Hi everyone! I've got a new book releasing tomorrow, a sweet romance story that takes place in Indian Territory in 1899. It's part of a series with several other authors who blog at PETTICOATS & PISTOLS.
My story is third in the series and was a lot of fun to write. The series involves a legendary pink pistol--the grip is a pale shade of pink mother-of-pearl, and the legend is that the woman who grips it will fall in love--a true, lasting forever love. Is it true? Does it work that way? There are ten of us writing our own versions of what happens when the pistol comes along to the heroine in our stories, and the series spans the years from when Miz Annie Oakley is given the pistol by the maker and passes it along. The pistol is handed down through the years from that time to present day, and there are some wonderful adventures and great reading.
Tomorrow is my release day and I am so excited!
In my story, LOVE UNDER FIRE, Johnny Houston is a cavalry captain who is only a few days from mustering out of the military. Because he's a scout and is very familiar with Indian Territory, having been raised there, he is given the assignment of escorting the sharpshooting Krissy Donovan to an orphanage for a benefit she's giving for the children.
Johnny is not happy about the assignment, but he understands he's the best man for the job. Krissy just wants to get home to North Carolina and plan her wedding.
As it turns out, their journey together is the best thing that's ever happened to either of them. Have you ever had a dreaded situation that turned out to be something you were thankful for instead?
What was it?
(I'll go first--mine was having to move to West Virginia my senior year in high school after living in Oklahoma all my life. BUT--I met my future husband there and we've been married 44 years now!)
LOVE UNDER FIRE AMAZON LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4ax46m6x
Krissy was actually trained by Miz Oakley, in my story. Did you know that Annie Oakley taught over 15,000 women to shoot during her lifetime? Krissy is coming west from Raleigh, NC, to put on a shooting exhibition. Her father has inadvertently put her in danger, and when he realizes it, wires Ft. Smith to ask for an escort for her. Johnny Houston is chosen, since he spent a few years at the orphanage when he was young. And, of course the pink pistol manages to come along and...everything changes.
Wish me luck on this new venture!
You were the cover model, of course.
ReplyDeleteYes, Jim, that was in my former life when I was a brunette...
DeleteThat's my comment above. Forgot to hit the blogger button
ReplyDeleteI figured it was you, then I saw your comment! LOL I'd already started my response.
DeleteI know I've had lots and lots of situations that I dreaded that turned out all right, but darned if I can come up with one right now. I tend to dread just about everything these days. hahaha Putting that aside, you wrote that your story is third in the series. What a clever idea. I'm assuming each book is a stand-alone and the pink pistol is the common thread that holds the series loosely together.
ReplyDeleteYes, I probably should have clarified that. It starts with a small novella by Karen Witemeyer to get the series rolling and explain the origins of the pink pistol. Shanna Hatfield is next with her story, LOVE ON TARGET and then mine, LOVE UNDER FIRE. The torch (or pistol) then passes to Kit Morgan, and the years go by from historical stories to one in the 1930's by Linda Broday, then there's one in the 1950's with Pam Crooks, and on into present day.
DeleteYou made me laugh--I dread a lot these days too! LOL
Cheryl, congratulations to you AND to your readers!
ReplyDeleteJohn, thank you so much!
DeleteI sounds a fun series, Cheryl. Good luck with it. My grandfather used to tell me about seeing her in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show on one of the tours of Scotland.
ReplyDeleteOh, my gosh, Keith. You must treasure those stories. It's hard to believe that she was actually living when my parents were. Mom and Dad were both born in 1922 and Annie passed in 1926--so they never got to see her, but isn't it strange to think of people you know well, and people who are historical figures we consider "long gone" as having lived at the same time? This has been a fun series with a lot of great stories. Thanks for stopping by, Keith!
DeleteCongratulations, Cheryl! I know it'll be fantastic, and it's SUCH a great concept!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jeff! I appreciate the kind words! Two of the other ladies in our group thought of this concept and it just took off--we all loved it because of the continuity of the pink pistol, and the fact that our stories could be written in any time period after Annie Oakley received the pistol and handed it down.
DeleteWhat a great idea! Your story sounds fascinating. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vicky! I really had fun working on this one--it's a bit different for me, writing in this type of series, but it has been a great experience!
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