Chelle Ramsey's Blog, page 45

THROWBACK THURSDAY: 2007 A YEAR IN REVIEW

The year 2007? And there was a lot going on in my personal life as well as on the news. The pop culture world would be saddened by losses, shaking their head at foolishness, and shocked by bold moves. I was excited because my family would be moving at the end of the year into our new home. I had just started a new job that year and there were so many exciting things on the horizon. And it was the last year my family's life would ever be considered what we called "normal."


SPORTS:
SUPERBOWL CHAMPS: Indianapolis Colts

NBA CHAMPS: San Antonio Spurs

TOP NEWS:
Anna Nicole Smith dies from a drug overdose at the age of 39.
Paris Hilton spent 23 days in jail for DUI.
Britney Spears shaved off her hair.


TOP 10 MOVIES:
1. Spider-Man 3
2. Shrek the Third
3. Transformers
4. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix
6. I Am Legend
7. The Bourne Ultimatum
8. National Treasure: Book of Secrets
9. Alvin and the Chipmunks
10. 300


TOP 10 SONGS:
10. Fergie ft. Ludacris - Glamorous
9. Nellie Furtado - Say It Right
8. Akon ft. Snoop Dogg - I Wanna Love You
7. Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah
6. Carrie Underwood - Before He Cheats
5. T-Pain ft. Young Joc - Buy You A Drank  (Shawty Snappin)
4. Fergie - Big Girls Don't Cry
3. Gwen Stefani ft. Akon - The Sweet Escape
2. Rhianna - Umbrella
1. Beyoncé - Irreplaceable

WRITER WEDNESDAY_A SURPRISE VISIT

/Today's Writer Wednesday takes a look at my current #WIP "A Woman's Choices." I had taken a break from writing my stories for one month. It was a very refreshing and eye-opening period that was definitely needed.

This #wip is my first work in first person. A story about three friends coming from similar backgrounds, yet making choices that have led them down diverging paths.

CHAPTER 11:
 
Sasha and I had resumed our regularly scheduled lives after the brief interruption. Attending church with my parents that Sunday had been a cleansing process for us both. We enjoyed dinner with them that evening and returned to school and work as if all were well. I continued to take her back and forth to school, until I could re-secure my trust in her. Just because we had run into Jaime, did not mean I had forgotten the things Sasha had done prior to his arrival.
It had been a couple of weeks after our run in with Jaime at the restaurant that I once again experienced an upheaval in our lives. I was analyzing the forecasts that had been submitted by each department for the month. My internal line buzzed.
“Yes, Nadia?” I answered, after pushing the button to respond to my assistant’s call.
“There’s a gentleman in the lobby downstairs insisting he needs to speak with you. Security did not allow him up; however, he has persisted, stating it was an urgent family matter,” she explained.
I could not think of any male that would be attempting to reach me about family matters. I was an only child and my father, uncles and grandfather all had my cell phone number, as well as my direct extension at work. Everyone here was very familiar with my father. I knew it couldn’t be him, otherwise they would have allowed him to come directly up.
“Did he leave a name?” I inquired.
“No ma’m. Security says he’s appears to be a Hispanic gentleman?” A probing tone rang out in Nadia’s voice, as though she were questioning rather than informing me.
Hispanic. That could only be one person…a Cuban man by the name of Jaime Fernandez-Garcia. What the hell did he want and why was he here at my job? Truthfully, I could answer the second half of that question, easier than the first half. He dared not go to my parents’ home. He probably knew I had shared with them what happened, and my father would be waiting to break his puny behind in half. He knew that I worked for EBS, so he had shown up here instead.
What I did not know was the why. And curiosity was getting the better of me. I wanted to know the why, but I wanted to do it on my own terms. I knew I needed time to get my emotions under control. And when I really thought about it, I realized I wasn’t as surprised as I first thought I was. Honestly, I had been waiting for this visit. I knew that his wife might even be behind it. Yet, I needed to get me under control first. Where he was concerned my emotions were a wreck. He was the last man I had truly cared for, or trusted. And he had taken that care and trust and tossed it out like yesterday’s garbage. 
If you enjoyed this post, I encourage you to share it with others by clicking the social media icon below. Thanks for dropping in and as always please leave a comment, because I just love chatting with you. You can link up with me online using the icons above.

