Introduction to BELIEVING IN SANTA ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 11/01/15

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior and Snippet Sunday round. Every week writers post 8-to-10 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book.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

For the next few weeks I'll be sharing snippets from my 2015 holiday-themed short story Believing in Santa 

In the opening lines of this short story we're introduced to the hero, Seth, and heroine, Dini, just as they are introduced to each other. 

  (the following may have been creatively edited to fit)  ...and now the eight nine ten:

“Here, let me help you with that,” Santa took the package from her hands and placed it on the trailer with all of the other wrapped presents.

Dini chuckled, “and here I thought the elves did all of the work getting Santa ready to deliver the gifts.”

“Well since I don’t have to deal with Rudolph or any of those temperamental reindeer today I figure I can lend a hand.” 

“Thank you, Santa,” she smirked.

He patted his flat stomach. “Maybe I should put a pillow in here or something?”

“They’re pushing for healthier Santas nowadays. Besides, I think the kids will be thrilled with any guy in a red jacket with a white beard who gives them a present.”

“It’s the first time I’ve ever played Santa, I don’t want to screw it up.” He adjusted the ear loops that held his beard in place.

~~~~~

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

Dini didn’t want to think about her past. And, Seth wasn’t thinking about anything but his past. Thrown together as Santa and his Number One Elf at the homeless shelter, Dini and Seth seem to be on opposite sides... of everything. Her past is catching up to her, and Seth may risk his future to protect her. 

Believing in Santa

available on Amazon

Everybody’s Talking ~ #MondayBlogs

On the average every year from late summer through early November everyone is buzzing about who is running for what office, rumors and meme’s overrun social media, and invariably some “friendships” are ended after heated exchanges.

Growing up all of the neighborhood parents painstakingly instructed all of us kids “Never discuss politics or religion”. To that I say HOGWASH. I believe discourse between opposing views is necessary to growth.

The meaning of the word discourse is “written or spoken communication or debate”; the key term is communication. When I was in junior high school my social studies teacher assigned all of the students to debate teams. Ironically we each had to argue the opposing view from our personal beliefs. The class of 30 (yes, large class sizes) was irate as we were tricked into voicing our honest opinions on subjects such as gun control, abortion, euthanasia,  the draft and other such hot-button items only to be told we had to argue against the very things we believed in!

Mr. L explained that the only way we could be sure of our convictions was to understand all sides and to respect the opposing views. Respecting other viewpoints does not mean we agree, as a matter of fact our willingness to hear other views indicates that we have confidence in our decisions; likewise closing our ears and minds to different beliefs may even be from fear that we could be easily swayed.

Now remember I called this exchange discourse. Discourse is not argumentative or insulting, it’s not threatening and should certainly not include generalizations based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion. Yes we are all guilty of chuckling and sometimes passing along a funny meme or two, sometimes these memes are applauding a candidate or political office without insulting anyone — and yet the vitriol that follows  gets out of hand.

These are the interactions I don’t care to entertain. When an otherwise intellectual conversation is polluted with nasty barbs, insults or profanity then the positive exchange of knowledge and ideas ceases to exist; when someone is being verbally (and sometimes physically) attacked thinking logically often flies out the window and the result is usually anger, yelling, cursing and insults that have no bearing on the original disagreement.

So let’s discuss the issues and stay informed, but leave the fighting elsewhere.

By the way, the next United States Election Day is ‎November 3, 2015. Have you registered to vote yet?

Charlie issues his demands ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 10/25/15

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior and Snippet Sunday round. Every week writers post 8-to-10 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 Common Bond, Tangled Hearts. 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. 

Last week Justin was drugged on morphine and beaten until 2 ribs were broken, the PI his family hired to find Layne went missing, and Charlie had Layne and Dennis kidnapped and brought to his house in Philadelphia.

This will be the last week I'm posting from Common Bond, Tangled Hearts as I've reached the permitted limit... 

  (the following has been creatively edited to fit)  ...and now the eight nine:

Charlie had almost every toy a six-year-old boy could ever want, Dennis felt like he had been let loose in his own personal toy store. Layne regretted the fact that she hadn’t been able to provide a better life for her son so that he wouldn’t have been bewitched by the glitter.

Layne was waiting in Charlie's study just as he had instructed, he made it sound ominous.

Charlie finally walked into his den and closed the door behind him.

He tossed a large envelope onto the coffee table in front of her, "before we start our discussion I would suggest you look inside that folder."

She opened the envelope and gasped. Inside were photos, obviously taken through the fire escape window the night before, there were graphic shots of her and Justin making love.

"It's a shame that you and your lover didn't pull the blinds. Unless you cooperate, you will find yourself out on the street once again while I raise the boy without you."

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

About Common Bond, Tangled Hearts

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 newfound strength, courage and knowledge to defy Charlie’s ugliest demands.

Smashwords (multiple e-book formats)

Amazon.com (print)

Kindle from Amazon

Kobo

Apple iTunes

Barnes & Noble

