No money for ransom ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 03/01/15

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

See more at the
WeWriWa blog
& check out the Facebook Snippet Sunday group

My entry this week is from Hostage Heart, a romantic suspense involving a young lady from Louisiana whose family was affected by the devastation from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The kidnapper seems more concerned with Deanna's welfare than one would expect.

...and now the eight:

“Just let me go,” she pleaded, “I swear I’ll forget what you look like.”

“Right,” he snorted, “you wouldn’t be in this mess if you were that kind of person. Do you have family?”

“No one has any money to pay a ransom if that’s what you want to know.”

He frowned, “I wasn’t suggesting ransom, I simply wanted to know if anyone was worried whether you were alive or dead. I’ll let them know you’re alright.”

He walked to the door, “I wouldn’t waste your time or energy screaming, this place is pretty isolated in the off season and the only ones who would hear you are my crew and trust me you don’t want their attention.” He sounded apologetic, “if you cooperate, we won’t hurt you.”

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

Hostage Heart  by Chelle Cordero is available as an AUDIOBOOK and in All Ebook Formats and  Print Editions.

Life was hard after the hurricanes swept through, destroying her parents' home and livelihood...Deanna did the only thing she could do. She moved to New York City, found a job, worked hard, scrimped and saved to send what little she could manage back home to Louisiana to her parents.

An errand for her boss - a chance encounter with a crew of bank robbers - a kind man who tried to help her and deserved her courageous help in return... But he wasn't the man she thought he was...no, he was so very much more!

Review

Hostage Heart is a captivating read… I really enjoyed Chelle Cordero's 'Hostage Heart.  It read quickly and kept my interest until the very end. I would highly recommend this book and I plan to read all of the author's other books. It took me along on the adventure. I enjoyed the romance.

~LDB, on Amazon

 AUDIO on Audible  http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_5?asin=B00EAOCTTC

PRINT – http://www.amazon.com/Hostage-Heart-Chelle-Cordero/dp/1935407716

Kindle – http://www.amazon.com/Hostage-Heart-ebook/dp/B002I9YRKK

AllRomance Ebooks – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hostageheart-79508-149.html

Smashwords for All Ereaders –  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/2943

Payloadz Instant Download –  http://store.payloadz.com/go?id=853567

    ~~~~~~~~

Hostage Heart

• Written by: Chelle Cordero
• Narrated by: Gwendolyn Jensen-Woodard
• Length: 5 hrs and 56 mins

PLAY AUDIO SAMPLE

Remembering Leonard Nimoy

Leonard Nimoy died today.

"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP" (@TheRealNimoy 2/23/2015)

I was about 12-years old when the world was first treated to the Final Frontier as seen from the deck of the Starship USS Enterprise [NCC-1701]. Characters came from all over the universe, many diverse origins melded together and sometimes, most times, even got along with each other. It was a terrific television series and even though it was cancelled after only 3 years, the saga did what one of the characters is often quoted as saying, "Live long and prosper"; in multiple television series and movies.

Leonard Nimoy played the often-unflappable Mr. Spock, a being who lived by his logical and often unemotional Vulcan heritage (from his father) and struggled with his feeling human lineage (from his mother). Mr. Nimoy became well known for his portrayal of the half-human/half-Vulcan character although he began his acting career more than 15 years earlier; he also was a gifted stage actor, director, singer, writer and photographer.

Leonard Nimoy was always very outwardly proud of his Jewish heritage, he was born in Boston to Jewish-Ukrainian immigrants in March 1931 making him 83 at his death today, February 27, 2015. To me his age is powerful and significant...

It is customary for Jewish males to be Bar Mitzvah'd at the age of 13 and to be welcomed into their congregation as an adult and one who is obliged to fulfill G-d's commandments. However it is also traditional among some devout Jews to celebrate a "second Bar Mitzvah" - in this case the normal male lifespan is considered to be 70 years of age and so at 83-years-old, 13 years into this "second life", a man once again makes Bar Mitzvah and rededicates himself to the commandments; once again he is welcomed into his congregation.

Leonard Nimoy was welcomed to the Final Frontier today.

March 26, 1931 - February 27, 2015

Post by The Israel Project.

Faith ~ #MondayBlogs

What is faith? Is it our religious belief or is it having the confidence that our fellow man will work in the best interests of humanity? Believing in something, someone, or ourselves is a basic human need. Belief is faith.

