I Binged! (at RWA2020)

 

I went to my very first Romance Writers of America Conference! To be honest, ‘thanks to COVID and everything being locked down’, I didn’t have to go far — it was a VIRTUAL conference and I only had to make the journey to my den where my desk and computer reside.

 

The conference was spectacular! The virtual aspect was just as new to RWA as the conference was to me. I was truly greedy and attended sessions non-stop (okay, except for 15 minute bathroom breaks, lol). Seriously though if one ever needed the encouragement and inspiration to be a writer, this was the ultimate opportunity. The knowledge that was imparted, the encouragement, and yes, even some networking, was so much more than I had expected.

 

Starting Friday morning, August 28, after a welcome from the RWA President, Alyssa Day, was a “First-Timers Meet-Up” which was done by ZOOM so we were truly in a nice group and it was a great ice-breaker. Following that was a whirlwind of sessions, which we were able to choose ourselves. Since I told the hubs that he was basically on his own for the weekend, I stayed GLUED to my computer screen. Several classes were held along with terrific Key-Note speakers (renowned author Xio Axelrod and past RWA President Shirley Hailstock). Ms. Hailstock’s speech was 150% inspiration and no matter where you are in your writing process, it was like manna to a starving soul.

There was a wonderful emphasis on diversity and being able to see, and tell, your story through other eyes; it was like the world was opening right in front of us. There were talks that sparked the imagination and prompts to help us use our everyday journeys in our writing. And of course there were innumerable sessions simply about CRAFT such as plotting and motivation, copyrights, and dealing with bloggers and reviews. I am so grateful for an excellent discussion from Win Day about Computer Management which was appropriately titled Saving Your Sanity; oh, if I had only known some of these “tricks” a month ago!

While I have been writing for most of my adult life I only began pouring my soul into romance writing since the late 90s. I connected with a small-press (now defunct) publisher in 2008 and literally felt my way through a lot of things I NEVER even dreamed of. I joined RWA and a local in-person chapter where I used to live in New York, but, and this is mostly my own fault, I never made enough use of the resources available to me. Through the years life changed. Ultimately we moved and there are no VERY local chapters where I now live and circumstances aren’t convenient for long journeys — so I found an online chapter (RWAOL) and recently have gotten in DEEP!

Thanks to the opportunities from RWA, both National and this online chapter, I am finding the inspiration and the confidence once again to write and to pursue a field I love so very much. In some ways I am a newbie and in others I’ve got the battle scars of experience. With the resources available to me, and the support and experience of those around me, I feel literally like I am coming alive again. 

I am, once again, a writer.

I’m keeping busy with my blogs, yes I maintain a few, I’d love it if you could take a look and let me know your thoughts…

Please stop on by at The Official Website of Author Chelle Cordero for lots of information about my books, who I am, and links to my non-fiction writing persona

Welcome to Chelle's World

~~~~~

I also maintain an informative blog about strokes — my husband suffered a stroke in 2016 and it has been quite a journey. I hope to help others in the same position wade through some of the difficult spots.

Life Goes On, The Caregiver
~~~~~

I host a site where I post occasional book promos (for other authors),
events, book talk, reviews (sent to me), info and other articles

THE POTPOURRI PARLOR
~~~~~

I used to author an Amazon Kindle blog called Living, Breathing, Writing.
All of the blogs posted to that (now discontinued) Kindle blog are
still available online. I posted weekly “lessons” and writing exercises
to help everyone get their creative juices flowing — please check it out
and get writing today!

Living, Breathing, Writing
~~~~~

Finally I host a blog on behalf of my brother (in-law) and our family’s search for a kidney donor for him. Please check it out, get tested and/or become a potential donor (it’s easy to list on your driver’s license), and certainly pass along our plight to all of your family and friends. Thank you so much.

A Kidney For Del Du-Bois
~~~~~

There’s more ways you can follow me and stay in touch,
I’d love to hear from you!

My Facebook Page — Author Chelle Cordero

My Street Team — Chelle’s Crew

Twitter @ChelleCordero

Chelle Cordero’s Amazon Author Page

Instagram

LinkedIn

WOW! I think that’s it.
Please feel free to send me your comments

Thanks so much for coming by.

Can You Diagnose This Mole? — #MondayBlogs

Doctors are not the only ones at parties who are asked for “professional” opinions. Being a romance writer leaves the door open to a lot of rather embarrassing discussions.

I am often asked for relationship advice, after all my characters always celebrate a Happy Ever After; after listening to as little as possible, not because I don’t care about these people (even strangers), but because sometimes the info gets a little too personal for what I want to hear. I usually smile and tell the people talking to me that it’s certain that they care/love the other person so maybe they should be talking with their partner… bear in mind that I am not talking about book discussions or author appearances. Most people smile and say they’ll take my advice and “Thank you very much”.

I really love writing and reading romance novels. I think everyone should be in love. My favorite of all is combining suspense or mystery with a good and spicy romance. I also like thrilling edge-of-your-seat thrillers. Most of my novels have been categorized as contemporary romantic suspense.

Now to be honest some of my books are fairly explicit in sexual activities (no, NOT soft porn as my son often accuses me of) but there are definitely appropriate and monogamous sex scenes. The most embarrassing conversation I ever had was with the husband-part of a couple we were once very good friends with. After reading one of my books he stopped over one day and followed me around while I was gardening. After some regular innocuous conversation he started to complain how “uptight” his wife was in the bedroom and how he wished she would be… more like the heroine in my book.

To be honest I wanted to crawl under the bush! I tried ignoring and then changing the subject. It didn’t help. Finally I just blurted out, “Go home and speak to her, not me.” He gave a quick apology and finally changed the subject only to return to a similar conversation a few minutes later. This time I asked him, strongly suggested, that he go home. He did. For a long time I was never very comfortable in this couple’s company after that — I just couldn’t get the image out of my mind. I did tell my husband who agreed not to get involved unless it happened a second time. Thankfully her husband never brought it up again. We’ve since parted ways with this couple.

By the way, whenever I get the chance I have taken to wearing a T-shirt another friend had given me, across the front are the words “Be careful what you say, you might wind up in one of my books.” People do tend to clam up when they think about it.

Please review me...

At a recent party a friend was praising a couple of books that I wrote - I stepped to the side and asked her if she would be kind enough to post a review. She looked genuinely concerned and said "I wouldn't know what to write". 

It's easy, if you can tell me one (or more) things you liked (or even disliked) about the book, you can write a great review. You don't have to be a professional book reviewer and you can post the review simultaneously on multiple sites.

You would be doing this author and all authors an incredible favor. Potential readers look for books that people want to read and seeing lots of reviews says to them that the book is worthy of their time.

So please, I know several of you out there have read at least one of my books - please help me by posting a review on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Goodreads, YOUR Facebook page, Smashwords, KOBO, iTunes or send it to me for the Potpourri Parlor.
Thank you!

"a good quality book review is NOT the school-age book report. Your review should be a minimum of five or six sentences up to two or three (small) paragraphs. Don’t prove you read the book by including spoilers (that totally unexpected twist that really made the story). Write what YOU liked (or disliked) about the book; a book should be a personal experience for every reader so keep it personal. Be honest but never brutal; if the book was filled with typos for instance but was still a great story say something like “a few distracting typos took away from an otherwise terrific story”. (Always try to find something positive to say). If you didn’t like the book because it was not your favorite genre then own up to it; despite mostly four and five star reviews, my favorite review I received on one of my books was only two stars — the writer stated she didn’t care for it because my style was too much like Danielle Steel and she doesn’t care for Steel (who happens to be one of my faves). Again, review the book from YOUR perspective, YOUR likes and dislikes, and the impact the book had on YOU. Remember to be gentle but always honest."

Please join the CHELLE’S CREW Street Team

“What is a street team? Simple. It’s a group of your fans and readers, who hit the streets, both online and Main Street USA in brick and mortar stores, to help spread the word about you and your books.” Humphreys, Sara (2013-03-04). Street Team Smarts: An Author’s Guide to Building and Running a Successful Street Team

Suggested Team Activities

•  Talk about my books with friends in person. – Blurbs for each book can be found at Smashwords
• If you read (or have read) any of my books, reviews (honest & hopefully good) would greatly be appreciated (Amazon, GoodReads, blogs, etc). If you publish a review, please send me the URL so I can publicize it.
• Distribute bookmarks and other promo material (supplied) to potential readers; distribute sales sheets to libraries/bookstores with ebook capability.
• Go to  your local library and/or bookstores and offer to moderate a book discussion on any of my novels. (Discussion packets are available) – Let me know if you arrange a book discussion so that I can send you supporting material.
• Online support – join/like my Author Chelle Cordero FaceBook page, like, share and comment on Author Chelle Cordero book-related posts.
• Follow me on Twitter and retweet book related tweets; ditto for Google+
• Visit blogs where I have a guest post and leave comments. Promote these posts via Twitter, Google+ and FaceBook.
• Post a trailer about my books on FaceBook and personal blogs. Include buy links.
• Use book title hashtags on Twitter, on FaceBook, and Google+
• Speak to local bookstores and libraries about stocking books (titles available wholesale to booksellers through Amazon)
• Share ideas how to promote with the rest of the street team.

My street team members have received free short stories and books. SWAG is offered.

Message me on FaceBook or leave a comment HERE to let me know that you are IN.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/284669008368919/

Feeling Invisible ~ #MondayBlogs

Most writers by nature are an insecure lot. We're emotional and we go through highs and lows "faster than a speeding locomotive". We need constant reassurance. Yes, I've said it, writers are NEEDY.

Does anyone read my words? Does anyone know I exist?

Do we write for recognition? LOL, well it's certainly not for money!

If you think I'm exaggerating, speak to any writer and you'll find that we hang on every word once someone starts off with the sentence, "I just finished reading your (insert book title here) and need to know when you are writing the next one?"  When this is said to me I want to do a happy dance, Yay, I have a fan!!!

We spend hours promoting our books... I've offered free books in exchange for reviews, asked folks to join my Street Team or to follow my blog and sometimes it seems that I am invisible, or atleast I feel that way. I want to walk through my local supermarket and have people stop me to autograph a book (preferably one that I wrote!), I want them to be all bubbly because they recognize a famous author. 

Yet in reality whenever a mutual friend introduces me to a stranger and they ask what I do and I say "I'm a writer" I often receive a blank stare and then maybe, just maybe, they'll say "oh, what do you write?" Then I've had folks think I am joking when I say I'm an author of published novels (ten actually). I want parades down Main Street, newspaper articles, reporters ringing my phone...

Several years ago I accompanied my husband on a business trip to Rhode Island and I spent a day just writing in our hotel room while he went off for a meeting. The maid had to clean the room and before she left I offered her a copy of my first book explaining that I was THE author. She smiled and nodded and politely thanked me for the book as she simply placed in on her cleaning cart. Moments later I heard her screech in the hallway and I went to the door to see what was going on — "Oh my Gawd! You really did write this book!" as she frantically pointed to my author picture on the back cover.

My neighbor's daughter is a fairly well recognized actress (love the girl, really) and I've stood with other residents of the street we live on to hear them say, "Oh it's so thrilling to actually know someone who's famous, she's made a name for herself!" And while I kvell for this young lady, I nod and smile and feel just a tiny bit deflated that no one seems to acknowledge my name in print.

I want to be FAMOUS!

I want people to see ME

So, just like I said... insecure.

sigh

Ok, rant is OVER...

Back to work

#MondayBlogs ~ Social Networks

It seems like there are a lot of folks today that are ANTI-Social Networking. I can understand that if you are limiting yourself to the computer screen and ignoring family and friends in REAL TIME… but what about the people who aren’t surrounded by others like shut-ins, or the folks who live quite a distance from family and just want to stay in touch? I am sure there are a dozen more (at least) valid reasons to LIKE FaceBook, Twitter, Google-plus, Pinterest, Instagram and other such networking opportunities. And don’t ignore the targeted forums like Growing Bolder, LinkedIn, Emergency Service chat-rooms, and chronic illness sites.

I spend a lot of time on sites like FaceBook and Twitter and visit several others frequently; for me a lot of that time has to do with my career as a writer (both author and journalist). I network with others for information, promotion, learning more about my craft, and (because I work from a home-based office) for a pseudo-office water cooler experience. As a journalist I do research on a wide variety of topics and once I query a few search terms I never know where the results will lead me. As an author I use the internet, including blogs and email, to connect with readers. But most of all, I love the fact that social media has given me a chance to re-connect with childhood friends and school alumni even if we are no longer around the corner from each other. And I can stay in touch with long distance family on a more frequent basis than our busy schedules permit via phone or handwritten letters.

There are ways to limit who sees your posts so that the relatively personal family stuff isn’t shared worldwide for everyone, of course marked private or not you should never post the really, really intimate details online. Since I want my online presence to be an “open book” )please excuse the pun from this author), I maintain two FaceBook accounts: one is for personal use and one is for anything related to my writing and my readers. During the average day I flip back and forth between my actual work (research, writing, business records, etc.) and then spend some time checking up on friends and family online.

I notice a lot of people alternately take time off from online, surprisingly most of these people are indeed missed when they are gone. Sometimes I have to wonder if they realize that they have become vital presences in other people’s lives. I have some friends and family that have come off of FaceBook entirely and they are truly missed — while I do have real-time dealing with them, there are times I just want to send them a post, pass along a meme or just send them a smile.

If you are online please feel free to some check out my sites, like me on FaceBook, follow me on Twitter and Google-plus and say HI. Thanks!

FaceBook   https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChelleCordero

Twitter   https://twitter.com/ChelleCordero

Google+   https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ChelleCordero/posts

A Sample From the Amazon Kindle Blog

Living, Breathing, Writing
[Kindle Edition]

Getting Emotional

Put your reader into the story by making them feel as if they are there. Let them feel emotion. Incite your readers to join you and to experience something through your words. If your reader feels an emotional attachment they will feel as if the words they are reading is reality.

Think of a time, any time, that your community has gone through a defining moment… preferably when you were there. Think of times like severe storms and natural disasters (up to and including hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, etc). If you have been fortunate enough not to have experienced a natural disaster, think of any incident that might have grabbed news headlines locally (i.e.: fires, accidents, lost child). Use any incident that affected you and your emotions. Choose an event that might have changed things whether for the better or worse, so long as the event made an impact on your community or yourself.

Make sure that the reader can identify with you as a real person. Let them know you have feelings, vulnerabilities, hopes and even fears. You’ll find that a reader will often put themselves in the place of a character, or alongside a character, if they believe it is a real person.

Try throwing yourself into the middle of the incident and write about it from your perspective; if you were in the middle of it, describe it from your perspective doing something different than what you did. Write this story in first person. Feel free to make yourself a hero or have the solution to a problem if you would like. Were you frightened, sad, or  angry? Don’t say it, show it in your actions. If the power went out and it was dark, mention the shadows, bumping into something or someone, or show how frustrated you were because you couldn’t see the exit or find something you needed without light.

Put feelings into retelling this story, reach deep into your readers’ emotions and let them “feel” as if they are right next to you and the events are happening now. Build tension with your words similar to the way filmmakers use background music building to a crescendo as forewarning of something to come. If the event is a storm you might talk about the increasing volume of the howling winds of the increasingly deafening roar of rain hitting the roof. Don’t add too much unnecessary description or be unnecessarily verbose or you will find that your readers will lose interest or get lost in confusing rhetoric.

One way to get emotional is to make a list of emotions that you felt during the event, or believe you would have felt if you were there or circumstances were different. For each emotion listed write down three things you did based solely on the emotion such as crying, slamming a door, covering your ears so you won’t hear, ducking under a table for protection or anything that was a pure emotional reaction. Make sure that you include these actions in your tale, but try NOT to name the emotion.

Writing Exercise:  Practice your point-of-view. Describe the room you are in at this moment and your actions from your point of view (first person: I see, I hear…); then describe the room from the viewpoint of someone standing in the doorway and watching YOU (third person: She sat rocking in the chair…) Remember that in third-person the person describing the room cannot be in YOUR head, they cannot know HOW you feel.

Writing Prompt: Write about your feelings (a.k.a. emotion) for each main color of the rainbow - red, yellow, green, blue and violet. Does any color make you think of a specific memory?

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The Living, Breathing, Writing Kindle Blog is available on

Kindle Kindle Voyage Kindle Paperwhite Kindle Paperwhite (5th Generation) Kindle (5th Generation) Kindle Touch Kindle Keyboard Kindle DX Kindle (2nd Generation) Kindle (1st Generation) *this twice weekly blog now features Writing Exercises, Prompts & Challenge Assignments

Help a buddy out...

Have you read any books recently that you enjoyed and perhaps would like to see more from that author?

Or better yet, do you KNOW a struggling author and would like to see her/him enjoy some success so you could say "I knew her when"?

What can you do - Plenty.

• Buy the book. Give the book as gifts, if you enjoyed it, maybe your friends will too.
• Talk it up. Tell your friends about that great book you just read and suggest that they might enjoy it too.
• Write a review - on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, GoodReads and even on FaceBook or a personal blog.
• Drop the author's name and the name of the book the next time you visit your local library - don't be shy - ask if they carry any books by (author name)
• Rate reviews posted on Amazon, you know where it says "Did you find this review helpful?", click it.
• While authors love it when their books are newly sold, it also helps when a reader passes their book along or even just leaves a copy in some random place with a note saying, Please Read Me & then pass me along again (usually print) - these are called "Traveling Books".
• Are you a member of a book club? Suggest that book to the club for a rousing discussion; many authors make Book Club Discussion Packets available to help facilitate discussions.
• If the author is local, invite her/him to your club, store, restaurant, home, library or any venue to meet and greet readers - the author can discuss an area of expertise or even HOW to get published.
• Host a book party featuring the book or even asking everyone to bring a favorite book to swap.
• Does the author have a FaceBook Page? LIKE the page.
• Does the author have a blog? Follow it.
• Does the author have a newsletter list? Subscribe.
• LIKE and Share the author's Amazon page.
• Tweet and re-tweet. Tweet about the author's blog or any mentions of author or the book(s); re-tweet the author's tweets. Do the same for Google-Plus.
• Share author posts on your FaceBook page.
• Find out if the author has a Street Team and JOIN; "a group of people who 'hit the streets' promoting an event or a product." (Wikipedia). Aside from helping the author, you will often get lots of free swag and other incentives.

Please Tweet and Share this article. 
use the SHARE buttons at the bottom

Take a look at my website book list http://chellecordero.com/novels-by-chelle-cordero/

LIKE my author page on FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChelleCordero

Follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/ChelleCordero

Thank you!

Vanilla Heart Publishing E-Book Discussion Packets

VHP  E-Book Book Club

Book clubs and their members play an important part in the enjoyment and excitement of reading terrific books. Here at Vanilla Heart Publishing, we appreciate the passion and enthusiasm book clubs generate when reading and discussing books!

Easy! Inexpensive Packages including Ebooks, Author Info, Discussion Starter Questions, and Full Color Bookmarks for your club membership to simply print out and use!

Vanilla Heart Publishing authors can give your book club (across the United States, Canada, the UK and worldwide) an exciting presentation – in person, by Skype, or via forums and group chat on the internet. 

Book Club Extras Packets

Author Info, Title Detail, Discussion Starters and
Printable Bookmarks - All FREE!

Book Club Extras Packets are available as free downloadable packets or viewable online.
To download your free packet, simply click the EBCE link, or view online.

   EBCE      VIEW ONLINE   
     Common Bond, Tangled Hearts by Chelle Cordero   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. 


   EBCE      VIEW ONLINE   
     A Chaunce of Riches by Chelle Cordero   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. 

   EBCE    VIEW ONLINE
     Within the Law by Chelle Cordero   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. 


   EBCE    VIEW ONLINE
     Hostage Heart by Chelle Cordero   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 

   EBCE     VIEW ONLINE 
     Courage of the Heart by Chelle Cordero   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.

   EBCE     VIEW ONLINE   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. 



   EBCE    VIEW ONLINE

Jock Stewart and the Missing Sea of Fire by Malcolm R. Campbell  Mainstream humor with a dash of mystery... Jock Stewart is a mix of Don Rickles and Don Quixote, Stewart is the man for the job when the skirts are up and the chips are down...

   EBCE    VIEW ONLINE   

Bartlett's Rule by Chelle Cordero  Bartlett's Rule shares the story of Lon and Paige's love affair; a romance 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 and Lon are real; they are human, they cry and they laugh. Paige has to learn to trust. Lon has to learn to be patient.

   EBCE    VIEW ONLINE   

His Lucky Charm by Chelle Cordero  What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas... this time it follows Brandon and Caitlyn across the country and into a world of espionage and danger. The one thing that Brandon knows for sure is that he can't afford to lose his lucky charm, Caitlyn. Will their romance survive a foreign threat to national security, kidnapping, personal tragedy and a murder attempt? (Previously released as Forgotten, 2008)

  EBCE    VIEW ONLINE

Final Sin  by Chelle Cordero  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...

  EBCE    VIEW ONLINE

To Be Continued by Charmaine Gordon  Elizabeth Malone wakes up the morning after an amazing night of passion with her husband of forty years to find a note: "Dear Lizzie, it's not you, it's me." Abandoned by her husband, disappointed in daughter Susie's casual attitude – ‘Dad's having a mid-life crisis’, Beth decides to re-establish herself as the winner she once was. When Frank Malone returns, he's in for a big surprise!

  EBCE    VIEW ONLINE

Starting Over  by Charmaine Gordon  Each morning, Emily Kendrick runs on the hard-packed sand of St. Augustine Beach. She runs to clear her mind and heal her heart. From the widow's walk of the house perched high on the dunes, a man trains his binoculars on Emily... One early morning run, he sees tears spill down Emily's tanned face. She stumbles and falls, crumpling into a heap in the sand. . .and doesn't get up. A lone runner reaches Emily's side. Her watcher slams his binoculars onto the railing as he throws his coffee cup against the steel and Plexiglas windscreen...

  EBCE    VIEW ONLINE

Now What?  by Charmaine Gordon  It was 2:30 a.m. when the phone rang. I fumbled for it, my heart starting a race toward bad news. Our doctor s voice urged me to hurry. I crammed into clothes as if I expected this call. It is only a fever that won t go down, isn't it? Our doctor shook his head. ...We did everything possible to save him. I held him in my arms when he took his last breath. Carly, I m so sorry. Settling in beside my Bob, I held his cooling hand and asked the two words spoken many times during our years together. Now what? This time there was no response. I was on my own for the first time. When my fingers touched his wedding ring, I slipped it off and held it in my fist. The gold band was warm. I clung to him. Come back to me, dearest. Sometimes what you wish for is more than you can live with.

  EBCE    VIEW ONLINE

Reconstructing Charlie  by Charmaine Gordon  Charlie Costigan has a secret. Home life gone from bad to the worst when she protects her mother from another vicious attack by her drunken father. Midnight. Clothes thrown into an old suitcase, she races for the bus with a letter to an unknown aunt and uncle. This is my daughter. Embrace her as if she were your own. Determined, Charlie begins again. Alone with her secret.

  EBCE    VIEW ONLINE

Loving Her  by L.E. Harvey   Loving Her is a collection of short stories celebrating love and life between women; each story tells a story, and together, they create a depth and understanding of women's love for each other and for life. Loving Her shares the stories of remarkable and ordinary women- women learning to love and women making a difference, all while managing the world around them...as lovers do.

  EBCE    VIEW ONLINE

Unbreakable Hostage  by L.E. Harvey   Lareina Oliveira; high school math teacher, she wants to share her passion for math. So it is back to school for Lareina…a tough Ph. D. program. A classmate is captivated by Lareina’s beauty and intelligence, and despite her repeated refusals to his attentions, he  kidnaps her! Only her determination and wits can save her… Will her family, roommate, and a wily detective from Missing Persons get to her before it is too late?

  EBCE    VIEW ONLINE

Imperfect  by L.E. Harvey   Carol Mathers, born a sickly child, in a home fraught with undercurrents that threaten to sweep away any chance she might have for a ‘normal’ life.  Now in her mid-thirties, she's a highly sought-after IT guru in St. Louis.  She has built a great life for herself with her partner, Alexandria, even though the two face prejudice as lesbians, and as an interracial couple -fighting tragedy and sometimes, finding triumph.  Carol discovers that she has acquired AIDS as a result of a childhood transfusion from the dark period of time before AIDS was widely known… or understood, not even by the medical profession.  Now, the two women face even more obstacles, prejudice, and a strange, new life as AIDS patients and  it all causes her to wonder about the meaning of and purpose of her own life… or if there is any purpose at all…  

You can also download .pdf book discussion packets
for all Chelle Cordero novels
directly from her website

BOOK DISCUSSION PACKETS:

 Karma Visited (pdf file)

Bartlett’s Rule (pdf file)

His Lucky Charm (pdf file)

Final Sin (pdf file)

Hyphema (pdf file) 

Hostage Heart  (pdf file)

Courage of the Heart (pdf file)

Common Bond, Tangled Hearts (pdf file)

Within the Law (pdf file)

A Chaunce of Riches (pdf file)

Now available to ALL

My Weekly Writing Workshop for your Kindle at http://bit.ly/pILcG has been a rousing success!

And NOW, even if you don't have a Kindle, you can benefit -

Living, Breathing, Writing:

A Lesson A Day

by Chelle Cordero

is NOW available for INSTANT download from
Payloadz (.pdf format) &
Smashwords (multiple ebook formats)

Welcome to a complete month of lessons about the craft of writing and being a writer. In the BONUS Section of this book you ll find more than 50 brain-starting exercises to help you get those words on paper.

These short lessons and activities have been previously

published as part of the acclaimed Amazon Kindle blog

Living, Writing, Breathing

available by subscription for Kindle owners.

"Having Chelle Cordero's blog on my Kindle is like having an author here in residence with me. She gives inspiration, motivation, and best of all, practical advice and solutions. I love the writing exercises she offers at the end of each blog, as well as the writing prompts ." ~J.B. Naylor

~from Chelle Cordero:

"Living, Breathing, Writing is filled with weekly articles about writing, tips, trends, methods. Imagine a weekly writers workshop and the convenience of your Kindle " http://bit.ly/pILcG