 ~~~~~

Trick or Treaters stop by on Oct. 26, 2015. 

Meet the authors and stick around for the party and you'll have a chance to win some treats.

This is a Virtual Party on Facebook

from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM (PDT)

I'll be there from 12:30-1PM to chat and give away prizes!
(that's 3:30-4PM EST)

Have a good life ~ #MondayBlogs

Pain and grief are personal.

No two people will feel the same pain. For nearly 30-years as a NYS EMT I always asked my patients, as we were all trained to do, "on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst pain you ever felt, how bad is your pain?"

The real truth is that one person's "6" may be another person's "10" while someone's "8" barely gets a "2" elsewhere. It doesn't matter, it's all PAIN. As 1st responders we needed to know how the patient was managing the pain, was it getting worse or was it (hopefully) getting better?

It's the same with emotional pain, how we deal with it is individual. Two widows after losing their mates of many years will react differently and neither way is wrong or right. The same goes for other personal tragedies and losses, we all have to find our own ways to cope.

For some people the return to "normal" life takes longer than others, and for some the return never seems to happen. Is it wrong for a young mother to still cry years after a miscarriage, even when she has other children? Or for a man in his 50's to be angry after being hustled out of a long time job he's held for years? 

Human reactions are just that... human - and they are personal.

Somewhere down the line though we do need to regain some living potential again no matter how deep the wounds are. We need to allow ourselves the chance to heal even if it means we never lose our scars. Yes, there are people around us that need us to LIVE again, but we owe it to ourselves not to waste away.

A good friend of mine likes to say "Just put one foot in front of the other..." Healing is a process and no one expects you to ignore the wound or the scars it leaves. But if you let bitterness consume you or never stop crying, think of how much you will continue to lose.

It is so much harder than just these words, but somehow you have to find a way of focusing on what you still have whether they are memories or other loved ones. Whatever is in your past has made you who you are today and who you are is important, don't throw it away.

When I feel down and mourn loved ones no longer here (physically) I remind myself of the 5 of Cups Tarot Card and realize that I need to focus on the positives in my life. 

When my paternal grandfather died and I saw my dad crying I swore to him that I never wanted to grow up because growing up meant people got old and died. After laughing and calling me Peter Pan, he told me that yes, people do die but he was very glad to have grown up, met my mom and had my sister and me. He made me see that life is always giving us new things and we should never ignore the new joys. Years later I miss my parents very much, but I take such joy in my own husband and children. Daddy was right, I would never want to miss out on the life I have now.

I've been told that I have a Pollyanna outlook on life and that I am always looking for the bright side. In reality, I just want to live.

"I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me
and 90% of how I react to it."
~ Charles R. Swindoll 

The Five of Cups is a Tarot card that signifies difficulty, loss, and the challenges of dealing with that loss. The figure in the card wears a black cloak in which he hides his face in apparent despair. At his feet are five cups, three of which have fallen and spilled onto the ground and the other two behind his back remain standing. He does not seem to notice these upstanding cups because he is so focused on the fallen cups instead. Ahead of him a powerful river flows between himself and a castle or home in the distance. To his right is a bridge that can lead him to the security of the house across the river. Despite the fact that this card has a strong indication of loss and tribulation, there is a positive aspect that must be considered. Is your cup half full or half empty?

Justin needs a plan - Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 10/18/15

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior and Snippet Sunday round. Every week writers post 8-to-10 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 Common Bond, Tangled Hearts. 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 returns to his apartment to figure out what to do to get Layne back... and to heal. He calls on Larry Davis, the family attorney; they previously had words about his pursuing Layne and it didn't end well.

  (the following has been creatively edited to fit)  ...and now the eight nine ten:

Justin went straight to his apartment, if he showed up at the office or at the house he'd have far too much explaining to do. His face looked battered, one eye was black and his cheek was bruised and swollen, that was just what was visible; his heart was battered beyond belief.

He made a phone call to Larry Davis, he needed Larry's help.

Justin peeled back his shirt to look at his side again, the angry bruising on his rib cage was just as ugly as it felt. He was downing another three Ibuprofen when his doorbell rang; if he were lucky it would be Larry, if it were an answer to his prayers it would be Layne.

Larry was at the door, he looked at Justin’s bruises, "what the hell happened to you?"

"It would seem that I pissed somebody else off," Justin said wryly.

“You left the message that you needed my services," Larry noticed Justin's grimace as he turned, "you really are hurt."

"I'll live," Justin sat gently, "Layne and Dennis were kidnapped this morning, although everyone would like to think that she went back to her husband."

"The PI’s report never said anything about a husband, by the way our PI is missing."

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

About Common Bond, Tangled Hearts

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 newfound strength, courage and knowledge to defy Charlie’s ugliest demands.

Smashwords (multiple e-book formats)

Amazon.com (print)

Kindle from Amazon

Kobo

Apple iTunes

Barnes & Noble

 ~~~~~

There is a scene in my novel Karma Visited (one of the dream sequences) where the heroine watches a large group of bedraggled and soaking wet people entering a shelter after a devastating storm and flood ~ this scene was stolen in full from my own memory of Superstorm Sandy in October 2012.

A section of my hometown in New York's Hudson Valley was devastated by the high tides, pouring rain and violent winds. Homes that sat alongside the majestic Hudson River were literally washed away; other homes, more inland, suffered downed trees crashing through rooftops. In total nearly 100 residents had no where else to go and needed shelter to ride out the rest of the storm and to live temporarily until other arrangements could be made. It was heartbreaking.

As an Executive Board Member of our local ambulance corps it was my responsibility to liaison with the town and emergency services to set up a shelter for the displaced. The night the storm was at its worst, while my husband, son and daughter-in-law were riding the rigs and rescuing people from the high waters, I stood in the hallway of our building with other volunteers when a busload of frightened residents were dropped off and I watched them come down the hall - the memory remains burned into my mind.

Writers are often told to write what they know - I did. 

Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc three years ago this week

And thank you to all the volunteers who left the comfort & safety of their own homes to help.

Annie was standing at the end of a long hallway. A group of people were walking towards her. She noticed tear streaked faces and vacant eyes that had already seen too much. One woman was holding a toddler to her chest; both of them were soaked through and shivering. A young girl was holding a calico cat; the cat clung to her, and both of them looked scared. Arms around the furry feline, paws around the little girl’s neck, both of them looked like all they had in the world was each other. Silent tears were rolling down the girl’s cheeks.

The destination for the mass of bedraggled storm victims was a rickety table. Two women sat there asking gentle questions and taking names. As the evacuees signed in they were ushered into the room behind the table. A man brought in a heavy wool blanket and wrapped the woman and toddler in it. Through the tears and anxious whispers Annie heard the words rain, tornadoes and death. The shocked expressions and quivering voices bore testimony to the fierce winds of the monsters that left devastation in their path.

Looking around the room now teeming with both the rescued and the rescuers, Annie saw trophies and photos of uniformed men and women marching next to fire trucks and ambulances. The local fire department opened its doors as a shelter for the survivors of the storm. Even the heroes who were doling out blankets, hot coffee and comfort looked scared and overwhelmed. Every now and then she saw a shelter worker offer a consoling and light touch on the arm, a hug, a shoulder – human touches that were beyond her ability. Annie wondered why she was there, what she could do to help them.

The evacuees clung to family members and friends who walked in with them. She heard people crying as they spoke about homes that collapsed around them. A few people stood and shouted random names with passionate pleas for any information. A shelter volunteer began handing out dry clothes for people who needed, others got blankets and toiletries, a few of the very young were given stuffed animals and toy trucks. A non-stop stream of coffee, juice boxes and cookies were offered all around. People sat at tables clutching their new possessions, an armful of material things that represented all they owned.

Karma Visited

Bloodthirsty Revenge ~ #MondayBlogs

You’ve been wronged, lied about, betrayed, ignored… how bloodthirsty are you? At what point will revenge taken ever be enough?

When we are hurt by the actions of another, angered by the pain that was inflicted, and frustrated because we NEED vindication, our imaginations soar with a need to Get Even.

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.
~ Confucius

Will revenge really ever even things out? We can certainly ensure that someone else feels the pain we felt, but will that ever erase our pain? More importantly what ELSE could we have done with our lives in the time it took to plan and successfully execute our horrible revenge?

When you are totally absorbed in what you THINK will make you feel better and devising ways to make someone suffer as much as you did, you are wasting your own precious life — and you only have one life. What joys did you miss out on, what beauty did you fail to see, and who else (quite possibly innocent) will suffer because of your obsession?

Turn the other cheek you say?! How many times can we do that and still feel worthy of happiness? There are times we just want others to pay for the callousness, the crime, the wrongs inflicted. Sometimes we just want things to be righted. We want justice… or is it merely revenge? Will we get “pleasure” from taking revenge? And if so, what does that say about us? Maybe we are due some JUSTICE, is that the same as revenge? No.

It is essential that justice be done; it is equally vital that justice not be confused with revenge, for the two are wholly different.
~ Oscar Arias

Justice should be logical, thought out, and fair. Revenge is a gut reaction, it’s emotional and most often can be an overreaction. Justice should have a positive effect, perhaps a rehabilitation, a wrong corrected to some extent, removing a danger from hurting others. Revenge is negativity, it can become a blind hatred that goes overboard hurting anyone who comes in contact, revenge only leaves more scars. Any satisfaction felt from meting out revenge is usually short lived and often replaced with guilt.

A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green.

~ Francis Bacon

Revenge can steal your life if you allow it. It’s been said that the best revenge is a life well lived and it is true, enjoy success, beauty, love, and friends. Don’t let all these good things pass you by because you can only focus on revenge.

When you feel as if you’ve been stabbed a hundred-million times in the heart and the pain seems more than you can bear, just saying “get over it” sounds so much easier than doing it. When the need for revenge consumes you, when it is always in your mind and heart, you can’t just wave some magic wand and cast it out. Replace it.

Get involved in a positive activity, a project, a cause – find something GOOD to throw all of your passion, your angst and that driving need to make things right. The need for revenge is not healthy; it can grow like a tumor until it strangles you. Replace the UNhealthy obsession with positive drives and action that will benefit others. You will feel better about yourself.

And that is a WIN.

Trying to keep a brave face on - Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 10/11/15

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior and Snippet Sunday round. Every week writers post 8-to-10 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 Common Bond, Tangled Hearts. 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. 

A scene switch follows Justin's frustration at the police station. We're picking up a few lines later; Layne and her son Dennis are in the back of a limo headed into Philadelphia where Charlie lives

  (the following has been edited to fit)  ...and now the eight nine ten:

"Mommy, why are you crying?"

Layne told her son that they were going to live with an old friend of hers in a big house with lots of good things around them; she was trying very hard not to let him feel the same loss and fear that she was feeling.

"Will Justin come to visit?"

"N... no, I don't think he'll be able to, but I'm sure he'll be thinking about you a whole lot."

She was shattered; she knew she'd never again see Justin. When they threatened to give Justin a lethal injection on top of the one that already had him unconscious, Layne would have given up her own safety, even her own life, if it had just been her, but she had Dennis to think about.

"I want Justin to visit me," Dennis whined. "Can I call him and ask?"

"We'll have to see," she knew Charlie would never allow that.

Layne hadn't been back there since the evening Charlie took her to the doctor, she had hoped she'd never have to return.

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

About Common Bond, Tangled Hearts

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 newfound strength, courage and knowledge to defy Charlie’s ugliest demands.

Smashwords (multiple e-book formats)

Amazon.com (print)

Kindle from Amazon

Kobo

Apple iTunes

Barnes & Noble

 ~~~~~

I am so proud of the publishing group I belong to

Download a FREE
Vanilla Heart Publishing Fall 2015 Catalog

Vanilla Heart Publishing Fall Catalog 2015 contains direct live links for Audiobooks, Print Editions, and Ebook Editions currently available, by Chelle Cordero, Lauren Shiro, Malcolm R. Campbell, Charmaine Gordon, Angela Kay Austin, Tamara Philip, Neva Squires-Rodriguez, Gwendolyn Jensen-Woodard, and Paul Zunckel. PLUS links to Chelle Cordero's books on Writing and the Business of Being a Writer, and a special tribute collection on Domestic Violence and Survivors by Namid.

Can You Diagnose This Mole? — #MondayBlogs

Doctors are not the only ones at parties who are asked for “professional” opinions. Being a romance writer leaves the door open to a lot of rather embarrassing discussions.

I am often asked for relationship advice, after all my characters always celebrate a Happy Ever After; after listening to as little as possible, not because I don’t care about these people (even strangers), but because sometimes the info gets a little too personal for what I want to hear. I usually smile and tell the people talking to me that it’s certain that they care/love the other person so maybe they should be talking with their partner… bear in mind that I am not talking about book discussions or author appearances. Most people smile and say they’ll take my advice and “Thank you very much”.

I really love writing and reading romance novels. I think everyone should be in love. My favorite of all is combining suspense or mystery with a good and spicy romance. I also like thrilling edge-of-your-seat thrillers. Most of my novels have been categorized as contemporary romantic suspense.

Now to be honest some of my books are fairly explicit in sexual activities (no, NOT soft porn as my son often accuses me of) but there are definitely appropriate and monogamous sex scenes. The most embarrassing conversation I ever had was with the husband-part of a couple we were once very good friends with. After reading one of my books he stopped over one day and followed me around while I was gardening. After some regular innocuous conversation he started to complain how “uptight” his wife was in the bedroom and how he wished she would be… more like the heroine in my book.

To be honest I wanted to crawl under the bush! I tried ignoring and then changing the subject. It didn’t help. Finally I just blurted out, “Go home and speak to her, not me.” He gave a quick apology and finally changed the subject only to return to a similar conversation a few minutes later. This time I asked him, strongly suggested, that he go home. He did. For a long time I was never very comfortable in this couple’s company after that — I just couldn’t get the image out of my mind. I did tell my husband who agreed not to get involved unless it happened a second time. Thankfully her husband never brought it up again. We’ve since parted ways with this couple.

By the way, whenever I get the chance I have taken to wearing a T-shirt another friend had given me, across the front are the words “Be careful what you say, you might wind up in one of my books.” People do tend to clam up when they think about it.