Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Writer Prompt Wednesday - March 30, 2016

Welcome back to my new weekly feature, just for fun.

Every Wednesday I am going to post a random picture I find online 
(and yes, I will make sure not to violate any copyrights)
and I will ask everyone to contribute to a "story" by adding a 
sentence in the comments.

Be sure to read the comments before yours so that we actually 
write a continuous story inspired by the picture.

Got the plan?   Good.
Here's this week's picture:



Haunted House 1

I'll start:

I should have realized what I was getting into when he
took me here on our first date.

Ok, now it's your turn —
add your sentence below

...and be sure to come back next week!


Monday, March 28, 2016

Fear ~ #MondayBlogs


We hear tales of terror from across the globe and worry about our own vulnerability. Could these heinous acts happen where we are during our normal daily routine?

According to the book Psychology of Terrorism edited by Bruce Bongar, the main goals of terrorist acts are to promote insecurity and disrupt everyday life. We watch repeated news reports with graphic footage of bombed out buildings, rows of body bags, tearful interviews of people looking for loved ones, and read names of the dead and injured as if each victim is personally known to us.

We can’t help but empathize. Oh my God, that could have been us; that could have been my daughter; is that my son’s school; my husband isn’t answering his cell phone; we were JUST there. While we certainly sympathize with the victims and their families, we can’t help but realize our own helplessness.

The violence seems random, we never know when or where it will happen. Is there any safe place to hide? How much do we want to stop living our own lives on the “what if” scenario? Is it wise just to ignore the possibility no matter how slight we think it might be?

As Bongor stated in his book, it is the intention of terrorists to disrupt our lives. Do we really want to give the terrorists the victory? I don’t. So what are our options?

Stay vigilant: the catch-phrase of modern times is If you see something, say something — that’s common sense. Unattended bags, unexplained packages, heavy coats on a warm/hot day, actually seeing a weapon being carried into a crowded place, mystery powders... Any of these may or may not be cause for concern, but if it looks suspicious, let the proper authorities know. Don’t investigate the briefcase that appears to have no owner. Don’t enter a room where the multiple occupants appear to be unconscious or worse.

Always notice your exit routes. Don’t leave your purse open and unobserved. Never accept packages from strangers who ask you to just carry it inside. And if, God forbid, the unthinkable does happen, stay calm and orderly, hold your children’s hands so they don’t get lost in a crowd, exit if possible with or without your personal belongings. Don’t tie up phone lines, if they still work they will be needed for emergencies — if you are letting relatives know you are alright, call one and ask them to relay the message.

Before any disaster, whether man-made or natural, you can help prepare yourself, your family and your home for recovery. First and foremost, take a first aid and CPR class; in a major disaster medical personnel will be swamped with patients and resources will be slim so if you or a loved one has a relatively minor injury it could be a while until someone is able to treat you so if you know what to do, it will definitely help. Make sure that your children (and pets) carry identification in case you are separated. Maintain a running inventory of valuables you have at home and store a digital copy of all vital documents off-site. Plan a meeting point for family members if you have to leave an area quickly and may not be together; older children and adults may also arrange to check in by phone with a long-distance relative.

The main thing is to LIVE. Be aware, not afraid. Use common sense, remain alert, help your neighbors, and know that you are not alone. 

Saturday, March 26, 2016

A dream, a nightmare ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 03/27/16

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


A long, long time ago I shared a few snippets from my Paranormal Romantic Suspense, Karma Visited (only 5) - and we didn't get a full taste of this story. Since I am working on a sequel and revisiting the story for myself, I'm sharing more with you and soaking up your comments.

Do you believe in karma? Annie Furman has a gift that allows her, while she sleeps, to visit people in their time of need - but who will be there for her when she needs help? Undersheriff Dave Turner is investigating a series of home invasions and homicides. He has no idea that solving this case will lead him to the woman of his dreams.

I am skipping ahead a bit to the first "scene" with Annie (remember Annie and Dave haven't met yet) - this is in her "POV", and I did a lot of creative editing to make this fit today.

Creative editing alert!  Here are ten lines... 


Tears streaked down her cheeks and left lines on her soot stained cheeks, the children were safe, she made sure of that and I let her know I admired her bravery.

