I explain some Chanukah traditions on Lindsay's Romantics...

Happy Holidays to all & to all a good night!

CHANUKAH: BEHIND THE TRADITIONS…

A pleasant children's song often sung at this time of year goes "Chanukah, Chanukah, come light the Menorah. Let's Have a Party, we'll all dance the Hora. Gather 'round the table, we'll give you a treat, Dreidel to play with and Latke to eat…" (for the rest of the article...)

Wow, it's December already!

Every time I look at my calendar I am amazed how quickly this year has gone. So much has happened this past year and it has all gone by in a blur.

I can't believe that next week is Chanukah! (Next Thursday, December 10, check out An explanation of Chanukah http://lindsaysromantics.blogspot.com/) Who has had the time (or the money nowadays) to do any holiday shopping?

My 2009 recap as a writer:

This year I have seen the publications of Courage of the Heart, Hostage Heart, Final Sin and A Chaunce of Riches all from Vanilla Heart Publishing.

VHP and I helped raise funds for the Stony Point Ambulance Corps Youth Squad with sales from Final Sin; and we also raised funds for the National Domestic Violence Hotline with sales from Bartlett's Rule. Along with 15 other Vanilla Heart Publishing Authors, I became a part of Operation E-Book Drop to help support coalition forces oversees who are protecting our world.

Some really big news for me -

Final Sin is a 2009 Pushcart Prize Nominee!

...and finally (wait, 2009 isn't over yet!), a little more than half a year ago I launched my Kindle blog workshop Living, Breathing, Writing where I offer weekly writing lessons and prompts all conveniently delivered to your Kindle or PC. So far LBW has been in the TOP 100 Kindle Blogs for 122 days!

Today please check out You’re not an author, you’re my mom « Malcolm's Round Table for a humorous look at my life as a writer;

and also visit today's blog stop tour for my book Virtual Book Tour de 'Net: A Chaunce of Riches by Chelle Cordero

and you still have a few days left to send a holiday greeting card to service members recovering at Walter Reed. Cards should be postmarked no later than Dec. 7.

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Have a wonderful holiday season!

I have a guest blog on Lindsay's Romantics today

Do you ever wonder why I am such a hopeless romantic?

Well check out my post today on Lindsay's Romantics -

"This is not a novel - it's a real life story"

(you will learn why I used the Adirondacks for a romantic backdrop in two of my novels)

Great Holiday Gift Ideas - Think books!

Are you planning to hit up the stores this Black Friday?

Personally I prefer to do a lot of my shopping online and avoid all of the crowds and parking hassles.

Whether you plan to shop online or at the mall, I scoured the net for some great gift suggestions for this holiday season,

For young children: Fisher-Price Elmo Live, Hasbro Playskool Busy Ball Popper, Loving Family Dollhouse

For teens: Monopoly Clone Wars, laptops, Digital Photo Keychain, Custom Art Print Skins For Laptops

For her: Crocs Mammoth Clog, Kindle, Jewelry, Gucci handbags

For him: IPOD, MP3 player, Mini Charging Valet, Cordless Air Compressor

For pets & pet lovers: Roomba Pet Series Vacuum,

Don't think that only walk-in retail offers Black-Friday specials, you'll find several online like Amazon's BLACK FRIDAY Deals Week -

and while we are on the subject of Amazon, they sell lots more than just books - Check out some terrific books that make super Christmas and Chanukah presents including mine! All of my books are available in print and in multiple ebook formats.

Chelle Cordero Fall 2009 Sampler

- FREE! & downloadable Ebook
37320 words. Fiction by Vanilla Heart Publishing on August 29, 2009
Enjoy a good taste of Chelle Cordero's novels, Bartlett's Rule, Forgotten, Within the Law, Courage of the Heart, Final Sin, and her yet-to-be-released A Chaunce of Riches

A Chaunce of Riches by Chelle Cordero (Paperback - Nov 13, 2009) # ISBN-13: 978-1935407263
Ben Johnson was hired as a bodyguard for a rich widow and her kid, but he never expected to be working for the woman who had abandoned him just when he had needed her the most. Damn it all, he still wanted her. Samantha Chaunce never thought she would have to explain why she married the rich man instead of Ben. Or that her husband had been murdered...and Ben was the prime suspect. EBOOK

Hostage Heart by Chelle Cordero (Paperback - Jul 20, 2009) ISBN-13: 978-1935407713
Life was hard after the hurricanes swept through, destroying her parents' home and livelihood... An errand for her boss - a chance encounter with a crew of bank robbers - a kind man who tried to help her ... a man who isn't all he seems... no, he is so much more. EBOOK

Final Sin by Chelle Cordero (Paperback - May 1, 2009) ISBN-13: 978-1935407133
Deputy Sherriff Commander Jake Carson has his hands full... investigation of a brutal multiple homicide, a troubled son and a vindictive ex-wife. He meets young, free-spirited paramedic Julie Jennings. When Julie becomes the object of an obsession, it puts both of them in danger... EBOOK

Courage of the Heart by Chelle Cordero (Paperback - Jan 15, 2009) ISBN-13: 978-1935407188
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 each other results in a spirit that binds them together. EBOOK

Within the Law by Chelle Cordero (Paperback - Oct 2, 2008) ISBN-13: 978-0982115046
Tom gave up on ever falling in love again the day that he buried his high school sweetheart and fiancé. 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. EBOOK

Forgotten by Chelle Cordero (Paperback - Jul 25, 2008) ISBN-13: 978-0979654572
Forgotten is an unforgettable romance about two people who meet by chance, love by choice and are torn apart by intrigue. Their romance survives a foreign threat to national security, kidnapping, personal tragedy and a murder attempt. EBOOK

Bartlett's Rule by Chelle Cordero (Paperback - April 3, 2008) ISBN-13: 978-0979654534
Lon and Paige's love affair is filled with hardship, emotion, danger and triumph. Falling in love was never the challenge; being there for each other, knowing just what to say and making it work is the real test. Paige has to learn to trust. Lon has to learn to be patient. EBOOK

Half year anniversary for my Kindle Blog Writing Workshop

Today marks my half year anniversary for my Kindle Weekly Writing Workshop

Every week since May 29, 2009 I have posted lessons that discuss and teach about being a writer including hints and tips about the industry. The posts include handy writing exercises and prompts and cover topics about POV, character building, giving your words more impact, setting a visual scene, publishing, finding a target audience, blogging, promotion and more.

Check out My Weekly Writing Workshop for your Kindle or PC
just go to http://bit.ly/pILcG for details.

Kindle Blogs are auto-delivered wirelessly to your Kindle .

Can be Delivered to your Kindle or other device

A Four Cup review of A Chaunce of Riches

A Chaunce of Riches was reviewed on Coffee Time Romance

"...it was not long before I found myself wrapped up in the exchange of emotions and sensual pull between Ben and Sam. When the suspense continued to build to an almost breaking point, it made this good story that much better."

(read the full review)

A Chaunce of Riches
By Chelle Cordero

The day that Ben Johnson was hired as a bodyguard for some rich widow and her kid, he never expected to be working for the woman who had abandoned him just when he had needed her the most so many years before. Damn it all, he still wanted her. Samantha Chaunce never thought she would see him again. She never thought she would have to explain why she married the rich man over the man she had sworn she once loved. And she certainly never expected to find out that her rich husband had been murdered and fingers were pointing to her former lover.

also available in e-book formats
****

Vanilla Heart Publishing Announces 2009 Pushcart Prize Nominees

"Vanilla Heart Publishing is pleased to announce our nominations for the 2009 The Pushcart Prize - Best of the Small Presses, published every year since 1976, and widely recognized as the most honored literary project in America.

From the Pushcart Prize Website:

“The Pushcart Press has been recognized as among the most influential publishers in American history by Publishers Weekly. Pushcart won the National Book Critics Circle Lifetime Achievement Award (2005), The Poets & Writers/Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Prize (2006), and Publishers Weekly’s Carey Thomas Prize for publisher of the year (1979).

The Press is best known for its annual anthology The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses, published every year for more than three decades and featuring outstanding fiction, poetry, memoirs and essays selected from hundreds of little magazines and small book publishers.”

And now, the Vanilla Heart Publishing Nominees:

Robert Hays; The Life and Death of Lizzie Morris

Chelle Cordero; Final Sin

Victoria Howard; Three Weeks Last Spring

Collin Kelley; Conquering Venus

Kate Evans; Complementary Colors

Vila SpiderHawk; Forest Song: Little Mother

Congratulations, Nominees!