Cate: Please welcome Cheryl Pierson to my special Halloween celebration. Cheryl, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Cheryl: Hi Cate, and thanks for having me! I’m Cheryl Pierson, and I was born and raised in Oklahoma, so everything I write takes place in Oklahoma or Texas, whether it’s contemporary or historical western romance. I have two grown children who live nearby and I’ve been married for 31 years to my own special hero.
Cate: What do you love most about Halloween?Cheryl: When my kids were little, I loved seeing their anticipation and excitement more than anything—getting them all dressed up and going door to door. Now, I think it’s that Halloween is the “herald” of the season of holidays and fall. A good time to enjoy before Old Man Winter moves in for the next several months.
Cate: I miss those days! Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past?
Cheryl: Probably collectively, remembering the Halloween times of when I was growing up in the 60’s. Back then, you didn’t have to worry so much about people doing crazy things at Halloween. I lived in a small Oklahoma town, and a bunch of us kids would all go trick-or-treating together. No store-bought costumes then! We planned our own costumes and sometimes had a bit of help from our moms in making them.
Cate: Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain?
Cheryl: I am pretty “open” to the spirit world, I think, and have become more aware of it as I’ve gotten older. There are times, here in my house, when I smell the distinct odor of someone smoking. I will say, that as a child I remember visiting Vicksburg Cemetery, and I felt a “presence” there when I strayed too far from my dad. I remember running to him as fast as I could go, and the adults having a laugh about me being afraid of “something” in the bright sunny daylight. When I worked at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, I saw two different spirits in the halls there. I think because it doesn’t happen often and we are unaware of it, and it takes us by surprise, we don’t believe it when it hits us over the head.
Cate: What frightens you the most?
Cheryl: I think every parent’s worst fear is of something happening to their children. I can’t imagine anything more frightening than that. I can’t watch movies or tv shows with kidnapping in the plot.
Cate: Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own?
Cheryl: No, I haven’t. But I have thought it would be cool to visit the Winchester House. But only as long as I could be close to a door. LOL
Cate: Any favorite Halloween recipes you’d care to share?
Cheryl: I don’t really cook much anymore! LOL Now that my kids are grown and on their own, I pretty much have revolted and don’t cook if I don’t have to. But can I just say, one reason I love Halloween so much is because of its association with caramel? LOL I love those Kraft caramels in the bag. So I guess caramel apples would be my recipe. There is just nothing better sometimes.
Cate: Tell us about your release, and where readers can find it online.Cheryl: My latest release is called SWEET DANGER and is available in print or e-book version from THE WILD ROSE PRESS.
SWEET DANGER is my first full length contemporary romantic suspense—a departure from my historical westerns. I really enjoy writing both sub-genres, so I won’t be giving one for the other.
Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt?
Cheryl: SWEET DANGER 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:
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 small 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 touched shook her solidly. Every coherent thought fled, leaving nothing but the smoldering touch of his hot mouth on hers, burning like wildfire through her mind. His lips 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. “A kiss for luck,” he whispered. “Safe passage.”
Lindy didn’t answer, more stunned by the sudden sweet kiss than by the madness that surrounded 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 soft cotton chambray shirt as his blood trickled from the bullet wound, soaking the material.
He’d been shot! Lindy gasped softly at the realization. How could she leave him now? He was hurt. Somehow, it didn’t seem right for her to just “escape;” to leave him to deal with these men while he was bleeding and—
Jesse hesitated, and Lindy couldn’t be sure if it was intentional, or if the agony of the hole in his shoulder kept him still for that extra instant before he slowly walked away from the table, his hands up.
Cate: Wonderful! What inspired you to write about the theme?
Cheryl: I had written another contemporary romantic suspense novel that I absolutely loved, but when I submitted it, I was told that there were too many points of view for it to be considered a “romance.” I got wonderful feedback on it and was asked, “Do you have anything else?” So I had had this idea playing in my mind, wondering “what if” this happened. I sat down to write down the idea, and couldn’t stop writing. The book just pretty much wrote itself. Wish they all did.
Just wanted to share my first review for SWEET DANGER. Here's part of what Christy of HEA REVIEWS had to say:
The storyline flowed really well. There weren’t any parts of the book that slowed down or lost my interest. I kept turning page after page to find out what happened next...
I can’t say enough good things about this book. I loved it and would recommend it to all of you who love a good romantic suspense with a happily ever after. I look forward to reading more novels by Ms Pierson. With a heat rating of 2 and 4 ½ Tea Cups, Sweet Danger is a definite recommended read.
Here's the link for the entire review.
Cate: Wow, congrats on that excellent review! Anything else you’d like to share?
Cheryl: I also have a Halloween short story in the Victory Tales Press “Stimulating” version of A HALLOWEEN COLLECTION. The story is also a contemporary and is called ALWAYS AND FOREVER. Check it out here.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME, CATE! It’s always great to be here—you have a wonderful blog.
Cate: Thanks so much for being my guest!