She stood again and tried to shake the bars free from the window. Safety bars, those bars were meant to keep evil out and now all they did was trap her in.

One by one she made sure that her charges would be alright, they were safe, and now it was time for her to die.

Coughs seized her body, flames were licking the walls. We were both scared, but I knew I had no reason to fear for myself. 

We could hear the sirens of the approaching fire trucks, her eyes were haunted as she looked at me and I prayed that the smoke would claim her before the flames; my prayers were answered.

As the burning ceiling above us sent flaming stalactites raining down, I knew she was at peace.

Annie bolted upright in bed and gasped as she tried to catch her breath. There were no flames and no smoke, but the smell still assaulted her nostrils and her throat felt raw.


  
~~~~~
For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 


My life changed after I died.
It’s not like I had any special powers.
They just didn’t understand me.
They underestimated me.
I had a gift.

Buy Links


~~~~~




I was raised in a family of Believers - we believed in
spirits, ESP, 
fortune telling, and the ability to
communicate telepathically. 

My parents, my grandmother, my sister and I all had "experiences" and no one questioned the reality. I had very vivid dreams of things happening in places I wasn't in and several times, after I told my parents what I dreamt (some nightmares) we would go through the day almost forgetting the dreams... until we would be listening to the evening TV news.

I had almost the same nightmare Annie had in this snippet and that night there was a news report of a young and heroic teen-age babysitter who died in an apartment fire early that morning after dropping the baby she was caring for through the gated window to a stranger's arms on the sidewalk. It shook us all up to hear the tragic tale I related that morning on the TV channel.

While my character's "abilities" are much more involved than mine ever were, I related very strongly to her as I wrote the story. In some ways I think I put more of myself into Annie than any other character and needless to say I was more anxious as to how she would be received by readers than other characters.

While no one has been able to conclusively prove or disprove the existence of these other-wordly happenings, many of us can tell of strange occurrences, that sudden deja-vu, visits with loved ones while we slept, and foreboding premonitions. Those who are more comfortable with denial call it coincidence... the rest of us call it a Gift.


Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Writer Prompt Wednesday - March 23, 2016

Welcome back to my new weekly feature, just for fun.

Every Wednesday I am going to post a random picture I find online 
(and yes, I will make sure not to violate any copyrights)
and I will ask everyone to contribute to a "story" by adding a 
sentence in the comments.

Be sure to read the comments before yours so that we actually 
write a continuous story inspired by the picture.

Got the plan?   Good.
Here's this week's picture:


painted by E. I. Couse

I'll start:

They met in hiding knowing their families wouldn't understand.

Ok, now it's your turn —
add your sentence below

...and be sure to come back next week!

Monday, March 21, 2016

The Invisible ~ #MondayBlogs


There are chronic illnesses that can’t be seen by others but still can make a person feel like sh*t. Sufferers of these chronic conditions deal with pain, exhaustion, muscle weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness, ringing in the ears, and more “lovely” annoyances. In some cases, what is more annoying is the lack of compassion and support for people who undeniably feel like they are very much alone. Constant accusations of laziness, hypochondria, excuses and outright lies can send a person who already feels desperate into complete despair — feelings of growing depression only seems to magnify the general feeling of CRAP.

Some Invisible Illnesses are diagnosed through blood tests, scans, and fevers, but there are others that even the medical community cannot prove scientifically. Sometimes it is only repeated symptoms that are used to make a diagnosis and even less is known about treatment. Even some doctors label these conditions as “meaningless catch-all phrases” for non-existent illnesses. It’s beyond frustrating when a patient knows that something is wrong and yet no one will even acknowledge it. Well-meaning family members and friends try to be encouraging, but there constant advice to “why don’t you just get to sleep at a decent time” or “get up and move and you’ll feel better” actually feel like pin pricks. Anger just adds to frustration and depression.