Come check out my books, and learn more about the woman behind the blog at my website www.cmichelleramsey.com . Until the next time I'm just... Writing My Dreams by: Chelle Ramsey www.cmichelleramsey.com
 
 

IT'S TIME TO "WOMAN UP"_TALK ABOUT IT TUESDAY

In today's society I see more and more females giving excuses for why they can't give their best. I find more and more women passing down a generational curse of promiscuity to their daughters, and excusing them for their behavior. I see more and more women trying to go toe-to-toe with a man and level the so-called "playing field." We're always talking about "man up," but when are we going to "woman-up?"

It's time to teach our daughters about self-respect, dignity, and morality. It's time to discuss with them the truth of the world and where we went wrong as women. You always hear the tale that there aren't any more good men out there, well I beg to differ. I have been blessed with a good man, my step-dad is a good man, my brothers are good men, and so is my cousin. They respect themselves and the Queens and Princesses of their lives. But if we want something good to come our way, then we've got to put good out there. No man is going to respect a woman who only believes she has her body to offer.

When you can't look beyond the sexual and physical nature and look within yourself, how can you expect him to do the same? It's not about being on the same level as a man, it's about being the best woman that you can be. We are the true nurturers of the world and the strength and backbone of the family. We must learn to be strong in our own right and learn to be a good woman and then He will bless us with a good man. Being that man's strength and backbone will keep him strong and being his best. We shouldn't be comparing ourselves to men, but we should be comparing ourselves to being God's best. I believe women went wrong when they began to take on the concept, "If he can fool around so can I." No...you can't, or actually you can, but you shouldn't. That's the first step of losing respect for yourself.

As women we are to teach our daughters to love and embrace their unique gifts, and to treat their bodies as temples. We are to teach them to love and respect those in authority and to have a beautiful spirit at all times. This isn't to say that every female must be the same, but we have to take back our dignity, our strength, our respect, and our womanhood. We must be our best for our daughters to be their best.

Join me as we continue the discussion on this "Woman Up" series. Because I know that we could discuss this controversial topic all day.

If you enjoyed this post, I encourage you to share it with others by clicking the social media icon below. Thanks for dropping in and as always please leave a comment, because I just love chatting with you. You can link up with me online using the icons above.

Come check out my books, and learn more about the woman behind the blog at my website www.cmichelleramsey.com . Until the next time I'm just... Writing My Dreamsby: Chelle Ramsey www.cmichelleramsey.com  

FREE YOURSELF_MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY MOMENT

http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4082500

A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.- Ayn Rand

So often we find ourselves focusing on what someone else is doing and measuring our worth against theirs. But we are all made with our own unique abilities and gifts. Focusing on what someone else is doing and trying to attain their level of success may just hinder you and place limitations on you. God has something great in store for each of us, which isn't to be measured against another person's. His measurements are not like ours, and the only measurement we should use are the standards He sets in place for us.

When we find ourselves competing with others we cannot possibly pull the best we have out of what we have to give. Our focus is not on what we have to offer, but instead we develop tunnel vision and can only focus on what someone else is doing. Remove your limitations, develop your gifts, release your inhibitions, and let your creativity flow.

If you enjoyed this post, I encourage you to share it with others by clicking the social media icon below. Thanks for dropping in and as always please leave a comment, because I just love chatting with you. You can link up with me online using the icons above.

Come check out my books, and learn more about the woman behind the blog at my website www.cmichelleramsey.com . Until the next time I'm just... Writing My Dreamsby: Chelle Ramsey www.cmichelleramsey.com

AN ENCOUNTER WITH A STRANGER_WRITER WEDNESDAY

Today's #writerwednesday shares a snippet from BeJeweled: The Flight of an Angel. Olivia has been busy with preparations for the opening of her second salon in the Buckhead location. A few challenges have been tossed her way that would slow the average person down. But Olivia is determined to keep her focus on her goals and move ahead with her plans, despite the brewing storms all around her. What she isn't prepared for is an encounter with a stranger. Could the encounter be a planned meeting that has more to it than meets the eye, or is serendipity at work?


