INTRODUCING CHERYL PIERSON AND SWEET DANGER

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be here as a part of this wonderful blog. I want to tell you a little about myself by way of introduction, and then give you a bit of info about my latest release, SWEET DANGER, hot off the press as of October 1.

I was born in Duncan, Oklahoma, and grew up in Seminole, Oklahoma. I graduated from the University of Oklahoma, and hold a B.A. in English. I've taught numerous writing classes and workshops over the past years and I also work on an individual basis with many of my students, and other authors, locally and nationwide.
Recent publications include my debut novel, released through The Wild Rose Press in May of 2009, “FIRE EYES,” and my second novel, “TIME PLAINS DRIFTER.”

I've also sold numerous short stories, as a contributor for the Adams Media anthologies “The Rocking Chair Reader: Family Gatherings”, as well as the earlier “The Rocking Chair Reader: Memories from the Attic.” My short stories also appear in the 2006-09 editions of the Adams Media Christmas anthologies, as well as various other publications, including “Chicken Soup for the Empty Nester’s Soul.” My holiday short story, “A Night For Miracles,” was released in December, 2009, through The Wild Rose Press, and has received several excellent reviews.

My third novel, “SWEET DANGER,” became available Oct. 1, 2010 through The Wild Rose Press. Short stories, "To Make the Magic Last", (“A Summer Collection” anthology, May 2010), and "Always and Forever," (A Halloween Collection--Stimulating) are available through Victory Tales Press.

Christmas short stories “Scarlet Ribbons", "Homecoming", and "White Christmas" will be released in November, 2010, also through Victory Tales Press.

Although I've written and sold articles to local newspapers as well as these short stories, my first love remains romance novel writing. With the release of TIME PLAINS DRIFTER, my debut novel in the speculative romance genre of paranormal/time travel, I garnered the Honorable Mention Award in the “Best New Paranormal Author” category in PNR's prestigious PEARL contest, presented 3/21/10.

TIME PLAINS DRIFTER also received a 4.5 review from Romantic Times Magazine. I'm now at work on another novel, TIME PLAINS GUARDIAN, in the speculative romance genre of western historical paranormal/time travel and hope to complete it before the end of the year. GABRIEL'S LAW, a just-completed historical western, is under consideration with Berkley Publishing Company.

I live with my husband in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where we've been for the past 25 years. I have two grown children, ages 21 and 24.
You can visit my website at http://www.cherylpierson.com
You can e-mail me at fabkat_edit@yahoo.com (I love to hear from readers and other authors!)
You can visit my blogs at: http://www.cherylpiersonbooks.blogspot.com and also at http://www.westwindsromance.blogspot.com

WHEW! Now that that's out of the way and you know all about me, here's a little bit about my latest contemporary romantic suspense novel!

SWEET DANGER is my first novel in this sub-genre. Up until this point, I have stuck with writing western historicals, though Time Plains Drifter was a bit of a departure from that, since it had a lot of paranormal elements in it.

SWEET DANGER is the story of Jesse Nightwalker, an undercover cop, and Lindy Oliver, his beautiful next-door neighbor. They’ve been very much aware of one another for the past year or so, but have never formally met, until one fateful Friday morning when they both come into the local deli and end up next to each other in line.

But things turn deadly as a gang of criminals takes over the deli in what seems to be a robbery. Unfortunately for Jesse, the leader of the pack is Tabor Hardin, a vicious cop killer that Jesse helped put behind bars. Hardin’s purpose changes instantly. The robbery was only a façade for a much more heinous crime—kidnapping the governor’s children from the adjoining daycare. Now, Hardin swears to make Jesse pay for his part in Hardin’s imprisonment before anything else takes place.

As if things couldn’t get worse, one of the other children in the daycare is Jesse’s own son, Nash. Jesse has to walk a fine line to figure out what he can do to save his son and Lindy, as well as the other hostages—even though it means certain death for himself.

When his wife died four years earlier, Jesse cut off all romantic feelings, immersing himself in his undercover work. Now, Lindy Oliver has reawakened those feelings at a most inopportune time, and Jesse is incredulous at what’s happening between them, now that he stands to lose it all at Hardin’s bloody hands.

I loved the premise of this book, and especially loved figuring out how to make it all “come around” so that Jesse and Lindy could have the HEA they so richly deserved.

SWEET DANGER became available through the Wild Rose Press on October 1, 2010. I’ve posted the blurb and an excerpt below for your reading pleasure! Please leave a comment. I love to hear from readers and other authors. Visit my website at http://www.cherylpierson.com E-mail me at fabkat_edit@yahoo.com

BLURB:

When undercover cop Jesse Nightwalker enters Silverman’s Deli, he doesn't expect to find himself at the mercy of Tabor Hardin, a sadistic murderer he helped put in prison five years earlier. Now, Hardin’s escaped, and he’s out for more blood—Jesse’s.

Lindy Oliver has had her eye on her handsome neighbor for several months. Fate provides the opportunity for them to finally meet when they both choose the same deli for breakfast. Becoming a hostage was not in Lindy’s plans when she sat down to share a pastry with Jesse, but neither was the hot kiss he gave her when bullets began to fly. That kiss seals both their fates, binding them to one another with the certainty of a vow.

But Jesse’s got some hard-hitting secrets. With both their lives at stake, Lindy has a plan that just might save them—if Hardin takes the bait. Will they find unending love in the midst of Sweet Danger?

EXCERPT FROM SWEET DANGER:

This excerpt takes place in the first chapter. Jesse Nightwalker, an undercover cop, runs into his neighbor, Lindy Oliver, in the local deli. Though they've never met, they are very aware of one another. The deli owner introduces them officially and points them toward the only available booth. But their Friday morning takes a quick nosedive in the next few minutes. Here's what happens.

Jesse looked past her, his smile fading rapidly. As the flash of worry entered his expression, Lindy became aware of a sudden lull in the noisy racket of the deli. Jesse’s dark gaze was locked on the front door, a scowl twisting his features.
“Damn it,” he swore, reaching for her hand. “Get down! Under the table, Lindy…”

But she hesitated a second too long, not understanding what was happening. In the next instant, the sound of semi-automatic gunfire and shattering glass filled the air.

Lindy reflexively ducked, covering her head. The breath of a bullet fanned her cheek as Jesse dragged her down beneath the sparse cover of the small table. He shielded her, his hard body crushing against her, on top of her, pushing her to the floor. The breath rushed out of her, and she felt the hard bulge of the shoulder holster he wore beneath the denim jacket as it pressed against her back.

Her heart pounded wildly, realization of their situation flooding through her. A robbery! But why, at this hour of the morning when the take would be so low? The gunfire stopped as abruptly as it had started. From somewhere near the counter, a man shouted, “Come out and you won’t be hurt! Come out—now!”

Lindy looked up into Jesse’s face, scant inches from her own. What would he do? They were somewhat concealed here at the back of the deli, but these men were sporting semi-automatic weapons.

“There’s a back door,” Jesse whispered raggedly. “Get the hell out of here. I’m gonna be your diversion.” She didn’t answer; couldn’t answer. He was likely to be killed, helping her go free. He gave her a slight shake. “Okay?”

An interminable moment passed between them before she finally nodded. “Get going as soon as I get their attention.” He reached to brush a strand of hair out of her eyes, his own gaze softening as he leaned toward her and closed the gap between them. “Take care of yourself, Lindy,” he whispered, just before his mouth closed over hers.

The instant their lips met shook her solidly. Every coherent thought fled, leaving nothing but the smoldering touch of his lips on hers, burning like wildfire through her mind. Soft, yet firm. Insistent and insolent. His teeth skimmed her lower lip, followed by his tongue, as he tasted her. Then, he pulled away from her, their eyes connecting for a heart-wrenching second.

“Safe passage,” he whispered.

Lindy didn’t answer, more stunned by the sudden sweet kiss than by the madness surrounding them. Jesse pushed himself out from under the table and stood up, directly in front of where Lindy crouched. Only then did she hear his muted groan of pain, his sharp, hissing intake of breath. The blossoming red stain of crimson contrasted starkly with the pale blue of his faded denim jacket as his blood sprang from the bullet wound, soaking the material.

He’d been shot!

Lindy gasped softly at the realization. How could she leave him now?

The Contemporary West & The Rodeo

Hi Sweetheart readers! I'm thrilled to be a part of this new group blog - mostly because its main focus is one of my all-time favorite subjects: the American West! The western genre has come a long way from the dime novels that made it famous. Before I began writing western romance, whenever I pictured the West it usually featured gunfights between cowboys and Indians, treasure hunting, and folklore heroes.

What surprises a lot of people - and, I admit, me once, too - is that contemporary westerns are as hot a commodity as historical westerns. For example, the Wayback, TX series created by the western editors of The Wild Rose Press. These novellas take place in a fictional western small town and are each, yes, contemporary western romances. As a testiment to the popularity of the contemporary western sub-genre, almost all of them hit the publisher's bestseller's list. So what makes contemporary westerns so special? A lot of what readers love about the contemporary West hasn't changed much from the ways of the old West. Cowboys still wear their Stetsons proudly. A lot of sheriffs still wear silver stars and cowboy boots. And cattle ranching is still done from the back of a horse. Lots of cowboys, in the ranching world especially, occassionally still sleep under the stars.

A key ingredient that make the books of the Wayback, TX series so desirable and something we don't see a lot of in historical westerns that is still quintessentially western is the rodeo. Though this ranching-based sporting event developed in Spain and Mexico, it has become a large part of our western culture. In fact, if you've ever been to a rodeo, you know that there's something about the whole spectacle that harkens back to dusty days of old. Not too many people know how far this western tradition has spread. After it grew popular in the United States, it traveled to Canada, South America, and Australia where it is still wildly popular in country areas. Rodeo is the official state sport of South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. It is also a sport in which women have most always been welcome to compete. And though the rodeo has created controversy with animal rights' activists from its inception, the competitions are now much more animal-friendly. Great news for people like me who believe strongly in the rights of animals!

The best part of rodeos, for me, is the gathering of cowboys! From the feathers tucked in the brim of their hats to the spurs of their boots, there is something undeniably fascinating about those rodeo cowboys! If you've never experienced the rodeo yourself, here's a glimpse into bull-riding from a spectator's perspective:

The enthusiasm of the rodeo crowd was infectious. From underneath the brim of her new hat, Calli’s eyes widened as Stella’s husband rode a mean, bucking bull with impossible grace. She got to her feet with the crowd to cheer him on as the seconds stretched.

“Oh my God, he’s going to do it!” Calli squealed, clutching Stella’s shoulder and spilling popcorn everywhere as she hopped up and down.

“I know, I know, I know!” Stella shrieked, pressing a hand to her heart. There was a mixed look of pure terror and anticipation on her face.

The buzzer rang out across the corral. The audience applauded, whooped and hollered as Judd did a lithe roll off the bull’s back and retreated out of the cloud of dust the wild animal’s hind legs kicked up. As the rodeo clowns moved forward to chase the bull out of the corral, Judd raised his hat to the jubilant crowd.

Just before he turned to trot off, he sent a smile Stella’s way.

“Aw,” Teensy Griffin cooed. “Nothing like a roped cowboy.”

Stella breathed a sigh of relief and shrank back to the seat. “Glad that’s over.”

“I don’t know how you do it,” Calli said with a shake of her head. “Do you know how stupid you have to be to let the guy you love do something like that? Didn’t you see 8 Seconds?”

“He lives for this,” Stella explained. “Absolutely lives for it.”

“They all have their things,” Teensy put in, rubbing an absent hand over the considerable baby bump stretching the belly of her bright pink tank top. “Thankfully, Nick’s is model airplanes. Lucky you, Judd’s fetish is way sexier.”

Calli shook her head at the absurdity of it. Even she had to admit, though, that bull riding was kind of sexy. The to-hell-with-it man riding the untamed beast. He might as well be giving fate the bird. It took more balls than Calli had ever seen, not to mention some unique, ingrained athleticism.

