Five Sentence Flashback - Friends Forever

In February of 2011, one of my first short stories written with hopes of recognition achieved online publication. In September of the same year, it reached printed publication. Friends Forever is about a lonely girl who discovers friendship in an unusual place, but don't mistake it for a story to tell your children.

And now, the first five sentences of Friends Forever:

The strong breeze pushed the kite higher and carried the now familiar voice across the backyard. 

The call floated through the air, like the sounds of the wind chimes on her neighbor's back porch. Clorisa began hearing the voice a few weeks ago, right after her dad deserted her. It wafted up from the old well, growing louder and more persistent with each passing day. 

The massive oak tree cast shadows, long fingers clawing at the ground, over the stone slabs.

Finish reading Friends Forever online or purchase a copy of the Anthology.

Five Sentence Flashback

March 2010 marked the beginning of a journey from aspiring writer to published author. Over four years later, I still look back at that first accomplishment with pride. The story was short and a little twisted, but for me it proved I could and would be an author.

And now, the first five sentences of The Keeper:

A table, two metal chairs, and Anthony Tyner occupied the small musty room. The walls inched closer with each tick of his watch. The fluorescent light flickered as if it might blow at any moment. He wondered when he would be allowed to go home. Two hours had lapsed since two officers had escorted him from his apartment and tossed him into the collapsing room. 

Finish reading The Keeper at Long Story Short.

eTreasures Publishing Giveaway - The Sacrifice

eTreasures Publishing is hosting a two week giveaway of 'The Sacrifice', starting midnight - January 22, on Facebook. Stop by for your chance to win an e-book copy.

Reader Comment: I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed this story! This was wonderfully delightful! It is reminiscent of an old fashioned French fairy tale or the Grimm's Brothers stories. I loved it!!!

Blurb and Excerpt Available in 'The Library.'

Sweethearts in Bloom Review

JCCeleste, of the Romance Reviews, has reviewed the anthology, Sweethearts in Bloom.

"Escape to Love" by Cher Green follows the misadventure of a witch-in-training trying to find her way back home amidst a world where magic is used for cruelty and any who oppose the tyrannical council suffer. Can Constance Spenser become the savior she is destined to be and rescue the man she has come to love?

Visit the Romance Reviews to read the complete review of the anthology.

The Sacrifice - Available for Purchase

My children's picture e-book, The Sacrifice, is now available for purchase at eTreasures Publishing!

Blurb:
Angelina must travel to the castle to protect her sister, who is marrying the king of the land. But who will protect Angelina on her journey when she encounters a troll and other unexpected obstacles? Luckily, she carries her precious and powerful medallion. She will need it, for even after she reaches the castle, all is not as it seems.

The Sacrifice is a fairytale-like story of a young woman's journey to save her sister.

Excerpt: 
Wind gusted around her, whipping the path into a wild dirt storm. Angelina coughed against the onslaught of dust. Tears streamed from her eyes. She lifted the shawl to cover her mouth and nose. Holding the golden medallion tight, she willed away the growing wind. After a moment, the air stilled and the dust settled. She wiped her face, brushed back her hair, and continued on her journey.

Protected, guided by the medallion, she had until twilight to reach the castle and save her sister. Their village had been ecstatic to see one of their own chosen by the king as his new queen. With a wife in place, they all expected improvement in their lives. But, two days after Silvia’s departure, Madam Shernom had a vision of the king’s true intentions. Silvia would be sacrificed on her wedding night, giving the king even more power.

Bushes rustled to her left. Angelina heard Madam Shernom’s parting words: “Never leave the trail. Move quickly and beware. Not all is as it appears.” The woman’s image – grey stringy hair surrounding a smooth face – brought her comfort. She clutched the smooth medallion and turned to face the unknown.

Escape to Love - Out in Print!

Sweethearts in Bloom: An Anthology of Sweet Historical Romances is now available in print, at eTreasures and Amazon.

The anthology includes my novella, Escape to Love, plus three novellas by fellow eTreasures Authors - Georgina Sellwood, Joy Brooks, and Miranda Heart.

Roses of Tomorrow - Going to Print!