CHAPTER 18: MOVING ON
Atlanta had experienced severe thunderstorms and tornadoes for an entire week in mid-July. They were past the tornado season and this many storms at once was an anomaly for the city. The damage that had occurred as a result had been horrendous and painful on the pockets of insurance companies.
The frequent threat of floods and tornado damage had made it difficult to travel around and handle business. Construction on the new salon had come to a complete stand-still as the workers scurried around securing their homes and helping to repair the homes of neighbors and families in the aftermath. She was glad that they were moving forward again as the month drew near to a close.
After shutting off the ignition, she pulled her sunglasses down from her head thankful for the warm, blinding rays of the sun that had returned to the city. She was stopping in to see how renovations for her new location were coming along. The storms had barely stopped before the contractors were back at work, making the necessary repairs and renovations for the new salon. Walking up to the glass and brick building, she beamed with pride. The sun’s rays couldn’t shine brighter than her smile that day.
After pocketing her keys, she pulled the strap of her purse further up her shoulder with her left hand, while her right hand carefully held on to the hot mug of coffee she was carrying.
Her mind was running with the thoughts of what her day would bring and longing for Raymond’s company. She spotted someone passing by out of the corner of her eye and gave a quick glance and a distracted smile, and bowed her head down again lost in her own thoughts.
“Watch your step, lil’ lady,” came the coarse voice as it passed her.
Walking up the incline of the parking lot, she looked up and said “Huh?” as she simultaneously slipped on a patch of wet leaves she had somehow missed seeing.
“I gotcha.” Hands bundled in dirty brown, tattered fingerless mittens steadied her, preventing her from falling. Somehow the person was able to get her set upright again before she completely fell over, and miraculously she didn’t spill a drop of coffee.
“That was so stupid of me!” she fussed. She shook her head at the ridiculousness of wearing her red 3 ½ inch” stilettos in a construction zone, not to mention after a storm. She simply had not been watching where she was going. Glad for the assistance, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude that someone had prevented her from being hurt. Looking herself up and down, Olivia marveled at the fact that she also had avoided soiling her black skirt suit with coffee.
“Naw…accidents happen. Dem wet leaves be a monster and can be as slippery as ice if you ain’t careful. You jes be careful ya hear?” came the gravelly voice again.
Turning around to take a closer look at her rescuer she could only see a stooped older man in shabby jeans, construction boots and a sweatshirt. He wore a green, dingy skull cap pulled down low over his forehead. Almond shaped light-brown eyes peered out from beneath the skull cap at her assessing and watching her. She couldn’t fathom why he would be dressed like that in temperatures that were well into the mid-eighties already and expected to climb into the high nineties on this mid-summer day.
Olivia reached out her hand to shake his gloved ones. “Thank you, Mr.?”
“Ain’t no reason to thank me, gal. You jes be careful ya hear?”
“I sure will. But I really appreciate it, what’s your name?”
“T’ain’t no reason to ‘preciate me. Jes one of God’s chilren lookin’ out for another of His own. But the name’s Rudy, Miss Olivia.”
He tottered away from her down the parking lot, heading towards the other side of the street behind them.
“Wait! How do you know my name?” she called out. He continued tottering along, his only acknowledgement of her question just a simple wave of his hand over his head in a goodbye gesture, never turning around to see her slack jawed expression.

WHY I LOVE RELATIONSHIPS & YOU SHOULD TOO!

https://www.bernardsolutions.com/baseAssets/relationships_tab02_02.jpgOftentimes when we think about relationships we instantly think of our significant others. We don't always focus on the other relationships that are vital to our lives, such as our siblings, extended family, friends, neighbors, etc. These relationships can be important and fulfilling, as well as have a major impact in our lives.

Relationships are to be planted with deep roots and nurtured with love and kindness. Difficult times will arise challenging your beliefs, the connection that you have with those around you, and your perspectives. You may feel like severing the friendship with that person. However, it is in these times that I believe the bond should be built stronger than ever. It's the trials and the challenges that strengthen and mold the relationship process. And with prayer and determination you can make it through the tough times.

Every relationship must be fed with understanding, compassion, commitment, and patience. Implementing prayer is the perfect elixir to help overcome the challenges. I have learned that relationships can teach you strength and character if you allow it. You learn from those that you are surrounded with as you watch how they handle trials. Witnessing their character during tribulation can inspire strength and faith in you when you face your own trials.

Sometimes  relationships are brought into your life to test you in ways that you never knew you could be tested. You begin to question their purpose in your life and if the relationship should move forward. Now I know that I said you should hang on through the trials, but if that relationship is causing you harm or detrimental to your well-being in any manner, it's probably time to end the relationship.

