Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

Thank you Penguin Bookshop!

The Penguin Beckoning of Booklovers Event.
http://www.yoursewickley.com/blog/once-again-penguin-was-wonderful-host-us a great time today
...read more on the link.

Beckoning of Booklovers
Saturday, December 4th
11am to 1pm
Holiday Beckoning of Booklovers!

SCHEDULE

11:00am-11:45am Authors "meet and greet" customers and sign books

12:00pm-12:30pm Panel discussion with all authors

12:30pm-1:00pm Reception for authors and guests Continued book signing

My book & I will be there!

My Book & I Will Be @ The Penguin Dec 4

http://www.yoursewickley.com/blog/holiday-beckoning-booklovers-penguin-bookshop

Beckoning of Booklovers
Saturday, December 4th
11am to 1pm

11:00-11:45 Authors "meet and greet" customers and sign books
12:00-12:30 Panel discussion with all authors
12:30 -1:00 Reception for authors and guests and continued book signing

My Book & I Have Been Asked Back!

Beckoning of Booklovers
Saturday, December 4th
11am to 1pm
The Penguin Bookshop is hosting a Holiday Beckoning of Booklovers! Which my book & I will be a prt of once again!.
11:00-11:45 Authors "meet and greet" customers and sign books

12:00-12:30 Panel discussion with all authors

12:30 -1:00 Reception for authors and guests and continued book signing

My book & I have been asked back for a book signing & author panel discussion! If you are in the Pittsburgh, PA area please stop by for a visit.

Penguin Bookshop
420 Beaver Street
Sewickley, PA 15143

Signed copy of book now can be purchased inside the Penguin Bookstore

FINALLY!!!!!

Finally Barnes & Noble has placed the cover of my book on the page which they sell my book on their online stores! They have been my biggest selling arena the last couple months. Now maybe sales can go up with the cover there to see. Check it out!

Book Discussion on Books to Read

Book Discussion on Books to Read: "- Sent using Google Toolbar" scroll down and there is an article on Shame On Me...I Thought You Were My Friend by Gabbriella Conte.....just another place on the web someone has found my book!

Book Signing 8-28-2010

8-28-10 Book signing @ The Penguin Bookshop, Sewickley, PA. I was fortunate enough to be invited by The Penguin Bookshop to be a part of their "Beckoning of Booklovers" event this past Saturday. It was a very exciting day for me as this was my first signing since the book launch in June. My book now has a temporary home on the shelves inside the brick & mortar store of The Penguin. Aside from selling my books online it is a wonderfully fulfilling feeling to have my book placed on the shelves of a book store. The day was very fruitful meeting the other authors and seeing that they have come across some of the same obstacles as I have in getting my book into print. The main thing is to persevere in your efforts and don't give up hope. The feeling when it is all said and don and is in print is by far well worth every obstacle which you may face on the path. Seeing your book in print is one of the most rewarding feelings I have ever experienced in my life and getting it inside the doors of a book store takes it to another level yet. Also on Saturday my great friend Frannie was out at Barnes & Noble shopping and sent me a picture with her cell phone......she found MY BOOK sitting on the shelves there! I knew it was online at Barnes & Noble but there it was on the shelves in the store itself! Could my life get any better than this!?! I can only dream!!!...Picture on left is me @ The Penguin...Picture on top right is my book @ Barnes & Noble

SAVE THE DATE 8-28 11am-1pm

BECKONING OF BOOKLOVERS SATURDAY, AUGUST 28TH 11AM-1PM

SAVE THE DATE 8-28 11am-1pm

A BECKONING OF BOOK LOVERS......at The Penguin book Shop in Sewickley, PA

Saturday August 28th from 11 AM till 1PM .....

11-11:45 Authors meet & greet customers and sign books

12-12:30 Panel discussion with all authors

12:30- 1pm Reception for authors and guest, continued book signing

I have graciously been invited by The Penguin Book Shop to participate in this great event. I would like to thank them for opening their doors to us local, independant authors for a grand opportunity to get our books introduced to the public. If you are in the area please stop by to meet some of us.

THANKS PENGUIN!!!!!! SEE YOU THEN!!!!

