The Unexpected Happens ~ #MondayBlogs

This past week I learned of folks who had sudden and rather unexpected changes occur in their professional lives.

In one there was a long time small press that announced they will soon be closing their doors. I know a few authors who are affected by this and while we haven’t discussed it I can only imagine the scrambling that is going on in their minds. (I know how much I love my publisher and the state I would be in.) Many of these authors already have their books in print, some have books that were due to be released.

While rights will eventually be returned to the individual authors (as per contract terms), these authors who felt secure in their accomplishments will now have to find other publishers or consider self-publishing options; hopefully they will pursue getting their books back out there as soon as they can, it would be a shame to deny their readers the chance to enjoy those captivating stories.

The other instance involves a health care provider that (for a variety of reasons) suddenly closed their doors leaving their employees UN-employed with less than 90-minutes notice. These employees have various home and financial situations, many are responsible as the breadwinners for their families. People are in shock and as the business week begins are preparing to flood the marketplace looking for new work.

Being an essential service, one positive is that other companies will need new hires to fill newly created positions to replace this company; hopefully many employees will not have to go too long without salaries. Unfortunately many seasoned workers will be starting at the bottom of the new companies (if hired), they will have lost all seniority and will have to wait for new benefits to take effect as well. For so many it is a mind-blowing mess.

The huge number of people affected by the demise of both companies will force (combined) hundreds of people to demonstrate to themselves, the people who depend on them, and the rest of us about resilience, determination and survival. I’m sure that there are some who would prefer to hide and pretend it’s all just a bad dream, and some who might even allow themselves to wallow; I am sure the majority will look to get their lives back on track as soon as possible.

Nothing in life is ever truly easy. I wish everyone new and better opportunities, success, and ease of mind.

When one door closes,

Another one opens.

He said it in a letter ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 02/28/16

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

I am sharing snippets from a new short story I wrote, Always One More Time. This story has just been released in a terrific anthology called HeartWorks ~ Eight Great Stories of Love, Passion, and Romance from Vanilla Heart Publishing Authors Charmaine Gordon, Paul Zunckel, Chelle Cordero, Neva Squires-Rodriguez, Lauren Shiro, Tamara Philip, Gwendolyn Jensen-Woodard, and Angela Kay Austin.
  

Despite accusations that she is lying made from Jimmy's siblings, his mother is willing to hear Callie out. She seems to understand how difficult Jimmy's death was for Callie. This week Callie drops the first bombshell.

Creative editing alert!  Here are ten lines... 

Mrs. Bernerd tapped her foot once, twice, while she waited for the chorus of three “yes, Mama.”

Leaning forward in her seat, Mrs. Bernerd scrutinized Callie’s face, “do you need a glass of water?”

Callie looked at Leisha and Lawrence and felt like cowering under their anger, when she looked back at Jimmy’s mother she shook her head.

“Now, tell me what was between you and my Jimmy.”

“At first we were just friends, but soon we started dating,” her voice calmed a little as she thought of Jimmy, “we had a pretty serious relationship by the time he was deployed; we wrote to each other frequently.” She paused and tamped down the emotion, “Jimmy proposed to me in a letter.”

Leisha shrieked, “she’s lying, Mama.”

Her mother turned quickly towards her and without a word Leisha ran from the room.

“Go on,” she turned her attention back to Callie.

“We were going to get married when he came back home.”

~~~~~

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

“Have enough courage to trust love
one more time.
And always, one more time.”
~ Maya Angelo

Buy Links

PayHip (.pdf)

Smashwords
Kindle

~~~~~

Dealing with change

It seems the older I get the more difficulty I have dealing with change! It's the minor things and it's almost laughable.

Hubby bought me a new computer laptop for my writing and I've gone from Windows 8 to Windows 10; he also bought me Microsoft Office 2013 and brought me about six years closer to the present (I didn't want to deal with the subscription aspect of 365). Basically everything is similar... same size keyboard, close enough programs, and my writing assignments (I'm a journalist as well) are the same.

But I am used to the touch of the keyboard on my old machine, which unfortunately was beginning to have problems (hey, I spend a lot of time on the computer!) and the touch pad is soooo sensitive. I've got all of this adjusting to do. Luckily most of my files are kept on external and thumb drives so I just have to plug those in to the new machine.

Woe is me, I just felt like complaining a little, lol. By next week I will have it all conquered.

Meanwhile this machine is GORGEOUS!

