so it looks like the long dry spell is over. With enough rest and a semi-quiet environment I should be able to maintain a 2,500 to 6, 000 word count daily. And that means some exciting times for readers who like my particular brand of madness. Because at this pace, I'll have six stories written by the end of October. Some will be revised and expanded versions of older stories, some will be brand spanking new tales. And that is worthy of a fancy do at the castle in Budingen. Heh.

I've got my party hat on and my happy feet a'dancing...not to mention my fingers tappity-tap-typing in hopes that the finished stories will feel like a party to you as well.

Be Well, Babies. I'll have some yummy new stuffs for you to read soon. I pinky swear.
~Cherie Noel~

Monday's Mayhem and Foolishness: 14 September 2015

 I'm busy, busy, busy as a bee. Writing like mad. Because, deadlines. You know the drill, because EVERYONE has deadlines of one sort or another.


So I'll just leave you with these cute busy bee pics, and a little song by the Blind Melons. Cause that me, that little dancing bee. Heh. Dancing as fast as I can, and paying no mind to to the meanie-butts of the world. You do the same, hmm?
I'm hoping by the end of the day I'll be covered--heh, I mean my manuscript will be covered in as many new words as this little guy is in pollen granules.
*crossing all possible points of crisscrossingness on my body and getting my fingers flying on my trusty laptop's keyboard*

~~Cherie Noel

Fabulous Friday: 11 September 2015

The Teardrop Memorial is a little known memorial to ending world terrorism. Located at the former Military Ocean Terminal in Bayonne NJ, and created by Russian artist, Zurab Tseretel, the sculpture is a moving tribute to the tragedies of September 11, 2001. 

If you'd like to visit the memorial, or simply learn more about it, here's a link to the webpage for the site. TEARDROP MEMORIAL.
Please feel free to share any stories you have concerning 9/11/01 (events of that day, visits to memorials, planned events, questions, thoughts, etc.) in the comment section below.

May you all Be Well,
Cherie Noel