Love time travel? Crazy about holiday reads? Well, then, I’ve got some great short stories to tell you about, including my latest release, MEANT TO BE, that appears in a new Christmas anthology from VICTORY TALES PRESS.
MEANT TO BE is a time travel set on the last Christmas of the Civil War, in 1864. A young single woman, Robin Mallory, from present day set out to pay a surprise holiday visit to her elderly relatives. When one of her tires blows out, she finds herself stranded on a lonely stretch of road with no one to call for help.
When a handsome ‘Confederate soldier’ tackles her in the early evening shadows, Robin is outraged and frightened. Jake Devlin is dressed from a time gone by, but what are re-enactors doing in these woods over the Christmas weekend? When the predicted winter storm moves in, Robin has no alternative but to take a chance and trust Jake.
Jake’s presence is comforting, and Robin welcomes the sanctuary from the raw night that his camp offers. But something isn’t right. Once they arrive at the camp, she realizes she’s walked down a gravel road that’s taken her backward in time nearly 150 years. Jake is an officer of the Confederate Army, serving under Cherokee Chief, General Stand Watie.
Unsure of Robin’s motives and who she is, the general puts her in Jake’s care. When they are separated from the rest of the unit, Jake is severely wounded. What will Robin do? Will she seize the only opportunity she may have to return to her own time? Or will she stay in 1864 with Jake and take a chance on a love that was MEANT TO BE?
MEANT TO BE appears in the Victory Tales Press Sensual/Spicy 2011 Christmas Collection anthology, along with four other great stories by my fellow authors, Kit Prate, Stephanie Burkhart, Christine Schulze, and Sarah McNeal.
I also want to tell you about some great stand-alone paranormal holiday short
stories that are available for only .99 through WESTERN TRAIL BLAZER PUBLISHING.
MEANT TO BE is not the only paranormal Civil War era holiday short story I’ve written. Another one, HOMECOMING, is a sweet love story that first appeared last year about this time in A Christmas Collection: Sweet through VICTORY TALES PRESS (VTP). It’s still available in the anthology, but now is also available in the .99 gallery at WESTERN TRAIL BLAZER as well. Though it’s a Civil War themed short story, it has a very different take and a surprise ending I hope you will enjoy.
Homecoming by Cheryl Pierson
A holiday skirmish sends Union officer, Jack Durham, on an unlikely mission to fulfill his promise of honor to a dying Confederate soldier—his enemy. In an odd twist of fate, a simple assurance to carry young Billy Anderson’s meager belongings home to his family a few miles away becomes more than what it seems.
As he nears his destination, the memories of the soldier’s final moments mingle with his own thoughts of the losses he’s suffered because of the War, including his fiancee, Sarah. Despite his suffering, can Jack remember what it means to be fully human before he arrives at the end of his journey? Will the miracle of Christmas be able to heal his heart in the face of what awaits him?
SCARLET RIBBONS is a story of lost love regained through a holiday miracle. The hero, Miguel Rivera, is a bordertown gunslinger who believes his heart can’t be touched. Christmas brings him a miracle he never expected; one that can’t be ignored.
SCARLET RIBBONS by Cheryl Pierson
Miguel Rivera is known as El Diablo, The Devil. Men avoid meeting his eyes for fear of his gun. Upon returning to a town where he once knew a brief happiness, Miguel is persuaded by a street vendor to make a foolish holiday purchase; two scarlet ribbons.
When Catalina, his former lover, allows him to take a room at her boarding house, Miguel soon discovers a secret. Realizing that he needs the scarlet ribbons after all, he is stunned to find them missing. Can a meeting with a mysterious priest and the miracle of the Scarlet Ribbons set Miguel on a new path?
A NIGHT FOR MIRACLES is a novella available through THE WILD ROSE
PRESS. This story takes place in Indian Territory of the 1800’s. A widow takes in a wounded gunman and three children on Christmas Eve. The small gifts she gives them all reveal something even more precious for all of them on A NIGHT FOR MIRACLES.
These are all great holiday short stories that will leave you wanting more. I f this isn’t enough paranormal reading for you, try my latest novel, TIME PLAINS DRIFTER, a WESTERN TRAIL BLAZER publication. Here’s the blurb for this time travel story of good vs. evil.
