Holiday Greetings ~ Stop the Spread

 

Last week I spoke about seeing my family via ZOOM for Thanksgiving.  It was a wonderful success; not everyone was able to make it, but we did have a nice crowd. We were later able to touch base with the few family members whose work and other obligations kept them away.

As wonderful as it was to see faces and get to speak in real time, it also was very poignant. This is life now, MAYBE one day things will go back to “normal", but really what will our new normal be?

Will we ever feel safe hugging each other again? Will we see that friend that we haven’t seen in …forever and will we be able to hug and exchange kisses on the cheek? Will we be able to stand close, sharing secrets, and actually see a smile?

Whatever our new normal will be, it will never be the same because the last eight months happened. Sad, but true.  I'm sure we will find a way to deal with it all, but when we think about the way things used to be, we'll miss it.

Now that the Thanksgiving holiday is behind us and we are coming up on Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year's; once again our collective celebrations will be long distance. Yes, I am feeling a little sad, maybe a lot sad, but celebrating together puts our loved ones (and us, the seniors) at risk – and goes against the restrictions set by our respective lawmakers.

I'm not a happy camper…but, thank goodness for all of the instant messaging and virtual media available to us in 2020 (and soon 2021). As much as I miss the real feeling of my children's hugs, I would rather have more months of these virtual visits and the knowledge that one day we will all still be here to enjoy our moments TOGETHER.

However, as I sit here I am reading about the COVID rates rising all around us and these increases suspiciously coincide with both the Halloween and Thanksgiving festivities where some folks did have groups together without masks or social distancing. It’s sad to think that our precious moments with family and friends could have devastating consequences and illness.

But it is true, just today I heard of someone just finding out about a potential exposure he had on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving; G-d forbid, but if he is now positive, then anyone he spent Thanksgiving with is now exposed.

With Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve just around the corner, we need to remain vigilant and social distance even from those we love and care about — if for no other reason than we love and care about them. The sooner we can stop the spread, the sooner we CAN get together when we want to and not worry about our loved ones getting sick.

Let’s make 2021 a healthier and happier year than we’ve just had. We can do it.

 

 

And A Happy Thanksgiving to All

 

So tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, I will be hosting a family gathering for 31 people — via ZOOM. I’m hoping that most of my invited company will be able to stop by even just for a quick HELLO. I know that many are on different time schedules and have different responsibilities, some work from home and some work in the field, we are all over the country. I would be in complete bliss to see my daughter and son-in-law, son and daughter-in-law, Mark’s and my siblings and their better halves, our nieces and nephews and even grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

 

Years ago when our children were just young’uns and we weren’t spread out all over, we would meet at my sister’s home for a Thanksgiving meal; before we would begin eating we would go around the table saying what we were most thankful for. This year has been… strange and very lonely, and the pandemic is still raging. I am thankful that WE have made it to this time, that my family is safe, and I hope that all who are reading this also feel thankful for what they have.

 

 It’s been a hard year for so many. America has lost more than one-quarter-million lives, families have been financially devastated, hard-working business owners have seen their life-work dissolve, and we are still facing taming this horrible disease. My sincere condolences to all those who have suffered losses, please don’t think I have forgotten you when I feel thankful for all I have.

 

School children were raised on the stories of Pilgrims landing here seeking religious freedoms in the 17^th century and one day sharing a friendly feast with the Native Americans they met and lived amongst — a fairy tale fabrication to explain the Thanksgiving tradition. The first National Thanksgiving Day didn’t happen until almost two centuries later and President Abraham’s proclamation didn’t even mention Pilgrims and “Indians” (as Native Americans were referred to since the original explorers thought they had landed in India).

 

Lincoln’s proclamation, made in the middle of the American Civil War, referred instead to “fruitful fields and healthful skies… which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come”,  he continued “invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens” and finally asked for the “Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.”