I've been informed 'Roses of Tomorrow' will be included in the 2012 Spinetinglers Anthology, which will be available in June.

A little history - First brought to light in 2006, Roses of Tomorrow evolved through critiques and my own growth as a writer. From a short flash fiction of 666 words, it grew into a full story of 5,390 words.

A special thank you goes out to all those who have helped me along my path. 'Roses of Tomorrow' is proof of how much a writer can grow with the guidance of a few helpful writers and readers. You know who you are, and I thank you from the deepest part of soul. I wouldn't be where I am today without you.

Advice to aspiring writer - Don't throw anything away and never give up. Keep writing and accept help when it is helpful. Trust your gut when it comes to judging good critiques from bad ones. Grow, evolve, become an Author.

Blessings to my critiquers, my writing friends, and my readers.

Interviews and First Review

Two interviews and a first review of Seduced by Darkness

Aubrie Dionne invited me over to Flutey Words.

Pembroke Sinclair opened the doors at her blog for an interview.

Please stop by, ask questions, and enjoy a cup of coffee. Hope to see you there.

Cherie Reich of Surrounded by Books Reviews gives Seduced by Darkness a glowing review.

Cher Green's Seduced by Darkness delights in a seductive tale of the power of love and loss. Read more.

Seduced by Darkness released

Seduced by Darkness is now available at eTreasures Publishing.

Blurb:

Geneva Chilton, warned against human contact, betrays her family in order to be close to the world she longs to join. Intrigued by an artist’s work and his ability to capture life on canvas, Geneva steps too close to the boundaries and discovers love, but what price will she have to pay?

Lewis Hunt, intrigued by Geneva’s beauty and determined to capture it on canvas, discovers he needs more. Lewis needs the real woman behind the beauty. His course leads him to her, but also to danger. How hard is he willing to fight for a woman of darkness, a vampire?

Escape to Love reaches top seller status

Escape to Love appears on eTreasure Publishing's Top Seller list.

A few days ago a writer friend sent me an email informing of the new status of my novella. You can imagine my reaction.

If you haven't already checked out my novella, Escape to Love, you can find a blurb and an excerpt at my website, and e-book available for purchase at eTreasures Publishing.

Escape to Love - Excerpt

I realized the other day, I've posted updates on the progress of my novella and reviews, but never an excerpt. It is available at my website, www.chergreen.com, but thought some of you may find more of a chance to take a glimpse here on the blog. So, here's a short sample of Escape to Love.

Chapter One

Four white candles in each corner, a small dish of water, a pinch of salt, and a bag of sage completed Constance Spenser’s ritual offering. She pulled the lilac scrunchie from her thick black hair. Heaving a breath, she tried to push aside her melancholy.

After five years with her ex, the recent breakup hadn’t improved her dismal outlook. Wading through each day, she tried to see the positive, to find a fresh beginning. She fingered the pentacle necklace, wondering if she’d ever see results.

Her Persian, Angelica, brushed against her bare leg before jumping into her lap. Constance ran a hand over the cat’s soft fur. “I know baby. You love me no matter how big of a failure I turn out to be.” The cat stretched toward her, placing a paw kiss upon her chin, like a friend’s kind hug.

Careful not to disturb the lounging pet, she withdrew a box of matches from the table’s drawer. Striking one, her voice eased over the darkness with each lit candle. “I give my body to the earth, my breath to the air, my tears to the water, my desire to the fire.” The heat from the match singed her thumb, causing her to drop it into the water dish. “I call upon the spirit world for guidance. Reveal to me my path. Set me on a journey.”

A soft breeze stirred the curtains. The tick-tock of the old grandfather clock magnified, building to a roar. Then, an eerie silence settled over the room, voiding Constance’s moment of anticipation. Dropping her shoulders, she blew out the candles and shuffled toward the kitchen.

Angelica hissed. Constance spun. The curtains whipped in the strong wind tearing through her house. Through the sheer drapery, moonlight pulsed, trespassing into her small living room. Hair on end, teeth bared, her cat arched. Constance’s heart echoed in her ears - it worked, her incantation had been a success.

Thunder rumbled, shaking the house, ravaging her senses. Soft rain fell, lulling her into a calm state. The smell of disturbed soil filled the room, like a peaceful cemetery burial. Lightning darted through the darkened clouds, slithered through the darkness, and forked across the purple sky. A haze settled as the soft rain turned into a full-fledged downpour.

Tiny goose bumps popped up all over her bare skin. She crossed her arms, but it didn’t do much for the chill rambling through her body. The thin fabric of her nightgown did nothing to stop the icy grip of the storm on her flesh. She started toward the bedroom to grab a robe, but a high pitched cry bounced off the walls, stopping in her tracks.

Constance rushed through the living room, onto the porch. She glanced back at the doorway, then to the raging storm. A tear ran down her cheek. She cringed at the thought of the possible dangers she’d brought upon them. Her poor cat hissed from the safety of the doorway.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, though who she sought to console was unclear. Angelica looked less than impressed, recoiling from her outstretched hand. Lightning shattered the sky. Constance jumped. Angelica bolted from the doorway. “Ooh, what have I done?”

The storm raged, venting its impressive force only to stop as suddenly as it began. The sky cleared, the room fell silent, leaving her to struggle with her racing heart. She eased back to the doorway, coaxed Angelica back into the opening. “See. Told ya. Everything’s fine. ” Angelica’s fur remained on end. The cat stared past her, hissing furiously.

Escape to Love is currently available at 20% off at Coffee Time Romance.

Thank you all for your support.

Read "Escape to Love" on your Kindle

Read Escape to Love on your Kindle, or any other .pdf files for that matter.

When my novella released, there were so many people who wanted to know if they could read it on their Kindle. I didn't have the answer and lost a few sales. Now, I have the answer. So, if you have .pdf files sitting around on your computer, left unread because you don't have time to sit that long at the computer, Great News, you can move them to your Kindle.

(Now I'm sure some of you already know how to do this. To be honest, I don't even own a Kindle. I prefer paperback and still holding on to the past.)

USB Cord Method

1. Using Kindle's USB cord, plug Kindle to your computer.
2. Locate .pdf file through Explore, right click on file, and select Copy.
3. In the left hand panel of Explore, open Kindle folder, click on documents, right click, and select Paste.
4. Right click on Kindle icon, select Eject, unplug from computer, and you are ready to read.

(Hope this isn't too confusing. Normally I would check steps to make sure they are correct, but without owning a Kindle, I can't really do that.)

Email Method

1. Log into your Amazon.com account and find your Kindle email address. - Select Manage your Kindle from account page, this should be where your email address is located.
2. Add your email address to the Your Kindle Approved Email List section.
3. Open your personal email and compose an email. Attach .pdf file, use CONVERT in the subject line, send to amazon. (I'm assuming you send this to your Kindle email address, but not completely sure on this. Seems logical though.)
4. Turn on your Kindle's Whispernet (not at all sure what this is, but if you own a Kindle, hopefully it makes sense). Your document should appear on your Kindle's home page.

I hope these instructions help you to enjoy your .pdf files on your Kindle. If you try this, please let us know if my instructions are correct. If you already know how to do this, please let us know if the instructions are correct. One day I will own a Kindle and be able to check it myself.

Untied Shoelaces of the Mind Anthology 2011

My short story, Friends Forever, is now in print and available for purchase.

Another Escape to Love Review

Aubrie Dionne, author of Paradise 21, recently read my novella, "Escape to Love", and gave a wonderful review at her blog Flutey Words.

Aubrie not only read the novella before publication, but also gave wonderful suggestions for revisions. Thank you, Aubrie, for all of your support in my writing journey.

"Escape to Love is action packed with a sweet romance at its core. Cher’s writing is very smooth and calming to read. I enjoyed watching Constance fall in love and find her own way in the twisted new world she’s fallen into."

Visit Flutey Words to read the full review.

Escape to Love Review

Asandra, Spiritual Guidance Examiner, recently read my novella, "Escape to Love", and gave it a glowing review on her Examiner page.

"Green writes with a brisk style that keeps the reader glued to the page. We are drawn into the protagonist’s dilemma; will she be pronounced guilty of witchcraft, or will Lawrence Wilder, the sole council member who wants to save her, be successful?"

Visit http://www.examiner.com/spiritual-guidance-in-national/escape-to-love-a-review-review-1 to view the complete review.

Other reviews available at Goodreads.

Character Interview - Constance Spenser

I’d like to welcome Constance Spenser, the main character of Escape to Love, to the blog.

Blurb - Constance Spenser is no ordinary woman, and neither are her problems. Unhappy in her life, she seeks knowledge of the spiritual side of life, but what she finds is another world, a world where she has no place. She must gain the council’s trust and discover a way home, but in her attempt she finds herself falling for the enemy. Can she survive long enough to discover her destiny?

Constance, would you like to tell us a little about yourself?

My creator claims I’m no ordinary woman, but to tell you the truth I’m very ordinary. I enjoy the company of my cat, Angelica. We both love the outdoors. Reading and crocheting are my favorite pastimes. That is, when I’m not cooking. Love to cook.

When your story begins, we find you playing with witchcraft. Can you tell us a little about that?

Oh, that. It was a phase. I’d just come out of a confusing relationship and needed to re-discover myself. What woman hasn’t experienced that at least once in her life? I’ve packed away my tools. All I need is nature to connect with my spirit guides. It’s very freeing.

How well do you like your creator?

She’s a good girl, very down to earth.

Do you think she’ll have you reappear in later stories?

That would be nice, but I haven't heard any news. The latest rumor is of explorations into Esmeralda's storyline. Not sure how much truth there is to it, but I’d love to come back and be a part of that. Esmeralda’s a wonderful woman, and her son is just adorable.

Is there anything you’d like to share with the readers?

I hope you all enjoy my adventure, I sure did. What could be more exciting than a handsome man pulling you under his wing, protecting you from the bad guys? Oh sure, it was a little scary, the threat of being hanged can’t be taken lightly. I guess I better hush before I give too much away. Look forward to hearing what you all think about the story.

Thanks for joining us Constance. We all hope to see you in the future.


If anyone has any questions for Constance or her creator, feel free to ask. Please refrain from question which would result in spoilers.

Have a wonderful Thursday!

Escape to Love Review

Another great review!

The second review of Escape to Love is available at Joylene Butler's Blog. Joylene begins her review with, "Constance Spenser, an aspiring witch, considers herself ordinary, but she has more magic in her than even she realizes." Pop over to read the rest of this review.

Thank you all for your support.

For anyone who hasn't signed up for the monthly newsletter, you can see what you are missing at my archived newsletter page. I hope you decide to join me in this wonderful journey by subscribing.

Escape to Love has been included in the anthology, Sweethearts In Bloom, available for purchase.

Interested in the Tarot? Check out my latest post, Tarot Cards Misbehaving.

Happy Wednesday!

Escape to Love Review

It has arrived!

The first review of Escape to Love is available at Surrounded by Books Reviews. Cherie Reich begins her review with, "Cher Green bewitches a spell for love in her Escape to Love." Pop over to read the rest of this wonderful review.

Thanks Cherie!

Escape to Love - Available for Purchase

Exciting update on my new novella.

Escape to Love is now available for purchase at eTreasures Publishing.

Available as eBook for a low price, you can't go wrong. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story. Feel free to post to this blog, or contact me personally.

Escape to Love will be made available in other formats in the future.

Sign up for my new newsletter to keep informed of updates and news on other publications.

Have a great Fourth of July weekend!

Flash Fiction at Raven and the Writing Desk

The ladies at Raven and the Writing Desk invited me to join in their June fun. The theme for the month is rose gardens.

My flash fiction piece, "The Rose Garden Ritual", is available on the blog for your reading pleasure.

My story found great company with Lisa Rusczyk's, "Jasper", and Cherie Reich's "A Killer Rose Garden", also available on the blog.

If that's not enough roses for you, a past publication, "Roses of Tomorrow", over at Spinetinglers, may interest you.

Take a break in your day to smell the roses.

Happy Wednesday!