I’m actually looking forward to getting to know more about Cherie through this interview. You see, Cherie often “sprints” with me. We meet up in a Facebook group to check in before we shut down all social media. Then we write like mad for a set amount of time – usually 45 minutes. At the end of the 45 minutes, we’ll check in with the other to see how much they’ve done.
So therefore, I’m assuming that some of those sprints produced Cherie’s new story, Sam & Patric. It is the 6th book in the Storming Love: Floods Series.
Sam & Patric (Storming Love: Flood Series #6)
Patric Carselowey stole Samuel Touchet-Smith's heart six years ago in an incendiary act of passion. Then he disappeared, joining the Army without a word. When he returned, treating Sam like stranger, he broke Sam's heart. Now Sam's meddling Maman and sister have booked him a hiking tour with Patric as the guide. Caught in the unexpected storm, will Sam's wounded heart be healed during their race to safety or crushed once and for all by lingering misunderstandings and lost memories?
The Storming Love: Flood Series has been published by MLR Press and has featured stories from NJ Nielsen, Jenn Dease, Jambrea Jo Jones, AC Katt and Pelaam.
So welcome Cherie!
Cherie: Hey, Renae! Thanks so much for having me on your blog. J
Renae: Tell me about this flood? Do the books all revolve around the same flood? So all the stories are happening at the same time?
Cherie: The entire anthology…well, actually, the whole series of anthologies were dreamed up by Kris Jacen. They all revolve around a central crisis…Blizzards, Floods, Earthquakes…I happen to have jumped at the chance to write in the Flood Anthology. In the case of this anthology, Storming Love: Flood, yes, the entire series of stories is set around the same flood, and indeed around the same small Texas town we dreamed up as a group. The flood and its aftermath take place over *roughly* a week, so the stories are all fairly concurrent.
Cherie: I saw the call when Kris Jacen put it out, and it intrigued me because I really liked the idea of writing about two people being trapped together in dangerous circumstances. As a former active duty soldier in the Army I definitely relate to the concept of how stepping out of ordinary life can sometimes clarify so much on an emotional level. Then I saw that my friend Jambrea Jo Jones was going to take part in the project. I’d already done an anthology with Jambie before, and knew that she’s loads of fun to write with. The concept was the initial impetus for me, and the final hook was a chance to write with Jambrea again.
Renae: Okay, I’m going to reveal my ignorance (and allow everyone to laugh at me) but I had to google the word “incendiary” from your blurb, just to make sure the word meant what I thought it did. The first thing google pops up with mentions fires, attacks and bombs. I’m assuming that Sam and Patric’s relationship wasn’t blown up in a bomb attack, so it must mean that they had a steaming hot affair?
Cherie: Incendiary…well, in Basic Training, there was this one night… *bear with me here, it will all make sense in a moment* …anyway, we did some tactical training at night. The thing that sticks with me most from that is this: crawling through the woods in camo, flak jacket on, face painted up, and M-16 at the ready…and someone would shoot up an incendiary device. We’d all drop to the ground with our firing eye *the one you sight with when shooting* closed. Why? Because otherwise the incendiary would render us temporarily blind as it literally turned the blackest night to lightning strike brilliance. Sam and Patric’s first time together was like that…and instant passion flaring so hot it burned away everything they knew and left them both reeling.
Renae: Then Patric disappeared on Sam and broke his heart? The bastard! I dunno, Cherie – am I going to be able to forgive Patric for doing that?
Cherie: Yes, yes you are. There’s a lot that happened…some of it the knee jerk reactions of a young man barely out of boyhood and some the not so kind machinations of a third party. In the end I think you’ll be rooting for Patric as much as for Sam.
Renae: So going by the blurb, I’m assuming the two men go hiking together? Do they get a little “outdoor action” before the storm starts? Or is it wishful thinking on my behalf?
Cherie: They actually get zero outdoor loving… Jeepers, these were the shyest, most circumspect two characters I have ever written. Not to say they don’t eventually get some hot loving going on...they just make it to a line cabin first.
Renae: I interviewed NJ Nielsen about her Flood book last month, and she said she wrote from experience. Can you tell us if you’ve ever experienced anything like this before?
Cherie: I’ve never been in this severe a flood myself, but I do have a great family flood story that I shared during our Book Blast. It’s about the time the ghost of my Great-Aunt Pearl saved my dad and a busload of passengers from driving off a damaged bridge into a flooded river. No fooling.
Cherie: I’d call this one a HFN…I think the boys need to grow into their relationship a bit more for it to be a true HEA, but they are definitely well on their way. *also, I only deal in HFN and HEA stories…the real world has enough of the other variety*
Renae: Good. So what project are you working on now?
Cherie: I have a couple of Rescue Twink stories in the hopper, along with a couple of shifter stories, a sci-fi, and a post-apocalyptic fairytale.
Renae: You have a huge amount of stories published – do you have a favourite?
Cherie: O.O Huge? *sheesh, if she could only see my wip list…* Do I have a favorite story that I’ve written…I—no. I really don’t. I love all my boys so much. They are my beloved Cabana Boys.
Renae: And you’ve lived in a huge variety of places. Do you have a favourite? When are you adding Australia to that list?
Cherie: I have lived a lot of places, and like my stories, I really love them all…and Australia…I must visit, but…well…I am TERRIFIED of spiders. So I may never live there.
Renae: Now – a hard question. For you, what is the HARDEST part about writing?
Cherie: Renae, that is a hard question. Um….I guess it varies? Right now it’s being able to focus long enough to write. I suffered a head injury last summer, and it’s been an uphill battle to write since then. A worthwhile struggle though.
Renae: Where can people contact you?
Cherie: I have a contact form on my website. www.cherienoel.com
You can purchase this book from here:
MLR
All Romance ebooks
Amazon
Renae: Thanks for joining me today. I’ve had a lot of fun. And I’ll see you at the next sprint!
Cherie: Renae, thank you. It’s been a pleasure!