 

The fanciful story of grade-school primers and Charlie Brown movies gave a vastly different meaning to Thanksgiving than President Lincoln’s apparent interpretation. I believe Lincoln was reminding us to be thankful for the things we DO have, and not just the ideals we wish for. It would also be befitting to say thank you to the indigenous people who lived here before our European ancestors arrived, we’ve built our homes upon their lands, often just taking and not asking.

 

 We should say thank you to every man and woman who has served our country in every one of our Armed Forces. And especially as this past year has shown us, we need to be thankful for all of our healthcare workers, first responders, and essential workers who have kept us safe, treated us, cared for us, and enabled many of us to exist through this trying time.

 

It is a good time to remember all the little things we should be thankful for, the challenges we’ve survived, and the strength we have to keep moving forward. And especially, thank you for allowing me into your lives through my words.

 

Thanksgiving 1993

Art Imitating Life

Many of the new TV season’s dramas have incorporated A LOT of real life into their stories. We have so much more than just actors wearing masks and TV-news footage of protests and riots. I have to give kudos to the writers and the actors who represent not only some of what has been happening the majority of this past year, but have also effectively evoked the emotional impact it has had on all of us.

 

I know there are many more shows than the ones I am mentioning, but I was riveted by shows like Station 19 and Grey’s Anatomy, the Chicago trio (Fire, Med, and PD), SWAT, and All Rise. Each one of these dramas showed real life situations, frustrations, tragedies and emotions. None of these shows had mere news reports running in the background, they had characters LIVING through the same things that Americans, and folks all over the world, have experienced since the early part of 2020.

 

So is this entertainment? What happened to the beauty of escapism? … Don’t worry, there are still plenty of funny and entertaining shows for those of us who just want a break from life.

 

As a writer I, and many of our ilk, have been taught that stories and characters that the reader can relate to are the most engrossing. When a writer uses real life in her writing it is also a wonderful opportunity to make people think and maybe even possibly strive for solutions. That was what I tried to do when I wrote my book Hyphema about a Pakistani immigrant who just wanted a life with her family, an American husband and their infant son, and the racism they encountered. I also tried to reach out to the social perception of assault victims and the PTSDs they suffer in my book Bartlett’s Rule. In Courage of the Heart I presented a male sexual assault survivor and the social attitudes that belittled his experience.

 

My efforts to make people THINK are just (excuse the cliché) just a tip of the iceberg compared to some of the drama on our nightly television sets. The actors are doing remarkable jobs bringing us into their lives and the emotions they feel, the writers are providing challenging scenarios that truly can be the basis for discussion and hopefully attempts towards healing.

 

Yes, there are some of us who definitely need a break from the real life drama we’ve been living, and there is no harm in taking time for self-care, but when you are up to it, watch some of these dramas and hopefully get on board with rebuilding, healing and acceptance.

 

We’re a week away from Thanksgiving and many of us are feeling cheated once again as we keep distance from loved ones, or worse, realize those loved ones who are no longer with us. I hope and pray for comfort and calm for each of you. Please take necessary precautions against this dratted disease — yes, wear a mask and maintain social distancing, stay away from crowds.

 

I’m not being chicken when I ask you this and I know very well how hard it is to be separated from family because of COVID. This Thanksgiving holiday my husband and I are hoping to at least “see” our grown children through some audio/visual app, we won’t be seeing them in person because, simply put, they are first responders and they’ve been out there taking care of those who have fallen victim to COVID so they are quarantining themselves to protect us.

 

Sending healing thoughts for everyone’s health and a huge thank you to all of the first responders and essential workers who have given so much for the rest of us.

 

Reason for Thanks

As a child I wanted to be an actress or a police officer… at some point I think I wanted to be a wild cowgirl riding horses for a living. What I remember wanting the most was to be a child forever in the loving and protective arms of my parents and always tagging along with my big sister.

