Saturday, January 5, 2013

SIX SENTENCE SATURDAY--FIRE EYES BY CHERYL PIERSON


I’ll start off the “SIX SENTENCE SATURDAY” feature here at our new and improved Western Fictioneers blog. I had to go ahead and include the rest of the paragraph for it to make sense, so I guess we can call it “SIX SENTENCE OR FIRST PARAGRAPH SATURDAY” to make it fit.

This is from my debut novel, FIRE EYES. Here’s the story of what happened: Three years ago in May, 2009, my debut western historical romance, FIRE EYES, was published by The Wild Rose Press. I was thrilled! Finally, my dream had come true, with the help of a wonderful editor and publishing company.

When I got my first box of books, I sat and gazed at the covers—just like any first time author would. My husband teased me about “rubbing off the paint”—but I was so proud of them, and justifiably so. A lot of very hard work had gone into that story, not just from my perspective, but also from many other people. My editor at The Wild Rose Press, Helen Andrew, was wonderful. She really explained in detail why certain things couldn’t stand and had to go or be changed.

But part of what ‘had to go’ was important to the story, in my mind. Still, there were company guidelines to be followed, and neither of us could do anything about that. So we worked together to find a way to take out the parts that made it more “western” than “romance” and still came out with a fine story.

However, in the spring of 2012, I asked for my rights back for FIRE EYES and got them. I submitted the story to WESTERN TRAIL BLAZER. I was able to re-edit the book and add in much of what I’d had to take out or rewrite in the first version, and it was released with a brand new Jimmy Thomas cowboy cover and lots of renewed interest.

The book is available now at Amazon, Lulu, Monkeybars, Barnes and Noble, Sony and Apple and many other retailers.

I’m very happy about breathing new life into this wonderful story. Once again, when my print copies arrived, I sat on the floor and ‘rubbed the paint off’ all over. I’m so grateful that I’ve had two chances to get my story out there—another thrill, a second time around!



The set up: Kaed Turner, U.S. Deputy Marshal, has followed a younger, more inexperienced deputy, Mitch Beckley, who had set out to pursue a ruthless gang of border raiders in Indian Territory. He’s caught up with him, all right. The gang has captured Beckley and is killing him slowly and mercilessly. From where Turner sits, he can also see something else—the green deputy isn’t the only captive. Andrew Fallon’s gang has stolen two young Choctaw girls Turner knows well—the granddaughters of the chieftain who raised him. Alone with no backup, there’s not much he can do for Beckley. His focus has to be on the two young children.


"Don't kill me! Please!"
God, Beckley, don't beg.
The other marshal's tortured screams ripped through Kaed Turner like a war lance. And he couldn't do one damn thing to save Mitch Beckley. Right now, he had no choice but to sit where he was and listen to the young marshal's pleas, knowing that Beckley was going to die, no matter how he begged. Even though Kaed was tempted to do something, walking into Andrew Fallon's camp would be suicide for him. He had to wait. Hunker down here in this damn undergrowth, hide, and wait.



Blurb:
Marshal Kaed Turner is given a rare second chance at love with the mysterious woman the Choctaw call “Fire Eyes.” But can he quiet the ghosts from his past and protect the love that was stolen from him once before? There’s only one way: Kill outlaw Andrew Fallon, along with the murdering band of men he leads.




FIRE EYES


Cheryl’s Amazon Author Page

33 comments:

  1. Loved the first edition; know I will love the improved version even more! Glad to know it is now available. Best wishes for 2013! Amber

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    1. Thank you, Amber! I was thrilled to be able to add some of what I'd taken out back in to the new edition. I've got your name in the drawing!
      Cheryl

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  2. hi Cheryl, so happy for you. I do have the original version LOL so would SO love to see the "real" one. It's such a joy to know you and share a love of the west. Xo

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    1. Thank you Tanya! I don't know how you find time to read anything with all the irons you have going in the fire these days. I have your Christmas for Ransom, but haven't had a spare minute to sit down and read. Thanks for stopping by! I know you're busy.
      Hugs,
      Cheryl

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  3. It's hard to believe that Fire Eyes was your debut novel because it's so professional and well written. I loved the story. It has one of the best villains in it that I've ever read. There's nothing like a slap crazy, blood thirsty villain to make a hero rise above the ordinay heroes. I'm so glad you were able to change to Western Trail Blazers and tell the story the way you truly wanted. I know this version is going to be magnificent.

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    1. Sarah, thank you so much. You are always so supportive and positive. EW, yes, my villain was just "slap crazy" wasn't he? (Love that description!)LOL I will always be so grateful to Rebecca for allowing me the opportunity to publish with Western Trail Blazer and put in the "rest of the story." Thanks so much for stopping by today!
      Hugs,
      Cheryl

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  4. Congrats, Cheryl. How wonderful that you could get your rights back and return your story to the way you wrote it. It does sound like a wild ride to read. Best of luck with this new version.

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    1. Thank you for coming by, Paisley! I was so thrilled to be able to get this book out the way I had written it in the beginning. I understand that TWRP had their rules at that time. I had a fantastic, awesome editor there. She really went to bat for me on several things that I wanted to leave in. Thanks for commenting, Paisley!
      Cheryl

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  5. Cheryl--that six-sentence excerpt still gives me goosebumps. Very powerful. I love your new cover, but I'll always remember the first one because that's when I first saw your name, and because the cover was so riveting, I thought--who is Cheryl Pierson?
    And...TADA! I'm your newest Follower. Nice work, too...I like the categories you all will be offering.

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    1. Thanks, Celia! Wow, you have so many good things to say, it's lame to just say, "THANKS" in return. LOL I'm glad you followed us--we're going to have a lot of new features and bloggers on this blog. Thanks again for all your kind words!
      Hugs,
      Cheryl

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  6. What a gripping six-sentence section you chose, Cheryl! I love Fire Eyes and I already have a print copy of the original book, so please exclude me from your drawing.

    The new cover is nice, but I was so taken by the "old" one. It really spoke to me, ya know?

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    1. Maggie, I've had so many people say that--of course, I'm partial to both of them. LOL Thank you for coming over and commenting--I know you've got several irons in the fire. You are one busy lady these days with all you do!
      Hugs,
      Cheryl

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  7. Nice kickoff off for “SIX SENTENCE SATURDAY”.

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    1. Thanks Livia! I'm so glad to see everyone here today!
      Cheryl

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  8. Cheryl, as Sarah said, it's hard to believe FIRE EYES was a debut novel. You leaped into publishing with a beautiful book and kept up the pace. Congratulations!

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    1. Aw, Caroline, thanks so much. That is so kind of you to say! Thanks so much for coming by today--we hope you'll follow us over here at WF--that goes for everyone! We are a bunch of book lovers here and have lots of surprises in store in the coming months.
      Cheryl

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  9. You started the new feature with a bang, Cheryl! What a powerful excerpt. And I'm glad you finally got the book republished true to your original vision.

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    1. Thanks, Jacquie! I'm glad, too, that I got to get it out in the "original" version. Thanks again for stopping by--I know you are busy as heck. We gotta get you signed up for one of these Six Sentence Saturdays!
      Cheryl

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  10. Cheryl great 6 sentence excerpt.. I am so happy for you that this book was republished. It must be thrilling for author to see her former works in any form of book...
    Wishing you all the best with this new reprint..

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    1. Kathleen, thank you so much for coming over and helping us kick off the new and improved Western Fictioneer blog. I AM totally thrilled to have it out again--loved the first version too, though.Heck, I'm just thrilled to have it out there in any version! LOL

      Hugs, dear friend!
      Cheryl

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  11. Hi, Cheryl. This six sentence excerpt is riveting and the perfect introduction to a well-written story. So glad that you had Fire Eyes republished as you originally wrote it. Loved the original publication and want to get a copy of the republished version to have alongside it on my shelf. I hope to get the other books in the series.
    Paula

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    1. Hi Paula,
      THANK YOU so much for your very kind words! I appreciate it. I'm so flattered that you want both versions! I'm putting your name in the drawing, my friend!
      Cheryl

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  12. Very happy that you could tell the story once and have it turn out well, but the second chance is not only a gift to you but to your readers also. Life is wonderful and your six sentences are riveting. Another to add to the 'to be read' stack.

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    1. Thank you Renaissance Woman! I appreciate those kind words. I'm so glad you enjoyed the six sentences!
      Cheryl

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  13. Nice job, Cheryl. I'm always glad to see folks writing about marshals, even if you do kill one off.
    M

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    1. MARC!!!!
      By golly I believe you are the first of the "guys" to stop and leave a message. Well, I had to kill off more than one before it was all over with...but it was in the line of duty, and they won't be forgotten by their fellow lawmen, that's for sure. OH, and did I mention that I wounded two more? LOL Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Marc!
      Cheryl

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  14. Well done, Cheryl. Don't think we've ever had so many comments on a WF blog.

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    1. Charlie, we can do this every time if we get the word out and all support one another as well. I am overwhelmed by the support I've had here today--we've even got some new followers!
      Cheryl

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  15. I have this book, just have to find the time to read it. That's a great opening!

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    1. Thanks, James. I don't know how you ever have time to read anything--you're always WRITING! A great example for the rest of us, for sure! Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to stop and comment with some very kind words.
      Cheryl

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  16. I'm going to draw two winners tonight since we had so many comments. Those two are....

    PAULA RICHARD AND RENAISSANCE WOMEN!!!!

    If you will please e-mail me at fabkat_edit@yahoo.com and give me your mailing address, I will get these in the mail to you this coming week! CONGRATULATIONS, and please check in with us often here at the WESTERN FICTIONEER BLOG to see what we've got going on.

    Monday, Livia will be blogging about tips for self publishing and if there's anyone who knows her stuff about that, it's Livia.

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  17. Powerful and Chilling Six! This was the first story I read by you, too and I knew I couldn't miss your next book. :) I remember you saying you wished you could have kept the MS as you had written it. I'm glad you had the chance to remaster it to its original full story.

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    1. Karen, thank you so much for coming by. You did a fantastic job on that book cover--I love it so much. It fits the story after everything was added back in--more "pulp-y" and grittier. Thanks so much for that--you really captured what the story is. Thank you so much for your very kind words. I appreciate that, and I'm so glad I had you as my cover artist!
      Cheryl

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