Trapped in Indian Territory of 1895 by a quirk of nature, high school teacher Jenni Dalton must find a way to get her seven students back to 2010. Handsome U.S. Marshal Rafe d’Angelico seems like the answer to her prayers; he is, after all, an angel. In a race against time and evil, Rafe has one chance to save Jenni’s life and her soul from The Dark One—but can their love survive?
The 2011 Christmas Collection can be purchased here:
http://www.amazon.com/2011-Christmas-Collection-Sensual-ebook/dp/B005Z8VOVG/
All my other novels, short stories and the anthologies I am a part of can be found here:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002JV8GUE
I write a mix of contemporary romantic suspense and historical western romance. Please leave a comment and let us know the best paranormal western romance you’ve ever read. This is kind of an up-and-coming subgenre, and one I’d love to read more of. I’ll be giving away a copy of the brand new 2011 Christmas Collection to one lucky commenter! Please be sure to include an e-mail addy in your comment.
Here’s wishing you a very happy holiday season with lots of great reading ahead!
A native Oklahoman, I've been influenced by the west all my life. I love to write short stories and novels in the historical western and western romance genres, as well as contemporary romantic suspense! Check my Amazon author page to see my work: http://www.amazon.com/author/cherylpierson
I live in Oklahoma City with my husband of 40 years. I love to hear from readers and other authors--you can contact me here: fabkat_edit@yahoo.com
Follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cheryl.pierson.92
https://petticoatsandpistols.com/sweepstakesrules
I am not sure if I haved ever read a paranormal western, now I have read a few with some paranormal elements in them and the one that comes to mind is Kaki Warner’s Pieces of Sky, it was one of my favorite reads. Love Christmas books so would love to have 2011 Christmas collection.
ghurt110 AT bellsouth DOT net
I cant remember ever reading a Paranormal western before either,,Christmas books are my favorite,I read them all year long,,just love the feeling I have after reading them,,,that collection sounds great,loved the post,interesting
vlbelk(at)hotmail.com
I used to read the Silhouette Shadows series. It
featured:
Heather Graham had The Last Cavalier featured a Civil War Hero time travel.
Navajo Nights- Vella Munn
I also liked Lind Lael Miller’s western time travel There and Now and Here and Then!
Cheryl,
MEANT TO BE sounds like another wonderful story from you. And I love that you’ve included General Stand Watie. I’ll be heading over to Amazon for this anthology today.
And TIME PLAINS DRIFTER was a fabulous read!
–Kirsten
Quilt Lady,
Pieces of Sky is on my TBR list. I am anxious to get to it, for sure. I’m like you–love Christmas reads and I read them all year long–not just at Christmas. LOL
Cheryl
Vickie,
I’ve seen a lot of paranormal westerns coming out lately–not ROMANCE, just “westerns”–which I find really interesting. My friend Pete Brandvold has one that was just recently released. I also included one in THE TRADITIONAL WEST anthology for my contribution called THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS about a man who feels he has lost everything when his wife and daughters are murdered. He sets out to seek revenge but finds something much more important to him in the end. I absolutely loved writing that that one. Like you, I love the holiday stories and always have that warm glow when I finish one. LOL
Cheryl
Laurie,
Thanks so much for sharing these titles with us! I’m getting ready to start making a list to take to the bookstore next time I go. (AS IF I NEED ANY MORE BOOKS)LOL
Cheryl
Kirsten,
THANK YOU so much for your very kind words. I’m so glad you loved Time Plains Drifter. I enjoyed writing that one so much.
MEANT TO BE is one of those stories that I started writing and just hated to let go of the characters on. LOL Stand Watie is one of my most favorite historical figures. What a strong man he was! I hope you enjoy the collection, Kirsten.
Thanks again so much for your lovely comments.
Cheryl
Meant to Be sounds wonderful, Cheryl. Being the historical romance junkie that I am, I’ve often wished I could do a little time travel of my own.
Hey Karen,
Thanks so much! I love time travel books. It’s always so fascinating to me to think of what it must be like for someone to go backward or forward into a time period that isn’t theirs. One of my favorite time travel series is the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. What a talent she has for putting you right there in the time period, and making her characters, even the secondary ones, so real you’d swear they actually lived.
Cheryl
A Night for Miracles.. is one I would love to read. I am going to have get this one for sure…
But I love them all Cheryl…
Hey Kathleen!