Other times the test is only that...a test. It isn't meant to end the relationship, but to fortify your character. Whether you allow the relationship to continue on or not, you learn a valuable lesson about yourself in the end. As you continue to grow, you learn what you will and won't take, you learn what's important and what isn't, and you get to know yourself more.

At other times the relationships in your life are positive and bring light and hope into your life and make you better than you were before they entered your life. In these times not only should you soak up all the person wants to invest in you in terms of time, knowledge, and understanding, but you should pour back into them as well.

The relationship process should be reciprocal and not one-sided. Don't continually look for what the other person can do for you, but think of ways to bless them in return. Take the time to get to know the other person and what their wants and needs are. Understanding their expectations of what they need from the relationship will place you at an advantage. If you know what they expect of you, then you also know whether or not you have what it takes to meet those expectations. If you cannot...be honest up front with yourself and the other person.

Usually in life when we have been hurt by others, whether a relationship with a significant other, your parents, siblings, or even a church member we push all relationships away. We tend to close in on ourselves and shut the world away. However, those times only come to bend and shape us into the people we are to become. And it is at these times that we need our other relationships more than ever. There is nothing like having someone in your corner to pray for you and with you, to give you an encouraging word, and to bring the smile back on your face. And what a beautiful thing it is to be able to give that back to them as well.

If you enjoyed this post, I encourage you to share it with others by clicking the social media icon below. Thanks for dropping in and as always please leave a comment, because I just love chatting with you. You can link up with me online using the icons above.

Come check out my books, and learn more about the woman behind the blog at my website www.cmichelleramsey.com . Until the next time I'm just... Writing My Dreamsby: Chelle Ramsey www.cmichelleramsey.com

A LABOR OF LOVE

"At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in.’" - Mother Teresa.
Let the labor that you do today and every day be a labor of love for someone who needs it.


HAPPY LABOR DAY!

If you enjoyed this post, I encourage you to share it with others by clicking the social media icon below. Thanks for dropping in and as always please leave a comment, because I just love chatting with you. You can link up with me online using the icons above.

Come check out my books, and learn more about the woman behind the blog at my website www.cmichelleramsey.com . Until the next time I'm just... Writing My Dreamsby: Chelle Ramsey www.cmichelleramsey.com

FASCINATING FRIDAY_BOOK SALE

During the month of August I decided to put two of my novels on sale for the entire month. Sort of a back-to-school special if you will. Both, Is The Grass Really Greener and BeJeweled: The Flight of an Angel are on sale for $0.99. You can get your copies below:


                                   
         AMAZON                                                                                    AMAZON

BJFOAA: ABOUT THE BOOK & EXCERPT       ITGRG: ABOUT THE BOOK & EXCERPT



If you enjoyed this post, I encourage you to share it with others by clicking the social media icon below. Thanks for dropping in and as always please leave a comment, because I just love chatting with you. You can link up with me online using the icons above.

Come check out my books, and learn more about the woman behind the blog at my website www.cmichelleramsey.com . Until the next time I'm just... Writing My Dreamsby: Chelle Ramsey www.cmichelleramsey.com

A MULTITUDE OF GENRES_WRITER WEDNESDAY

Writing is something that I am passionate about and something that I have created a love affair with so to speak. When I write I am in a world of my own creation and one of my own choosing. I won't say that the outcomes are selected by me or even already known. I have yet to write a story whose ending turned out the way that I expected. Generally the story takes twists and turns that I didn't set out to create. The map that I choose never leads me to the destination that I picked.

As an author I have the freedom to lose myself in the creative process. I love to have music playing in the background as I write. The music is typically indicative of the scenes that I am writing at that time. It helps me visualize the location, the atmosphere, the moods and intensity of my characters' emotions, and portray what they are feeling in the moment.

My women's fiction stories are intertwined with several different genres. From spiritual to drama, and inspirational to an element of romance, my novels contain a bit of it all, including some humor at times. It allows me to connect with readers from varied backgrounds in a conglomeration of shared experiences that people can relate to, and be inspired from. Not only to tell a story, but to let others know they are not alone in their trials. There is unity in shared experiences and people are consoled when they know others are going through similar trials. And even more so they are lifted up when the story has an ending that is realistic, yet positive.

In the excerpt that I'm sharing today Angel's life has been turned upside down. And as is true with most females she is in an emotional state at the moment, and is turning to her best friend, who happens to be a male to help her forget her woes. This portion of the story contains an element of contemporary romance, and passion.