PENGUIN BOOKSHOP

Penguin Bookshop
420 Beaver Street
Sewickley, PA 15143

The Penguin Bookshop in my son's town has invited me & my books to join them on August 28th from 11AM-1PM for their "Beckoning of Author's" featuring several local Indie Authors.It is a wonderful opportunity which I am happy to finally landed with them. Taking the self publishing route and trying to save money by not hiring a publicist for my book has given me many challenges in the last few months, but I have managed to overcome each one I tackled. I first contacted the Sewickley Herald Newspaper at the suggestion of my son and some local friends of that town. I poo-poohed the idea thinking why would they be interested in me & my book. But after several days of conversation I set out with my list of neighboring papers. The Herald was very receptive and responded quickly and published an article of my book 7-1-10. It then appeared 2 weeks later in the News Tribune "Pittsburgh Live" . My hometown news, The Beaver County Times has told me they do no such thing and would not do an article. I have lived in Beaver County or almost 58 years and this is what they tell their local & loyal reader. So I cast them aside, but I will drop an email & share with them I will be at the Penguin just in case they have a change of heart on me! The Butler Eagle is doing a Showcase of Authors very soon & I have been accepted into that. What the Times does not know is I am a very persistent person & do not give up quickley. But I also know how to be a gracious lady and walk away. (when the time is right) After all I did stay in a marriage well over 26 years and finally woke up & got out of that! So Promoting the book goes on & I am learning more & more each day about how to do this. It is a great experience! So if by chance you are in the Sewickley, PA area on August 28 between 11AM & 1PM do stop by & say "hi" I would love to meet you. There are other local authors you may like to meet also!

Baden divorcee offers tips on how to handle hurt - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Baden divorcee offers tips on how to handle hurt - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Links to purchase book

Each day I scan the computer to see where I might find my book for sale...It is slowly making it's way around the globe. Aside from great bookstores in the US it is also in Japan and the United Kingdom. Links to all of these can be found on my website Gabbriella's Closet

JULY NEWSLETTER

Click to view this email in a browser

Shame On Me I Thought You Were My Friend by Gabbriella Conte
Hi Everyone! Gabbriella's Sampler program has been unexpectedly placed on hold due to people signing up but not fulfilling the samples due in. I still get a few each month which I pass out at fairs I attend promote them that way. Hopefully for the holidays from September through November we will once again have a sampler box to offer. Customers are still begging for them but I don't have enough participation to offer it. So if you would like to be a part of the Sampler in September, October & November please contact me as this will be the Holiday preparation. The news this month is the release of my book Shame On Me...I Thought You Were My Friend. It was published on May 21.For a preview you can go http:// www.createspace.com/3435570 Should you befriend your ex? If your are divorced, planning a divorce or even know someone divorced or separated this book can help you. You can be happy in the midst of struggle. A true story of love, hope, family, forgiveness & moving on. LIVE TO LOVE & LOVE TO LIVE! They may be protecting something inside themselves, some fear or guilt or shame, or some private part of THEIR story that they're not yet ready to share. Your openness might threaten them…that is when you need to lay aside all other feelings you may have concerning this & weigh in on the fact that you need to, for once in your life, do what is right for you to move on….without this person ever being a part of your life again as you have known it, sometimes for many years…in my case nearly 13 years of being the Ex Wife which I prefer to be called the 1st wife. This is MY story…I am sure he has a story also. But this is what I put into the relationship & have learned. If indeed I can help someone that is my purpose for this book. If it is relaxing for you to read of someone else’s experience, then that is good. Even if you may see humor in any part of my story, that is even greater since laughter can be healing.
			Click on any of the pictures on the left to go to the site to purchase Available on Amazon.com in paperback & kindle version
Thank you for taking time to read about my new venture in life. Second book For Better~For Worse is almost completed and the 3rd in the making Happy Ever After~Happily Divorced will make this time in my life a Trilogy. Remind recipients if you want them to take particular action such as registering for an event or clicking on a link. Since it's always a good idea to show your appreciation, you also could use this space to thank your customer for their business. SEWICKLEY HERALD NEWSPAPER ARTICLE JULY 1, 2010CLICK ON ARTICLE BELOW TO BE TAKEN TO ENTIRE ARTICLE GABBRIELLA'S CLOSET

---

A Most Exciting Time In My LIfe!

Such an exciting time for me right now! The day the article of my book appeared in the Sewickley Herald my friends & I had a small celabration at a local restaurant. The weather was gorgeous that day and what a perfect way to end the evening chatting & giggling about my book and where it is taking me (us) & teasing about being on Oprah someday while sharing time over a luscious glass of petit syrah wine at a table on the sidewalk in the village.

The food, wine and company was great. It was as if we had planned it. But we didn't. It was imprompted and turned out one of the best evenings in a long time.

Of course I can dream about being on Oprah, I hardly think there may be a chance at that. Especially since Oprah is going off the air, on to new ventures of her own. But a girl can dream can't she! It is great to have my friends dream along with me. I just love seeing them smile back at me with the same joy in their eyes & voice that I am having. That is the meaning of true friendship! Hearing and seeing that for myself. I am truly so Blessed, beyond measure. God has been good to me all my life but it seems what we lack in one area he gives an abundance in others.

Girlfriends, women supporting other women, in all times of their lives. This is what life is truly about. And I am so thankful to have all my girlfriends here to celebrate with me. For they have cried with me and now is the time for happy tears, laughing till it hurts and casting all other worries aside if even for a few hours and then to go back to our lives separately. I have many friends, all are different and all represent a unique part of me and I love them all!

Happy Monday Everyone!

July 1, 2010~~~~SEWICKLEY HERALD

ARTICLE IN SEWICKLEY HERALD NEWSPAPER....JOANNE DID A GREAT JOB!

THANKS JOANNE!

Letter to ex-husband becomes basis of book about life after divorce | YourSewickley.com

Letter to ex-husband becomes basis of book about life after divorce YourSewickley.com

ARTICLE IN THE SEWICKLEY HERALD TODAY! tHANK YOU JOANNE FOR A GREAT STORY!
READ ABOUT IT CLICK ON LINK ABOVE

Sewickley Herald Interview!

Yesterday I met with a reporter of the Sewickley Herald local newspaper to do an article on my book. It was a very exciting opportunity for me and went very well. I am anxious to get the word out to the public about my book as it is a hope to me that it will help women with the same struggles in life know they are not alone and that they are capable of any dream they may have. It is never too late in life to begin again!

I will keep you all posted as to when the article is printed.

Have a wonderful Saturday!

Blessings!

BELIEVE IN ME....

You may ask "What does the Believe in Me" on the mirror have to do with the book. Well in my own personal life I do alot of praying and talking to God while putting my makeup on. During one of those sessions over the last 13 years of my life while talking to God about the direction I had chosen to take my life in. I felt strongly when asking Him "what now Lord?" He gently impressed those words on my heart "Believe in Me" not only to believe in Him to take care of all that I would ever need, but to also during this time to tell myself "Believe in ME" meaning I had to also believe in MYSELF, that I would be capable of getting through any tough time that would come my way. He would not fail me if I would not fail myself. I have hung on to those words many times in the course of the last 13 years of my life. It has made me who I am today. And this book is because of that. Without believing in God and myself I would have never written my experience. It has opened up a whole new world for me. One I now know was deep within me all along just waiting to jump out! Today I am experiecing a happiness I never knew would be a part of my life. Not to say that I was not happy yesterday...because I was very happy within myself & my life yesterday. But when I look at all that I have accomplished and see in the future more of my life taking this direction. I would not change a breath and do it any other way. The bad has made be better, the weak times have made me stronger and the tough times have turned me inside out & upside down to become the balanced woman I am today. Yes I still have weaknesses and down times like all of you might, but I bounce back so much quicker than before. I have become more reslient to life. I am eager see what is next for me & where that takes me. I always did have a heart for adventure & my life has been just that! Blessings to all!

Shame on Me, Gabbriella Conte, Book REVIEW

Shame on Me, Gabbriella Conte BOOK REVIEWS
"'Shame on Me' is an inspiring read!
by Anonymous
Reader Rating:
See Detailed Ratings
June 17, 2010: It's the story of one woman's journey of navigating through the complexities of divorce and the discoveries of self awareness. Neither claiming to be a 'how to' or 'self help' book, it is an honest look at a woman's struggle from the pain of her past and the victorious emergence into her new beginnings. It is a good read for anyone, not just those struggling through divorce. *****

AWESOMELY TOLD TRUE LIFE STORY OF A WOMAN'S LOVE FOR HER EX...HOW FORGIVENESS CAN TAKE YOU PLACES YO
by Anonymous
Reader Rating:
See Detailed Ratings
June 16, 2010: Gabbriella takes you on the moment in her life she lost an important friend. her ex. this book will help many women who think they are alone out there. whether you are divorced or married or single you can gain strength from her by reading her deepest feelings she is not afraid to share with the world. I got this book at a party and it was a wonderful weekend read for me. it has helped me imenensely to move forward and not cry. thank you Miss Gabbriella!"

Book Launch Party!~~~~THANKS GIRLS!!!!

Book Launch Party!

Yesterday my good friends Barb & Fran had planned a book launch party for me at Barbs. My closest friends were there just to celebrate my new venture in life. It was truly wonderful to know of their support in my endeavor with the book. It is a time I will treasure and remember all my days. We had great food (which they all brought) great company and conversation and I genuinely went home blessed beyond means at the depth I am loved by my friends.I also took home with my memories great presents as my friends know just how to spoil me! What I had lost in my marriage God gives back to me time and time again with the blessings he pours out to me by my friends! I lack of nothing in my life and it is a feeling of contentment beyond belief! Thank you all of you special people in my life! And thank you my son for being there to share the kickoff of the party with us, you make me so proud of the respect you have for life. I treasure every moment with you.

Life happens......things change......stories end.....it is what we do with these changes that will affect the rest of our life. For better~For worse is not just for marriage but for our individual lives also.

Book Launch!

My 2 dear friends Barbie & Frannie are throwing me a book launch party Sunday at Barbie's. I am excited and will be posting pictures of the event. I am thrilled to have them take such an interest and be so supportive of my writing.
Thanks girls I can't wait!

Visit My Author's Page on Amazon.com

Stop by and visit my authors page on amazon.com. AUTHOR'S PAGE On the author's page we can have discussions about the book if you like.

About Shame On Me by Gabbriella Conte-fReado

About Shame On Me by Gabbriella Conte-fReado

Book has been on sale for 1 week on Amazon.com.

BELIEVE in ME

You may ask "What does the Believe in Me" on the mirror have to do with the book. Well in my own personal life I do a lot of praying and talking to God while putting my makeup on. During one of those sessions over the last 13 years of my life while talking to God about the direction I had chosen to take my life in. I felt strongly when asking Him "what now Lord?" He gently impressed those words on my heart "Believe in Me" not only to believe in Him to take care of all that I would ever need, but to also during this time to tell myself "Believe in ME" meaning I had to also believe in MYSELF, that I would be capable of getting through any tough time that would come my way. He would not fail me if I would not fail myself. I have hung on to those words many times in the course of the last 13 years of my life. It has made me who I am today. And this book is because of that. Without believing in God and myself I would have never written my experience. It has opened up a whole new world for me. One I now know was deep within me all along just waiting to jump out! Today I am experiencing a happiness I never knew would be a part of my life. Not to say that I was not happy yesterday...because I was very happy within myself & my life yesterday. But when I look at all that I have accomplished and see in the future more of my life taking this direction. I would not change a breath and do it any other way. The bad has made be better, the weak times have made me stronger and the tough times have turned me inside out & upside down to become the balanced woman I am today. Yes I still have weaknesses and down times like all of you might, but I bounce back so much quicker than before. I have become more reslient to life. I am eager see what is next for me & where that takes me. I always did have a heart for adventure & my life has been just that! Blessings to all!

BOOK AVAILABLE ON CREATE SPACE FOR SALE TODAY!!!!

Book available for sale today @ CreateSpacePublisher get $1 off with this code 7J6TG2WT This is the first place it is going on sale. I will update as Amazon and other places pick it up. Today has been a very good day for me!

ANY DAY NOW!!!!!

Hard copy of the book is on it's way to me now! First copy off the press! Once I am pleased with it I can accept publication & it goes online for sale! I will be sure to post the link to the Amazon.com site to purchase!
Second book is over halfway through the makings! And a third book is being mastered in the mind.
Life has been very good to me these last few years & I do hope someone will be helped and touched by my story.
Have a wonderful weekend! Vacation time is here! Off till June 1 !

COVER DEBUT!

Sneek Peek at the cover! Proof was emailed to me for approval. colors may vary when finally printed but I am very happy for my 1st publication. Publisher is printing a copy to mail to me to approve. Not long from now & it will be listed on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble order forms.Now just to get it into the bookstores at the malls!

COVER UPDATE

I ask you...what is so difficult about this illustration above? I can't figure it out! But the publisher has been putting me on a roller coaster ride for 6 weekns now with this picture...it appeared I would have a book without a cover for a while! It wouldn't matter....it is what is contained inside the cover that is the important stuff to me. But Pat Casella of Sewickley, PA has done such a terrific job for me on the cover that I do wish for it to be on the cover. So I persisted, which is a part of my personality that can sometimes get me in trouble. But when I believe in something I do not stop. That is how I remained married for nearly 3 decades of my life. And that is also why I kept the man I was married close to me and stayed his friend for 37 years of my life. I have known him since I was 20 years old and now at the age of 57 still hold him close but keep him at a distance because of reasons that only he and our son will understand.
The book is to go off to the printer today and the final copy will be reviewed and if it is satisfactory then it will go on sale! This is a major turning point in my life. My life has never been better (sad to say) the only other time in my life which was a landmark of happiness was my wedding day to #1 and July 13, 1977 when I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy who would grow up to become the gentelest, kindness, most wise man I know today, my son who is my best friend. I am thankful to the man who is his father for this gift to me. It makes my Mother's Day all worthwhile. I have had much happiness since leaving my marriage behind. There have been many come in and out of my life bringing joy my way. But nothing will ever compare to the relationship I have with my son. So to all you Mom's out there I wish you a very Happy Mother's Day this weekend! To me every day is Mother's Day and I am proud to be a Mom! My only saddness this weekend is that my mom is spending it in Heaven with the Lord and not with us. I do so very much miss her & so does her Grandson. Happy Mother's Day Mom!

STOP BACK in the next few weeks I will reveal what the message is in the "Believe in Me" written in lipstick on the mirror!

Well the makings of a great book sure is difficult when it comes time to be publishes.  All before this was simple compared to the details involved in getting it in print! Today I pick up the final files for the cover illustration. They needed to meet certain criteria and if was a tough road to be on...My illustrator needed sudden surgery and I hated to disturb her healing time so I set out to find a photo finisher to get the scale where we needed it to be to put into print.  The illustrator did such a beautiful job on the cover print I just pray the quality is not ruined in the final outcome....So off to the print shop I will go today at luch and then get the files sent once again to my publisher and wait for a great answer to come back to me by weeks end... I will let you know...the easiest part of this whole process has been the months I spent writing this book...Oh how much I have learned!

Sneek Peek........

When I decided to leave it was as if I had all of a sudden awakened from my coma & saw my life from a different perspective than I had prior. I had thought one day I will be 70 years old & unhappy at the hands of someone else. I would rather be alone & happy than live in a marriage with a partner who made me feel like I was unhappy and alone. Being alone while living with someone is far more alone than actually living your life alone. If I would end up a miserable old woman someday it would be of my own doing not because I allowed someone to do so to me. So I left a marriage to a man I had been with since 1973. ....


Join in for sneek peeks every week!  visit  Shame On Me Book Site 

I have been a Christian for the last 32 years and have learned much and I still am learning to this day. Not only by my trials which come my way but when I listen to others stories I try to hold on to something there that could possibly guide me in the right direction. But mostly they help me see that I am not alone out there, many have walked a similar path before me and many will walk this path after me. The main thing is how we get through this path without falling down along the way or turn back…

Have a Blessed Easter!

NEARING COMPLETION!!!!

Just as soon as I get the final copy of the cover illustration for my book off to the publisher it will go & very, very soon after it will be listed on Amazon.com for sale with all the other amazing books out there! I am so excited as I write this! It has been a very great 5 months which I had off work & decided to publish this book. Without this time off for surgery it would have never happened/ Well...that is just 1 reason I wrote the book. (I had the time available) Another reason is because of the choices the ex decided to make with our son & I. I guess in a way I really have him to thank. Because I have never felt so free of him in all my life until I put I had this down in print. It is a good feeling to be even more confident in myself than ever before.

Should you befriend your Ex?

Are you recently divorced? Have you been divorced for many years? Do you still struggle with issues of your ex? This is a way of the world these days. Years ago it was not as common or if it were it was hidden from the world. Today to be married even 5 years is an accomplishment for some. If you hit the 10 year anniversary that is tremendous. I spent nearly three decades with my ex. I hate the word divorce. God hates divorce. When I least expected it to happen in my life it came to visit me. It was my decision to leave an abusive marriage after many years of praying and crying and pleading. It was not an easy path for a 45 year old woman to take who had been a stay at home wife and mother. But it is one I took and I will never look back. It brought me to a new level in my life. I saw the world from a different angle than before. I learned I am capable of things I never dreamed of. I wanted the dream of falling in love, getting married, having babies and being happy ever after…I wanted the fairy tale I had been fed. If indeed I had the happy ever after part I would still be that stay at home wife and mother and I would be darn good at it and love every minute of it. I miss my flower gardens, my house in the country, my kitchen and all the times I would spend cooking and baking. I traded all that in for a townhouse, a deck, flower boxes but most of all peace. I left the tears and yelling behind to go out and explore the world on my own for the first time in my life all by myself. It has been a fun ride. One I feel has been a very positive thing for me. This is my story. We all have a story to tell. I choose to write this as a healing tool for me through this time in my life but when I let a few close friend read some of it they encouraged me to publish it as a book.

I recently wrote a book while off work for 5 months. It has just this week gone to print of the interior. You can go to this link Shame On Me Book and Preview to read more.

Soon to be available for purchase from Amazon.com or from me.