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 Veterans Day

My parents met stateside during World War II, just a lonely northern soldier boy and a beautiful southern girl ~ their romance lasted a lifetime (& maybe more...). The following is the beginning of a story I wrote, a dramatization based on their fateful meeting and their life together.

If you are intrigued by this little teaser, please feel free to download the anthology Love and Chocolate.

The Meeting

by Chelle Cordero

Charleston, South Carolina

1942

―"Make sure you send me a letter as soon as you get there." Jeannette stopped to dry her eyes. ―"You just know how I am going to miss you."

―"Oh honey, I‘ll write to you every day." Melanie hugged the best friend she always shared everything with. Their mommas had taken them for walks in their baby carriages together. They were there for each other‘s first dates, they consoled each other when Melanie‘s big brother left to go fight the big war, and they stayed up late reading letters from Melanie‘s ill mother. ―"Oh I wish I didn't have to leave you."

―"You tell your momma to get well so you can bring her home again."

―"Last call for Greensboro." The train engineer poked his head out to remind passengers to get their luggage loaded.

―"Oh, I have to make sure my suitcase is on board." Melanie gave Jeannette‘s hand a squeeze and then stepped towards the train.

―"Make sure you wave to me before you leave."

In another car an M.P. checked the cuffs of the prisoner he was transporting from Georgia.

―"I‘m going to step off and have a smoke." He was satisfied the prisoner wasn't going anywhere, especially since he was cuffed to the seat. The M.P. motioned to one of the other military personnel on board the car that he would be back in a few minutes.It felt good to stretch his legs as he stepped down from the train onto the platform. He watched as two women tearfully hugged each other and found himself unable to stop staring at the woman left on the platform. She was beautiful. He lit his cigarette and took a drag. Then he walked over to the woman.

Jeannette was aware of the soldier‘s stare and tried not to let it affect her. He was a handsome man, but it just wasn't polite to be scrutinized so thoroughly like that. He came even closer and she tried to look in the other direction.

―"Hello."

She could tell by the nasal quality of his accent that he was a northern boy. Maybe this was how they acted up there but he was being awfully forward. She was raised to be polite and couldn't ignore his speaking to her. ―"Good morning sir." She hoped he would go away.

―"I've been riding this train all morning – transporting a prisoner." He motioned proudly to the M.P. sash on his arm.

She glanced quickly at his armband and realized he was probably trying to impress her. Jeannette gave him a polite half-smile and turned her head. She was trying to watch to see where her friend got a seat, but he wasn't making it easy.

―"Well imagine how I felt when I stepped onto the platform and saw this gorgeous woman standing there."

He was definitely making her feel uneasy. She wished she had one of her little brothers with her.

―"Hey, aren‘t you going to tell me your name at least? I‘d love to have a name to go with the dreams I‘m going to have of you tonight."

Her momma taught her manners and her poppa taught her to stand up for herself. Jeannette mustered her courage and finally looked the handsome soldier in the eyes. ―"Sir, I find your manners appalling. I would greatly appreciate it if you would kindly leave me be."

He smiled back at her, the smile reached his eyes. ―"So you aren‘t going to tell me your name?"

―"No sir, I am not." His smile was devastating.

The soldier put on his best pouting face. ―"Hey, come on, I‘m just a lonely soldier. Can‘t you take pity on me? Just your name, please?"

read more in the FREE download

of Love & Chocolate

featuring stories and more by VHP authors

Cozy up with a free read

download the
Vanilla Heart Publishing Winter Sampler 2011

You'll find sample chapters, book discussion packets and bookmarks for:

Smoky Trudeau Zeidel ~ The Cabin, 2nd Edition
Chelle Cordero ~ Hostage Heart
Marilyn C. Morris ~ Sabbath's Gift
Robert Hays ~ The Baby River Angel
L.E. Harvey ~ Imperfect
Victoria Howard ~ The House on the Shore, 2nd Edition

