Thursday, March 25, 2010

His Lucky Charm - a Kindle book

What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas this time it follows Brandon and Caitlyn across the country and into a world of espionage and danger.

The one thing that Brandon knows for sure is that he can't afford to lose his lucky charm, Caitlyn.


(Previously released as Forgotten, Vanilla Heart Publishing, 2008)

One of the last things a woman wants to hear from the man she is making love with is "Who are you?" When Brandon asks that of Caitlyn less than a day after their Las Vegas wedding, her life begins a wild and out-of-control spin. Even though Brandon can't remember Caitlyn, Brandon can't understand why he is so attracted to a woman that his fiancé tells him he has no right to be in love with.
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His Lucky Charm is a re-release of my earlier novel, Forgotten - the exciting news is the NEW title. Look it up on Amazon and the title comes up a lot sooner than its predecessor, thus ending some of the frustration of readers who wrote to me.

Vanilla Heart Publishing has generously re-released this romantic-suspense with a new title and a hot new cover.


His Lucky Charm is also available on Smashwords
in multiple e-book formats


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Sunday, March 21, 2010

Pre-Order Nature's Gifts now


Nature's Gifts Anthology
Compiled by Vanilla Heart Publishing


from VHP:

"We are thrilled with the quality and variety of prose and poetry for our first annual Nature's Gifts anthology. More than twenty pieces, from haiku to villanelles, from essays to short stories, will delight nature lovers everywhere. Take a walk in a garden or hike in a national park. Reflect on the moon. Learn something new. Laugh and cry with our writers as they discover the beauty, the joys, and the raw power of nature. The Nature Conservancy will receive a donation of 50 percent of the profits for every book sold in both print and e-book editions for one year. Dedicated to protecting our rapidly vanishing natural environment, The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 117 million acres of land in 28 countries.

The selected poets and authors are: Kathi Anderson, Douglas G. Campbell, Malcolm Campbell, Sam Cash, Chelle Cordero, Helen Fanick, JEGlaze, S. Kelley Harrell, Robert Hays, Donna Henes, Lisa Houff, Victoria Howard, Leah Mooney, Thom Newnham, Deanne Quarrie, Connie Spittler, Smoky Trudeau, Kimberlee Williams, & Scott Zeidel."


Tuesday, March 16, 2010

An interview AND a review - WooHoo!

I was interviewed as a (PROUD) member of the Hudson Valley chapter of RWA, please check it out…

Chelle has written some memorable stories over the years. Her books include Bartlett’s Rule, Forgotten, Within the Law, Courage of the Heart, Hostage Heart, A Chaunce of Riches & most recently Common Bond,Tangled Hearts. Her murder-mystery thriller, Final Sin, was published in May 2009.…read more

Sunday, March 14, 2010

A CHEAP way to read my books...

If you live in New York's Hudson Valley and use the Ramapo Catskill Library System, you can borrow FIVE of my books because they are in the catalogue:

Final Sin
Within the Law
Forgotten
Bartlett's Rule

and an early edition of Courage of the Heart (doesn't have the pretty cover!)

You can borrow these books from ANY RCLS member library

What?!?! You don't live in New York!

Well, then take this list to your local library and
ask them to get my books for you...



Common Bond, Tangled Hearts by Chelle Cordero ISBN-13: 978-1935407935
A Chaunce of Riches by Chelle Cordero ISBN-13: 978-1935407263
Hostage Heart by Chelle Cordero ISBN-13: 978-1935407713
Final Sin by Chelle Cordero ISBN-13: 978-1935407133
Courage of the Heart by Chelle Cordero ISBN-13: 978-1935407188
Within the Law by Chelle Cordero ISBN-13: 978-0982115046
Forgotten by Chelle Cordero ISBN-13: 978-0979654572
Bartlett's Rule by Chelle Cordero ISBN-13: 978-0979654534

(all published by Vanilla Heart Publishing)

Of course you can always purchase my books from any Barnes & Noble info desk (a few stores even have my books on their shelves!), Amazon.com and several Indie bookshops carry my books on their shelves as well (2 locations in Rockland County - Raider Books in Suffern & The Arts Alliance in Haverstraw)

