Sunday, July 31, 2016

Meet Cheryl Pierson


RW:    Tell us about yourself, your family, where you live…

CP:     I was born and raised in Oklahoma. My husband is from West Virginia. We have two grown kids and a 200-pound Great Pyrenees who we claim as our third child.

RW:    Has your life changed since you became a writer?

CP:     Not really—I keep waiting to magically transform into Barbara Cartland, with a cigarette holder, a fainting couch and several poodles all around me. It hasn’t happened yet!

RW:    Who are your favorite characters among the books you’ve written?

CP:     Probably my favorite character from the books I’ve had published would be Jesse Nightwalker from my contemporary thriller/romance, Sweet Danger. And from my historical books, I’d say it would have to be Kaed Turner, from Fire Eyes.

RW:    What kind of research do you do for a book?

CP:     Growing up in Oklahoma and writing historical westerns, I didn’t have to immerse myself in history on purpose—I grew up that way. So I check my details, but mostly I’m able to follow the age-old advice of writing what I know.

RW:    When did you first think about writing, and what prompted you to submit your first ms? What genre is it?

CP:     As I say, I wrote from an early age. My first published pieces were feature articles for our state-wide Oklahoma newspaper, The Oklahoman. Shortly after that, I sold a story to Adams Media’s Rocking Chair Reader anthology, “Memories from the Attic.” More anthology stories followed to that series, and also to Chicken Soup for the Soul. I submitted my first novel to The Wild Rose Press, and they took it. That was Fire Eyes. It’s a western historical romance. It’s now been re-issued by my own company, Prairie Rose Publications.

RW:    Would you like to write a different genre or sub-genre than you do now?

CP:     I write in many genres—western historical romance, contemporary thriller romance, middle grade reader short stories and novellas, YA short stories and novellas, westerns, and also contemporary paranormal.

RW:    What is your secret guilty pleasure?

CP:     Truly? I have a couple. I don’t watch a lot of TV, but there are times when I just want to watch Dog, the Bounty Hunter and laugh and laugh and laugh. The other one would probably be Dr Pepper. But it’s no secret. I drink more of it than I ever should.

RW:    If you were stranded on a tropical island, who would it be with? You can choose any living, deceased or mythical figure.

CP:     Well, it would have to be any of the Greek or Roman gods who could get us out of that mess! Barring that, I would have to say Captain James Tiberius Kirk, of the starship Enterprise. He is the only human I know of who can get out of every bit of trouble that comes his way.

RW:    Actually, I think Captain Picard would do just as good a job and with less destruction. Kirk tends to shoot first and ask questions later. ;-D But, I digress… Tell us about your latest book, including its genre. Does it cross over to other genres? If so, what are they?

CP:     My WIP is about the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889. It doesn’t cross over into another genre, but explores the relationship of a couple who is thrown together by the oddest of circumstances and the way they accidentally fall in love. He’s a half-Indian scout for the army, and she and her little brother are headed for the Oklahoma Land Run when her father is killed for cheating at a game of cards—by the scout.

RW:    What can we expect from you in the future?

CP:     I’m co-owner of Prairie Rose Publications and Imprints and we will be celebrating three years in the publishing business this month, August 2016. I am the Editor-in-Chief and I absolutely love what I do! But I also love writing—so there’ll be more of that coming, though maybe not as quickly as it used to.

I am part of a boxed set that just released a few days ago, A Kiss to Remember. My story in this set is an “oldie but goodie”—Gabriel’s Law. The entire set of five novels sells for only $0.99! And these are some great stories.

I am also part of the author group that makes up “Ford Fargo,” and we write collectively for the Wolf Creek western series—I have a story coming soon in the Hunter’s Moon anthology called Three Good Men.

If you love mail-order bride stories, I’m working on one of those right now that will be part of a collection of four, also including Kathleen Rice Adams, Livia Reasoner, and Jacquie Rogers. We are excited about this! It’ll be released in February, 2017.

CP:     Thanks so much for having me, Rochelle! This has been a ton of fun!
RW:    Thank you for visiting! For more info on A Kiss to Remember and on Cheryl, keep reading!

A Kiss to Remember Boxed Set: The Plot

Are you ready for FIVE books in one of the best western historical romance boxed sets to debut this year? Prairie Rose Publications has got just the stories you’ve been craving! Get ready for some wonderful hours of pleasure-filled reading as you settle back in your easy chair and get lost in these wonderful tales of romance that you won’t be able to get enough of!

Gabriel’s Law by Cheryl Pierson

Brandon Gabriel is hired by the citizens of Spring Branch to hunt down the notorious Clayton Gang, never suspecting a double-cross. When Allison Taylor rides into town for supplies, she doesn’t expect to be sickened by the sight of a man being beaten to death by a mob—a man she recognizes from her past. Spring Branch’s upstanding citizens gather round to see a murder, but everything changes with the click of a gun—and Gabriel’s Law.

Bio:

Cheryl was born in Duncan, Oklahoma, and grew up in Seminole, Oklahoma. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma and holds a B.A. in English.

She has three recently published western historical romances: Fire Eyes, The Half-Breed’s Woman, and Gabriel’s Law, all available in print and digital format at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Cheryl has had two stories nominated in the Best Western Short Fiction category of the Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Awards. Her paranormal western short story “The Keepers of Camelot” was nominated in 2012. In 2013, her story “It Takes a Man,” featuring her characters from the Wolf Creek series, was a finalist.

Her young adult western historical trilogy of novellas, Red Eagle’s War, Red Eagle’s Revenge, and Texas Forever are available through the Painted Pony Books imprint, and the first two of the series have spent much time on Kindle’s top 100 list for westerns.

Cheryl also has contributed heavily to the western “shared world” collaborative effort known as Wolf Creek since it came into existence. Written under the pen name of “Ford Fargo,” the series features six authors in each volume with stories built around the characters they’ve created. Anthologies of short stories round out this collaboration. Wolf Creek Book 6: Hell on the Prairie contains Cheryl’s Peacemaker-nominated story, “It Takes a Man.” Cheryl currently serves as the president of Western Fictioneers, a professional organization for western authors.

Writing is so much a part of her life that recently, she and long-time friend Livia Reasoner, opened Prairie Rose Publications, a publishing house that furthers the western-themed writing offerings of women. What followed shortly thereafter were three more imprints: Painted Pony Books, Tornado Alley Publications, and Fire Star Press.

Cheryl and her husband have lived in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for the past 29 years.

A Kiss to Remember:


Contact Cheryl At:

Prairie Rose Publications: http://prairierosepublications.com/


9 comments:

  1. Hi Rochelle! Thank you so much for having me here with you today! I'm always glad to get the chance to go somewhere and gab on about writing, books, and Prairie Rose Publications. LOL You have a gorgeous blog, and I'm so honored to be a guest here today.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Rochelke and Cheryl, what a great post. Cheryl, I simply do y know his you do it all. Just reading this, I need a nap lol. I wish you continued success as a publisher and state my gratitude at being on the ground floor of Prairie Rose. And wow, how you manage to write so much too...Yowzers! My guru! Best wishes always.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Tanya! Thanks for popping over! So glad to have you with us at PRP, and so glad to call you my friend, as well. Thanks for the very kind comments!

      Delete
    2. You're so welcome, Cheryl, and thank you for the compliment on the look of my blog. I just used a standard Blogger background. In addition to the fact I write romance, one of my spirit guides told me that my name on the other side is Rose. So, I tend to like hues related to rose.

      And Tanya, welcome to my blog. I don't see how she does it, either. It takes me a couple years to write a novella!

      Delete
    3. WOW. I wonder what a spirit guide would have to say to me? If I had one that said I had a different name, I would probably start using it NOW. I love rose-colored tints, too.

      Delete
  3. Hi, Rochelle and Cheryl! Cheryl you do make me laugh. If you ever turn into Barbara Cartland that would be our lose. I love working with the gang at PRP, and I often wonder how you do everything you do. I think writing AND managing a publishing house requires a unique skill set. I love your writing and the new twists you often put on historic westerns. Have a good day, ladies!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Patti! Thanks for coming by today! Yes, I picture myself with a flowing pink caftan and an elegant cigarette holder like she had, with little dogs scampering about...eating bonbons as I dictate from my fainting couch...OH LORD. That would be more trouble than it would be worth! LOL So glad you are with us at PRP--we love having you and your stories, Patti! Thanks for coming by and commenting! XOXO

      Delete
  4. You had me at the Cartland image. I still remember the Bubble Gum pink sparkle dress and the dog. Guess I'm showing my age.
    You know I'm a huge fan of your writing and of you and Livia for giving this wanna be writer a chance to follow her dream. I know you done this for many and for that your karma will be retuned five-fold. I wish you continued success on your dreams. Doris

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, thank you, Doris. I'm so glad you stopped by. I used to look at Barbara Cartland and think, "WOW...I want those dogs..." LOL So glad to have you with us at PRP!

      Delete