Take a look at Chapter 29 "No More Games" from BeJeweled: The Flight of an Angel.

EXCERPT:


Angel had dressed rather sexy tonight despite the fact that she was chilling with her now best friend. She needed to feel beautiful and sexy, not to grab Alex’s attention, but as women sometimes do she wanted to see that men still desired her, and she knew her outfit would grab attention when they walked through the club doors. She wore a gold lame` bustier that showcased a slight flare at the waistline. Black tight jeans emphasized her small waist and clung to the curves of her plump behind. Her four inch black stilettos easily boosted her height to 5’5” bringing her closer to Alex’s height tonight. She wore black and gold accessories to match her gold purse. In recent weeks Angel had allowed all the color to grow out of her hair and she wore a long black weave parted in the middle, flowing down to the middle of her back.
Alex held on loosely to her waist with one hand as she wriggled her hips and shook her body from side to side. Her arms locked tightly around his neck and she gave him a flirtatious smile and winked her eye at him. Alex’s face did not crack a smile; she didn’t know what was on his mind, but she gathered he was enjoying himself despite the serious look he wore.
Angel turned around and with her back to him she continued to wiggle her hips back and forth. With a low growl emitting from deep within his throat, Alex pulled her closer to him almost crushing her in his arms. There was something possessive about his hold on her as his body swayed back and forth to the pulsating rhythm of T.I.’s “Ball.” When he finally loosened his grip, Angel dropped down low and worked her way back up again, all the while making her butt jump to the rhythm of the beat, hair swinging back and forth. When she reached her full standing height Alex was standing behind her swaying to the beat.
“You’ve got moves for a white boy, if I didn’t know any better I would’ve thought you were a brother,” she teased.
“Alright, girl, I got your white boy. Maybe it’s the Armenian blood running through my veins from my mom and dad,” he winked at her.
When the song came to an end they were prepared to leave, but the DJ played Usher’s “Love in This Club” remix and Alex pulled her back against him. She held onto his neck with one hand while the other hung at her right side. She could feel his large hands tightening around her small waist and those green eyes of his were making love to her right there on the dance floor.
When he licked his lips, Angel thought she was going to lose control and go right over the edge. There was an intense passion ignited in her that she didn’t know existed before this moment, one she was not ready to take on. She had one leg between his and his manhood pressed itself against her thigh, growing and demanding attention. Alex’s head lowered as he pressed a soft kiss against the back of her neck. He wanted her and there was no denying it, she held her head up and looked in his eyes again and that was her mistake. Uh-oh, she thought, I think we just crossed the friends line.
Alex took her bottom lip in between his teeth and bit it. As soon as she flicked her tongue out to soothe the bitten spot, he used his tongue to claim hers in a passionate dance of loving. The kiss was demanding, sensual and powerful at once. All thoughts flew from her head as Angel struggled to maintain her composure. Things were moving too quickly for her and she wanted to regain control of the situation before it went too far.
What did that kiss mean? Damn you, Alex! I’m not ready for this, Angel thought.
She felt the sexual tension in the atmosphere like the heat from asphalt on a hot summer day after the rain. That thought sobered her.
“Hey, Alex. I think we need to sit down for a moment. I think these drinks are starting to get to us,” Angel laughed and begin fanning herself.
“Why don’t we get out of here?” Alex suggested.
BEJEWELED: THE FLIGHT OF AN ANGEL is now on sale on Amazon.  



I f you enjoyed this post, I encourage you to share it with others by clicking the social media icon below. Thanks for dropping in and as always please leave a comment, because I just love chatting with you. You can link up with me online using the icons above.

Come check out my books, and learn more about the woman behind the blog at my website www.cmichelleramsey.com . Until the next time I'm just...

Writing My Dreamsby: Chelle Ramsey www.cmichelleramsey.com

TAKING IT TO THE RADIO

We interact through this blog almost daily. I write posts, you read them and sometimes we converse about the topics discussed. Today I want to invite you to step out of our normal forum and get personal. I would love to have you tune your radio dials in today to Tennessee's Kix 96 F.M. R&B station. I will be interviewed by Kimberly Kaye at 2:30 P.M. EST. I would love to have you join in. You can also listen online at my96kix.com. Come on and check me out. ;)