Collin Kelley ~ Remain in Light

Malcolm Campbell ~ Sarabande

Charmaine Gordon ~ Reconstructing Charlie

Janet Lane Walters ~ The Warrior of Bast

Anne K. Albert ~ Frank, Incense, and Muriel

S.R. Claridge ~ Russian Uprising

Melinda Clayton ~ Return to Crutcher Mountain

Angela Kay Austin ~ Sweet Victory

download the
Vanilla Heart Publishing Winter Sampler 2011

~~~

Internet Book Fair BLOGFEST!

Hyphema by Chelle Cordero

Hyphema: Bleeding in the eye caused by trauma… 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.

AMAZON Print B&N OMNILIT PDF

KINDLE SMASHWORDS MULTIFORMAT

The 2nd Annual Authors Book Fair, Deltona Library

Visit Melinda Clayton and the
Vanilla Heart Publishing
authors' table!

buy books and get swag from authors like

Melinda Clayton

S R Claridge

Collin Kelley

Chelle Cordero

Marilyn Celeste Morris

Smoky Zeidel

Malcolm Campbell

Victoria Howard

Charmaine Gordon

Robert Hays

Anne K Albert

L E Harvey

Angela Kay Austin

& more...

Deltona Public Library,
2150 Eustace Avenue,
Deltona, FL, US

October 15, 2011
11:00 AM -to- 3:00 PM

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

and this is a theme that is built into the story of
Common Bond, Tangled Hearts

Layne Gillette’s world is turned upside down when a man she has never met shows up to lay claim as the father of her 6-year old son. When Layne’s abusive “ex-husband” shows up, they are torn apart by danger, kidnapping and lies.

She just knew it was going to happen. Layne had finally fallen asleep during the very early morning hours and she hadn't heard her alarm clock chirping for the first thirty minutes. It was really only when Dennis shook her shoulder when she realized how late it was… the alarm had woken her son.

They were rushing through their morning trying to get ready, If Dennis missed the school bus, she was going to have to ask one of her neighbors to drive him to school. She hated to impose on the people around her. Layne had learned that every favor was a debt to be paid back, sometimes at prices much too high for her comfort. But she didn't own her own car and the walk to the school was just too far.

Dennis spilled his milk while he tried to gobble down the toaster pastry she tossed at him in a last ditch effort to get him ready to leave. Layne caught herself before she actually yelled, but Dennis started to pout anyway. It wasn't his fault that this morning was so askew. She kept reminding herself that. It was thanks to his father, his biological father… that damn Justin Ross. What right did he have to force his way into her home and preoccupy her thoughts all night?

She remembered to run water into Dennis' breakfast dishes although there was no way she would be able to take the time to wash and dry them this morning. Layne had thrown her own clothes on in a haphazard manner and had barely passed a brush through her golden curls, but her next hurdle after seeing Dennis off to school was getting to her job, a long walk in the opposite direction of the school building.

Layne worked as a receptionist at the local realty office. She was generally very good with people and her boss didn’t question her education, or lack of it. So long as she did her job well he was happy. The job was ideal because she was able to have the school bus drop Dennis off at the nearby corner. Since the office was in a small model house, there was an extra room where Dennis could nap, do his homework, or play a game. There was even a small yard he could sit in. She never had to worry about his whereabouts and he had gotten very friendly with the older children of one of the realty agents. Rita often let one or both of her kids come to the office after school to sit and play with Dennis. He never got a chance to feel neglected.

Layne pulled the door open to reveal Justin getting ready to knock.

"What are you doing here, again?" Layne said under her breath. She didn't want to upset Dennis before he had to go to school.

"I… I told you I would be back to talk." He looked down at Dennis and noticed that the boy was watching him with those very interested and very big golden eyes. "I thought Dennis would have left for school already."

She didn't take kindly to his criticism. Just because he left some sperm in a cup seven years ago didn't give him the right to barge into her life and criticize the way she was raising their… her son.

"We're running late. If you would just get out of our way…"

"Was he supposed to catch that school bus?" Justin didn't move.

Layne gave a resigned sigh, they had obviously missed it after all. "Yes."

"I'll drive him." Justin was looking just a little too eager for Layne's composure.

"No…"

"But Mom, I'm going to be late and Mrs. Chase is giving out our parts for the Memorial Day play today." Dennis whined. The stranger didn’t look as scary to him today as he did last night. Besides, his mother had told him they used to be friends.

"Come on, my car is right downstairs." Justin smiled as he encouraged her.

"I have to come with you." Layne relented. She wasn't going to chance putting her son in this stranger's car, a stranger that probably thought he had a right to the boy.

"Okay."

"Will you be able to drive me back?" She would have preferred to get out at Dennis' school with him, but then there would be no way she could get back to her job anywhere near on time. Layne needed her job.

"Sure." Justin waited while Layne locked the door and then led the way to his car.

Taking an ambulance ride & Final Sin

Have you ever been a patient in an ambulance? How did it make you feel? Did you wonder about the people who were caring for you, what their training was, how much they cared about your well being? I'd love to hear your comments below.

I have the memory of being a patient twice in the past, once after a relatively minor car accident and once for a severe asthma attack. The asthma attack was especially scary because the treatment en-route was vital, it was definitely more than just a transport.

I also have the terrific perspective of being one of those trained individuals giving care to patients on the way to hospital. I’ve been a volunteer EMT with my local ambulance corps since 1986. Sometimes the care provided is simple compassion and transport… sometimes we work hard to save a life. I’ve delivered babies - and I’ve done CPR trying to restart a heart. Both successful CPR and holding a newborn in your arms can give you a really heady feeling.

My entire family is in emergency services, both volunteer and career. That’s why, when I wanted to write a mystery suspense, it seemed natural to make my characters emergency service professionals. Going by my own experiences, where else do you get to see so much of life?

I encourage each of you to consider volunteering with your local ambulance squad; the rewards of being able to do something to help, to give some people the only chance they may have, and to know that you have provided (at the minimum) comfort and reassurance is never-ending. There are many ways to be a vital part of your community, give your ambulance corps a chance – it is definitely worth it.

About Final Sin:

Deputy Sheriff 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 subject of an obsession, it puts both

of them in danger...

Download a FREE Final Sin “discussion starter package” complete with free bookmarks – it’s perfect for a book club or library discussion group.

for multiple e-book formats http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/2354

from Amazon (print) http://bit.ly/GEgv6