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 has taught numerous writing classes and workshops over the past years and also works on an individual basis with many of her students, and other authors, locally and nationwide.
Cheryl's novels released through PRAIRIE ROSE PUBLICATIONS AND IMPRINTS include her most recent contemporary romantic thriller, "CAPTURE THE NIGHT", and "SWEET DANGER", another contemporary romantic thriller, along with her western historical romance novels, "THE HALF-BREED'S WOMAN", "GABRIEL'S LAW"(3rd place in the historical category, SARA MERRITT COMPETITION, 2010), "FIRE EYES" (an EPIC AWARD FINALIST in 2010), and a wonderful time travel western historical romance, "TIME PLAINS DRIFTER".
Another full-length western coming-of-age novel, "RIDE THE WILD RANGE", contains the full story in the earlier TEXAS LEGACY trilogy. This story is for all ages, from 10-110.
SINGLE AUTHOR ANTHOLOGIES:
A HERO FOR CHRISTMAS, which is a collection of four of Cheryl's historical western Christmas short stories ("A NIGHT FOR MIRACLES", "MEANT TO BE", "THE GUNFIGHTER'S GIRL", and "HOMECOMING") came out as a re-release in the summer of 2014 in her own single-author holiday anthology through PRAIRIE ROSE PUBLICATIONS.
Another holiday anthology, WINTER MAGIC, was released in 2015--a trilogy of short stories about three brothers and the women they marry who each have a "special gift". Stories within this collection are: "HEARTS AND DIAMONDS", "SPELLBOUND", and "LUCK OF THE DRAW".
A purely western single author anthology, DARK TRAIL RISING, was also published in 2015. This contains four stories that all have a bit of a twist ending. "THE KEEPERS OF CAMELOT" (Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award Finalist for Short Fiction), "THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS", "SHOT FOR A DOG", and "HIDDEN TRAILS".
She has also sold numerous short stories, as a contributor for the Adams Media and Victory Tales Press anthologies. Adams Media anthologies include "The Rocking Chair Reader: Family Gatherings", as well as the earlier "The Rocking Chair Reader: Memories from the Attic." Her short stories also appear in the 2006-09 editions of the Adams Media Christmas anthologies, as well as various other publications, including "Chicken Soup for the Empty Nester's Soul" and "Chicken Soup Messages From Heaven."
Her Victory Tales Press stories include "TO MAKE THE MAGIC LAST," (A Summer Collection, 2010), "ALWAYS AND FOREVER," (A Halloween Collection-Stimulating, 2010), "HOMECOMING," (A Christmas Collection-Sweet, 2010), "SCARLET RIBBONS," (A Christmas Collection-Sensual, 2010), "WHITE CHRISTMAS," (A Christmas Collection-Spicy, 2010), "A HEART FOR A HEART," (A Valentine Collection), "THE LAST OF HER KIND," (A Mystery/Suspense Collection), "JASON'S ANGEL," (A Historical Collection), "EVERY GIRL'S DREAM," (A Western Saga), "ONE MAGIC NIGHT," (2011 SUMMER COLLECTION), "MEANT TO BE," (A 2011 Christmas Collection), and "THE WISHING TREE," which appears in the A 2012 Christmas Collection, and also as a .99 stand-alone short story. "THE GUNFIGHTER'S GIRL" is a revised edition of "SCARLET RIBBONS" with a brand new title and cover, released in April, 2014, through PRP.
"HOMECOMING," "WHITE CHRISTMAS," "ALWAYS AND FOREVER," "A HEART FOR A HEART," "EVERY GIRL'S DREAM," "JASON'S ANGEL," and "ONE MAGIC NIGHT", "MEANT TO BE", and "A NIGHT FOR MIRACLES" are now available as "stand alone" .99 short stories, as are "THE WISHING TREE" and "THE GUNFIGHTER'S GIRL", a re-issue of "SCARLET RIBBONS" under a new title and cover, through PRAIRIE ROSE PUBLICATIONS.
Other available single sell short stories are: "HIDDEN TRAILS", "OUTLAW'S KISS", and "THESE ROUGH DREAMS"--all western historical romance, and "THE DARKER SIDE OF GOODNESS", a paranormal contemporary short story.
Her paranormal western short story, "THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS," appears in the WESTERN FICTIONEERS anthology, THE TRADITIONAL WEST, which was published in the summer of 2011. Another paranormal western story, "THE KEEPERS OF CAMELOT" appears in the WESTERN FICTIONEERS paranormal Christmas western anthology, SIX GUNS AND SLAY BELLS: A CREEPY COWBOY CHRISTMAS. "THE KEEPERS OF CAMELOT" was a finalist for the 2012 WESTERN FICTIONEERS' PEACEMAKER AWARD in the Short Fiction category. It also appears in the WESTERN FICTIONEERS LIBRARY edition of PEACEMAKER TALES, an anthology of short stories that were nominated for or won the Peacemaker awards in the past, AND it appears in THE PEACEMAKERS Vol 4, which is available in digital format and features all the nominees and the winner of the short story PEACEMAKER award for 2012.
The young adult western historical trilogy of novellas, "RED EAGLE'S WAR", "RED EAGLE'S REVENGE", and "TEXAS FOREVER" are available through Amazon from PAINTED PONY BOOKS (PPB), as is the entire re-edited collection under one cover, "RIDE THE WILD RANGE", through PPB.
Cheryl also penned two of the chapters in the WESTERN FICTIONEERS publication "WOLF CREEK Book 1: BLOODY TRAIL", the first in a series of novels written by members of the WESTERN FICTIONEERS under the pen name, FORD FARGO. "WOLF CREEK Book 5: SHOWDOWN AT DEMON'S DROP", released in June of 2013 featuring Cheryl's character, Derrick McCain and his sister, Kathleen. She contributed two chapters to this latest FORD FARGO venture, as well. In July 2013, the first anthology of Wolf Creek stories was released, entitled: "WOLF CREEK Book 6: HELL ON THE PRAIRIE". Her short story, IT TAKES A MAN, is included. "IT TAKES A MAN" was also a finalist for the Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Short Fiction award for 2013. In November, her Wolf Creek Christmas story, "A HOME FOR CHRISTMAS" appeared in one of the two Wolf Creek Christmas anthologies, "O DEADLY NIGHT". Look for more of her contributions to the Wolf Creek stories.
Her contemporary romantic suspense novel, "TEMPTATION'S TOUCH", released on October 24, 2012, through The Wild Rose Press.
Although Cheryl has written and sold articles to local newspapers as well as these short stories, her first love remains romance and western novel writing. With the release of "TIME PLAINS DRIFTER", her debut novel in the speculative romance genre of paranormal/time travel, she garnered the Honorable Mention Award in the "Best New Paranormal Author" category in the prestigious PEARL contest, presented 3/21/10.
TIME PLAINS DRIFTER also received a 4.5 review from Romantic Times Magazine. She's now at work on another novel, TIME PLAINS GUARDIAN, in the speculative romance genre of western historical paranormal/time travel.
Cheryl and her long time friend and fellow author Livia J. Washburn founded their own publishing house, PRAIRIE ROSE PUBLICATIONS, in August of 2013. Their first anthology, WISHING FOR A COWBOY, debuted for Christmas in 2013. Cheryl's Christmas story, "OUTLAW'S KISS", was featured along with seven other wonderful western historical romance holiday stories, complete with Christmas recipes that are used in the stories. "OUTLAW'S KISS" is also available as a single sell short story, as well.
PRAIRIE ROSE PUBLICATIONS (PRP) followed up with another stellar anthology for Valentine's Day, HEARTS AND SPURS, featuring stories by nine authors, including Cheryl's story, FOUND HEARTS. FOUND HEARTS is now also available as a single release for only .99!
More wonderful western romance stories from Cheryl appeared in the 2014 summer PRP anthologies COWBOY CRAVINGS ("HEARTS AND DIAMONDS") and LASSOING A MAIL ORDER BRIDE ("THESE ROUGH DREAMS"). "HEARTS AND DIAMONDS" is the first of a trilogy of stories that appears in her single author anthology, WINTER MAGIC. "THESE ROUGH DREAMS" is now available as a single sell short story, as well as appearing in the LASSOING A MAIL ORDER BRIDE anthology.
In the fall of 2014, Cheryl contributed a paranormal western story, SPELLBOUND, to the PRP Halloween anthology, COWBOYS, CREATURES and CALICO Vol. 2. Her contribution to the "spicy" Christmas anthology, WILD TEXAS CHRISTMAS, was a story called LUCK OF THE DRAW. These are the 2nd and 3rd stories of a trilogy begun with HEARTS AND DIAMONDS, and all three appear in the single author anthology WINTER MAGIC.
Cheryl's alternate history short story, "MRS. LINCOLN'S DINNER PARTY", appeared in ROUGH EDGES PRESS's recently published fantastic alternate history collection called TALES FROM THE OTHERVERSE.
She has also written a story for the TORNADO ALLEY PUBLICATIONS middle grade reader collection, MY DOG CAN DO MAGIC. Her story is entitled, "A HERO IN THE HOUSE". Also under the TORNADO ALLEY PUBLICATIONS banner, in the THIS SUMMER STORM anthology for YA readers, Cheryl has two stories: "TO MAKE THE MAGIC LAST", and "THE LAST OF HER KIND".
Also during 2015, PRP and IMPRINTS published many types of short story collections that included stories by Cheryl. The wonderful MEMORIES FROM MAPLE STREET, U.S.A. series includes stories only from American authors that are nostalgic, true remembrances of days gone by. The first in the series, MEMORIES FROM MAPLE STREET, U.S.A.--LEAVING CHILDHOOD BEHIND, contains Cheryl's story, "NEW BEGINNINGS". The second book in the series, MFMS, U.S.A--THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!, contains Cheryl's story, "MELE KALIKIMAKA--A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS". These were published through the SUNDOWN PRESS imprint.
Through FIRE STAR PRESS, an enchanting collection of cat stories came out, called NINE DEADLY LIVES:AN ANTHOLOGY OF FELINE FICTION. Cheryl's story, "MR. FRED'S TREASURE BOX" is the tale of a cat who helps solve the murder of his beloved owner, Lovey Villines.
In the PRP Christmas anthology, A MAIL-ORDER CHRISTMAS BRIDE, Cheryl pens a story of a young woman going west to escape a fate she cannot accept in "A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE".
PRAIRIE ROSE PUBLICATIONS has also included two of Cheryl's books in their boxed set promotions: "TIME PLAINS DRIFTER" is a part of the 5-book set, A COWBOY'S HEART, selling for only .99 at this time! And "THE HALF-BREED'S WOMAN" is a part of the 4-book set, A COWBOY'S TOUCH, also selling for only .99 currently.
Through PAINTED PONY BOOKS, her TEXAS LEGACY trilogy, "RED EAGLE'S WAR", "RED EAGLE'S REVENGE", and "TEXAS FOREVER" are included in the 5-book collection THE COWBOY WAY for older middle grade readers and YA readers. This set also is selling for .99 for all five books.
2016 promises to be a full year of fun and rewards with the publishing company imprints that Cheryl and Livia have developed! PRAIRIE ROSE PUBLICATIONS publishes only fiction by women--historical period romance with a main focuses on western romance and medieval romance; FIRE STAR PRESS publishes contemporary, fantasy and sci-fi stories submitted by both men and women; TORNADO ALLEY PUBLICATIONS is an imprint for contemporary, fantasy and sci-fi stories for middle grade readers (9-12), young adult (13-17) and new adult (18-24); PAINTED PONY BOOKS is their imprint for historical with a focus on western period fiction for middle grade readers, young adult, and new adult; PRAYERS AND PROMISES PUBLICATIONS is their imprint for inspirational fiction for adults, and SUNDOWN PRESS is their imprint for non-fiction works and westerns.
Cheryl lives with her husband in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where she has been for the past 31 years. She has two grown children, ages 26 and 29.
You can e-mail her at fabkat_edit@yahoo.com
You can visit the website for her new publishing enterprise, PRAIRIE ROSE PUBLICATIONS, here: http://www.prairierosepublications.com/