A NIGHT FOR MIRACLES is probably my favorite because it was my “first” in so many respects. It was my first published fiction short story, and my first paranormal anything that was published. It holds a special place in my heart because of the characters–so often I’ve thought of revisiting them and making them into a full length story. LOL Thanks so much for coming by Kathleen. I always love to hear from you.
Cheryl
Great titles. I must admit never thought of western paranormal stories, but we all love ghost stories and such so why not. These look awesome. Good luck with these ventures.
Nan
Although it’s not listed here, my favorite holiday paranormal is The Homecoming that you wrote. It’s a story that just stuck with me long after I read it. Scarlet Ribbons comes in a close second–loved the hero. You haven’t written a book I didn’t like. They’re all just fabulous.
Time travel is my favorite genre to read. I’d love to be able to go back in time and live some history.
Hey Nan,
Yeah, you know, we tend to think of things as “just happening” within our own lifetimes, but when we logically consider it, we have to allow that paranormal happenings took place in other times as well. Just like serial killings and so on. All things that happen now didn’t just start with our lifetimes or our parents’, I guess is what I’m trying to say. LOL Anyhow, in Meant To Be, the general is aware that there have been “others” like Robin that have come back through time. Thanks so much for coming by and commenting! I love a good paranormal story, and I’m not sure I could ever write werewolves and vampires, so this is my take on the paranormal field with good old fashioned angels and demons, good and evil, and supernatural forces that sometimes can’t be explained by anything other than belief.
Cheryl
I loved the time travel romance Christmas Moon by Elizabeth Lane. I love history so my favorite time travel is to go back in time. I also enjoyed the two Linda Lael Miller time travels There and Now & Here and Then.
Ldibert92@atlanticbb.net
Hi Sarah,
What a lovely compliment! Thank you so much, Sarah. And you have a wonderful time travel of your own–HARMONICA JOE’S RELUCTANT BRIDE. I loved that book! I THINK I would like to be able to go back in time to live, but in truth, it was so hard to just do the every day things compared to how easy we have it now I’m not sure I truly would like it once I got there.LOL I’m so glad you loved Homecoming so much, and Scarlet Ribbons…that one just speaks to my heart so much. Thanks again, Sarah, for all your support and for your very kind words.
Cheryl
Lori,
I must admit to being partial to Elizabeth’s CHRISTMAS MOON, too. She is a fantastic storyteller, isn’t she? Thanks so much for coming by and commenting–I’ll get your name in the drawing.
Cheryl
I love combining a western setting and characters with paranormal elements. My next two novels coming soon are just that. Good luck with your collection, Cheryl.
Stacey
You’ve been one busy lady, Cheryl. MEANT TO BE sounds like a wonderful story. I love time travel. It was big about ten years ago, then seemed to go out of favor. As one editor told me, “You get the character back in time, and then it becomes just a historical.” It seems to be making a comeback. Let’s hope so.
Lori, I’m so glad you enjoyed CHRISTMAS MOON. It’s probably my favorite among all my books.
🙂
Paranormal western romance sounds like a perfect match. I would have never thought of the two together. I think I found my next favorite genre to read. Thanks!
Gee I am not sure if I have read a paranormal western… It is possible, but nothing is coming to mind. Sounds like two great genres coming together… thanks for sharing! 😀
I truly can’t wait, Cheryl, to read this collection. I love Christmas stories, I love a tweak of paranormal. Good stuff going on, filly sister. And that Christmas Collection cover, my my. Fanning my face right now LOL. xoxoxo
The only ones I think I have read is Linda Lael Miller’s There and Now and Here and Then. These sound very good and I wish you the best.
goldiehale@att.net
Stacey, I’m like you–I really do enjoy the paranormal elements combined with a western setting and characters. I am looking forward to your upcoming releases. Do you want to share the titles with us so we can be on the lookout for them?
Cheryl
Elizabeth,
I do love writing these short stories, but I’ve got a couple of longer projects on the back burner that I must return to next year. One of them is the sequel for Time Plains Drifter, and I’m just dying to get back to writing on it. LOL I heard that same thing you were talking about with the time travel element in our fiction. And I think a lot of it at one time was rushed and poorly done to “get it out there” while that was a popular subgenre. I’m picky about my time travel reading. If it seems too contrived I can’t believe it, not even long enough to finish the book. It has to grab me and make me believe it’s a possibility.