The Toilet Paper Campaign Promise ~ #MondayBlogs

It was almost the end of my junior year in high school. We were running for offices in the high school Student Organization, S.O. for short, for what would be my senior year. A group of friends convinced me to run for the position of secretary and to my delight it didn’t take long for enough students to sign the petition to get my name on the ballot. Each of the candidates had their own troop of campaign workers and it seemed that all of the candidates were friendly and considerate of each other.

Home-made posters were hung on all of the walls and just like all of the other candidates for the S.O. I spoke to my fellow students in the classrooms and lunch room to learn what their concerns were and what I could address. I believed in keeping my campaign promises real. Fortunately our campaigns were “clean” and no one resorted to dirty politics or back stabbing. The school paper interviewed each of us and devoted more or less equal and non-biased coverage. In the long run we all got a very pleasant introduction to “politics”.

The school arranged a special assembly the morning that ballots were to be cast. We were each allowed three minutes to present our platforms and address the issues we would be fighting for. Speeches were prepared to keep us organized and the friendly competition felt very, very real. We were called to the lectern in turns; all of the candidates were grouped together.

There were two of us running for secretary and I was the first of our level. I promised to speak to the administration about things like the open hours of the school’s student store, access to our third-floor rooftop “courtyard” (the school was in the heart of NYC and sat in the middle of tall business-buildings), school dances, and other things students told me were important to them. I was so pleased to get a sizeable round of applause and I felt good. Yes, a little bit of me was beginning to want the win, but in reality whether I won or lost I was enjoying the experience.

When I sat the other student running for secretary, Fran, was called up. I remember how she didn’t even pull out any index cards for her speech. She addressed the full auditorium, repeated her name and the position she was running for and then made one campaign promise.

I can still hear her words, “I PROMISE YOU SOFTER TOILET PAPER IN ALL OF THE BATHROOMS!”

There was a standing ovation and loud whistles and cheers that finally had to be shushed by the teachers. When the ballots were cast that afternoon Fran won in a landslide. It was no wonder, she was brilliant — she told the voters exactly what they wanted to hear.

When she assumed her responsibilities at the beginning of the new school year, she did a nice job… BUT the one promise she had made was something she never had control of (the NYC Board of Education bought the paper in bulk and doled it out to each building). The toilet paper in the bathrooms remained one-ply and scratchy for my entire senior year.

She told the voters what they wanted to hear and they voted for her based on that. In the end the students never got what they were promised. Candidates in our “adult” real-world elections always make promises and so often, after their election, we simply don’t see those promises coming to fruition. Prospective voters are swept up by promises of what they want to hear and continually disappointed once their chosen candidate takes office.

While Fran and I remained friends with no hard feelings, I did learn a very important lesson that year. Research for yourself and check out the candidate’s political history before casting a vote. Be informed when you walk into the voting booth.

...

When Mama Talks ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 02/21/16

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

I am sharing snippets from a new short story I wrote, Always One More Time. This story has just been released in a terrific anthology called HeartWorks ~ Eight Great Stories of Love, Passion, and Romance from Vanilla Heart Publishing Authors Charmaine Gordon, Paul Zunckel, Chelle Cordero, Neva Squires-Rodriguez, Lauren Shiro, Tamara Philip, Gwendolyn Jensen-Woodard, and Angela Kay Austin.
  

Callie met some opposition when she told the truth about her relationship with Jimmy. Rest assured there is more to come, a lot more will be disclosed next week.

Creative editing alert!  Here are ten lines... 

“Leisha you shut your mouth,” Mrs. Bernerd yelled at her daughter. She turned back to Callie, “now girl, why are you coming here to tell me that my son had some kind of dalliance with you?”

Lawrence sounded suspicious, “are you trying to blackmail us or something?”

“I,” Callie looked nervously between the three, “I just,” she began to hyperventilate.

Leisha strutted towards Callie and pointed her finger, “she probably wants to claim that the black guy forced her.”

Mrs. Bernerd noticed that Callie was having difficulty breathing, “you sit girl and catch your breath then we will talk.” The older woman stood, “Leisha, Lawrence, I am an old woman in mourning for a son, I am not feeble and I don’t need your interference”

“But Mama, she’s—” Lawrence tried to plead with his mother.

“I said to stay out of it, we do not know what she is or what she wants, you are to stay out of it; I will hear her out and I will be the one to make the decision what to do about her.” She stopped and looked at each of her offspring, there was complete silence, “you can stay in the room, but if I hear a single breath from any one of you, you will leave; is that understood?”

~~~~~

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

“Have enough courage to trust love
one more time.
And always, one more time.”
~ Maya Angelo

Buy Links

PayHip (.pdf)

Smashwords
Kindle

~~~~~

Eight Great Stories of Love, Passion, and Romance
from Vanilla Heart Publishing Authors

 

HeartWorks

Gleason’s Greetings

by Charmaine Gordon

 Liz Gleason brings laughter and joy into the neighborhood when she opens a card shop. Designing her own humorous greeting cards, business booms and romance blossoms. Is it all too soon when a TV producer shows interest in Liz and her shop? 

Ń Boer maak ń Plan

(A Love Story) by Paul Zunckel

Piet van Zyl finds himself like a fish out of water on meeting the lovely Peggy. The man that will stand down a charging buffalo…the man who is never without a quick chirp…the man, who has an answer for everything has finally met his match…now he is out of his depth, for cupid was around and his arrow hit the burly South African dead center. 

Always, One More Time

by Chelle Cordero

Disowned by her parents because of an interracial love affair, Callie Sanders is left alone to raise her son after his father, Jimmy Bernerd, dies fighting in a war on the other side of the world. Desperate to give her son a family she goes to the Bernerd household — what she finds is a second chance at love, acceptance, and family.  

The Fourteenth Floorboard

by Neva Squires-Rodriguez

Valentine’s Day uncovers a new world hidden in her home that no one, including Gabriela, can understand.  Not even scratching her own arm helps Gabriela understand that this place is real, and part of the reason is that she uncovers a secret bigger than life itself.  Her family tries to convince her to never go to this place again, but Gabriela soon learns for herself, the price associated with getting her there, and that some things are better left unknown.  

Love, Upside Down

by Lauren Shiro

Chantal is sure of two things: her general contracting business, and her love for her old flame, Desiree. A serious car accident changes everything, causing her to stop working; and she meets someone new in Grace, a friend of a friend who becomes her care giver. This accident turns her world upside down, even her love.  

Feeding Romance

by Tamara Philip

 Excerpts from Tamara’s award-winning debut novel, The Trouble with Playing Cupid  along with the recipes for delicious meals the lovers feed each other along the way, including December’s Favorite Buttermilk Pancakes, Tom’s Creamy Pasta Primavera for Two, and Cupid’s Hot Chocolate (guaranteed to inspire love and adoration from all who drink it).  

Heart of Night

A Nightlife Short Story by Gwendolyn Jensen-Woodard

 Lady Jannessa Guillory was the daughter of an ambassador, and therefore it was her duty to marry to her station, and to help her father. Yet, the night called to her in such a way she couldn’t deny it. And when a voice found her in the dark, she knew she couldn’t stop her own passions. 

Sweets for Your Sweet

by Angela Kay Austin

Excerpts from Angela’s Sweet Victory, along with the recipes for a few of the sweet treats Victoria makes after her move back home to Memphis – and too near to Chad. Includes Sweet Victory itself: a delightful chocolate no-bake treasure of coconut and pecans, and Victoria’s favorite comfort food – baked macaroni and cheese. 

Would 'ya... Could 'ya Come by and LIKE My Page

Please check out my Facebook Author Page

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChelleCordero/

& Please LIKE it and come by often

I'd really like to get to know you

http://ChelleCordero.com

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChelleCordero 

https://www.instagram.com/chellecordero/

https://twitter.com/ChelleCordero

http://chellecordero.blogspot.com/

https://www.pinterest.com/chellecordero/

Guest Blogging ~ #MondayBlogs

Blogging is a terrific way to mouth off about a variety of subjects and if you scour the internet you'll see plenty of examples of unchecked blogging. Unfortunately for some, the things that get posted on a blog will hang around forever.

Of course some of the words in a blog can also do a lot of good. Authors can use blogs to promote their books and even themselves as a writer. Posting excerpts, back stories and commentary which relates to a book's subject will go a long way towards marketing. When the blogger regularly posts then his or her readers know to keep coming back. Allowing rezders to post comments - and answering each comment - will halp to maintain interest.

Some blog hosts will invite others to guest post. Guest posts may be part of a virtual blog tour (a series of online appearances often used for book launches) or random pop-ins. When a blog host welcomes someone to their site it's a good feeling when they feel the time and space was well spent.

If you are lucky to land a guest spot don't leave the burden of publicity on your host — it should be a shared venture. Invite traffic to the blog — use emails, post the guest spot on your own blog, social network sites, Twitter and mail forums. Ask people to leave comments; lots of comments will help the blog pop-up in search engines and will increase traffic. Friends can do a lot to help by stopping by blogs and leaving comments, tweeting the blog’s URL, and telling their friends to stop by.

There's a definite advantage to visiting blogs as well, even if you aren't doing it as a favor for someone else. Use a search engine to find blogs that attract readers in the genre you write in and visit the blogs yourself. Take time to read the most recent posts and sign in to leave comments. Flattery is good if it's sincere, but nasti-isms are unnecessary; your comments should sound smart (as if you really read the post), open the door to constructive discussion and reflect well on you.

When you leave a comment also leave a signature; at the very least your signature should include your name and website address. Other blog visitors will see your comments and if they are interested they may want to see what you are all about. Publicly following blogs may also bring you increased traffic to your own sites.

Be a social butterfly — blog and invite readers to visit, visit other blogs, introduce yourself and always spread the word.

Oh, one more thing — please leave a comment below...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

...did you put off getting your sweetie a special gift? Eight great stories of love, passion & romance can save the day.

A little bit of PayPal and it's a gift with a whole lot of love, watch the smile form and get ready for lots of cuddling.

Buy it in easy .pdf format

She's more than a friend ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 02/14/16

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

I am sharing snippets from a new short story I wrote, Always One More Time. This story has just been released in a terrific anthology called HeartWorks ~ Eight Great Stories of Love, Passion, and Romance from Vanilla Heart Publishing Authors Charmaine Gordon, Paul Zunckel, Chelle Cordero, Neva Squires-Rodriguez, Lauren Shiro, Tamara Philip, Gwendolyn Jensen-Woodard, and Angela Kay Austin.

  

Last week Callie introduced herself to Jimmy's mother as a "friend". The last line was "How did you know my Jimmy, girl?"

Creative editing alert!  Here are ten lines... 

He came in where I work, I do intake at the V.A., he had to come in for a physical.”

“Oh,” The woman’s expression changed when Callie mentioned the Veterans’ Hospital, “he died over there…”

Callie felt her throat clench, “I know, I’m sorry that I missed the funeral service, I didn’t find out —”

Lawrence stepped in, “We tried to contact all of his friends, sorry, we didn’t know about you.”

She looked down to hide her tears, “I realize that.”

“You poor child,” Mrs. Bernerd took her hand again, “to find out your friend has died and no one even let you know. It is so sweet of you to come to pay your respects.”

“Mrs. Bernerd,” Callie was hesitant, “Jimmy and I weren’t just… friends, we… we were together.”

“Oh hell no,” the young woman on the couch sprang to her feet angrily, “my brother dating a white woman? You’re lying.”

~~~~~

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

“Have enough courage to trust love
one more time.
And always, one more time.”
~ Maya Angelo

Buy Links

PayHip (.pdf)

Smashwords
Kindle

~~~~~

I love a good, romantic story any day!

Wishing you a wonderful day & the making of terrific memories.

Just for fun,

a bit of

Valentine's Day Trivia

v 110 million roses, mostly red ones, will be sold and delivered within a three-day time period.

v Valentine’s Day is the big time of year for red roses. Mother’s Day sees more pastel-colored roses sold.

v Most roses sold on Valentine’s Day in the U.S. are imported from South America.

v 15% of American women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day.

v About 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year.

v About 25% of Valentine’s Day cards are funny.

v Hallmark, the famous card company, makes over 1,330 different cards for Valentine’s Day.

v More than 35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold for Valentine’s Day.

v In the U.S., 64% of men don’t make plans in advance for a romantic Valentine’s Day with their sweethearts.

v About 3% of pet owners will give Valentine’s Day gifts to their pets.

courtesy of KW

Fear of Being Left Behind ~ #MondayBlogs

I woke up this morning with the strangest of dreams; without going into the complete detail, I wound up not being at a workplace for a couple of days (I believe for an illness?) and wound up being replaced my position done away with. While the dream had nothing based in reality, it still shook me up.

Like many of us there are times when I worry that I may have taken too much on and might be unable to complete everything I need to, worry that 24-hours a day isn’t enough time to do everything I choose to do, worry that maybe I can’t do the job that is expected of me, or just worry that maybe I am just easy to be replaced.

We would all like to feel that we can make an impact in this world and that we would be missed if we were suddenly gone. The reality is that for most of us, in terms of our skills and the impersonal jobs we do, most of us are replaceable. But it is family and friendships that truly make us unique, it’s how we cuddle our children and comfort them, it’s how we tell our partners that we love them, and it’s even how we pet our four legged fur-babies that truly makes us US.

Many people can and do go to schools to learn how to handle most tasks like keeping financial books, cook, build electronics, take blood pressures and more. So many of us add our own touches to jobs like teaching, designing, counseling, research, or writing. And there are some jobs such as first responders (EMS, FD, PD, etc) where split second decisions can make the difference between just doing our job and being heroes. And it should make us feel good when we do our jobs well.

Basically what I am trying to say is that too many of us get tangled up with trying to be the best and most needed at our jobs and prove our value by the amount of money we earn or the titles we wear; truthfully we need to concentrate on the kind of people we are, how we treat others and even how we treat ourselves. Our value lies not in some corner office or a paycheck, but in how we are seen in the eyes of the people who depend on us, our children, our spouses, our families.

If you lose a JOB or get passed over for a promotion life isn’t over; yes there may be challenges, but the important things in your life are the people around you. Pay attention to the people who are waiting for you at home, the family that you’ve grown up with, the friends you’ve had for years, the pets that get excited to see you walk in the door at day’s end. You won’t get left behind when you can share love and life and laughter.

Don’t let yourself get so tied up in knots over a job when there are more important things in life. Focus on what is important to your happiness not just today but in your tomorrows. Success is much more than a dollar figure, living a life well and making others happy is more important. Your job and paycheck may be necessary, and there is nothing wrong with ambition, but never let it become the only thing you live for. Don’t let the superficial things make you feel left behind, lost or worthless.

Don’t get so busy
making a living that
you forget to make a life.
 — Dolly Parton

She meets his mother ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 02/07/16

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

I am sharing snippets from a new short story I wrote, Always One More Time. This story has just been released in a terrific anthology called HeartWorks ~ Eight Great Stories of Love, Passion, and Romance from Vanilla Heart Publishing Authors Charmaine Gordon, Paul Zunckel, Chelle Cordero, Neva Squires-Rodriguez, Lauren Shiro, Tamara Philip, Gwendolyn Jensen-Woodard, and Angela Kay Austin.

  

Last week Callie introduced herself to the man who opened the door, "I’m Callie Sanders and I, I was… I was a friend of Jimmy’s."...

Creative editing alert!  Here are ten lines... 

She noticed how his lips thinned and saw his Adam’s apple bob; he stepped back and motioned her in.

Callie followed him into a busy living room. She saw a slightly overweight older black woman sitting on an overstuffed chair in front of the TV, there was a young woman in the room tucked into an equally overstuffed couch doing her nails, and across the room sat a teenage boy hunched over a notebook at a barren dining room table.

“Mama,” His voice was gentle as he leaned over the older lady, “Mama, this girl,” he reached out to bring Callie closer, “she’s a friend of Jimmy’s.”

The woman reached out to Callie and took her hands in hers, “You knew my Jimmy?”

Callie smiled timidly and nodded.

Mrs. Bernerd looked at the man, “Bring her a chair, Lawrence,” he grabbed a chair from the table and placed it near his mother. “Sit child,” she pointed at the chair.

Callie sat on command and politely folded her hands in her lap.

“How did you know my Jimmy, girl?”

~~~~~

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

“Have enough courage to trust love
one more time.
And always, one more time.”
~ Maya Angelo

Buy Links

PayHip (.pdf)

Smashwords
Kindle

~~~~~

I am really into a family mood lately, tonight hubby and I will have our kids here for dinner (trying to make that a regular thing every few weeks)...

This story is a love story (just in time for Valentine's Day, who'da thunk?) but it is the family unit that is really pivotal. 

Some of us are blessed with large families and constantly involved with family activities - some of us are blessed with smaller families and very tight connections. Mostly because of "the circle of life" my family isn't nearly as large as I once thought it was, but what I have is outstanding.

For the immediate family, hubby and I have two offspring and four kids (each is married) and great friendships with each. And while they don't live close by, we each have sisters (and their families) that have become great friends to us. And I have a few cousins still around that are pretty much like siblings. I consider myself pretty blessed.

I was five years old when my paternal grandfather passed away and it scared me so much - my daddy had lost his daddy and it was just too much for my 5 year old mind to grasp. I told my dad that I never wanted to grow up if it meant losing my own parents. He consoled me and told me it was true, people grow old and in the natural order you can lose parents; then he told me that as sad as that was, if he and my mom hadn't grown up, met and gotten married they never would have had my sister and me, and that was something they never would have wanted to miss.

It helped to console me, just a little, and I repeated those words to my children who never had the opportunity to grow up with grandparents (on either side). The lesson I learned was to enjoy each day and never let a day go by without saying "I love you" to the people I care about.

My story, Always One More Time, is about love and loss and acceptance and family. I hope that everyone enjoys this short tale that does have (spoiler alert) a Happy-Ever-After.

The family – that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor, in our inmost hearts, ever quite wish to.

-Dodie Smith