As the next bull and rider charged out of the gate, she realized that these men were athletes. Her initial rodeo skepticism had melted into complete respect in less than an hour.

BET IT ON MY HEART © Amber Leigh Williams

This is a clip from Book III of the Ridge family saga, a trilogy written for TWRP's Wayback, TX series. All three books feature a rodeo cowboy. In the first book, Blackest Heart, silent cowboy Judd Black (mentioned above) is a champion bull-rider. This story placed 1st in the 2009 More Than Magic Contest's novella category and was chosen for trade paperback publication in the Wayback, TX anthology The Way Back Home! Book II, Bluest Heart (the bestselling book in the Ridge trilogy so far), features Casey Ridge, a cattle rancher and calf-roping competitor and his heroine, Josie Brusky, who holds her own at the rodeo in barrel racing. And, finally, in Book III, Bet It On My Heart, we get to know the quintessential cowboy, Keefe Ridge, who is a retiring bronc-rider. Readers voted Keefe and Bet It On My Heart Book of the Week at Long & Short Reviews.

In each book the rodeo creates a solid backdrop for some good contemporary romance and I had the time of my life researching and writing each! If my pen and I ever do go back west, whether for a historical or another contemporary trilogy, fans of the Ridges be assured, I'll definitely be dipping back into some of that rodeo ink! And since at this time I write contemporary westerns only, I'll be back next month with some more fun influences of the contemporary West! Hope you enjoyed the excerpt and, if you're interested, the Ridges of Wayback, TX just launched in audio book, too! All three books are available now at The Wild Rose Press in ebook and AudioLark in audio!

Amber Leigh Williams

"Williams has brought the romantic back to romance!" ~ Long & Short Reviews

BLACKEST HEART ~ 1st Place More Than Magic Novella

FOREVER AMORE ~ LASR Best Book of 2009 Nominee

Westward Ho The Writers!



Modern ranchers

  No, this blog is not about wagon trains and cowboys. Sweethearts of the West is about romance and adventures set under western skies. It’s true that some of us write about the hardships of the Old West and the pioneers who settled here. Sweethearts of the West authors also write about 2010’s modern pioneers—powerful business executives, hairdressers, ranchers, newspaper reporters, FBI agents, detectives, and other characters that promise a wonderful reading experience. Our authors range from multi-award winners to newly published. Some of our books are funny, some suspenseful, and some tearjerkers, but they are all well-written novels which will pull you into their stories! They deal with our need to discover a fulfilling life, the very need that sent our ancestors heading West.

As one who writes both contemporary and historical romance, both sweet and sensual, I love the western spirit and all my books are set here. In fact, all my books take place in Texas. How great to look out at the horizon and not see buildings, but rolling prairie up to the mountains. I adore the West’s tall skies, open fields and woods near large cities, and the spirit that inhabits our people. Of course, I also like people East of the Mississippi. They include many relatives and good friends. Some of America’s most beautiful landscapes are there, too. In the three years we lived in central Florida, my Hero and I made many wonderful friends. Ah, but I confess my heart belongs under a tall western sky.

Utah Mountains' Purple Majesty

Check out each of our authors and our books. Our photos and links are on the sidebar. Our current books are on the slide show. We have intriguing events planned, theme months, guests, and more to keep you returning.

Please comment here often to let us know how you feel about our articles and our authors, and sign up as a follower on our sidebar. We respect our readers and hope to provide the best reads of your life!

Y'all come back now, y'hear?

Greetings and Welcome to Sweethearts of the West blog.

Caroline said it all, thank goodness, because I could not have done so well. She approached me about this group venture, and I readily joined up. For a long time, I’ve wished for a group blog consisting of authors who loved the West and wrote about it, too.

Couple on horseback

Somehow, I became her co-moderator, probably because I have that urge to take charge. I really shouldn’t do that, because in some cases—this one, for example—someone else just might know more than I! And Caroline and her sweet, gracious, patient husband have done a smashing job with the appearance and format of the site. She and I believe we are cousins, at least we pretend so, because we’re from the same area and we think and work alike. I could not have asked for a better partner.

I know you’ll be thrilled with our authors—I certainly am! Even though each of us writes in a different way and may prefer one category to another, we have one cohesive belief: we love to write about the west.

So, thank you for visiting. Leave a comment, be a Follower, anything…but most of all we hope you’ll return again and again to visit with the Sweethearts.

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas  
http://www.celiayeary.blogspot.com http://www.celiayeary.com
New Releases
Texas Promise-eBook-Desert Breeze Publishing
Making the Turn-print & eBook-Wings ePress

Coming Soon To This Blog!

Launch Date for Sweethearts of the West is October 1, 2010! Come back to visit with fourteen authors whose romances are set under Western skies.
Fun posts, theme months, something to interest all romance readers.

Camels in the United States West

Only known surviving photo of
the U.S. Camel Corp

Since I live in, write about, and love Texas, you won’t be surprised to learn that today’s post involves Texas history. If you saw the movie years ago called "Hawmps!" then you already know that the U.S. Government experimented with the effectiveness of camels in the desert West. Although the movie is listed under "turkeys" in the movie guide, my family liked it. Yes, our tastes run to lighter, less serious subjects with happy endings. The movie was even loosely based on fact.


In 1855, the U.S. Congress, at the urging of Secretary of War Jefferson Davis, authorized the importation of camels and dromedaries to be used for military purposes and earmarked thirty thousand dollars for the experiment. Davis, a veteran of the war with Mexico, had seen considerable service in the Desert Southwest. Keenly aware of the role that camels had played over the centuries in the warfare of other nations, he believed that the strange beasts could be put to use in the United States as well.

Major Henry C. Wayne and Lieutenant David D. Porter departed for North Africa, where they were met by a third American, Gwinn Harris Heap, whose father had been the U.S. consul to Tunis for a number of years. They acquired thirty-three camels before departing for home in February 1856.

Camels and Dromedaries
were imported

The ocean voyage from the Mediterranean, through the Strait of Gibraltar, and across the Atlantic was  uneventful considering the fragile cargo. On May 14, 1856, the camels came ashore at Indianola, Texas. Ten acres of land had been set aside for them and a two-hundred-foot-long shed had been built to house them. Major Wayne decided first to acclimate the camels to the intense humidity of the Gulf Coast by letting them rest in a large corral.


Writing to Secretary of War Jefferson Davis, Navy Lieutenant Porter said, "We have lost on the voyage but one of those we purchased…and she died from no want of care, but because she was unable to produce her young one…We still have more than we started with, some young ones having been born on the passage, and are in fine condition. All the other camels I am happy to say have not received a scratch…They are looking a little shabby just now, most of them shedding their hair…but they are fat and in good health.

Three weeks later, the animals began first leg of the trip that would take them to San Antonio, Texas, on to El Paso, Albuquerque, and across the arid Southwest all the way to Fort Tejon, California. The camels performed extremely well. Capable of carrying loads of up to twelve hundred pounds—larger than a horse or mule could carry—the beasts lumbered along at a slow but steady pace.
The geat camel experiment eventually failed. With the advent of the Civil War, the personnel at Union garrisons in the Southwest scattered before the advancing Confederates. Some of the imported animals were set free and some were kept in captivity.

Hajid Ali's monument

A monument in Quartzite, Arizona pays tribute to chief camel driver, Hajid Ali, called Hi Jolly. After the camel experiment failed, he used some of the released camels to conduct a freight business. Later he married and worked in Quartzite. The monuement is at his last campsite. At his death, he believed small families of camels still roamed in remote areas of the Southwest.

The last known camel corp survivor died in a Los Angeles zoo in 1934. However, even today people occasionally tell tales of seeing lone camels in remote corners of the Southwest.


Note: Portions of this info was gleaned from an article in the book IT HAPPENED IN TEXAS, by James A. Crutchfield, 1996,Two Dot Press, Helena, Montana.

Caroline Clemmons is the author of historical and contemporary books set in the Southwest. http://www.carolineclemmons.com/