MONDAY'S HERO: Kaed from Fire Eyes

Current read: Angel Vindicated by Viola Estrella

Is that a gorgeous cover? I love it. Today it's my pleasure to welcome debut author Cheryl Pierson. Fire Eyes released last Friday at The Wild Rose Press. It's a beautiful love story set among the gritty realism of the Old West.

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 is the co-owner of FabKat Editorial Services. She teaches numerous writing classes and workshops in the Oklahoma City metro area and also works on an individual basis with many of her students, and other authors, locally and nationwide. She has sold numerous short stories to Adams Media and Chicken Soup. Fire Eyes is her first full length novel release, and will be followed shortly by Time Plains Drifter. She lives in OKC with her husband, Gary, and has two grown children.

Welcome, Cheryl! Tell us about the inspiration behind Fire Eyes.

Growing up in the '60's, tv westerns and movies were all the rage. I have always loved the idea of a rugged, western hero. So being born and raised in Oklahoma, I decided to make use of our state's history in the plot of the book. Since Oklahoma (which was Indian Territory at the time) was under the jurisdiction of Judge Isaac Parker out of Fort Smith, the plot just evolved from the facts of history. "The men who rode for Parker" numbered no more than 200 at any one time. They were expected to keep law and order in a territory that sprawled over 72,000 acres of land.

BLURB:
Beaten and wounded by a band of sadistic renegades that rules the borderlands of Indian Territory, U.S. Marshal Kaed Turner understands what the inevitable outcome will be for him: death. But Fate and a war party of Choctaw Indians intervene, delivering him instead to a beautiful angel with the skill to heal him. Jessica Monroe has already lost a husband and a brother to the outlaws who tortured Marshal Turner. As the rugged lawman lies bleeding on her bed, she faces a difficult decision. Can she afford to gamble with her heart one last time? For when Kaed recovers, he is sworn to join the other Territorial Peace Officers in their battle to wipe out the renegade gang once and for all. When vengeance is done, will Kaed keep riding? Or will he return to claim his future with the beautiful woman the Choctaw call "Fire Eyes?"

Your hero, Kaed, is amazing. What makes him tick?

Kaed Turner is everything the reader would expect -- tough, both physically and emotionally, yet he has his vulnerable human side as well. He's been through a lot in his life, but he has overcome it. Physically, he's tall, around 6'2" with dark eyes and hair. Despite his rough upbringing, he is still a tease, and when he knows he wants something he goes after it. What does he want most out of life? Kaed really didn't know what he wanted out of life, until he met Jessica. Up until that point, he had been doing what needed to be done as a marshal, very professionally. Now that he's met Jessica, he's fallen in love with her--something he thought would never happen to him again. As the story unfolds, he realizes that what he wants most out of life, the unexpected promise of a future with a family, is something he may never get.

What three adjectives best describe him?

Hmmm. Would it be okay to say "HOT, HUNG, AND HUNKISH?" LOL How about confident, protective, and ...hot.

You can say anything you want here, Cheryl, LOL. How do Kaed and his heroine, Jessica, come together?

In the beginning of the story, he's badly hurt. Jessica is trying to save his life. So when he comes around, I would say her kindness and caring is what attracts him to her aside from her physical beauty. As the story progresses, he has to face the fact that he is falling in love with her for many reasons--not just her care of him. I think Jessica sees past the tough exterior immediately. She knows how badly he's hurt, yet he tries to slough it off as best he can with a tease. She knows he's doing it for her benefit. I think the turning point for both of them begins when he is suffering chills from shock, and she gets into bed with him to try to get him warm. She's got some demons in her past, too, and trust doesn't come easily to her, but things are different with him. And he's good with babies.

There's not anything quite as sexy as a hunky man holding a baby protectively, is there? Who or what inspired you to create Kaed?

Kaed Turner is the embodiment of every cowboy/rancher/peace officer that ever rode this part of the country. He's larger than life is a lot of ways, but he is very human in others--a lot like many of the real men of that time were. Where I live, here in Oklahoma, most of today's men are a lot like Kaed Turner. Not just the cowboys, or marshals, or ranchers, but our men in the Oklahoma/Texas area still remember their manners and their grassroots American values. There really is a "Code of the West."

What's next for you?

Right now, I'm working on another historical western, Gabriel's Law. Gabriel's Law revolves around a half-Comanche gunfighter, Brandon Gabriel, and a woman, Allison Taylor, who had known one another years before, when they were adolescents together in an orphanage. Brandon is hired by the townspeople to rid the town of a gang who has taken over, but once the job is done, the pillars of the community turn on him and try to kill him to keep from paying him the money they owe. Allie steps in and saves him by wounding the ringleader, bringing the wrath of the citizens down upon her, as well. Will her life ever be normal again? Will Brandon stay and help her realize her dreams of creating a working cattle ranch for orphaned boys? Now that he's back in her life, there's no way to ignore the fires of love that were kindled between them all those years ago.

That sounds wonderful -- get that one written quickly ;). What other releases do you have?

I have a Christmas short story (historical western) coming out in December of this year with The Wild Rose Press. It's called A Night For Miracles. The release date is December 2, just in time for the holidays. I also have several short stories in anthologies through Adams Media and Chicken Soup.

Where can readers find you?

I have a newly-created website, www.cherylpierson.com. You can also check out my other (in need of updates!) website at www.westwindsmedia.com. My blogs are: http://cherylpiersonbooks.blogspot.com and http://westwindsromance.blogspot.com I also guest blog once a month at Jeannie Reusch's "Happy Endings" blog and at The Wild Rose Press's "Cactus Rose" blog.

Fun question – what is the strangest, most surreal thing you’ve ever done?

Actually, probably living through this past week would qualify for that. I got my author copies of Fire Eyes on Tuesday, then found out that the print version of the book had already been released for sale to the public on Wednesday. I was on Cloud 9. But they say things happen "in threes"--and this was no exception. I found out Friday that Class Act Books was picking up my paranormal western, Time Plains Drifter, and I just sent the contract back today. I will probably never have another week like this one as long as I live.

Wow, that is an awesome week! I'm sure there will be many more in your future ;). Readers, here's an excerpt from Fire Eyes. Warning: Explicit sex and language.

They stood before the fireplace, silhouetted in the glow of the embers. Jessica began unbuttoning the placket again, and Kaed forced himself to endure the slow, bewitching torture. He was still for a minute, barely daring to breathe, his eyes closed. He opened them in quick reflex, drawing a sharp breath, as her hand brushed the engorged tip of him. She gave him an impish grin, her cool fingers encircling him, stroking him. She drew the very breath from his body as she finished opening his jeans, exposing him completely.

She pushed the heavy cloth down, and he stepped out of the pants and kicked them aside.

The firelight played across his muscles with each movement he made as he came close to her and reached to unbutton her blouse.

The blouse and skirt fell away, drifting to the floor, followed by the chemise and the rest of her undergarments. She trembled as his rough fingertips brushed across the hardened nubs of her nipples.

By tomorrow morning she’ll know I’m flesh and blood—alive, and pure male.

They sank to the warm pallet together and he covered her body with his own, reaching to finger the rich auburn tresses that fell unbound around her face.

Jessica’s skin was sensitive to every touch of Kaed’s warm, lean body against hers. She arched up to him, her full breasts skimming the dark hair of his chiseled chest. His mouth slanted across hers in a hot, possessive kiss.

She opened her lips under his, his fingers weaving with hers, holding her hands pinned to the floor as his tongue touched hers, and hers responded in a satin, velvet promise of what was to come.

A low groan tore from his throat, and he lifted his head, breaking the kiss. He breathed raggedly, and Jessica parted her legs, and reached for his cock.

Kaed shuddered as she wrapped her fingers around his burning shaft and brought him to her entrance with no further preliminaries.

He grinned at her eagerness. “Miss me?”

“It’s been a long time,” she whispered.

“I know.” He began to push, entering her slick, welcoming warmth easily. “Four whole days.”

Jessica moaned, biting her lower lip. “Seemed like forever.”

Kaed met her eyes as he sank deeper into her. “For me too, Jess.”

She sighed, reaching to twine her fingers through his dark hair. “Don’t ever leave me again, Kaed.”

“Feel me, Jessi, inside you.” He took a deep breath. “This is my promise to you,” he whispered huskily. “This is me saying I love you and I need you, even if sometimes I don’t say the words just right.” He ground into her slow and deep, and she rose up to him, offering herself.

“You always say it just right, Kaed.” She turned her head and kissed his hand that cradled her cheek. “And this is no exception.”