It seems that we are living in a world filled with hatred and fear, one in which man allegedly uses the name of a religion as a reason to destroy and spread hate. There are those who hide behind supposed commandments of their god(s) to spread ruin and there are those who hate others simply because of the deity they pray to. Some people believe in a supreme deity but do not agree with the tenets of organized religion (agnostic); some do not believe in any higher presence (atheist). A growing faction is yelling that religion is THE problem why men cannot get along with other men.

We can have faith in humankind without praying to a god by any name. Or we can follow the true teachings of our chosen religions – every religion is founded on common principles that include: loving thy neighbor; forgiveness; treating others the way we want to be treated; giving charity; honoring our parents and elders; being truthful; showing kindness; and living peacefully among our fellow man. While the phrases and wordings may differ, each religion shares commonalities with the others; some religions are monotheistic and some pray to multiple gods.

Every religion has members whose interpretation of its teachings are zealous and self-serving, most often those fanatics are in the minority although they may be loud. People who choose to practice a religion should do so because they believe in the spirit of their scriptures rather than simply following step-by-step rituals with no meaning behind our actions.

Rather than focusing on the differences in our religions practices or alienating those who call themselves agnostic or atheist, our need to believe in something makes us more alike than different. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing if we could embrace that sameness and work towards fostering an atmosphere of peace and unity instead of viewing others with suspicion and hatred?

As a child of a Ham Radio Operator in the 60s and 70s I remember going to group get-togethers. One of the places that held an annual picnic was a Monastery located several miles north of where we lived. The monks that lived there and hosted the event were all very friendly, intelligent, welcoming and knowledgeable. I was amazed one day during a discussion with one of these men to find he was very proficient in Hebrew scripture and my own faith of Judaism. In adolescent surprise I asked him how come he knew so much when his religion taught otherwise. His answer was so simple — to truly understand your own beliefs you need to understand what belief means to people. Every monk, he told me, was schooled in all forms of theology and was required to be proficient in multiple religions.

Perhaps this type of education is needed for all of us so that we can love and appreciate our own convictions as well as understand and respect other belief systems. Somehow we must work towards unity and love of the entire human race or there will be no world and humanity for our future generations. Mankind is our own enemy when we allow hatred in our lives.

...

Miss Goody Two-Shoes ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 02/22/15

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

See more at the
WeWriWa blog
& check out the Facebook Snippet Sunday group

My entry this week is from Hostage Heart, a romantic suspense involving a young lady from Louisiana whose family was affected by the devastation from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Deanna is frightened of the attractive bank customer turned dangerous kidnapper. He's upset that she got involved and he lets her know it.

...and now the eight:

“Finally, you’re awake,” he walked over to her and pulled the tape from her mouth; it stung. “What’s your name?”

She looked at him in fear, “Deanna, Deanna Blair.”

“Well Miss Deanna Blair,” he mocked her southern accent, “you really screwed us; we never planned to take any real hostages.” He shook his head as he looked at her, the last thing he wanted was to be attracted to her, to be distracted from the things he had to do.

“I thought you were in trouble.”

He exhaled loudly, “crimes happen every day in New York and no one ever wants to get involved and then Miss Goody-Two-Shoes has to come along; damn!” Now he felt responsible for her.

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

Hostage Heart  by Chelle Cordero is available as an AUDIOBOOK and in All Ebook Formats and  Print Editions.

Life was hard after the hurricanes swept through, destroying her parents' home and livelihood...Deanna did the only thing she could do. She moved to New York City, found a job, worked hard, scrimped and saved to send what little she could manage back home to Louisiana to her parents.

An errand for her boss - a chance encounter with a crew of bank robbers - a kind man who tried to help her and deserved her courageous help in return... But he wasn't the man she thought he was...no, he was so very much more!

Review

Hostage Heart is a captivating read… I really enjoyed Chelle Cordero's 'Hostage Heart.  It read quickly and kept my interest until the very end. I would highly recommend this book and I plan to read all of the author's other books. It took me along on the adventure. I enjoyed the romance.