Some examples of invisible illnesses are: Allergies and Food Sensitivities; Rheumatoid Arthritis; Cancer; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain; Depression and Mental Illness; Diabetes; Ehlers Danlos Syndrome; Epstein Barr; Headaches; Migraines; Congestive Heart Failure; Lupus; Lyme Disease; Multiple Sclerosis; Osteoporosis; Neurological Diseases; Sjogren’s Syndrome; and more. (thanks to Molly’s Fund and the CDC for help with this list). Chronic diseases are associated with more depression, increased mortality, higher divorce rates, and worsening chronic conditions. The CDC estimates that approximately one out of every two Americans suffer from some degree of chronic disease at some point in his life. Most chronic sufferers do not use any appliances (like canes or braces), but as the condition progresses they may move on to needing these aids.

Everyday life is more difficult for anyone with a disability. The Americans With Disabilities Act does protect the rights of anyone with a known disability, but when that condition is invisible and the patient is doing his or her best to be “normal” and accepted, there is often no such thing as rights. Very often it isn’t mere pride that keeps a person from sharing their confidential health history; “normalcy” is more accepted, hired more often, considered for promotions, and not made to feel like a burden.

Just because someone can’t SEE a disability doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist.



Saturday, March 19, 2016

Getting to know Dave ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 03/20/16

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


A long, long time ago I shared a few snippets from my Paranormal Romantic Suspense, Karma Visited (only 5) - and we didn't get a full taste of this story. Since I am working on a sequel and revisiting the story for myself, I'm sharing more with you and soaking up your comments.

Do you believe in karma? Annie Furman has a gift that allows her, while she sleeps, to visit people in their time of need - but who will be there for her when she needs help? Undersheriff Dave Turner is investigating a series of home invasions and homicides. He has no idea that solving this case will lead him to the woman of his dreams.

Creative editing alert!  Here are eight lines... 

Only two of the four desks were currently occupied, his and his partner’s; two patrol cars were out in the small town. Once upon a time he thought he had found heaven on earth, a nice small town where he could continue his law enforcement career without all the ugliness he saw as a detective in Chicago.
After eleven years he found himself becoming apathetic and detached after dealing with junkies, abused wives who kept going back to their husbands, missing kids that turned up dead on the side of a road, hookers who were terrified of disappointing their pimps, thieves and arsonists. His indifference became a way of life even when he wasn’t at the job.
Indifference destroyed his marriage too, although he had come to realize that while he missed the idea of being married, he certainly didn’t miss the woman he was married to. She had done him a favor the day she got fed up, Rose walked out and never looked back. He didn’t have much of a chance to miss her or feel guilty for long, not the way she had her lawyer come after him. She wound up keeping most of what he used to own and it made leaving his old life behind a lot easier.
  
~~~~~
For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 


My life changed after I died.
It’s not like I had any special powers.
They just didn’t understand me.
They underestimated me.
I had a gift.

Buy Links


~~~~~

Did you check out a NEW feature I am trying on this blog?


Every Wednesday I am going to post a random picture I find online 

(and yes, I will make sure not to violate any copyrights)
and I will ask everyone to contribute to a "story" by adding a 
sentence in the comments.

We'll see how much interest this fun post gets 
Come back every Wednesday and play along
then come back and read the comments

