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

Enjoy an Evening of Books at Palaia ~ #MondayBlogs

Dynamic VHP Authors
Chelle Cordero and Charmaine Gordon

Will Be At Palaia Vineyards on
Friday, July 31 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM

Multi-published Vanilla Heart Publishing Authors Chelle Cordero and Charmaine Gordon will be at Palaia Vineyards on Friday night, July 31, 2015, 6:00PM to 8:00PM to read from their books, host an interactive discussion of the stories and the writing process, and sign book copies. Copies will be available for purchase. There is no cover fee; participants must be at least 21-years old.

Chelle Cordero is an award-winning author who writes stories of Passion and Suspense; VHP has published ten Cordero novels including Final Sin, a murder mystery based in the Hudson Valley. You can find more information about Chelle Cordero at her website http://ChelleCordero.com.

Charmaine Gordon is a former actress who writes books about women who Survive and Thrive; Charmaine's first novel with VHP, To Be Continued, has been optioned for a television movie. More information about Charmaine Gordon is available at https://AuthorCharmaineGordon.wordpress.com/.

Kimberlee Williams, Managing Editor at Vanilla Heart Publishing, said “Our VHP Dynamic Duo certainly promises to be entertaining and make for a fun-filled evening at Palaia Vineyards.” Vanilla Heart Publishing is an independent publisher based in Washington State.

Palaia Vineyards is named for the winemaker's grandfather, Angelo Palaia, who emigrated here from Italy and passed his winemaking skills on to his son and grandson. Over ten acres of vineyards are situated on a 200-year old Hudson Valley former dairy farm. The old barn has been restored and is now a beautiful, clean winery on the lower level, with storage and a tasting room above preserving the look and feel of the historical building.

Palaia Vineyards is located at 10 Sweet Clover Road in Highland Mills, Orange County, New York; it’s easy to get to by car, the vineyard is five miles north of the Woodbury Commons Outlet Stores on Route 32. The phone number is (845) 928-5384. (directions)

Please say you'll come
join us on our FaceBook Event Page
(click above)

Meet VHP Authors Chelle Cordero & Charmaine Gordon on July 31!

click here for directions

(you must be 21+ to attend)

How to Support an Author ~ #MondayBlogs

We may act all sure of ourselves, but writers are really an insecure bunch. We depend, like Blanche DuBois, on the kindness of strangers.

I've been writing professionally as a career since 1981, mostly non-fiction (newspaper and magazine articles, ad copy, and more). In the 1990s I decided to pursue my dream of writing fiction, so I wrote stories that had basis only in my mind. Finally I had a full length manuscript in my hands. After a few false starts and a new and different manuscript I was able to call my self a published author.

One of the nicest things I've found since becoming a novelist is the general support amongst authors. Definitely there are a FEW who are too competitive and allow their not-so-nice side to rule their day, but fortunately as I said those are the few.

I have found other authors who are willing to constructively critique current WIPs, will post, re-post, Tweet and even host other authors, are willing to include others in book store signings and provide helpful advice and tips based on personal experiences. I honestly don't know, at least not personally, any other professional field with the same support system.

If you are venturing into writing for (hopefully) publication, yes you will find those days when, for lack of a better description, you just want to crawl under a rock and hide. There will be days when you face your first, or even subsequent book reviews, with trepidation so gripping as to seemingly paralyze you. Mailing a query to a publisher, whether or not you've already been published, will have you holding your breath until you get a response. Wanting to become a professional author is a little bit like asking to be flogged in public daily.

If you are an author here are some things you can do to support your fellow authors - Use your social media accounts to boost other writers by sharing posts or using the link buttons at the bottom of an author's blog post. Even clicking the "LIKE" button on the other authors' FaceBook posts will help. Tweet or re-Tweet their special news. Interview an author on your blog, with both of you publicizing it you'll probably get a lot of new traffic which also helps you in the long run. Review books, authors LOVE getting reviews. Get involved with other authors both online and in-person. Join Street Teams and help spread the word about your favorite authors in person and/or online.

Enroll in periodic and seasonal blog hops and other combination events. Two weekly blog hops that I participate in are Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday (on FaceBook) where writers from various genres post mini-excerpts from their work and invite everyone to comment. Seeing your work through someone elses's eyes is truly eye-opening and even if this work is already published you will get helpful insights for your current and future writing. There are also various email groups where authors can share, in a sheltered environment. Get involved.

Do not tear into another author, especially not publicly; yes you may do them some damage, but you will hurt yourself even more — no one likes a whiner, or worse, a nasty SOB. Chronic complaining online, about your life, other authors, publishers, etc. will make you unlikable to many would/could be fans. Respond to other authors with the same respect that you want to be treated with.

Smile and the whole word smiles with you.

I thank each one of you for your support.

Chelle & Charmaine Gordon at a multi-author event

The polls close today – Please, please, please vote

This year’s Preditors & Editors Readers’ Poll is open until January 14, 2015.

I have a few entries in the poll and if you wouldn’t mind, I would love your support.

You can vote one time in each category.

And Good Luck to everyone else who is entered!

Romance Short Stories ~ Holiday Happiness

Writer’s Workshop ~ Living, Breathing, Writing

Promotional Sites ~ The Potpourri Parlor

Anthology ~ Your Game Plan for Seamless Holiday Decorating

Book Cover Art ~ Within the Law

…and click here for a list of other Vanilla Heart Author entries

#TBT - It's been ONE year since I joined the #WeWriWa hop! Yay me!

 I am ...since 9/15/2013

9/15/13 WEWRIWA a community of writers and readers

My very first (& hopefully not last) post that is part of the WeWriWa meme!
(thanks to Charmaine Gordon for cluing me into this terrific weekly activity)

Since this is National Preparedness Month, I am choosing my brief excerpt from one of my EMS suspense novels, Final Sin - this is from a scene in the autopsy room, Jake is entering to learn what he can from the autopsy in hopes of solving a crime. Present are the chief investigator Sheriff Jake Carlson, the Chief Lab Pathologist Dr. Ramos, and the remains of Holly, a victim of a sadistic murderer :

        He entered the autopsy suite passing the heavy wooden sign next to the door; It said, “HIC LOCUS EST UBI MORS GAUDET SUCCURRERE VITAE”. Once before when Jake had been here, he had asked for a translation of the Latin words and was told, “This is the place where death rejoices to teach those who live.” He was anxious to learn and he hoped Holly would be anxious to teach; He had high hopes that they could learn something, anything that would lead them to the murderer. Two men were waiting for him as he donned a surgical gown and protective eye-wear.

        Holly’s body was already lying on the shiny, aluminum dissection table. The table, a little more than waist high, was edged with an aluminum channel to allow blood and fluids to drain away from the body. The room was uncluttered and glaringly bright. It was a stark reminder of the lifelessness of the cadavers stored in the drawers along the wall.

For more snippets:  http://www.wewriwa.com 

Amazon Paperback
Kindle
Audio Edition
NOOK
Smashwords
iTunes/Apple

The One Lovely Blog Award - Thank you to Tamara Philip

Thank you Tamara Philip for nominating me!

Tamara did this incredibly nice thing and nominated me for this honor

titled the "One Lovely Blog Award" and I am proud to wear that title
even if only for a few fleeting moments, weeks...
or however long it takes for it to disappear beneath the blog roll.

Being the curious individual that I am, and also being a journalist

who knows Research, Research, Research,
I began the search for the history of how this award came to be...

Alas, I found NOTHING

so I am going to make it up...

Some 75-years ago, a very nice and well-read blogger on the
World Wide Web decided to nominate original, entertaining and
truly unique blogs and thereby bring much internet traffic their way...
This blogger set out nominating blogs and sending along a set of rules
and pretty little logos to unsuspecting but worthy and talented bloggers -
and now I have been included in that very elite group!

Here are the rules:

You must thank the person who nominated you and include a link to their blog.

You must list the rules and display the award.

You must add 7 facts about yourself.

You must nominate 7 other bloggers and comment on one of their posts to let them know they’ve been nominated.

You must display the award logo and follow the blogger who nominated you.

And of course, we must Pay-It-Forward

Okay, here are SEVEN facts you probably never wanted to know about me:
(or already know and are incredibly bored hearing again)

1. I was conceived in the Catskills after my parents gave up having a 2nd child and blew their cash on a "new" used car and a vacation. My sister was sleeping in the other room.
2. I once snuck on to the set of the Merv Griffin show hoping to meet the star of the show and talk him into giving me my BIG break as an actress... my timing was off and there were no stars present, only BURLY Security Guards - ouch.
3. I once spent over an hour on the phone with a guy I didn't know after accidentally reaching him by dialing a WRONG number - he was just really interesting.
4. When my oldest nephew was born the hospital was only letting the new grandparents onto the maternity floor to visit the new parents and see the child (behind glass), so I borrowed my then-boyfriend's jacket, rolled it up and stuffed it under the peasant dress I was wearing and then had my boyfriend "assist" me saying I was having labor pains. I did get in but received lots of frowns when the "baby bump" slipped.
5. My boyfriend (another one) was a gifted guitarist and singer and performed regularly at our local community center - the night he dedicated "Wild Thing" to me, I thought it was the MOST romantic thing ever to happen to me in all of my 15-years!
6. During an argument with my husband back in the days when we used 5 1/4-inch floppy disks in our computers I got so angry because he was winning (I was right, he was just more stubborn!) I threatened to erase all of his disks with magnets if I didn't get my way. P.S.: I didn't on both counts.
7. I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of Vanilla Heart Publishing along with incredible talents like Angela Kay Austin, Charmaine Gordon, Lauren Shiro, Malcolm Campbell, Neva Squires-Rodriguez, Susan Berry & Tamara Philip and to work under the auspices of the ingenious Kimberlee Williams. (who, by the way, ALL deserve this prestigious award...)

I hereby nominate my fellow authors at VHP & others on FaceBook - yes, even those who have been nominated previously - because they are truly among the most deserving of recognition and admiration.
(It is entirely up to them to accept the challenge
or silently curse me out)

Whatever, please go visit all of their blogs,
I promise you that you will enjoy.

“C to Shining C” ~ #MondayBlogs

Thanks everyone for coming to visit me today, Monday September 8. All of the kiddies are back to school, summer vacations are over, the High Holidays are right around the corner...  Of course for me, my children are grown adults and on their own, but I still seem to use the school calendar - after so many years it's just ingrained in me. Hubby and I are nearly empty-nesters which inspired me to feature a simple conversation with my best buddy Charmaine Gordon, Author of Mature Romances including Housebroken and more.

Hi Charmaine, Thanks for coming to my #MondayBlogs this week.

It occurred to me that we’ve been really good friends since we first met in 2008. When I first met you at an author book signing in a local Barnes & Noble, I remember thinking how energetic you were! More than once you approached random customers and literally danced them over to our table. I guess my first impression of you that night was “Oh my gosh, I can’t keep up with this lady!”

So tell me, what was your first impression of me?

You had eight books stacked on the small table and I had one. I thought, Charmaine, you have a long way to go. This woman is smart, connected, knows things I must get a handle on and friends. She has friends hugging her and I had me, one book and that’s all folks. To add to this, instead of being snooty, you welcomed me into your circle. You also liked my dress. A big plus.

We’ve had a few adventures along the way… we took a comical car ride to a New Jersey library for a reading, me and my lousy sense of direction and you and your contagious laughter; then there was the Charlie’s Angels pose in Suffern (with VHP author Lauren Shiro); don’t forget the skies opening and drenching us in Kingston and the mad dash to save our books from the deluge. And there have been more fun times.

What are some of your most memorable moments of our friendship?

We had a booking for an author’s chat at the Suffern library but alas, I had hip replacement surgery and wasn’t quite up to going. So you had the brilliant idea of taping my segment of the chat in my house. I bought white sheets and tried to simulate a hospital room for background. Barely able to walk, I got my eyelashes and make-up on ready for my close-up. After we stopped laughing, always part of time together whether we’re on the phone or our infrequent get-togethers-you got down to business, asked me questions and I gave my presentation lying back on pillows. 

I am always fascinated by your stories of your acting years and always looking for you in a film. So far I’ve spotted you in Big and in Fatal Attraction. And I will keep looking!

Don't forget the movie Working Girl. Early in the movie, I held the birthday balloons Mike Nichols gave me for Melanie Griffith and sang Happy  Birthday. Oh, what fun.

I know how I’ve used facets of my life in my writing – how about you? What experiences have you had that you find yourself putting into your characters and stories?

Widowhood and how to live single after being a double for so many wonderful years. As I wrote, I realized my women had to be strong to survive whatever comes next. Like the ancient serials at the movies, Perils of Pauline. No matter what happened, she had to move forward. The Sink or Swim attitude. And I found that my years of playing tennis just naturally fit into one book, acting in another, swimming was a stretch in one story and research helped. It’s exciting. The whole process fills me with joy.

Along the way during this crazy friendship we’ve managed to write a few books. I would describe yours as encouraging, humorous, poignant and always engaging. I love the tagline you’ve used, Stories of Women Who Survive and Thrive, and your series of Mature Romances that goes to show that the best is yet to come. It isn’t merely our friendship that has me listing you as one of my favorite authors. I even mentioned you in one of my novels as a character’s favorite author.

 I know that you’ve read many of my books, too. Can you give me the top three to five words you would use to describe the stories I write? Is there anything that sticks out as “my style”?

Now you’ve got me running, not too fast, to look at my Chelle Cordero shelf. Hold the press.

Unforgettable is the one word I use to describe your books.

Where to begin, Chelle? You’ve written mystery, suspense, romance and I’ve learned so much about paramedics and EMS to have respect for the work they do. Hyphema grabbed me and never let go as did your most recent book Karma Visited.

Some years ago as we were sending emails back and forth, with both of us signing each note with a simple “C”, you finally wrote back with the phrase “From C to Shining C” – I absolutely adore that term.

Me, too, dear C.

Thanks for being here and sharing a few memories with me today, and thanks for being a terrific friend.

Backatcha, my BFF.

To learn more about my dear friend
Charmaine Gordon

visit her web-site and blog here

This is Sudah Garratti on the MEET MY CHARACTER BLOG TOUR

Thanks to the phenomenal Charmaine Gordon for tagging me, I get to highlight a character from a one of my published books. 

I chose to highlight Sudah Garratti from my EMS-themed novel, HYPHEMA.  By the way, Hyphema is a medical term referring to blood which pools in the eye after trauma.  Sudah comes from Pakistan and like many non-English speaking immigrants, American idioms are often confusing; when a threatening note arrives promising "an eye for an eye" she comments that only makes for bloody eyes.

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... Matt wonders if he is pursuing his dream or bringing his family into a nightmare from which they may never wake.

1) What is the name of your character? Is she fictional?

Sudah Garratti, she is a fictional character. Her character was first introduced, in name only, in the novel Final Sin.

2) When and where is the story set?

Northeast North Carolina in contemporary times.  The story deals with real-life situations in a post 9/11 era. 

3) What should we know about her?

Sudah emigrated from her birth place in Pakistan. She met and married American born paramedic Matt Garratti while on an educational Visa in New York; she is studying to become an American citizen. They have a young son together. Matt moves his family to North Carolina to become a flight medic.

4) What is the main conflict?

Sudah’s skin-tone, clothing and Muslim faith makes her an outsider to a community that lived through the tragedy of 9/11. While most of Matt’s co-workers accept her cultural differences, there are others in their new community who find it hard to trust her. When the family is targeted with vandalism and threats, local law enforcement considers the acts to be an expected reaction to her presence and ignore the frightening seriousness and consequences.

5) What does she hope for?

Her husband and son are most important things to Sudah. She is a sincere and caring person who understands the hostility she encounters, but works very hard to be kind and compassionate to all. She wants to become an American citizen and raise her son in his father’s Christian faith so that he will be more accepted by others.

6) What is the novel’s title and where can we read more about it?

It’s called Hyphema and it is one of Chelle Cordero’s EMS-based suspense novels. Hyphema is available in print, e-book and audio and can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, AllRomance, Kobo, and other online retailers. For more detail about the book, visit Chelle’s website at http://chellecordero.com/2011/04/12/hyphema/

7) When was the book published?

The 2nd edition was published August 2013

Please go visit Charmaine Gordon's MEET MY CHARACTER BLOG which posted last week

Charmaine Gordon writes books about women who Survive and Thrive. Her motto is take one step and then another to leave your past behind and begin again. With several books and short stories to her name, she’s always at work on the next story. The books include To Be Continued, Starting Over, Now What?, Reconstructing Charlie, Sin of Omission and The Catch, and her series of Mature Romances, The Beginning...Not the End. 

To reach Charmaine onine, visit: Facebook Blog & Website Twitter Please visit authors I've tagged to introduce their characters next
Monday, Aug. 11: Susan Berry Tamara Philip

Please join us today for VHP Author Day on Facebook

Thank you everyone for joining us during our
first Facebook VHP author event. 

We enjoyed your comments, questions and support. 

Please feel free to leave more comments,  

This page will remain in place until July 30.

Vanilla Heart Publishing Author Day

Wednesday at 11:00am

Facebook - the event page11 people are going

Unlike

VHP Authors & Publisher will share book blurbs, excerpts, discussions

and answer YOUR questions about writing & more!

Get to chat with:

Lauren Shiro

Malcolm Campbell

Chelle Cordero

Charmaine Gordon

Angela Kay Austin

Susan Berry

Tamara Phillips

&

our publisher - VHP

Tom meets Alli - Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 07/13/14

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

  

See more at the WeWriWa blog

Welcome to a snippet from Within the Law. The protagonist, Tom Hughes, was created in His Lucky Charm (formerly called Forgotten). Tom is cousin to the female main character in HLC. I fell in love with Tom, I think he might be my favorite hero from all of my books. His character and his history was so compelling that I HAD to write his story, one in which he has his own HEA.

While Tom is outside the bar, letting the night air sober him again, he hears a woman's sobbing. Investigating he finds a woman who's fallen and hurt her ankle. Despite his assumption that she is on the street at that late hour for less than honorable reasons, he tries to be gallant if not a bit pushy. When she stumbles again, Tom takes matters into his own hands, literally.

Sorry, I had to do a bit (ok, a lot) of creative punctuation & editing to make it fit:

“Put me down.”

“Yeah... sure,” he walked over to his car and put her down next to it, “you have your choice, I can drive you home or you can try to hobble along these dark streets by yourself. I can assure you I have no interest in attacking you; I can’t guarantee anyone else you might run into in this neighborhood at this hour.” 

She turned her head to look around, a few men stumbled out of the bar and headed in the opposite direction, “I don’t live far from here.” Their raucous laughter seemed to unnerve her; he noticed her slender hands which seemed much more suited to typing at a desk than defending herself on a dark urban street.

“So it won’t be a long drive,” he unlocked the passenger side door of his car and was pleased that he got the key in on the first try; he uttered silent thanks that his hands were steady enough and he wasn’t really feeling any of the affects of the alcohol, “by the way, my name is Tom.”

She sat in the car and just before he closed the door she cautiously smiled, “thank you Tom.” He couldn’t explain why, but he knew that was the kind of smile he would remember and enjoy.

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

Within the Law

Series: Chelle Cordero's Cousins Suspense, Book 2. 

Tom gave up on ever falling in love again the day that he buried his high school sweetheart and fiancé. He started a career in law enforcement just so that he could find her murderer and rapist. Just when he is about to see justice done, he meets Alli Davis-the defense attorney for the murdering rapist who took his love from him.

Amazon (print)

Amazon (Kindle)

.pdf E-Book (Payloadz)

multiple ebook formats (Smashwords)

Apple iTunes

Kobo

Vanilla Heart Publishing Author Day

on Facebook, July 16, Wednesday, 11am - 9pm (est)

Please join us
Lauren Shiro, Malcolm R. Campbell, Chelle Cordero, Charmaine Gordon,
Angela Kay Austin, Susan Berry, Tamara Phillips & Kimberlee

VHP Authors & Publisher will share book blurbs, excerpts, discussions...

click HERE

IT'S TOMORROW - PLEASE JOIN ME at the MFRW Facebook Book Party - UPDATED

The MFRW Facebook Party event was cancelled 
Sorry for all of the confusion. 
But I will be posting today about my book 
Karma Visited on my FB author page between 1-2pm (est) 
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChelleCordero. 
Hope you will join me.

One lucky participant will win a FREE Karma Visited ebook!

Tuesday, July 1 from 1-2PM (EST)

 I'll be participating in the

 MFRW Facebook Book Party for

Romantic Suspense Authors at

https://www.facebook.com/events/529988537107272/

Hope you'll join me!

all the authors participating:

all times Eastern Standard Time

What's In a Writer's Mind?

I am obviously the source of great consternation for my offspring. Just a few days ago my daughter questioned my comfort level with my rather solitary work conditions.

True, I work out of my home and spend the bulk of my time on the computer… I tried to explain that in addition to whatever writing projects I am working on, I also have to do research and promotions. And yes, I do enjoy the occasional social chat or email. Besides I live in an area where going anywhere besides a visit to one of my neighbors requires driving, something I only do out of necessity.

“But Mom, sometimes we worry that you’re becoming an agoraphobic.”

This made me laugh. But I did look up the true meaning of agoraphobia just to be sure; agoraphobics generally resist leaving the safety of their homes due to a fear of an uncontrolled setting and fear of social embarrassment. Well that settles it. I assured her that I am in no way even close to the description. First of all, and many of you already know this about me, I had been a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician and first responder for nearly three decades and that means constantly running towards uncontrolled situations – and even more than that, I am probably one of the most shameless folks around, I LOVE to leave people speechless over my behavior!

Now getting back to the solitary nature of my work – a writer’s life is NEVER lonely. We entertain all kinds of company all the time. All of the characters we create and all of the stories running through our minds keep us very busy. Everywhere I go (and despite my children’s concerns I DO go out) there’s always people watching, there are scents and sounds to feed my senses, and there are real life mirages that form the basis of lots of new stories. I always make it a point to examine motivations for the things people do, whether I agree with them or not, because it helps me to add dimension to the characters I create. I never stop working no matter what I am doing because everything I see, feel, hear and think offers the possibility of being in one of my stories.

“But Mom, don’t you ever turn it off?”

I can no more turn off my brain than I can turn off my need to breathe. I told her how her how my rabbi once teased me that he knew I was trying to figure a way to rewrite all the biblical tales to create some new story as I read on a Sabbath morning. She looked at me with doubt. I reassured her that no writer ever stops working even when they sleep and then I told her about my dear friend Charmaine Gordon who “sleep writes” and keeps a memo pad on her nightstand to record the dreams she turns into great works of fiction.

I don’t know what it is about the way our brains work, but other writers understand our drive to weave our fiction and manipulate our words. Perhaps there is something questionable about the writer’s mind. For years everyone said that the right brain fostered creative energy and went on to claim that writers and other artists were truly “in their right minds”; nowadays there are alleged professionals refuting the right brain-left brain theories and taking away our claim to the creative right. While we all may raise an eyebrow or two when we hear someone say they hear voices in their head, writers may indeed feel a kinship. …maybe there is just a bit of, ahem, you know.

Download a FREE Sampler
of Stories from Chelle Cordero

added note  (3/3):

While I certainly didn't plan it ahead with him, last night during the Academy Award ceremony, Robert DeNiro added to this post with these words:  "The mind of a writer can be a terrifying thing - isolated, neurotic, caffeine-addled, crippled by procrastination, consumed by feelings of panic, self-loathing, and crushing inadequacy - and that's on a good day"

I think it is just fantastic that Mr. DeNiro agrees with me!