~LDB, on Amazon

 AUDIO on Audible  http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_5?asin=B00EAOCTTC

PRINT – http://www.amazon.com/Hostage-Heart-Chelle-Cordero/dp/1935407716

Kindle – http://www.amazon.com/Hostage-Heart-ebook/dp/B002I9YRKK

AllRomance Ebooks – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hostageheart-79508-149.html

Smashwords for All Ereaders –  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/2943

Payloadz Instant Download –  http://store.payloadz.com/go?id=853567

    ~~~~~~~~

A little bit of trivia, just for fun

The first recorded bank robbery in the USA occurred March 19, 1831

when $245-thousand  was taken from City Bank in NYC

Bank robberies are more common in cities and large towns

The majority of the modern-day bank robberies are non-violent

A bank robbery is when money is stolen when the bank is 
open and bank employees and customers may be subjected
to force or threat of violence ~
 breaking into a closed bank is called burglary

Some famous bank robbers in American history include
Jesse James, John Dillinger, Willie Sutton, and Bonnie & Clyde

Home is Where the Safety Net Is ~ #MondayBlogs

As we have now reached the time in our lives when we are facing empty-nest years, I can't help looking back and examining our parenting prowess and hoping that we did a decent job.

In our home our children brought home school drawings and projects which were posted on the refrigerator and the kitchen walls. Our living room walls were filled with family pictures (predominantly the children) through the years, and even when they were "naughty" and being receiving just-punishment, they were never denied affirmations of love. As a mom I tended to be over-protective and it took a whole lot of will-power to learn to cut the apron-strings, but I wanted my children to feel and be safe from whatever forces I could control.  We wanted our children to know the real world, even the ugly side, but we never wanted them to feel they would have to face it alone.

I believe that a child's home should be the place they feel safe, secure, encouraged and loved.  I know that there are situations where children are cheated by abusive parents and that thought so totally angers me. I am talking about the "average" expectations of home life — the type of environment every child should be entitled to; I wish every child happiness, safety and love.

My 30-year-old just married son  and I had a recent conversation about parenting. His insights, as usual, left me thinking.

We talked his definition of a Safe Haven, a term I've used to try to describe my ideal of home life. To him a Safe Haven kept a child isolated from real-world problems, the parents would shelter their offspring and in the end, not because of any ill-will, deny them the ability to make hard decisions on their own. According to my son, parents need to allow their children to fail now and then, and to learn that they are not always the best. He was vehement that Participation Trophies are horrible life lessons that served as a reward for not even trying. But he did assure me that his childhood was filled with love and encouragement and that he wasn't complaining.

Even though we might have disagreed on some definitions, we did agree on the need to encourage children to try their best and that there were times they might not succeed. It is okay to fail IF YOU TRIED and that winning was never a requirement to be loved; however competition was healthy and winners should be acknowledged and rewarded. If you support the idea of Participation Trophies for very young children, they should never replace or be substituted for winning accolades. If someone (child or adult) is part of a winning team effort, you can acknowledge all of the players, but the reward for the MVP should stand out. Truth be told, if my effort and accomplishment is greater than another person's, it is a slight to receive the same recognition — why should I even bother?

Daughter and son are married adults with spouses who help to provide support and encouragement nowadays. Our daughter has constantly reminded us that we raised her to be independent and able to make her own decisions and when necessary they work their problems and decisions out as couples.. I am comforted by how capable they both are. I look forward to the day I get to see what kind of parents my offspring will be, which of our methods will be emulated and which will be avoided.

For now, I am learning to cook for two again, to make our own plans and to admire the adults our children have become. And I am hoping that I've done a decent job as mom.

Danger ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 02/15/15

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

See more at the
WeWriWa blog
& check out the Facebook Snippet Sunday group

My entry this week is from Hostage Heart, a romantic suspense involving a young lady from Louisiana whose family was affected by the devastation from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Taken by the group of armed robbers, Deanna was shocked to find that the man she sacrificed herself for was really part of the bank-robbing-crew.

...and now the eight:

The handkerchief he held over her face smelled foul and the stench remained in her throat even after she opened her eyes to dark, pitted log walls. There was a single camp bed in the corner and an open alcove with empty hangers. The floor she was sitting on was wooden, dusty and drafty. Her hands were still tied behind her and her ankles were tied together. She could hear men’s voices arguing from outside the room, suddenly the door burst open. Her pseudo rescuer from the bank walked in. The suit was exchanged for a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He looked dangerous.

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

Hostage Heart  by Chelle Cordero is available as an AUDIOBOOK and in All Ebook Formats and  Print Editions.

Life was hard after the hurricanes swept through, destroying her parents' home and livelihood...Deanna did the only thing she could do. She moved to New York City, found a job, worked hard, scrimped and saved to send what little she could manage back home to Louisiana to her parents.

An errand for her boss - a chance encounter with a crew of bank robbers - a kind man who tried to help her and deserved her courageous help in return... But he wasn't the man she thought he was...no, he was so very much more!

Review

Hostage Heart is a captivating read… I really enjoyed Chelle Cordero's 'Hostage Heart.  It read quickly and kept my interest until the very end. I would highly recommend this book and I plan to read all of the author's other books. It took me along on the adventure. I enjoyed the romance.

~LDB, on Amazon

 AUDIO on Audible  http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_5?asin=B00EAOCTTC

PRINT – http://www.amazon.com/Hostage-Heart-Chelle-Cordero/dp/1935407716

Kindle – http://www.amazon.com/Hostage-Heart-ebook/dp/B002I9YRKK

AllRomance Ebooks – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hostageheart-79508-149.html

Smashwords for All Ereaders –  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/2943

Payloadz Instant Download –  http://store.payloadz.com/go?id=853567

    ~~~~~~~~

Wishing you all a wonderfully happy Valentine;s Day! 

I wanted to share my favorite love poem, it's by Sara Teasdale...

Gifts

I gave my first love laughter,
I gave my second tears,
I gave my third love silence
Through all the years.

My first love gave me singing,
My second eyes to see,
But oh, it was my third love
Who gave my soul to me.

~Sara Teasdale

I write romances (romantic suspense). 

What are YOUR plans for Valentine's Day?

from FaceBook Minions Fans page

Please share your plans in the comments...

Unsung Heroes in Public Safety - #MondayBlogs

I rode as an Emergency Medical Technician for nearly 30 years and responded to various calls for medical help — while enroute to the location we tried to prepare for what waited for us on scene. Of course since most, IF ANY (lol), of us are not soothsayers, we had to rely on the dispatch information we received from the 911 operator.

Sometimes the results were hilarious like the time we were sent to a "bleeding aneurysm" [an abnormal widening or ballooning of a portion of an artery due to weakness in the wall of the blood vessel.]; depending on the site and severity, this can be a life-threatening situation. Without going into gross details, the medic summed the nature of the call up while he wrote up his report, "First time I ever rode in on a diaper rash!"

Once in a while the dispatch info was, well, rather understated. There was the night we were sent to a woman complaining of a stomach ache, by the time we arrived at the hospital I had delivered an eight-and-a-half pound baby boy.

Most times the dispatch info was pretty close if not exact and included more than just the nature of the call such as road closures, hazardous conditions, directions, and the occasional need for a police presence. 911 operators have the heavy task of answering the phone and literally deciphering information from frantic, stressed, sometimes crying callers whose own message may be horribly skewed and far from reality.

I remember as a child in the Bronx, well before the inception of 911, when emergency phone calls were answered by your local police precinct, there was no caller ID, and the day a rebellious squirrel crawled through our third floor kitchen window. My mom, terrified of the "giant rodent" (her description) was shrieking as she made the phone call for help. While I don't remember the exact words anymore, I remember her message included something about an evil squirrel, a kitchen sink, and protecting her children... and then she hung up, gathered my sister and me and ran to a neighbor's apartment to wait for the police to rescue us. She never gave her name or our address! A second phone call from the neighbor's apartment did finally bring the much needed rescue.

In the mid to late 60s, based on recommendations from President Johnson's Task Force on Law Enforcement and Justice, development was started on installing a simple emergency number throughout the U.S. Eventually 911 became Enhanced-911 and today's calls are answered by highly trained, patient and quick thinking Emergency Dispatchers. Incoming calls are displayed on computer screens and most landline (wired phone systems) calls display return phone numbers and locations. Even if a caller is unable to speak, assistance can be dispatched. Knowing the nature of the call helps the operator to determine which, or how many, emergency services need to be sent (fire, police or EMS). Plans are being worked on to make cell phone calls as identifiable.

