Throwback Thursday - I am woman, hear me roar

I am woman, hear me roar

previously published at
July 30, 2011 by The Long and Short Of It 

random thoughts from Chelle Cordero

I am not Davie, Samantha, Caitlyn, Sudah or any of my other heroines… but I do admit they all share some traits with me (or at least I’d like to think so)

Each of the women I write into my novels has her own mind and is not afraid to voice her own opinions. She can be independent and still enjoys being taken care of. My females enjoy their sensual sides. They refuse to be simply accessories in some man’s life. And most importantly, any of the heroines I write into my novels would be willing to go to any length to help and protect her man.

I think the best example of a woman’s selflessness is Samantha “Sam” Chaunce in A Chaunce of Riches. Sam made a “bargain with the devil” for the sake of the man she loved. Now that he is back in her life, all he can see is her betrayal. Then things get complicated when the police suspect him of urdering er husband.

An excerpt from A Chaunce of Riches

“But why? You told me you loved me. You said you needed me. We were working towards a future…”

A tear rolled down her cheek. She remembered the things they had promised each other and it was sheer torture to hear him reminding her. “What kind of future did we have Ben? I was working selling donuts in a bakery and you were hoping for something better than a sales job at the hardware store. We didn’t have two nickels to rub together.” She never would have had the money she needed to make things right again.

“So it was the money?” Ben sat at the edge of his chair. “And you couldn’t even wait to tell me yourself? You just left.”

It was another car accident that had changed her world… again. Sam had little more than a broken arm and a minor concussion. Ben was in a coma and had a severe spinal injury. He almost died. There were so many complications. She couldn’t look at him. “I did what I had to do.”

“Are you that much of a coward?” She couldn’t answer him “And he was almost thirty years older than you. Was his money so attractive that you didn’t mind being with a man who was old enough to be your father?”

She looked up at him then. “Julian was… good to me.”

“He bought you.” Just like all those johns who had bought his mother. His voice was edged with disappointment and pain. “Sam, you sold yourself. Did you enjoy letting him put his hands all over you? Was it worth it? I really thought you were different from my mother.”

Sam opened her mouth to speak but decided to remain quiet. She refused to debate this with him any more. Putting the closed book back on the end table, she stood and threw the blanket onto the chair behind her. She couldn’t let him do this to her. She couldn’t let him past all those barricades she had built around her heart so long ago.

“I have contracted with your agency for your services. I think that is the only relationship you and I need to have…” She started to walk towards the door. She turned back to him. “Breakfast is at seven, Philip needs to be at school by eight-thirty. Please manage to find it in your talents to be civil with me in front of my son. He seems to like you and I want him to feel safe. But Ben, I won’t hesitate to have you replaced. Remember that.” She left the room without looking back.