Category Archives: Common Bond Tangled Hearts

05.27.13
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I miss my youth – win a FREE ebook!

I miss the days when I felt confident enough to lead with my heart and not my head – when common sense didn’t stop me from having fun – when I had the desire and the impetus to experience adventures – when I felt invincible and couldn’t comprehend my parents’ worries.

Today as a woman with several decades behind me and offspring of my own, my perspective is quite different. Today I (try to) think before I act, weigh the possible results of every decision, and say thanks everyday that I survived my youth and still manage to make it through my present. I don’t lead a boring life by any means, but I do lead a more cautious one.

My two grown children have followed their hearts to travel the world, jump from airplanes, run obstacle races, play extreme sports, explore caves, hike mountains, respond to danger as first responders, learn and use new skills, take gambles, and always push themselves a few steps further. It would be sooo easy to live vicariously through them. And now I truly emphathize with my parents’ angst…

My characters are not boring people either. When I write I include some of my past experiences, borrow some of my children’s lives, and certainly toss in my dreams, to create people who live life to the fullest.

Have you read any of my books? Would you like to take a guess and try to win a FREE ebook of one of my novels?

Listed below are 3 columns – a character, a profession, a book title.  See how many you can match up. The first 4 people to play this game and get AT LEAST 1 complete answer right will win a FREE ebook. (hint: for easy clues, go to  http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/chellecordero) Submit your answer in the comments below

1:  Adam Sherman
A: artist
r:: Final Sin
2: Tom Hughes
B: state trooper
s:: Common Bond, Tangled Hearts
3: Julie Jennings
C: FBI agent
t: Bartlett’s Rule
4: Caitlyn Price
D: pr exec
u: Courage of the Heart
5: Matt Garratti
E:  business owner
v: Hyphema
6: Paige Andrews
F: bodyguard
w: Within the Law
7: Ryan Hunter
G: programmer
x: His Lucky Charm
8: Justin Ross
H: flight medic
y: A Chaunce of Riches
9: Ben Johnson
I:  paramedic
z: Hostage Heart

07.30.12
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Have you had your Expresso today?

Such exciting news!



Folks can walk into any location with the fun to watch EBM, call up a favorite title, and walk out five minutes later with their very own copy – it’s instant gratification!

What’s an EBM?   Expresso Book Machine



Now what this means for you, dear readers, is that you can walk into a location and walk out that same day with a fully printed book in hand!   Not ordered and wait – but you can start reading immediately.  Formerly this instant gratification was only available at a very few select mortar and brick stores – or for ebook purchasers… and there are still some purests out there who enjoy the feeling of a book in their hands.


And there are NO shipping charges – how much better can this get?   Even overseas readers can enjoy print copies of books WITHOUT those exorbitant shipping charges.


There are dozens of these machines already out there ALL OVER THE WORLD – and they are expecting that amount to more than double by the end of 2012.

Right now you can find EBMs in the following countries:
United States of America
Santo Domingo
Canada
England
Netherlands
Egypt
United Arab Emirates
China
Japan
Philippines
Australia


… and there are MORE coming!  For a complete listing of locations AND books available go here  http://bit.ly/JtiIpm 


Read the brochure here   http://bit.ly/NQOikO

12.13.11
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What is your favorite winter holiday tradition?

MamaElk won the copy of Common Bond, Tangled Hearts
Thank you all for coming by.
Everyone is welcome to download a FREE copy of

It doesn’t matter which winter holiday you observe, there are really beautiful traditions that just “warm us through” during the cold winter. So tell us what your favorite winter holiday tradition is…

Is it lighting a Yule log and enjoying hot cider with friends and family?
Is it singing Christmas carols at a local nursing home?
Do you spin a dreidel and eat potato latkes?
Maybe it’s lighting the candles of a Kinara with your children?
Or dressing in your finest clothing and sharing a meal of meat with your family and friends?
Share your favorite holiday tradition below – I will pick one lucky responder (between now and 12/24) and announce the winner on December 25 and will send a pdf copy of my book Common Bond, Tangled Hearts. Be sure to include your email.

Be sure to visit all the fantastic authors participating in this

12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop

10.13.11
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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.
07.11.11
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the following post originally appeared on http://www.sandynicks.com Dec 13, 2010

New Muse on Monday Welcomes Chelle Cordero!

Published by Sandy Nicks at 10:13 am under writing

Please give a warm welcome to author, Chelle Cordero! Chelle will be talking about her latest release Common Bond, Tangled Hearts.

* * *


My Way

Writers write about the “what if’s” and “if only’s” – we write of lives that could have been different if only a different set of events occurred. “Happily Ever After” means that thingsalways work out anyway.

In real life things don’t always seem to work out the way we want, but maybe they do work out for the best. For all of the wants and desires, everything that happens to us makes us who we are and leads us to do what we do. So maybe things never were supposed to be different after all.

There have been things in my life that I thought I had planned out, career choices, even romances – and things happened out of my control to change my path. I studied theatre and drama determined to be an actress and decided I didn’t have the necessary commitment . Then I tested for the NYPD and did very well, but that was the 70’s when there were huge budget cuts and layoffs. Other job experiences, some very interesting and lots of fun, and finally the desire to work from home led me back to my passion for creative writing. Not what I had planned, but oh so very happy doing it.

And while my dear hubby isn’t the first to have proposed to me – or even the first I considered – he was the only one I accepted. So at one time my dreams were different until things I saw weren’t as desired as I thought they were. I had even known hubby for a while before we became involved and hadn’t once thought of making a life with him. But “events” threw us together and boy did I ever make the right choice. Perhaps the others I considered helped me to see who I really wanted to be with.

I love the lyrics to the Sinatra song “My Way” – It’s a tune I hum frequently as part of my personal philosophy:

I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried
I’ve had my fill, my share of losing
And now as tears subside
I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say not in a shy way
Oh no, oh no, not me
I did it my way

Common Bond, Tangled Hearts

Blurb

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.

Excerpt

“Hey Layne,” He caught her hand. “Talk to me. Tell me about you.” He felt a need to be close to her. Justin didn’t feel at all surprised that he wanted things to work out between them.

She smiled at him. “Like what?”

She had such a sweet smile, he thought. “I don’t know. What are your dreams?”

Layne lost her smile. Then she shrugged. “People like me don’t have dreams, Justin.”

“Come on, everybody has dreams.” Whether they get to follow them or not is a different story.

“Maybe, when I was a little girl.” She laughed. “I wanted to invent a robot to collect the eggs on the farm so I could stay in bed later.” Her voice faded. “After my grandma died, I just dreamt that I would wake up on the farm again.”

He paused for a moment. Justin knew so very well how difficult things had been for her. She had told him about being bounced around between foster homes. She had also told him how she met Charlie.

“And now, Layne, do you have dreams now?” He sounded so serious.

He saw her eyes well up with tears. “Actually yes, I do have a dream. I dream that I will always be able to protect my son. I dream that I’ll always be here for him and that he’ll never be so desperate for a hero that… he’ll do something totally stupid.” Just like his mother, she thought. “I dream that I can do something to shield him from people who will just use him.”

Justin put his arm around her shoulder and leaned down close to her ear. “Layne, I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”

She nodded. “Thank-you.”

“How about for you, Layne? Don’t you want something for yourself?” He continued to gently probe. He smiled. “Don’t you have any frivolous dreams?”

She shrugged. “There isn’t much I need. I have my son, that’s all I want.”

He wanted to ask if she wanted a family, a husband… a real one, a home. He wanted to know if she could want him. “But how about just for you, just for Layne?”

Thinking about it, Layne finally grinned. “I guess it’s dumb, I don’t know. I never got my high school diploma. I guess I don’t really need it, I mean I’ve managed okay without it. But sometimes it’s, well, when folks talk about their degrees and all, it’s embarrassing.” She looked innocently at him. “I… haven’t really admitted that to anyone before.”

* * *

Chelle Cordero is a multi-published author with Vanilla Heart Publishing and a full-time freelance writer with local and national newspapers and magazines. She resides in New York’s Hudson Valley with her husband, family and three spoiled pussycats. In addition to her books and articles, Chelle pens a weekly writing course available by subscription at Amazon Kindle Blogs http://bit.ly/Wmg8W and volunteers with her local ambulance corps as an EMT.

Chelle’s website: http://ChelleCordero.com
Chelle’s blog: http://ChelleCordero.blogspot.com
Smashwords BuyLink: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/chellecordero


06.01.11
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…and what kind of day have you had?

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.

Justin, the victim of a fraternity prank, and Layne, the subject of a forced insemination, have produced a beautiful child that they are both willing to protect… at all costs.

The two parents realize they can love each other, but when Layne’s abusive “ex-husband” shows up, they are torn apart by danger, kidnapping and lies. Justin won’t give up until Layne is returned to him. Layne uses her newfound strength, courage and knowledge to defy Charlie’s ugliest demands.

“Damn it!” Justin paced the short length of his motel room several times. This little nothing town was one of the last places he wanted to be. Damn Davis for insisting that he had to “get this matter cleared up”. Damn the college pranksters that robbed him of a choice. Damn his brother for leaving him the only heir. And damn his grandfather for dying and dumping everything on his shoulders. He stopped short of cursing his frail mother for making him feel guilty enough to accept the duties of running the three stores.

After a very rocky start, Justin had been a model student for years until he earned his master’s degree. He drank only moderately and partied occasionally. There had been a few college girls he saw on a serious level, but he never got carried away. He never made promises and he never once thought of a future with any of them. That was why he was so surprised when the family attorney, Larry Davis, told him he was a father.

“That’s impossible!” Justin protested. “I was always very careful. If some girl told you it’s mine, don’t believe it.” He had always been a careful and considerate lover and when it came time to end a relationship, he always did it gently. He’d bet his life, he never got any girl pregnant.

“Justin, maybe you’d better sit down…” Larry put his unlit pipe in his mouth and waited until Justin was seated. “It seems that you and some of your friends decided to do a little bit of celebrating just prior to your graduation, when you received your masters.”

A little bit of a celebration was an understatement, Justin thought. He remembered having gotten totally drunk, he spent at least two days nursing a hangover. He suddenly laughed. “If you’re going to tell me I went out and got laid, there was no way… I was too far gone for that.”

“You were… the victim of a fraternity house prank.” Larry had known about this for a few years, but Justin’s grandfather wanted it kept quiet for the time being. “I don’t know how to say this delicately, but… you passed out in the offices of a sperm bank.”


buy in multiple ebook formats ~ Smashwords

02.18.11
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Common Bond, Tangled Hearts as reviewed in the Sony Reader Store

Kimberlee Williams, the managing editor at Vanilla Heart Publishing, certainly makes sure that our books are available at numerous outlets – one more place you can get my books, in ebook form, is the Sony Reader Store.



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. Justin, the victim of a fraternity prank, and Layne, the subject of a forced insemination, have produced a beautiful child that they are both willing to protect at all costs. The two parents realize they can love each other, but when Layne’s abusive ex-husband shows up, they are torn apart by danger, kidnapping and lies. Justin won’t give up until Layne is returned to him. Layne uses her new-found strength, courage and knowledge to defy Charlie’s ugliest demands.

Reviews:
There are three reviews for Common Bond, Tangled Hearts listed in the Reader Store; one review is only 2-stars because “It reads like a Danielle Steele book” and the reader is not fond of Danielle Steele. However, Danielle Steele has always been one of my favorite authors so I am really flattered at the comparison!

The other two reviews are 4-star and 5 star (not bad!) and has statements such as “Layne and Justin clearly love the child, and this comes across well in Cordero’s tender yet suspenseful prose. And when Layne’s hurtful and scary ex – who I hated as soon as Layne started to talk about him!! – shows up, I flew through the pages to see what happened to this realistically written couple.” and “There are so many unexpected twists, it kept me turning “pages” to find out what happens next. I loved the ending, but I won’t give it away. Great story!“


09.22.10
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It’s a FREEBIE!

September is Library Card Sign-up Month
a time to remind everyone that a library card
is the smartest card of all.

It’s September 22 – have you signed up for your library card yet?
Whether you’re a student, parent, researcher, or just looking for entertainment and relaxation, a library card opens your world to a wealth of information. You can read many of the newest and hottest releases, local newspapers and magazines, and have access to some of the finest encyclopedia’s and reference books at your local libraries.
If you live in the Ramapo-Catskill library area (New York’s Rockland, Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties) then you can also read FOR FREE 5 of my novels – ask about inter-library loans if your individual library doesn’t have the book on the shelf. The RCLS Library system has Bartlett’s Rule, Forgotten, Within the Law, Final Sin and Courage of the Heart (CotH – original version).
Be sure to ask at YOUR local library if they carry my books – if they don’t (!), ask them to order them. Many libraries welcome patron suggestions.

What?! You say you live too far from your library to make use of its resources? There’s no such thing anymore. Many libraries across the country offer digital services as well. That’s right, if you have access to the internet (you’re reading this, aren’t you?), then you can download digital media like Audio Books, EBooks, Music and Video. (Ahem, ALL of my novels are available as EBooks!).

Find out the services your public library offers and you’ll find out just what a bargain the library can be!

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. (ISBN-13: 978-0979654534)
Forgotten by Chelle Cordero
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. (ISBN-13: 978-0979654572)
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. (ISBN-13: 978-1935407577) *previously Forgotten
Final Sin by Chelle Cordero
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 subject of an obsession, it puts both of them in danger… (ISBN-13: 978-1935407133)
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 villain who took his love from him. (ISBN-13: 978-0982115046)
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. (ISBN-13: 978-1935407188)
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. (ISBN-13: 978-1935407935)
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. (ISBN-13: 978-1935407713)
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. (ISBN-13: 978-1935407263)

08.04.10
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My Blog Winners for the Anniversary Blog Tour

I participated in the
“1RomanceEbooks.com one year anniversary blog tour“
on this blog and I am pleased to say that my July 18 post had 49 comments.

I promised ONE lucky commenter a .pdf copy of my book
Common Bond, Tangled Hearts

Well, the truth is I had a random number generator pull 3 numbers;
I thought in case I couldn’t reach the winner, I would drop down to the next…
But then I went ahead and chose ALL THREE.
So congratulations to:
Loretta Canton, #308
Carol L, #6916
Babyblue22, #311

1RomanceEbooks is going to award ONE LUCKY COMMENTER FROM ALL OF THE PARTICIPATING BLOGS to win some super prize,
unfortunately for me, blog owners aren’t eligible… (sniff)

Thanks for coming by!

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. Justin, the victim of a fraternity prank, and Layne, the subject of a forced insemination, have produced a beautiful child that they are both willing to protect at all costs. The two parents realize they can love each other, but when Layne’s abusive ex-husband shows up, they are torn apart by danger, kidnapping and lies. Justin won’t give up until Layne is returned to him. Layne uses her newfound strength, courage and knowledge to defy Charlie’s ugliest demands.

Common Bond, Tangled Hearts by Chelle Cordero
AMAZON B&N OMNILIT PDF
KINDLE SMASHWORDS MULTIFORMAT
1ROMANCEEBOOKS

07.18.10
by

Happy 1st Anniversary 1RomanceEbooks

Thank you for visiting my author blog, the 8th stop on the 1RomanceEbooks.com one year anniversary blog tour! Your last stop should have been erotic romance author Marilyn Lee at http://marilynlee.blogspot.com/. Please read through to the end to learn how you can win prizes just for following (and commenting) on posts during this blog tour.
I am a writer. When folks ask me what I write I usually respond “anything someone will buy” – I get mixed reactions. Most often I am greeted with a chuckle and “no really, what do you write?”

I tell people that I have two writing lives, both under the name Chelle Cordero. I’ve been writing newspaper and magazine articles for decades: business profiles, human interest, advertorial, opinion pieces, and I’ve covered community events and such. About the point that I have nearly lost their interest, I let them know that I also have several novels (romantic suspense and murder mystery) – that’s when their eyes tend to light up.

While my passion is fiction, I really do enjoy all of my writing. I am one of those lucky few who has a true dream job – if I never retire, I have a job I will always love doing. I still get a thrill when I see my name on the spine of a book or as a byline in a newspaper or magazine.

I am amused by the variety of reactions I get about the different writing that I do… regarding romantic fiction, “Oh I never read that stuff”; articles in the local newspaper, “Wouldn’t you rather write a book?”; if I mention ad copy I’ve been told “oh so you don’t really write”; and when I mention small press publisher Vanilla Heart Publishing, there are those that snub their noses because it’s not one of the bigger NY houses.

Too many people are stymied by the reactions they get from others. I’ve conducted several writing workshops and at almost each one I hear comments from new writers that they are frightened by the possible reactions of the people around them. Sometimes this fear is enough to keep them from fulfilling their dreams. I understand their vulnerability, but I’m also frustrated by the fear that prevents them from writing.

If you want to write ( or sing, draw, or paint) don’t let anyone stop you. Write because you love using words, write because you want to make people think, believe, and even live vicariously. Writers and artists expose themselves with every piece of work – but it’s worth it for that one byline, just one acknowledgment of your creativity. You will never find that everyone becomes a fan so don’t be paralyzed by a negative reaction.

Just write – and tomorrow, write again.

*******
One LUCKY reader will win the grand prize from 1RomanceEbooks:
a Sony E-reader
(click here for directions – you must register)
http://1romanceebooks.com/index.php?_a=viewDoc&docId=106

The blog tour goes until July 31. One lucky commenter on THIS post during the tour will win a .pdf copy of my romantic-suspense novel
Common Bond, Tangled Hearts.

Your next stop on the tour (tomorrow, Monday July 19) is
Lena Austin at http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com