Cheryl
Hi Cindy,
I know, who’d have thought? But it stands to reason that there were paranormal happenings during that time as well as our present day, so why not have the story set then? It’s like something hitting you over the head when you think of it. LOL I am loving the idea of paranormal westerns.
Cheryl
Hi Colleen,
I’m really excited about it. The idea of creating a story in my all-time favorite time period with some paranormal elements is really something I’m looking forward to doing again with my sequel to Time Plains Drifter.
Cheryl
Oh, Tanya, I knew you would love that cover–the very hot Jimmy Thomas, of course! LOL I went to see my sister in the nursing home this morning and showed it to her on my iPhone. She said, “WHOO-EE!!!!” People were looking at us. LOL I told her I would print it off and bring it up there so she could see the enlarged version of it, to get the “full effect.” LOL Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the collection. I don’t know how you have time to read anything with all the writing you have lined up! LOL
Cheryl
Hi Goldie,
Well, I’m going to have to go find those Linda Lael Miller books because they seem to be a favorite here amongst everyone. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!
Cheryl
Hey everyone,
Just a quick plug for my friend, Peter Brandvold, who has two paranormal westerns. One is called BAD WIND BLOWING pubbed WESTERN TRAIL BLAZER PUBLISHING, and the other will be released from Berkley in trade paperback in January. It’s called DUST OF THE DAMNED. You can find info at it here, at his website–which I have to say I’m totally jealous of because it’s soooooo awesome!
http://www.peterbrandvold.com
Oops, that should have been “pubbed BY Western Trail Blazer Publishing”…I should have proofread better.
Cheryl,
Sounds like Robin was the one who got the surprise, not her relatives! I love your wounded heroes. You find a way to draw me in every single time. What a great Christmas present for folks on my list!
Maggie Toussaint
MUDDY WATERS
Hey Maggie!
So good to see you here–I know you are busy as heck and I appreciate you stopping by. Thanks so much for your comment! I’m so glad you love my wounded guys. You know, I hadn’t planned on Jake getting wounded, but it just happened. LOLLOL I hope this one draws you in, too!
Hugs,
Cheryl
Your Christmas story sounds wonderful! There’s something about Christmas and romance that makes everything right with the world–I love Christmas romances. 🙂
AW, thanks so much Jacquie. I feel the very same way. Maybe it’s because finding love IS such a miracle that there is something even more special about it on Christmas.
Cheryl
Wow so many titles to add to my wish list!
Connie,
Thanks so much for that nice compliment. I hope you enjoy them! And what a bargain! .99 for all my short story stand-alones except for A Night For Miracles, which is 1.99 (different publisher, but it’s longer, too). And Time Plains Drifter? A bit more because it is a full length novel, but still (I think) a bargain! LOL The anthologies are all good reads, too, with a mixture of writing styles and stories in them.
Cheryl
Last year Elizabeth Lane published CHRISTMAS MOON. A teacher researching her master’s thesis goes back in time and meets the subject of her research. Great book. The characters were very real as were the day to day situations they found themselves dealing with. I believed she self published it. Without the editing and reworking publishing houses subject books to, the book retained a flavor and feeling not often found. The scenes with the baby brought back memories of the little things you deal with and the little joys that are so easily overlooked. The hero is a real person, bad attitude as well as the courage to face what the future holds.
If you haven’t read it, you should. It is one I will be pulling out many years for a reread.
librarypat AT comcast DOT net
Hi Patricia,
I loved Christmas Moon!And what a great testimonial you’ve given Elizabeth here! (are you reading this, Elizabeth?) I was struck, as you were, by the way the characters seemed so realistic. A wonderful tale and wonderfully told.
Cheryl
i love christmas books . They put me in the holiday mood as few other things do
meandi09@yahoo.com
I agree, Jennifer. I love all things Christmas. I heard my husband heave a sigh the other day when I got out my Christmas piano books and started practicing my Christmas music. LOL
Cheryl
I want to thank each and every one of you for coming by today and joining in the fun here at Wildflower Junction. I put everyone’s name in the big ol’ cowboy hat and drew out….
MAGGIE TOUSSAINT!!!!
Maggie if you will please e-mail me at fabkat_edit@yahoo.com to claim your prize I will speed it on its way to you!
Hugs to all!
Cheryl