Monday, May 30, 2016

The Ability to Multi-task ~ #MondayBlogs


Like many of us I need more hours every day… and a few more days in a week wouldn’t hurt either. Somehow I don’t think the days are going to get longer. With my luck those extra days wouldn’t be weekend days and then everyone would just be mad at me for having to work more days between breaks. I probably wouldn’t win.

The only solution left is doing more than one thing at a time, I believe that that productive and busy people call that multi-tasking; I call it a desperate act of the seriously overburdened. I type while I juggle phone calls, read while I cook, and return emails from my smart phone while I move from room to room. I don’t have time to sit in one place for very long being idle.

While I adore working from a home office and never having to deal with a messy commute, I also envy those folks who have on-site office hours away from casual phone calls, door-to-door solicitors, and home/family chores. I am fairly disciplined and manage to meet my deadlines, but sometimes it is a struggle to get the respect of others for my time. I already let MOST phone calls go to voicemail and explain to others that I am on deadline and can’t speak…

The truth is that life gets in the way of schedules. Urgent phone calls, unexpected visitors, last minute assignments and our own sometimes inability to concentrate will force us to adjust everything we had planned. There are a few proverbs and other sayings with a similar message, but my personal favorite is from Michael Chabon, “Man makes plans . . . and G-d laughs.”


Saturday, May 28, 2016

And two roads divulged as one ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 05/29/16

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 Every week writers post 8-to-10 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book.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.

We've skipped ahead a bit, past another argument Annie has with Scott and past a telephone argument Dave has with his ex-wife over alimony. In the next snippet or two you will learn how significant this case is to the story line between Dave and Annie. (Reminder, Tim is Dave's partner at work)

Creative editing alert!  Here are eight lines... 


Tim came into the squad room, he seemed anxious, “we’ve got a missing girl, her car was found abandoned a few miles southwest of here. She’s changing jobs and traveling through.”
“Why do we think she’s headed this way?”
“She left a copy of the route back at her old place, the roommate found it when she got a call from the new employer, the kid never made it to a meeting.”
They made a cursory inspection of the car and its contents; her clothing was still in a suitcase in the trunk along with a box of books and framed pictures.
The roommate found a fax machine and sent over Gayle’s itinerary for her trip and they began retracing her steps; they discovered that she met up with a man at a diner outside of town.
Based on the waitress’s description of the guy, he looked like more than half of the men still sitting in the diner, there was nothing unique and he paid cash when they were done. Tim insisted on trying to lift prints, but the dishes were already run through the dishwasher and the tables were wiped clean after every customer.


 ~~~~~
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


~~~~~

This is Memorial Day weekend in the U.S.A.


this is a time to remember the heroism and
sacrifices made by the brave men and women
of the United States Military Forces

Honor ~ Remember ~ Respect

The half-staff position of the American flag remembers the more than
one million men and women  who gave their lives in service of their
country.  At noon, their memory is raised by the living, who  resolve
not  to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and
continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.


Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Writer Prompt Wednesday ~ May 25, 2016

Welcome back to my almost-weekly feature, just for fun.

On Wednesdays 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:

I had no idea what was moving around out there,
but I was sure I didn't want to come out of my tent.

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




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

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Die Letzte Sünde von Chelle Cordero NOW ALSO AVAILABLE IN GERMAN!


Die Letzte Sünde
von Chelle Cordero
  
NOW ALSO AVAILABLE IN GERMAN!



Die Letzte Sünde
von Chelle Cordero

Deputy Sheriff Commander Jake Carlson hat alle Hände voll zu tun ... er ermittelt in einem brutalen Mehrfachmord, sein Sohn hat Probleme in der Schule und er selbst hat eine rachsüchtige Exfrau am Hals. Er trifft die junge, freigeistige Notfallsanitäterin Julie Jennings. Als Julie zum Objekt einer Obsession wird, schweben sie beide in Gefahr ...

Für Matt und Julie hatte ihr Dienst begonnen wie viele andere. Sie wurden zu einem kleineren Verkehrsunfall gerufen, zu jemandem mit Schmerzen in der Brust und zu einem Krebspatienten, der zur Behandlung ins Krankenhaus musste. Viele der Gemeinschaften im Norden des Staates New York hatten Notfalldienste unter Vertrag, um dem bestehenden Rettungsdienst unter die Arme zu greifen und auf medizinische Notfälle zu reagieren. Ob bezahlt oder nicht, der qualifizierte Dienst schickte immer Rettungsassistenten, die mit den meisten Notfällen umgehen konnten. Wenn die Notfallsanitäter ausgesandt wurden, machten ein weiteres Paar Hände und Infusionen oft den kritischen Unterschied.

Dieser Notruf kam über Funk für ein Brandopfer, also war keiner der Polizisten, Feuerwehrmänner, ehrenamtlichen Rettungshelfer oder Sanitäter darauf vorbereitet, was sie in diesem abgelegenen Werkzeugschuppen vorfanden. Von außen wirkte das ergraute Holz friedlich genug, und das eine kleine Fenster war schmutzverkrustet. Julie dachte nicht, dass sie unter normalen Umständen den Schuppen eines zweiten Blickes gewürdigt hätte. Aber das hier war alles andere als normal. Niemand hatte mit der Horrorszene im Inneren gerechnet.



REVIEW (English Edition)
Cordero Delivers!

Chelle Cordero strikes a winning combination of romance and suspense in this medical crime thriller. Detailed research and characterizations coupled with a break-neck pace create a hard-to-put-down-read.
 Kathy-Diane Leveille





Die Letzte Sünde Links













Also Available through:
3M, Baker and Taylor, Follet,  Overdrive, Gardners,         Chegg          , StreetLib, and Google Play       



  

or




or
  



Foto von Mark Engelman


Chelle Cordero schreibt Geschichten voller Leidenschaft und Spannung. Vanilla Heart Publishing hat neun Cordero-Romane veröffentlicht: „Bartlett’s Rule”; „His Lucky Charm”; „Within the Law”; „Courage of the Heart”; „Final Sin”; „Hostage Heart”; „A Chaunce of Riches”; „Common Bond, Tangled Hearts” und „Hyphema”. Sie arbeitet derzeit an ihrem zehnten Roman und verspricht ein weiteres, actionreiches Abenteuer und eine herzerwärmende Liebesgeschichte. Chelle hat den Großteil ihres Erwachsenenlebens sowohl Romane als auch Sachbücher geschrieben und arbeitet seit Beginn 2008 mit Vanilla Heart Publishing zusammen.
Ihre Bücher haben viel Beifall erhalten, unter anderem: „Bartlett’s Rule“ zählte zu Carolyn Howard-Johnsons zehn besten Büchern 2009, „Final Sin“ war unter den ehrenhaften Erwähnungen in der Romankategorie des NY Buchfestivals 2010 und wurde für den Pushcart-Preis 2009 nominiert. „Hyphema“ gewann am 9. Dezember 2011 die Abstimmung zum besten Bucheinband auf der „Shades of Love“-Webseite, „A Chaunce of Riches“ gewann den D. Renee Bagby-Leserpreis für das beste erste Kapitel im April 2010 und „Hostage Heart“, „Final Sin“ und „A Chaunce or Riches“ erreichten die Top Zehn in der „Preditors‘ and Readers‘“-Umfrage 2009. Chelle war auch unter den „50 großartigen Autoren, die man gelesen haben sollte“ 2010, herausgegeben von The Author’s Show.
Chelle Cordero unterhält einen Autorenblog auf http://chellecordero.blogspot.com/ und einen Werbeblog auf http://ccepotourri.wordpress.com. Ihre Webseite http://ChelleCordero.com bietet Informationen zu all ihren Büchern und Auftritten. Blogger und die Presse sind jederzeit in Chelles Medienzimmer auf http://chellecordero.com/media/ willkommen, in dem herunterladbare Fotos und andere Informationen zur Verfügung stehen.
Chelle lebt mit ihrem Ehemann Mark und ihrer Familie im Nordosten der USA. Sie haben zwei erwachsene Kinder: Jenni (& Jason) und Marc (& Trish). Sie teilen ihr Heim mit drei schelmischen und verwöhnten Katzen, von denen eine Chelles Schreibtisch zu ihrem Stammplatz auserkoren hat. Chelle ist als freiberufliche Journalistin für mehrere Publikationen tätig – ihre Artikel erscheinen regelmäßig in Nordamerika und sie schreibt als eine Rettungssanitäterin im Staat New York eine monatliche Kolumne zu Themen der Rettungsdienste im Staat New York in den „First Responder News“.