Here's the first random pic
~~~~~

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Writer Prompt Wednesday - March 16, 2016

I'm trying a new weekly feature, just for fun.

Every Wednesday I am going to post a random picture I find online 
(and yes, I will make sure not to violate any copyrights)
and I will ask everyone to contribute to a "story" by adding a 
sentence in the comments.

Be sure to read the comments before yours so that we actually 
write a continuous story inspired by the picture.

Got the plan?   Good.
Here's this week's picture:


I'll start:

She walked away from the destruction and desolation that had become her life.

Ok, now it's your turn —
add your sentence below

...and be sure to come back next week!

Monday, March 14, 2016

I Would Do It Again ~ #MondayBlogs


Working as a freelancer, in any position, can be nerve-wracking. There are no guarantees of income, paid vacations, or health care. A writer and any creative artist must also split themselves between the creative right-brain and the no-nonsense business left-brain. It certainly isn’t easy.

But after 35+ years of freelancing with only a few years of W-2s in there, I would do it all again if I were starting over.

Not only have I worked as a freelance writer, I’ve also worked out of my own home and have often played around with work hours depending on demand. Some misconceptions that have caused me occasional frustration is when others don’t seem to comprehend that I am indeed working. While I have the freedom of beginning my work day in jammies and with my feet up (I admit, most days), I also have the responsibility of meeting commitments that I’ve made. Basically if I fail to meet my deadline(s) for any one or more of my clients, the chances of my getting future assignments are very low.

As a freelancer I don’t really work for myself, I work for every client I have. I negotiate my deals, accept assignments and promise to get the job done, and sometimes put up with temperamental subjects without losing my cool or grumbling to others (too much). The hardest part of working for myself is not having any back-up (some freelancers work in teams and might be able to avoid this), in my case if I don’t do it I let down my client. I’ll let you know here that I was an adult when I finally came down with chicken-pox (got it from my children) and I worked every day in my office anyway because there was no one else to do it.

Many people differentiate between being a freelancer and being self-employed. The general descriptions say that a freelancer does occasional pieces of work for others and works as a solitary unit; while self-employed means you run your company, serve customers and often hire others to work for you. Sometimes the terms can be interchangeable.

In the long run there is a huge pride in being able to say “this is totally mine” and to know that I am following my calling. Writing is the equivalent to breathing for me and I love knowing that, even though I am working, “I am not working a day of my life.” I enjoy knowing that people read the words I write, and yes, I do enjoy working in my jammies!


...

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Do you believe in Karma? ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 03/13/16

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


A long, long time ago I shared a few snippets from my Paranormal Romantic Suspense, Karma Visited (only 5) - and we didn't get a full taste of this story. Today I am going back to the story.

Do you believe in karma? Annie Furman has a gift that allows her, while she sleeps, to visit people in their time of need - but who will be there for her when she needs help? Undersheriff Dave Turner is investigating a series of home invasions and homicides. He has no idea that solving this case will lead him to the woman of his dreams.

This is the opening scene. (warning, a bit of offensive language)

Creative editing alert!  Here are eight lines... 

“Sonovabitch!” He hissed the expletive out loud, it was another dead end. It might have been more palatable if he didn’t know how much fun the fuckers were having at his expense. This was the second home invasion in less than a month, each time the perps left clues. The clues were too obvious to be of any real value, it was more like a game to the intruders, but they had to waste time checking them out just the same. 
Dave looked around the small office, it didn’t look like his foul language had even jostled his partner. Tim could sleep anywhere, he was leaning back in his chair with his head flopped back. It was a good thing the guy snored, at least you could tell he was still breathing, mused Dave. 


~~~~~
For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 



My life changed after I died.
It’s not like I had any special powers.
They just didn’t understand me.
They underestimated me.

I had a gift.