911 Emergency Dispatchers need great communication skills, knowledge and understanding of emergency situations, as well as the ability to calm frantic callers and get pertinent information from them. Their minimum education is a High School diploma AND intensive emergency training and/or certification depending on the local state requirements. EMDs (Emergency Medical Dispatch) are also trained to coach people through emergency life-saving procedures Basic First Aid until responding crews are on scene. There is a lot of stress being the beginning link in our emergency response system.

Many of us have heard the stories of heroic 911-dispatchers who have gone above and beyond their required scope of duties. On September 11, 2001, Illinois call center supervisor Lisa Jefferson spoke with Todd Beamer on the ill-fated Flight 93. She offered him comfort, encouragement, took messages for his family, and even said the Lord's Prayer with him. Her actions helped record the events of the day and brought comfort to a grieving family. Police dispatchers have also been known to save police officers; one Milwaukee operator realized that a police officer hadn't checked back in after clearing a call scene and she alerted other units, they found him having a medical emergency of his own. 

The following Public Service Announcement aired during the 2015 SuperBowl, its message was to combat domestic violence and sexual abuse. The call was based on an actual 911 call. The 911 operator was able to correctly decipher the caller's cryptic call for help and send the help that was needed; this is a terrific example of the listening skills, and quick thinking that makes the 911 emergency operator such an invaluable component of our emergency response system.

Let's send out a big Thank You to our 911 Emergency Dispatchers and let them know we appreciate all that they do.

The bank robbery ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 02/08/15

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

See more at the
WeWriWa blog
& check out the Facebook Snippet Sunday group

My entry this week is from Hostage Heart, a romantic suspense involving a young lady from Louisiana whose family was affected by the devastation from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Our heroine, Deanna, is reluctantly running an errand for her boss when she finds herself in the center of an armed bank robbery. When she tries to protect her boss' money she is threatened by one of the robbers — a handsome customer comes to her aid only to become a kidnap victim. Feeling guilty that this handsome stranger is in this fix because he tried to help her, Deanna distracts the gunman.

...and now the eight:

“Run,” she screamed at the stranger, he stared at her in disbelief. “Run,” finally he made a hasty retreat to the street.

Before Deanna could get safely back into the bank, she found herself being grabbed again and this time the gun was held to her head.

“You little bitch,” the robber’s voice was raspy, “you’re coming with us instead then.” He dragged her pleading out the doors and threw her into a van just outside on the street.

Another one of the assailants tied and gagged her as the vehicle made a hasty retreat. About a block later, the van made a quick stop and Deanna was surprised to see the suited customer step into the van.

He looked at her in anger, “you couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you?”

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

Hostage Heart  by Chelle Cordero is available as an AUDIOBOOK and in All Ebook Formats and  Print Editions.

Life was hard after the hurricanes swept through, destroying her parents' home and livelihood...Deanna did the only thing she could do. She moved to New York City, found a job, worked hard, scrimped and saved to send what little she could manage back home to Louisiana to her parents.

An errand for her boss - a chance encounter with a crew of bank robbers - a kind man who tried to help her and deserved her courageous help in return... But he wasn't the man she thought he was...no, he was so very much more!

Review

Hostage Heart is a captivating read… I really enjoyed Chelle Cordero's 'Hostage Heart.  It read quickly and kept my interest until the very end. I would highly recommend this book and I plan to read all of the author's other books. It took me along on the adventure. I enjoyed the romance.

~LDB, on Amazon

 AUDIO on Audible  http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_5?asin=B00EAOCTTC

PRINT – http://www.amazon.com/Hostage-Heart-Chelle-Cordero/dp/1935407716

Kindle – http://www.amazon.com/Hostage-Heart-ebook/dp/B002I9YRKK

AllRomance Ebooks – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hostageheart-79508-149.html

Smashwords for All Ereaders –  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/2943

Payloadz Instant Download –  http://store.payloadz.com/go?id=853567

    ~~~~~~~~

In 2005 my husband went to New Orleans and surroundings as part of a Federal Disaster Medical Response Team after Katrina and Rita ravaged the area. He was there for six weeks. When he came home he was physically exhausted and filled with tales about the resilience and determination of the Louisiana people he gave aid to.

...this was how Deanna Blair and her family came to be.

FREE Book Club Discussion Packet with full color printable bookmarks, author bio and photo, discussion starters, and synopsis –  http://store.payloadz.com/go?id=1778656