I was just six-years-old when my paternal grandfather died and I saw my father cry. I crawled onto his lap and cried on his shoulder telling him I never wanted to grow up if it meant losing people you loved. (Daddy called it The Peter Pan Complex) He hugged me so tight and told me that he had no regrets about growing up because it meant that he met my mom, married her, and they had my sister and me. He said that growing up was a good thing even though sometimes you might have reason to cry because I would have so many more wonderful things come my way. He told me to enjoy everything that life brought to me and to treasure every memory that came before.

Truthfully I had a fantastic childhood. We never had a lot of money, but I always felt that I had everything I could want. I remember having a terrific dollhouse and furniture — the dollhouse was a big cardboard box, the furniture was plastic throwaways from the manufacturing company where my dad worked, the window curtains were remnants of cloth left over from the school clothes my mom handmade for us, and while the dolls that “lived” there didn’t really fit, it didn’t matter, I loved it. My sister was my best friend and she let me tag along with her friends and I always had fun because everyone treated me so nicely, I was everyone's "little sister". Our parents always made time for us whether it was watching TV (in costume!) with my dad or baking cookies with my mom, and so many more things.

Both of my parents passed away shortly after I was married, so did my husband’s folks, and I cried. But I remembered my dad’s words to me and I looked forward to what the future would bring. We struggled to have children, a couple of miscarriages and then our daughter, and another miscarriage and then our son was born. As is our custom to name after the deceased, our daughter is named for my mom, and our son for my dad and my mother-in-law (a niece is named for my father-in-law). Watching our children grow to be adults has been a joy and seeing them happy with their own spouses is so fulfilling. Daddy was so right, I have so many memories to treasure and so many wonderful things that came into my life.

My mom used to make a huge Thanksgiving feast for the family, including aunts and uncles and cousins, each year and I swear I can still remember the savory smells from her tiny apartment kitchen (I marvel at how much food she was always able to cook for so many!). Life is different, the family schedules are tighter and distances are greater (and two of my four children work on Thanksgiving), so we don’t always have the same gatherings, but the sentiment is still there. This year my husband and I (we’ll be married 44-years next month) went to a grand Thanksgiving feast at our community association — our first since we moved here last December — and we enjoyed ourselves immensely.

Thanksgiving is a time of appreciation and gratitude, and I have so very much to be thankful for. I am thankful for the love of my life, the man who is a hero in every way (and yes, the man who influences my concept of every romantic hero I write about), I am so grateful for our children and their mates, and my pussycats and grand-fur-babies. I am so happy to still have my sister (who is still one of my best friends), her husband (who is more like a brother to me), and their sons and families. I am also blessed with great sister-in-laws and brother-in-laws, and nephews and nieces and their families. I'm grateful for my readers and their support.

And most of all what I am thankful are my dad’s wise words to me, to look forward to life and all the joys it can bring my way.

My wishes for all of you — have a truly wonderful and meaningful Thanksgiving.

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

A Few of My Favorite Things

A Day to Be Grateful...

Traditionally Americans are coerced into reciting all of the things they are thankful for before feasting on gluttonous meals yearly on the fourth Thursday in November. Several other cultures celebrate similar days of thanks as well. Hopefully each one of us remembers to appreciate and be grateful for all that we have the other 364 days in the year.

Before I sit at my family's Thanksgiving table tomorrow, I wanted to take the time to thank all of my readers - blogs, books and articles - and all of my social network friends for allowing me room in their lives. My wish for each of you is to have many, many, MANY reasons to be grateful every day.

I feel the need to mention just some of the things I thank G-d for everyday: My husband, our children and their soul-mates, our combined siblings and their families, our cousins, extended family and mishpocha (relatives through blood & marriage), our cats and other family pets,the professionals I get to work with in a job I love, my publisher and fellow authors at VHP, the friendships I've made through work, a warm home, my needs being met and lots of hopes and dreams we are all working towards. I am thankful for so many of the people I've known in my life, even several who are no longer present, and the experiences and joys I've been allowed to see. I've been blessed to find some of my closest friends among the very people I call family, and friends who have become family. I can earnestly say It IS a Wonderful Life.

May you and yours enjoy all of the goodness 

and blessings of the day

 and forever have reason to be thankful! 

This is dedicated to the ones I love...

12/1/13 WEWRIWA a community of writers and readers

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.

We're jumping quite a bit ahead in the story. Adam has tried, and tried, to push Davie away, but he fears he's fallen in love with her. Pushing her away again during a bout of pneumonia nearly killed him, literally. While recovering (with Davie's help of course), he resolves to let Davie know how he feels... if she'll have him.

"You said earlier that you wanted to talk."

"Yeah. Davie, this is really important…"

Davie knelt on the carpet next to the couch, "I'm here."

Adam twisted to face her, he realized he was having difficulty finding the right words to start. "It's about us, I want there to be an us, I don't know where this relationship will wind up, but suddenly I find myself thinking of tomorrow…with you, I never meant for that to happen."

"Why does that scare you?" Davie spoke softly.

"It scares me that you might not want to be a part of it," Adam swallowed and looked uncomfortably around the room, he realized that this could be the most important thing he ever had to say. His eyes finally settled on Davie, "Davie, there are some things I have to tell you about my past, some things that may make you walk out and never look back."

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

It's a good thing that Adam opens up to Davie because in the coming days his past comes crashing in and he winds up fearing for Davie's life.

Next week I am going to start featuring snippets from one of my other works.

The original Courage of the Heart was published in 2001; in 2009 Vanilla Heart Publishing re-published a slightly modified version. Since then VHP has published a total of  ten of my novels, the most recent one being Karma Visited. As I look back I can see how much my writing has changed (hopefully for the better) and posting these snippets and reading your wonderful comments has been very helpful as I start work on my 11th novel.

AUDIO, PRINT, and ALL ELECTRONIC EDITIONS  

BUY LINKS

AUDIO –  http://www.amazon.com/Courage-of-the-Heart/dp/B00DQYAM2S

And if you decide to use the Amazon-exclusive Audible.com 30-day free trial membership it includes:

• This audiobook free, plus a bonus audiobook of your choice
• Exchange any book you don't like with Audible's Great Listen Guarantee
• Total flexibility - cancel, pause or upgrade membership easily and whenever you like

PRINT - http://www.amazon.com/Courage-Heart-Chelle-Cordero/dp/0615903789/

Kindle - http://www.amazon.com/Courage-of-the-Heart-ebook/dp/B001PO5RJE

AllRomance Ebooks – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-courageoftheheart-

Smashwords for All Ereaders – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1553

Payloadz Instant Download – http://store.payloadz.com/go?id=853573

If you buy a new print edition of this book (or purchased one in the past), you can buy the Kindle edition for only $1.99 (Save 60%). Print edition purchase must be sold by Amazon. Learn more.

Thanksgivukkah & family

After lighting the menorah for the second night of Chanukah we enjoyed a wonderful holiday dinner for Thanksgivukkah – my daughter deep-fried a turkey to combine the traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner and the celebration of the miracle of the Hanukkah oil. She served several other “cross-over” dishes as well. The meal began with matzoh ball soup, followed by tossed salad, sweet potato flavored noodle kugel, mashed sweet potatoes with horseradish, green beans almondine, corn, challah-bread stuffing, potato latkes, and mixed cranberry and apple tzimmes. It was delicious.

What was most spectacular was the evening’s company. It was just eight of us (my daughter and son-in-law, son and future daughter-in-law, my daughter and her husband, and his sister and brother-in-law), a perfect family dinner and the first Thanksgiving in my daughter and son-in-law’s new home. Seated at the long table in the newly decorated dining room with the table full of steaming dishes – we all wanted a picture. My son set up a tripod with his camera and set it on timer so we would all be in the photo. The timer worked - repeatedly. By the time the camera flashed five or six times we were all laughing hysterically as my son slow-mo’d  around the table to stop the photography.

Dinner done, we sat around the table for desserts, coffee and conversation. It was an evening of fun, warmth, laughter and, of course, good food. Thanksgivukkah, the combined observance of Chanukah and Thanksgiving, won’t happen for another 77-thousand years – long after we will all be around.

And what am I so thankful for this Thanksgiving (and actually every day)? So glad that you asked. I’m thankful for my family and the wonderful memories and laughter we share every day.

...by the way, this Sunday my son and future daughter-in-law will be hosting "Turkey-Done Day" (my family will do anything for a party, lol)!

In my novel Courage of the Heart, Davie Prescott comes from a big and close family and every holiday was celebrated in grandiose style:

Thanksgiving dinners were always a monumental event in her family and especially since her cousin and her new husband had just gotten back from their honeymoon, the family went all out this year. She seemed to remember that last year they had some special reason to go all out then too, just like the year before.

When she was little, she remembered helping her mother prepare wonderfully delicious Thanksgiving dishes. She loved the baking most of all, fresh apple pies, delicious cornbread and pumpkin muffins – her mouth watered just thinking about it. Her mom and all her aunts, and sometimes even her uncles, helped to make a cooperative feast that she was sure rivaled any that the Pilgrims might have even dreamed of. Even now, long after her mom was no longer around to make any contributions, the dinner was still a huge ceremony. Everyone agreed though that the sweet potato pie was never as good as Laura used to make.

She was put on the bus for the trip back home with a carton of plastic containers filled with leftovers. Luckily the bus was near empty, so the cardboard box had its own seat for the ride.

11/24/13 WEWRIWA a community of writers and readers

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.

Continuing with Courage of the Heart: Davie has been rejected and feels humiliated, she's mad as hell. Adam finds he can't walk away and he is not giving up. In this scene he's shown up (unexpectedly) at her door to invite her to dinner. She softens and instead invites him in to share some of the Thanksgiving leftovers that she brought home with her from her family get-together.

"We really seemed to have a good time together until I acted like such an ass, I'd like to try again."

Davie hesitated, "You never did tell me why?"

"What do you mean?"

"You told me you couldn't be the first, why not?" She was puzzled, "I thought most guys loved to be the first. I don't know, I always thought guys wanted to take a girl's virginity because it was like some special prize or something."

"I, uh…" He turned away from her, "It’s a big responsibility, besides I don’t want to hurt you, physically I mean."

She looked at him incredulously, “That’s really lame.”

For more WeWriWa Snippets, go to: 

www.wewriwa.com

AUDIO, PRINT, and ALL ELECTRONIC EDITIONS  

BUY LINKS

AUDIO –  http://www.amazon.com/Courage-of-the-Heart/dp/B00DQYAM2S

And if you decide to use the Amazon-exclusive Audible.com 30-day free trial membership it includes:

• This audiobook free, plus a bonus audiobook of your choice
• Exchange any book you don't like with Audible's Great Listen Guarantee
• Total flexibility - cancel, pause or upgrade membership easily and whenever you like

PRINT - http://www.amazon.com/Courage-Heart-Chelle-Cordero/dp/0615903789/

Kindle - http://www.amazon.com/Courage-of-the-Heart-ebook/dp/B001PO5RJE

AllRomance Ebooks – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-courageoftheheart-

Smashwords for All Ereaders – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1553

Payloadz Instant Download – http://store.payloadz.com/go?id=853573

If you buy a new print edition of this book (or purchased one in the past), you can buy the Kindle edition for only $1.99 (Save 60%). Print edition purchase must be sold by Amazon. Learn more.

Wishing everyone a wonderful, joyous
and fulfilling Thanksgiving.

Black Friday Blog Hop 2011

Welcome to the Day After Thanksgiving Blog Hop!

Check out each of the blogs for a chance at terrific prizes -

the complete list is at the end of this post.

Here is how to win one of two prizes here,

each of the book covers pictured below is lettered A-J and

below that are 10 phrases.

Match the phrases with the correct book cover & title ~

GUESSING IS OKAY

& if you want to "cheat", check out my website at

ChelleCordero.com

DO NOT post your answers below, email them to me at
ChelleCordero@gmail.com

The email with the most correct answers will win one of two prizes

pdf e-book of Within the Law (anywhere in the world)

& in the continental US only, a Passion & Suspense T-shirt (size XL)

ties will be decided by random draw - please list your location in your email

(winners will be drawn Sunday at noon)

A B C D E

F G H I J

#1: There is a bond that can't be broken, now there is love too.

#2: He's a cop, she's a lawyer - and they always have each other's back.

#3: He lost his memory, but he believes she is worth taking a chance on.

#4: He wanted a better life for his family, prejudice threatened their happiness.

#5: He was only there to protect a rich widow and her kid...

#6: A month of writing lessons complete with exercises.

#7: He gave her the time to learn to trust again.

#8: He wasn't who she thought he was, how could she love her kidnapper?

#9: He wanted to protect her from his shameful past.

#10: They were used to dealing with emergencies, they just weren't prepared for each other.

Who to visit next?

Not Enough Time in the Day

Shelley Munro: Taste of Kiwi

It's all about the power of love..

Jane Wakely

Smoky Talks …

It's The Journey That Counts!

Chris Redding Author

Decadent Decisions

Wicked...with a side of Saucy

...& for the MFRWA blog
on Saturday 11/26

The winner of the T-shirt is
Kathryn M with 10 correct answers

The winner of the WtL ebook is
Teresa K with 10 correct answers

SURPRISE!
Tomorrow (Sunday) at noon
I will award another
WtL ebook from the remaining entries.

Happy Thanksgiving to all

May you enjoy the bounty of good food,
comfortable warmth,
love of family and friends,
and good health.

~~~~~

excerpt from Courage of the Heart

Thanksgiving dinner with her family was wonderful, but Davie was happy to get back to her own place for the rest of the weekend. Thanksgiving dinners were always a monumental event in her family and especially since her cousin and her new husband had just gotten back from their honeymoon, the family went all out this year. She seemed to remember that last year they had some special reason to go all out then too, just like the year before.

When she was little, she remembered helping her mother prepare wonderfully delicious Thanksgiving dishes. She loved the baking most of all, fresh apple pies, delicious cornbread and pumpkin muffins – her mouth watered just thinking about it. Her mom and all her aunts, and sometimes even her uncles, helped to make a cooperative feast that she was sure rivaled any that the Pilgrims might have even dreamed of. Even now, long after her mom was no longer around to make any contributions, the dinner was still a huge ceremony. Everyone agreed though that the sweet potato pie was never as good as Laura used to make.

She was put on the bus for the trip back home with a carton of plastic containers filled with leftovers. Luckily the bus was near empty, so the cardboard box had its own seat for the ride. By the time she had gotten back home, she was so tired she barely got everything put in the fridge before she climbed exhausted into bed.

Saturday morning she slept late…

Davie was startled when her doorbell rang. She wasn’t expecting company.

"Hi." Adam greeted her when she opened the door. "I drove by last night and saw your lights on, but it was late." He had worried that the family upstairs would think he was a prowler at that hour, especially if Davie hadn't welcomed his presence. "May I come in?"

COURAGE OF THE HEART shows us that sometimes love is the only cure for the very deepest of emotional wounds. The story of the two lovers takes a series of unexpected and fast paced turns where lives, sanity and love are put in jeopardy. Their commitment to one another results in a spirit that binds them together and helps them to overcome physical and emotional dangers.

BUY LINKS

Amazon - Kindle
Smashwords - ebook formats
Amazon - Print