Buy Links

~~~~~

I'm writing a sequel to Karma Visited, the working title is Annie's Karma, so revisiting this story here in WeWriWa and SnippetSunday is a way to really immerse myself in the characters again. I welcome your comments as it will help me hone in on the characters.

This is the third time I've started the sequel... thanks to a computer going down I lost 16,000 words, I cried and stamped my feet, and then I started writing again. I'm sure you've all been there, done that - What Happened to My Manuscript?!!!! Well, thinking it was a faulty thumb drive, and running all kinds of maintenance scans on the machine, I got up to 12,000 words AND LOST THE DARN MANUSCRIPT AGAIN!

I realized I was having more problems with the darn machine and I was really getting frustrated. (Since I write for other periodicals for a living, I was losing much more than just AK)

A couple of weeks ago hubby bought me a new laptop and I started writing AK again, I'm up to 21,000 words — maybe that doesn't seem like a lot but after losing the first two attempts and thinking maybe "somebody up there" was trying to tell me something, I reworked parts of the story and I've actually now written a total, thanks to the three starts, of 49,000 words and only have the mere beginnings of the story. And this time I've learned not to even rely on external drives to save the work, I email it to myself every few days.

I don't think most people realize what a high-stress job being a writer actually is.

Monday, March 7, 2016

So What Are You Going to Do About It? ~ #MondayBlogs


Negative people can really wreak havoc with your day. Listening to chronic (usually unfounded) complaints, hearing repeated forecasts of doom, and seeing nothing more than constant scowling and growling can take its toll on the people around. I truly believe that the atmosphere is fed by the energy around, and when that energy is negativity and gloom, the temperature is not very comfortable.

Negativity can drain you. A constant barrage of criticism can make you doubt yourself. Why bother to smile when it’s met with derision?

Don’t let someone else’s Bad Day(s) ruin your day. You do have a choice. Depending on the situation it may be easiest to simply walk away and avoid the bad vibes. Join another gym, find another critique group, sit at a different lunchroom table… Sometimes you can’t extricate yourself that easily and you have to find a way to deal with it.

Open your mind to understanding what has caused the other person’s gloom — they may lack confidence, they may have difficulty seeing beyond something truly unfortunate that has happened to them, they may be surrounded by negative people, or they may feel powerless in other areas of their lives and feel the need to exert harsh control. Whatever the reason, it is often a cry for help, or understanding, a need to feel hugged, or even a need to just be left alone.

Your own attitude doesn’t need to be a part of someone else’s schemes. If the negative person around you needs compassion, you can empathize but still realize whatever bad thing happened did NOT happen to you. You can reach out a hand without giving up you own safe perch. You can offer encouragement without demeaning your own abilities. Feeding positive energy into the environment doesn’t mean remaining oblivious to others and their needs; it means finding ways to accept and build on the strengths and needs of all including yourself.

Self-preservation is not just a skill, it is a necessity. Self-preservation does not mean building a figurative wall around yourself. By all means interact with those people, but if you can, avoid topics that you know will set them off (if they are upset about being passed over for a promotion, you don’t need to constantly remind them of the promoted person’s success!); if you can’t avoid the hot topics don’t gloat, keep repeating yourself, or lie. Try to change the environment by including others so that the focus is not just on the two of you. Find ways to give genuine praise. Never tell someone to just get over it.

Sometimes it will take reminders like the morning affirmation in your mirror, but train yourself to be more positive. Learn to look for the good in situations and people. Learn your own can do attitude. Believe in yourself. Learn how to smile. Practice positive responses and ways to offer your ideas. Avoid making insults and accusations. Don’t dwell on the negativity around you.


Feed your own positive energy into the room and it just might be infectious.



Saturday, March 5, 2016

This one will shock them ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 03/06/16

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 told the Bernerd family that Jimmy proposed to her in a letter. This week she tells them the real reason she showed up at the Bernerd homestead. This is the final ten sentence snippet for this story.

Creative editing alert!  Here are ten lines... 


The older woman calmly smiled and took Callie’s hand again, “My Jimmy was a fine boy and it’s nice to know that he was loved.” She sighed, “But child, Jimmy is gone and you did not get married.” She stood, still holding Callie’s hand, “Thank you so much for letting us know that you cared for him.”
Realizing that she was being dismissed, Callie stayed seated, “I needed to talk with you.”
Lawrence guffawed, “This alleged proposal means nothing if you think you’re entitled to his benefits.”
Callie turned to Lawrence, “That’s not what I came for.”
Sighing, the mother sat down again, “Then why did you come?”
“I came for family, we have a son.”
Mrs. Bernerd put a hand to her chest, “I have a grandbaby?”
“Yes, his name is Jacob.”

just a hint: Not all arms welcome Callie and Jacob...
~~~~~
For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 



Have enough courage to trust love
one more time.
And always, one more time.

Maya Angelo

Buy Links
Smashwords
Kindle

~~~~~


March 2016 is Women's History Month



  • ***On March 8 I'll choose one commenter to receive a free e-book from my back list  Heartworks NOT included


(Remember to celebrate International Women's Day
on March 8, 2016)


Leave a comment ON the

AUTHOR CHELLE CORDERO

FACEBOOK PAGE


(click above to get to the page)




BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

March is Women's History Month ~ Contest!!!!



March 2016 is Women's History Month



  • ***Please list 5 of your favorite FEMALE writers (novelists, poets, journalists, etc) in the comments...
  • ***On March 8 I'll choose one commenter to receive a free e-book from my back list


(Remember to celebrate International Women's Day
on March 8, 2016)


Leave a comment ON the

AUTHOR CHELLE CORDERO

FACEBOOK PAGE

(click above to get to the page)




BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA