TUESDAY TALKS

Spotlight Author:  C H E L L E    C O R D E R O

Before we get started talking about your books, tell us a little about yourself.  Where are you from?  What is your occupation outside of writing?

I am very fortunate to be a full-time freelance writer, both fiction and non-fiction - both writing personae and as Chelle Cordero. I've written articles for many regional and national magazines and newspapers.

I'm also a wife, a mom (2 adult kids), and a volunteer NYS-EMT with my local ambulance corps. I grew up in the Bronx (NYC) and attended the High School of Art & Design and Fordham University at Lincoln Center. I married the love of my life in 1975 and we live in the scenic Hudson Valley in New York.

Would you describe yourself as an introvert or an extrovert?

I tend to be an introvert but I have learned to "act" like an extrovert when necessary.

 Do you have any pets?

I'm a cat person. Right now I have three amazing pussycats, Tigger, Mario and Luigi. Tigger likes to hang out on my desk and send emails and Luigi still thinks he is a baby and insists on being held. And Mario just likes stealing everyone's food.

What are your favorite books to read?

I love to read mysteries, romances and romantic-suspense. Not surprisingly, that is what I like to write as well.

 Aside from your successes in the writing industry, what in your life has given you the greatest sense of accomplishment?

My kids. They continue to amaze me everyday, I am so very proud of them. They are totally different from each other and yet they share many of the same values. My daughter is a paramedic and terrific at her job, she also teaches paramedic students and heads up our ambulance corps youth squad; she lives with her husband just a few towns away. My son is an EMT and treats his patients magnificently, he is also Captain of our volunteer ambulance corps and a total computer genius; he lives at home with his longtime steady girlfriend. 

 How many books have you written and how many of those are published? 

I've written ten books, nine are published. The only one that isn't published is called "More Than a Friend" and is a romantic-suspense.

Of the nine books one was just published as an e-book and it's a writing guide, Living, Breathing, Writing: A Lesson a Day. Seven are romantic suspense and are in print or e-book: Bartlett's Rule, His Lucky Charm (formerly Forgotten), Within the Law, Courage of the Heart, Hostage Heart, A Chance of Riches, and Common Bond, Tangled Hearts. The ninth book, Final Sin, is a murder-mystery.

How much character and plot detailing do you plan out before you begin writing a novel, or are you a “pantser” (fly by the seat of your pants)?

I'm definitely a "pantser" - I create my characters and throw them into a situation (or two) and let them make decisions about what they want to do.

How and when do you write? Do you keep yourself on a schedule or do you work while the muse is with you?

Aside from writing when I have deadlines, I write when the mood strikes me - or when I can't sleep. Since my office is a mere three feet from my bedroom, it's easy to find my way in there at all hours. 

Out of all the books you’ve written and the characters you’ve created, which is your favorite character and why?

I tend to fall in love with all of my heroes, but I admit being partial to two of them; Tom from Within the Law and Be from A Chaunce of Riches. Both makes are a bit of gamma males, just a little bit of bad boy thrown into the mix.

If you could give one piece of advice to writers trying to get published, what would that advice be?

Never, ever give up.

What's up next for you and your writing?

I'm working on a murder-mystery starring a character who was in Final Sin.

Anything else you'd like to share with my blog readers?

I've also written several short stories in five antholoigies. Three anthologies are from Vanilla Heart: Arms Wide Open, Nature's Gifts and Passionate Hearts. One anthology is from Mandimam Press (edited by Shelagh Watkins), Forever Friends and one more from Shelagh will be coming out soon.

Where can we read more about you and your work?

My website is http://ChelleCordero.com and there are links there to info and buy-links for my books, history about me, and links to my blog and my writing business website.

Thank you so much for allowing me to speak to your readers today!

Thank you for being my Spotlight Author on TUESDAY TALKS.  It was a pleasure learning more about you and your books.