Carole Bellacera's October 2011 Newsletter

Dear Friends & Fans:

On vacation last month in Myrtle Beach, I realized the definition of Heaven. It’s having little arms wrapped around you, and a sweet little voice saying, “I love you, Grandma.” It’s a snuggly little blond toddler giggling and trying to take the glasses off your face. It’s…being a Grandma. 

I feel so blessed, getting to spend a whole week at the beach with Luke and Zealand. (And also with Frank, Leah and Zac.) It had been a whole two months since I’d seen the boys, and you know how much a child can grow in two months. Of course, the week went by too fast, as it always does, and soon enough, we were saying goodbye—and for the week after we got home, I suffered baby withdrawal. Luckily, though, I’ll be seeing them again later this month when I go down to South Carolina to attend the South Carolina Writers Workshop conference. I’ll spend an extra few days in Charleston afterwards. (What kind of grandmother would I be if I went within two hours of my grandsons and didn’t go see them?)

I’ve got lots of exciting news this month. As you know, if you read the post I sent out in mid-September, TANGO’S EDGE is now available in print—and I’m really excited about that. Call me old-fashioned, but there is nothing like holding a REAL book in your hands…especially if it’s one that has your name on it. Although TANGO’S EDGE has been available on Kindle and Nook for several months now, I guess it didn’t really feel “real” to me until I could actually hold the book in my hands. If you haven’t seen my book trailer yet, you should check it out, because I just love it!

http://animoto.com/play/Ebww0DhBXzuROaBqIilk9g

Romance reviewer, Harriet Klausner, has this say about TANGO’S EDGE in her . “Tango's Edge is a strong romantic suspense thriller starring two likable lead characters, a super support cast, and a powerful world stage ice dancing background. The story line contains more twists and spins than a dance routine…”


Other good news—LILY OF THE SPRINGS is coming out in print and on Kindle in November. This is the book set in the 50’s and 60’s, inspired by my mother’s life growing up in Kentucky. I’ve waited a long time to share this story with you, and I just know you’re going to love it.

And even more good news—I’m going to reissue all my out-of-print books, the ones that are available at Kindle, in print, every couple of months until they’re all available once more. Buying back my rights from my New York publisher was the smartest thing I’ve ever done! Now, I’m back in control of my work, and it feels great!

Congratulations to Joan Woods of St. Petersburg, Florida, the winner of my September website contest. Be sure and enter this month’s contest. You could win a copy of TANGO’S EDGE.

Have a great October. (How can it possibly be October already?)

Blessings,

Carole

Tango's Edge Now Available in Print at Amazon.com

Finally! TANGO'S EDGE is out in print! Watch the book trailer, and order your copy at

http://www.amazon.com/Tangos-Edge-Carole-Bellacera/dp/0615532012/ref=sr_1_6_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315493722&sr=1-6

The Winter Olympics - Salt Lake City, Utah

“Will you help me to defect?”
It’s the desperate question from Russian ice dancer, Mikhail Kozlof to his American counterpart, Kerry Niles, which ignites a treacherous cross-country trip, political intrigue―and an attraction that neither can deny.

After a night of passion in a picture postcard winter resort, lust turns to love―and a return to reality. The American government is closing in, and soon, Mikhail will be whisked away from Kerry.

Once sequestered in a safe house outside Washington DC, Mikhail is face with an impossible situation―he must deny his love for Kerry to protect her from harm’s way.

Tango's Edge Book Trailer

Carole Bellacera's September Newsletter

Greetings, Readers.

Can you believe how fast summer went by? Yeah, I know...it's still warm outside and we're still doing summer-like things--swimming, cooking out, going to the beach...etc. But let's face it, the days are much shorter now. I realized that last night when Frank got home from tennis late, and I was setting the table for dinner out on our screened porch--the censor motion light came on. And my heart sank.

I'M NOT READY FOR WINTER! Or autumn, for that matter. Boy, have I changed. Back a few years ago when I was still an avid skier, I always looked forward to the cool, crisp weather of fall because I knew in a matter of months, we'd be heading up to Vermont for our annual ski trip. But then my sister, Kathy, had to go and break her leg--on the last run of the last day of vacation, and Frank and I haven't been skiing since. Seeing what Kathy went through in her recuperation put the fear of God in me. A broken leg may not sound like much, but believe me, when you're a woman of a certain age (or a man, for that matter) it's a big deal. Thus, Frank and I (mainly because of me) have given up skiing, opting to take a cruise every couple of years rather than the annual ski trip. I guess that means we're officially old.

So, no, I don't look forward to autumn and winter anymore. It's just another reminder to me that another summer has come and gone, and who knows how many more will be in my future? I know how that sounds. Geez, the woman must be depressed! But no, I'm really not. Really!!! I take full enjoyment out of every day, and I'm grateful for all my blessings--and I have a lot of blessings. I just guess at this point in my life, I'm more conscious of the passage of time, and isn't that normal?

Anyway, I'm looking forward to our annual Myrtle Beach vacation next week, and praying (with all my might) that Hurricane Katia will not be a threat. (The grandsons are joining us, and if I don't get my baby fix, I don't know what I'll do.)
Speaking of hurricanes and earthquakes, can you believe last week? I was standing in the kitchen, unloading the dishwasher when the earthquake happened. Everything started to shake, and my initial thought was that our practically new clothes washer had gone off-balanced again. But it didn't take me long to realize we were actually having an earthquake. I was in a smaller one in Hawaii years ago, but it was nothing like this. I wouldn't say I was scared, but it sure was disconcerting. And then Hurricane Irene--we didn't get much of an effect here in Northern Virginia, but it sure made an impact east of us. And those poor people in Vermont really got hammered! I think one hurricane per season is quite enough, don't you? (Please, Katia, stay away from land!!!)

Hey, guess what? I have exciting news! TANGO'S EDGE, my romantic suspense novel about an American ice dancer helping a Russian ice dancer to defect, will be available in PRINT very soon. Stay tuned for more about that...
Be sure and stop by my website and enter my monthly drawing for a copy of one of my books and a unique jewelry piece from Beautiful Evening Beads. www.CaroleBellacera.com

And have a great September!!!

Blessings,
Carole

Carole Bellacera's June Newsletter

June 2011 Newsletter

Dear Friends & Fans:

Greetings from the Bluegrass State of Kentucky!!! I’m here visiting my beautiful Avon representative sister, Kathy. www.youravon.com/kathyfoley. We’ve been having so much fun, and I’ve been spending way too much money (a lot of it on Kathy’s Avon products—she’s a great saleswoman!)

On my second night here, Kathy hosted a fantastic cocktail party for me with her friends and clients. We had lots of good food and wine, (yes, wine…even though we’re in a dry county here) and she had my books on display for new readers (which was pretty much everyone…except for Linda.) I met some really nice ladies, all of whom are talented in their own right (you know who I’m talking about—Linda, Brenda, Donna, Dorothy, June, Pam.) What a blast!

This whole week has been a blast. You know how I like “junkin,” right? I know I’ve mentioned that. Well, Kathy does, too. And just in case you don’t know what I mean, we like to go to consignment shops, thrift shops, junk stores (and there are a lot of them around here) and just see what we can find. Well, we found some treasures this week, let me tell you! But more importantly, we had some experiences that we’ll laugh about for years. Case in point—we were in Goodwill, me, Kathy and Linda, and I had a wardrobe malfunction. It actually started before we left the house. I put on this blouse that had a cut which made it impossible to hide my bra straps, so Kathy offered to let me borrow her strapless Victoria’s Secret bandeaux. I accepted. My first mistake. I had my suspicions about this thing from the beginning. So, we’re in Goodwill, and I’m moving around, checking out shorts and Capri’s (good news! I’d lost 5 pounds in the past month, and gone down a size.) Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only thing moving around. That damn bra kept…slipping, and the girls were…well, popping out. (How on earth these nubile young women wear these as outerwear, I’ll never understand!) Finally, I’d had enough. I was standing at the back of the store, and in a moment of complete insanity, I reached under my top, pulled that offending thing down to my waist, over my skirt and let it fall to my ankles. Only then did I look up (as Kathy and Linda, a few aisles over, we’re convulsed in laughter) and see this man down at the end of the aisle, his eyes agog, his mouth hanging open in complete astonishment. I quickly stepped out of the bandeaux, and only then did I realize what it must’ve looked like. Let’s just say that I was, no doubt, the subject of conversation at somebody’s dinner table that night.

Anyway, shopping wasn’t the only thing we did this week. We did a lot of eating—as much fattening stuff as we could possibly stuff into our mouths—and drinking of the nectar of the gods. (We are not good for each other, but we sure have fun.)

Last night we drove to Kathy’s friend’s house out in the country—way out in the country. Donna owns this beautiful farm of 12 acres, pasture and woodlands, with a beautiful creek running behind her house. We met her goats (up close and personal) and her horses, dogs and cats. As soon as I get home, I’m going to put a video on Facebook of Donna’s goats. They are so cool! Did I ever tell you how much I love goats?

Anyway, the week is drawing to a close. I’m leaving for home tomorrow. Oh, and I have some other exciting news! A few weeks ago, I auditioned at my local mall for a singing competition, and I’m one of 20 finalists (out of 100) and will be competing in the finale on June 26th. The grand prize is a $1,000 mall gift card. I’ve decided to sing Michael Buble’s “Feeling Good,” the song I sang at the church variety show a couple of years ago. Wish me luck!

Thanks to those of you who’ve purchased one of my Kindle books. The sales are good, and I’m thrilled.  If you haven’t checked them out yet, here’s the link:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=carole+bellacera&x=11&y=21

Hope all of you have a wonderful June. Don’t forget to stop by my website and enter my monthly contest. www.carolebellacera.com.


Blessings,


Carole

SPOTLIGHT & TANGO'S EDGE AVAILABLE ON KINDLE

I'm excited to announce that two of my novels are now available on Kindle. SPOTLIGHT & TANGO'S EDGE.

http://www.amazon.com/SPOTLIGHT-ebook/dp/B0052ENA74/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1306334385&sr=1-3


On January 6, 1972, ten-year-old Devin O'Keefe takes part in a peaceful demonstration march through the Catholic ghetto of Bogside, Northern Ireland-never suspecting that the demonstration is doomed to become Bloody Sunday, and that he will watch the British Army kill his brother along with twelve other defenseless marchers. Wounded in the arm himself, Devin vows revenge on his British oppressors-and steps into a cycle of violence that will leave him with a shattered family and an empty heart.

Eighteen years later, Devin has become an earnest rock-n-roller who uses his songs to relate the horrors he's seen to an international audience of millions. His American tour photographer, Fonda Blayne, is falling in love with him-but she has no idea that his brooding silences may be rooted in a very real danger. Devin hopes that he's left the violence of his homeland in the past-but some very powerful and deadly forces are hoping to take advantage of his life in the spotlight...

"...an exciting contemporary tale that uses music and romance as a means to provide insight into the complex Northern Ireland issues. The story line is enjoyable and the lead couple is a dynamic pair. The support cast provides focus to how complicated the issues in Northern Ireland really are. With this tale and BORDER CROSSINGS, the SPOTLIGHT is sure to fall on Carole Bellacera." -- Harriet Klausner, UNDER THE COVERS, Affaire De Coeur

"...Bellacera's riveting and romantic suspense shows the seamier side of the fight for Northern Irish independence, and the toll that has been taken on its people." -- Patty Engelmann

"...at once sensuously romantic and edge-of-the-seat suspenseful, this is a book to savor." --Maudeen Wachsmith for Romancing the Celtic Soul

"Carole Bellacera, author of last years' award winning novel BORDER CROSSINGS, a gripping novel about terror, death, hope and love in Northern Ireland, has done it again! ...an excellent thought-provoker." -- Peg Gaabo, for the IRISH CONNECTION NEWSPAPER

"This beautiful and poignant tale of trauma and triumph is written with such style I found myself held captive with each word. SPOTLIGHT is an engrossing tale of horrifying proportion and bittersweet victory. Carole Bellacera has an impeccable talent as a story-teller with writing skills to match." --Karen Williams, Rhapsody Magazine, July 2000

"Rarely has a book about the pop music scene grabbed me from the prologue and held me so totally immersed through the epilogue...This is one wonderful, awesome book...Ms. Bellacera showcases her wonderful skills as a writer with her dialogue, plotline, and characters. This author's talent is extraordinary and her obvious love of the Irish puts her storytelling on a par with the likes of Nora Roberts." --Betty Cox, Writers Club Romance Group on AOL

Carole Bellacera's May Newsletter

Hello, Readers.

I hope you're enjoying the beautiful spring weather (unless you're one of my fans in Australia, and in that case, the beautiful autumn weather.) :) I hope you're not suffering from allergies like I am. This has been a rough spring for me. I swear, I can't remember what it's like to breathe through my nose. I hope to do it again someday.

Other than not being able to breathe, April was a great month. We went down to Charleston to spend Easter with Leah and Zac--and our two darling grandsons, Luke and Zealand (ZZ for short.) I've come to realize that there's nothing more beautiful in the world than the sound of Luke saying, "I love you, Grandma." (He's two, and since Christmas, has started to speak in full sentences. And he's quite the chatterbox.) ZZ , at 17 months, is my laid-back, always smiling little sweetheart. A real cuddle-bunny. :) As you can see, I'm slightly enamored of my two little guys. I wish I could figure out how to insert photos into this newsletter, because I'd love to share some with you (besides the one on my main page.) But I can give you a link where you can see some recent videos. http://www.youtube.com/user/CaroleBellacera#p/u/2/Tg9NkWrxUkE

I hope you all have been enjoying my chapters of TANGO'S EDGE. I just posted Chapter 5 this morning. INCENSE & PEPPERMINTS is progressing well. I'm starting on Chapter 11 today. I've been getting positive feedback on the book from some colleages, and by the time I finished writing Chapter 10, I had tears in my eyes. And that's a good thing. If I can generate emotion in myself when I write, then I'm bound to generate it in my readers.

I'm still shopping LILY OF THE SPRINGS around--looking for an agent and/or a publisher. I have two agents reading it, but I've pretty much given up on the first one because she's had the manuscript since October, and I haven't heard a thing. Besides, I'd rather go with the second agent because she's in New York. Anyway...bottom line--I'm not quite ready to go the self-publishing route yet. I think I'll know when it's time.

Well, that's about it for this month. Have to get back to work on INCENSE & PEPPERMINTS. Don't forget to go to my website and enter my monthly contest to win a copy of one of my books and a custom-made necklace set from Beautiful Evening Beads. You can check out my a sampling of my jewelry pieces at http://www.etsy.com/shop/Beautifuleveningbead. I have my first craft fair tomorrow at the Culpeper Street Festival. Wish me luck! :)

Have a great May!

Carole