Hope you enjoy the read!
Chelle

Friday, March 12, 2010

p 69 theory - Common Bond, Tangled Hearts

There is a theory that if you pick up a book and turn to page 69, you will know if the book is interesting or not

so we are putting it to the test...


~~~~~~
p 69


Justin helped Layne sit upright. "Well, I guess it's better when you're older."

"Oh." Dennis looked at his mother and then at Justin. "Are you my mommy's boyfriend?"

Layne looked surprised at his question.

Justin merely smiled. "I hope so."

Layne had explained that she and Dennis had a normal routine on Sundays. They always did housework and laundry and prepared for the busy week ahead of them. Justin asked if he could come over and hook up the DVR to the TV. He even offered to help with the housework. He was willing to do anything to be a part of their lives as often as possible. Dennis excitedly told him to come over. Layne realized that she had no other options, she said it was okay.

She tried not to let Justin's presence distract her or Dennis too much, but she couldn't help being aware whenever he was close. She even admitted, but only silently, that she was happy he was there. After he connected the DVD player, he set up the camcorder to record the three of them... just to test it, he said. When Justin found out how ticklish Dennis was and the two of them got into a comical wrestling match, Layne was glad the camera was catching all the action. This was the kind of family-fun her son had been missing out on for all his life.

Justin helped to carry the bags of laundry to the corner Laundromat and Layne realized how very easy it was to depend on his help. He talked Layne into letting him buy lunch for all of them at the Pizza Palace across the street while they waited for the washer to finish its cycle. Father and son were inseparable and Layne still wasn’t sure how she felt about that as they shared private jokes before Dennis rode Justin’s shoulders back across the street again. She got a big kick out of watching Dennis teach Justin how to fold towels and other laundry, it was obvious that was a chore Justin didn't usually have to do. Justin gave Layne a meaningful look when he grabbed a hold of her underwear when it tumbled from the dryer. She made sure to fold her own clothing after that.

Layne Gillette’s world is turned upside down when a man she has never met shows up to lay claim as the father of her 6-year old son. Justin, the victim of a fraternity prank, and Layne, the subject of a forced insemination, have produced a beautiful child that they are both willing to protect at all costs. The two parents realize they can love each other, but when Layne’s abusive “ex-husband” shows up, they are torn apart by danger, kidnapping and lies. Justin won’t give up until Layne is returned to him. Layne uses her new-found strength, courage and knowledge to defy Charlie’s ugliest demands.

Common Bond, Tangled Hearts

Amazon (print)

Smashwords (E-Book formats)



Sunday, March 7, 2010

It's Read an Ebook Week - March 7 - 13


Smashwords rocks!

Smashwords: Read an Ebook Week Specials for March 7-13

We’re pleased to sponsor Read an E-Book Week for the second year,” said Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords. “Working in collaboration with Read an E-Book Week and other participating retailers and publishers, the initiative will introduce tens of thousands of new readers and authors to the joys of ebooks.”

Ebooks are the fastest growing segment of the book publishing industry. According the International Digital Publishing Forum, wholesale ebook sales in the United States grew 172 percent in 2009.


Vanilla Heart Publishing Read an Ebook Week Titles

25% off our regular low prices
during the entire promotion!

DISCOUNT CODE RAE25

Layne Gillette’s world is turned upside down when a man she has never met shows up to lay claim as the father of her 6-year old son. Justin, the victim of a fraternity prank, and Layne, the subject of a forced insemination, have produced a beautiful child that they are both willing to protect at all costs. The two parents realize they can love each other, but when Layne’s abusive “ex-husband” shows up, they are torn apart by danger, kidnapping and lies. Justin won’t give up until Layne is returned to him. Layne uses her new-found strength, courage and knowledge to defy Charlie’s ugliest demands.

A Chaunce of Riches by Chelle Cordero

The day that Ben Johnson was hired as a bodyguard for some rich widow and her kid, he never expected to be working for the woman who had abandoned him just when he had needed her the most so many years before. Damn it all, he still wanted her. Samantha Chaunce never thought she would see him again. She never thought she would have to explain why she married the rich man over the man she had sworn she once loved. And she certainly never expected to find out that her rich husband had been murdered and fingers were pointing to her former lover.

Hostage Heart by Chelle Cordero

Life was hard after the hurricanes swept through, destroying her parents' home and livelihood... An errand for her boss - a chance encounter with a crew of bank robbers - a kind man who tried to help her ... a man who isn't all he seems...no, he is so much more.

Final Sin by Chelle Cordero

Deputy Sherriff Commander Jake Carson has his hands full... investigation of a brutal multiple homicide, a troubled son and a vindictive ex-wife. He meets young, free-spirited paramedic Julie Jennings. When Julie becomes the subject of an obsession, it puts both of them in danger...

Courage of the Heart by Chelle Cordero

Courage of The Heart shows us that sometimes love is the only cure for the very deepest of emotional wounds. The story of the two lovers takes a series of unexpected and fast paced turns where lives, sanity and love are put in jeopardy. Their commitment to one another results in a spirit that binds them together and helps them to overcome physical and emotional dangers.

Within the Law by Chelle Cordero

Tom gave up on ever falling in love again the day that he buried his high school sweetheart and fiancé. He started a career in law enforcement just so that he could find her murderer and rapist. Just when he is about to see justice done, he meets Alli Davis-the defense attorney for the murdering rapist who took his love from him.

Forgotten by Chelle Cordero

Forgotten is an unforgettable romance about two people who meet by chance, love by choice and are torn apart by intrigue. Their romance survives a foreign threat to national security, kidnapping, personal tragedy and a murder attempt.

Bartlett's Rule by Chelle Cordero

Bartlett's Rule shares the story of Lon and Paige's love affair; a romance filled with hardship, emotion, danger and triumph. Falling in love was never the challenge; being there for each other, knowing just what to say and making it work is the real test. Paige and Lon are real; they are human, they cry and they laugh. Paige has to learn to trust. Lon has to learn to be patient.


Monday, March 1, 2010

A special piece of jewelry

I recently entered a contest (and lost) where the grand prize was $1500 worth of jewelry. We had to write about a special piece of jewelry that we owned and its significance. This was hard for me to do, I don't often wear jewelry - I usually wear even my wedding ring only when we are dressed and going out! But I do have a few very meaningful pieces... my wedding ring, my (& his) high school rings, a gold filigree Star-of-David ring I bought for myself in Miami while vacationing with my parents, a diamond heart pendant from hubby and a few more pieces. Then I thought about the "promise ring" Mark gave me in 1974 -

When my hubby first proposed to me he wanted to buy me a promise ring because he thought it was a romantic notion, but I was ever the pragmatic one and we were just 2 kids from financially challenged families - I wanted to save the money for all of the dreams we were weaving, besides he insisted that he would also be buying me a diamond engagement ring later on.

We walked into a “five-and-dime store” and he purchased a pretty piece of costume jewelry I liked - the gem, made to look like a 1 1/2-carat emerald cut diamond, was plastic and the pseudo-white gold band was cheap metal, but I was in love with it.

The “promise ring” was eventually replaced with a beautiful 1/3 carat (genuine) diamond in white gold engagement ring. Then came the gold band followed by the house in the suburbs and two magnificent offspring. He still gives me “diamonds” now and then - sometimes real, sometimes cubic zirconium - and he always gives me his love.

Thirty five years later, the costume jewelry promise ring still sits in my jewelry box - it still shines beautifully and reminds me everyday that the only thing we’ve ever needed was each others’ love.



In my novel Hostage Heart, Deanna Blair has a very special piece of jewelry that helps to show how very close she was with her maternal grandmother - it was her grandmother's birthstone ruby ring.

The name of the gemstone in her grandmother's ring, Ruby, was taken from the Latin word for Red, Rubens. "Two magical elements are associated with the symbolism of this colour: fire and blood, implying warmth and life for mankind. So ruby-red is not just any old colour, no, it is absolutely undiluted, hot, passionate, powerful colour. Like no other gemstone, the ruby is the perfect way to express powerful feelings. Instead of symbolising a calm, controlled affection, a ring set with a precious ruby bears witness to that passionate, unbridled love that people can feel for each other." (from the International Colored Gemstone Association)

The ring was all that Deanna had left that had belonged to her mamere after the hurricane flood waters devastated New Orleans; those flood waters had also taken the life of the old woman whose body was never recovered. Deanna learned the Cajun ways of her heritage from her grandmother, it was a heritage she was fiercely proud of.

She smiled broadly when she saw the book and flipped it over to read the book jacket description. “Thank you.” She had been raised with lots of Creole and Cajun customs especially at her mamere’s house. Deanna even spoke some of the old Creole language her grandmother had taught her. She hoped to pass many customs of her heritage on to her daughter one day. She read the card. “Thank you Ryan. This was so sweet of you.” Deanna sounded genuinely happy. She leaned over the table and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “My roots do mean a lot to me.”

Life was hard after the hurricanes swept through, destroying her parents' home and livelihood... An errand for her boss - a chance encounter with a crew of bank robbers - a kind man who tried to help her ... a man who isn't all he seems...no, he is so much more

In print or e-book

Hostage Heart is also available at any Barnes & Noble Information Desk (or ask if it is ON their shelves), and in Rockland County NY at
Raider Bookshop at 99 Lafayette Avenue in Suffern &
Arts Alliance of Haverstraw at 91 Broadway in the Village of Haverstraw


Tell us about YOUR special piece of jewelry...