  

Translator for the German Editions
Katharina Klamt

Katharina ist Übersetzerin und versucht sich in ihrer Freizeit an der Schriftstellerei. Ihr erster Roman soll 2016 fertig werden, aber sie wird stets von Kurzgeschichten abgelenkt. Ihre Karriere als Übersetzerin begann in der Videospielindustrie, in der sie ihre Leidenschaft für Videospiele mit ihrer Liebe zur Sprache verbinden konnte. Wenn Katharina nicht gerade ohne Vorlagen Figuren von fragwürdiger Qualität häkelt, spielt sie gerne RPGs und Strategiespiele oder liest, besonders Fantasy, Thriller und humorvolle Bücher.


Katharina is a translator and aspiring writer, currently attempting to finish her first novel but constantly distracted with short stories. Her career as a translator started in the video games industry where she could combine her passion of gaming with her love for language. When Katharina’s not busy messing up crochet figures without patterns, she enjoys playing RPGs and strategy games or reading, especially fantasy, thrillers and humorous books.






E-Books und Hörbücher und Taschenbücher


WEBSEITE

FACEBOOK #TEAMVHP

VHP BUCH-TOUREN

TWITTER
@VanillaHeart




Monday, May 23, 2016

Do It Well ~ #MondayBlogs


Madonna and Stevie Wonder performed Purple Rain and paid tribute to Prince at the Billboard Music Award Ceremony; it was honest admiration for all that he stood for. Whether you enjoyed or approved of his music, there is no denying that Prince was an exceptional and well-acclaimed artist during his too-short life. With multiple Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, an Academy Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, he was an accomplished and significant artist who rightfully earned the respect of many. He is and will be remembered for a long, long time.

We should all strive to do things at our best, to take pride in our endeavors, and to do well whether we receive accolades or not in our lifetime. If we live our lives fully and enrich the lives of those around us then in a way we are paying tribute to ourselves out of self-respect. We are each capable of greatness if we believe in ourselves. In reality we shouldn’t be competing with others, we should always be looking for a personal best. Each time we believe we have reached the pinnacle of our performance we need to push ourselves just a bit further. Success is not one accomplishment and stagnating, it is growing on that success to make it even richer and better.

What do you want to accomplish in your life? Your goals do not need to be a singer and musician like Prince, you don’t need to be Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, you don’t even need to be the world’s greatest athlete, or a renowned politician… you only need to pursue and do the best you can at whatever your dream is. Believe in yourself. Believe in every inspirational adage and cliché you’ve ever heard — keep your eye on the ball; if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again; dance like nobody is watching; excellence is not an act, but a habit; and more. Keep reaching, keep striving, and never settle.

You are allowed to “always want a little more” when wanting more will keep you always trying to improve. Satisfaction and contentment isn’t earned by knowing you’ve reached the top, but by knowing you keep getting better and better. Believe in yourself. Believe that you can do whatever you set your mind to do. Know that you have succeeded each time you get half a step further on your journey than you did the time before.


Be positive, not just for yourself, for the people around you as well. Positivity just seems to grow and everyone can benefit. Contribute yourself daily to making the world a happier and better place. Do your life well and know that your “tributes” will come, people will respect you — it doesn’t matter if it is name performers on a stage or the everyday people who have surrounded you in your lifetime, you will be remembered and that is the greatest tribute anyone could ever receive. 

...

Saturday, May 21, 2016

A restless night ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 05/22/16

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.

Dave spent a restless night wondering about the mystery woman from the accident scene.

Creative editing alert!  Here are ten lines... 


The sun had long ago come up and Dave was trying very hard to ignore it; it had been a long time since he thought he saw folks that weren’t really there, of course that had been when he was married to Rose and comforting himself now and then with a bottle.
Finally the clock alarm sounded and he couldn’t ignore the need to get out of bed anymore, he had barely gotten his feet onto the floor when the cat started meowing loudly and demanding his breakfast. 
“You’ll wait. I’ve got to take a leak,” he closed the door on the protesting cat.
When he came out, the cat wrapped himself around Dave’s feet, “damn it Mauszer, give me a chance, I’ll feed you in a moment.”
He took the cat’s bowl and opened a can of food, “here are your meager rations to get you through your hard life, just let me know when you’re ready to call the ASPCA and I’ll dial it for you.” As he knelt to put the food down, he patted the head of the fat orange tabby that came with the house, he never was as angry with the feline as he pretended to be, at least the cat kept him from coming home to an empty house every night.
He set a pot of water on the stove to boil and went to the front door for the morning paper.; great, he thought, the accident was on the front page, maybe the reporter caught a picture of the mystery woman? Dave spread the paper on the table and was disappointed, the reporter must have taken the photo from the wrong angle, Dave didn’t see her. He really needed to know that she was really there and not some figment of his imagination.

 ~~~~~
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


~~~~~

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Writer Prompt Wednesday ~ May 18, 2016

Welcome back to my almost-weekly feature, just for fun.

On Wednesdays 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:

They had no idea what was waiting
for them inside the cabin.

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




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

Monday, May 16, 2016

Thank You to Our EMS First Responders ~ #MondayBlog


It’s National EMS Week May 15 to May 21, 2016, time to show our appreciation for so many who come to our aid when we need them. President Obama just signed this year’s proclamation saying, “Every day across our Nation, women and men sacrifice precious time with their loved ones, working long and hard to provide emergency medical services (EMS) to people they have never met before.

We often take for granted that EMS responders, police and firefighters will come for us when we call 911 without fully understanding everything these selfless individuals do every day for strangers and neighbors alike. First of all, the Emergency Medical System includes more than the ambulance; it begins with dispatchers who answer the 911 calls and direct instructions to the appropriate agencies, all emergency responders (including firefighters and police) are part of the system, ambulance crews consisting of medical professionals of EMTs and Paramedics, the hospital receiving staff of nurses and doctors, and also EMS educators and government oversight agencies. We should appreciate all of them.

Let’s talk about the ambulance crews. There are more than 21,000 licensed local EMS agencies in the United States more than half of which provide Basic Life Support services (EMT Basic); the rest operate at EMT-Intermediate and Paramedic level services. Approximately 40% of the EMS agencies in the US are fire-department based. One-third of the states rely heavily on Volunteer EMS agencies. The people who respond on the ambulance are highly skilled and trained individuals who provide vital pre-hospital life-saving skills and often transportation to hospitals and other medical facilities. The ability of a community to survive and recover during and after a disaster depends heavily on the strength of its first responders. While many agencies help to provide in-service training and updates, much of the initial extensive training is taken on the individual’s own time and expense.

EMTs are taught to take and assess vital signs and do patient assessments. EMTs are trained to handle cardiac and respiratory arrest, heart attacks, seizures, diabetic emergencies, respiratory problems and other medical emergencies including traumatic injuries and many sudden illnesses. Paramedics can perform all of the skills performed by an EMT, plus advanced airway management such as endotracheal intubation, electrocardiographs (ECGs), insertion of intravenous lines, administration of numerous emergency medications, and assessment of ECG tracings and defibrillation. Individual states differ as to whether EMTs and Paramedics are state certified or licensed and there is a National standard of minimum qualifications.

When the patient of family member is in pain and scared, it is not always easy to see the responders as vulnerable human beings who can get injured or sick as well. Responders will come out at all hours and in all weather conditions; many times when the public is advised to stay off of roadways, there are still ambulances and other emergency vehicles heading to scenes where help is needed. Our health providers come into contact with many communicable diseases and need to take precautions to protect their own health as well as the health of their families. There are also cases where a seemingly innocuous health emergency is also combined with a potential for violence. 

Between road hazards, violent encounters, falls, communicable diseases, and emotional stresses, there is a growing number of disabilities and even LODDs (Line of Duty Death) among both paid and volunteer EMS providers. With more than 20-thousand injuries and illnesses reported yearly (CDC 2013), more than half of these are attributed to EMS responders under 35 years of age. It’s not a job done for the money as the American average for the EMS provider salary begins below $20,000 with a minority as high as $50,000; EMS providers usually begin their careers after deciding to help people and make a difference, they care for their patients and push themselves to act even sometimes when it compromises their own health and well-being.


So let’s take this week, and actually all year round, to say thank you to EMS providers who show up at your door, to roadways and more so that they can help perfect strangers, save lives and improve the quality of our lives.

~~~~~~~~

Would you like a chance to win a free book?

Comment below ON THIS BLOG and you will be entered for a chance to win a FREE ebook copy of Hyphema, one of my two EMS themed stories.

Just comment - if you log in "Anonymously" (without the use of a social network site) pleas be sure to leave your name in your comment.

I'll be announcing the winner next Sunday, May 22!


Matt Garratti, a paramedic from New York, moves his wife and son to North Carolina to work at his dream job as a flight medic. Pakistani born Sudah, his wife, receives frosty stares and insensitive comments from their new neighbors. Before long, Matt wonders if he is pursuing his dream or bringing his family into a nightmare from which they may never wake.

Saturday, May 14, 2016

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.

We're back in town where Annie and Scott live and at a (boring) town board meeting. Since we skipped over the in book intro to two characters, Old Man Hunter is one of the "good old boys" of the town and a financier of Scott's political ambitions; Sherry Pulaski is an outspoken local ecology activist. /as usual Scott has dragged Annie to the public forum to make him look better.

Creative editing alert!  Here are nine lines... 


Sherry Pulaski complained about a proposed pipeline that would encroach on personal property and endanger family homesteads; it was even planned to cut across a historical Native American burial ground.
She questioned how the town powers allowed the transaction to get approved, she went so far as to intimate that someone was paid off and Old Man Hunter stood and loudly bullied her from his spot in the audience. The mayor had to rap his gavel several times and ask for order.
When the meeting came to a close, Scott turned to Hunter with a questioning look, Hunter shook his head slightly and Scott looked away again. As soon as the meeting was closed, Scott hurried out, Hunter followed soon after.
“…because I told you that we have to let everything else fall into place first.”
Annie entered the hallway in time to hear Hunter admonishing Scott. He was waving a fat finger in Scott’s face when he saw her and motioned that the conversation was over. 
   ~~~~~
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


~~~~~

Beware the Ides of March


Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15, 44 BC ( I am taking the history books word on this as I wasn't there that day); Caesar was previously warned to "beware the Ides of March", a date that corresponded to March 15, by a seer that prophesized his demise.

Have you ever had a premonition that has come true? I am pretty that almost every one of us (if we admit to it) has had "a feeling" about some turning point in our lives, a feeling that very well may have come true. Were the events n our lives fated, meant to be, or did our negative thoughts bring aobut our own dooms? How strong is the human pysche to see into the future?

I was raised in a family that believed in "abilities", we had dreams; my mom, no joke, read palms; and we all believed we could and did communicate with those who no longer walked the earth. While some of my acquaintances looked at me, shall we say "oddly", some other kind disbelievers reminded me that it was always good to "trust your intuition"... but wasn't that really just another word for premonition?

As writers we constantly create all kinds of semi-plausible possibilities and yet how many of you raised an eyebrow as you read my words above, how many of you truly believe the same things we want our readers to believe? And how many writers have "made up" something to go in a fiction story only to have it come to be shortly after? Are we really just a bunch of liars or do we actually have glimpses of the future?