Thursday, July 25, 2013

Stories That Reflect the Real World

*this post was previously published on Chris Redding's blog on Aug. 2, 2011:

(Hyphema is my second EMS based novel)

Chelle Cordero:
Stories That Reflect the Real World

I like to read and write contemporary stories,
stories that reflect the real world around us.
The real world is fraught with plenty of controversial,
sometimes frightening, and sometimes angry
topics. People show they can be ugly sometimes;
others show genuine heroics in the face of
enormous 
catastrophes  I try not to shy away
from this realism.

Although I am admittedly opinionated
 and passionate-in-my-beliefs, I try
not to infuse my characters with my
attitudes. I want each character I
create to be an individual with their
own views and their own motivations.
Some of the topics I’ve included in
my stories include rape (female AND
male), homosexuality, promiscuity,
politics, prejudice, obsession, greed,
and betrayal.

None of my characters are all good or all bad (even
if a few villains came close) just like in real life where
no one is all one way or the other – somehow even
the most detested still have someone willing to love
them. That’s life.

I’ve heard comments about a few of my stories and
the themes I’ve written about; thankfully I’ve gotten
more kudos than protests.

The most controversial topic I’ve included in my
stories (so far) was in Hyphema. Hyphema features
an interracial and intercultural marriage between a
red-blooded Caucasian American Christian male and
a Pakistani Muslim immigrant – the story takes place
in a post-9/11 world. The cover shows a beautiful
young woman wearing a Berka (scarf and face
covering). I’ve certainly heard strong reactions and
I am sure there are a few who would never read the
book simply because of widespread prejudices and
fears since 2001.

A quote from a review of Hyphema says, “Cordero meets
headlong a number of real problems facing her characters. She doesn't
sugar-coat cultural differences and prejudice…

Subject matter should matter
and  when it evokes strong
feelings and discussion, I
believe that I have done
my job as a writer. I tackle
contemporary subjects and
real life situations because
I want folks to THINK long
after they put my book down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Matt Garratti, a paramedic from New York, moves his wife and son to
North Carolina to work at his dream job as a flight medic. Pakistani
born Sudah, his wife, receives frosty stares and insensitive
comments from their new neighbors. Before long, Matt wonders if he
is pursuing his dream or bringing his family into a nightmare from
which they may never wake.




No comments: