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Guest blog & giveaway with Cynthia D’Alba

May I Have This Dance?

Hi All! Cynthia D’Alba here. Thanks to Books-N-Kisses to having me here today to celebrate the release of my newest book, TEXAS TANGO. It’s the second book in the Texas Montgomery Mavericks Series. (It follows Texas Two Step released last year.)

I wrote a scene that takes place at a country club dance. Growing up, a “country club dance” was the height of social activities. It meant a fancy dress (preferably new!) and a date wearing a suit (instead of jeans (of questionable cleanliness) and a polo (instead of a T-shirt if you were a special date!) Writing the scene stirred up quite a few nice memories, like the time mom made me a full hoop skirt dress and if I didn’t sit down just right, the front of my dress would flip over my head! I think I might have been channeling Scarlet O’Hara at the time.

In TEXAS TANGO, the dance is being held at Whispering Springs Country Club as a fundraiser for the local high school football team. In the south (since I’m Southern, born and raised, I have no idea what it’s like in the rest of the country!), the combination of a country club dance with high school football is much like peanut butter and chocolate. They go together so well. Let me give you a taste of the scene…

Travis took Caroline’s hand, interrupting her conversation with KC’s brothers. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to get my date on the dance floor before she finds someone else to dance with.”

“Nice to meet all of you,” Caroline said with a wave. “Get me on the dance floor?” she whispered.

“If we don’t move on, we’ll be there talking to them for hours. I know my uncle. He’ll talk ranching until my ears fall off my head.”

“Got it. So are we really headed to dance?”

“Sure.” He swung her around and caught her with a hand at her waist.

She put both hands on his strong shoulders. No padding needed in his jacket. All man and all muscle. And for tonight—and the next four months—he was all hers. A dangerous trill raced through her. She slipped her hands up and around his neck. As though of a mind of their own, her fingers stroked the back of his neck. Up and down and then around in a circle.

He hissed out a long breath. He tightened his hands at her waist. Jerking her snug against him, he whispered, “You are the sexiest woman in this entire room. And if you don’t stay close, everybody else will know exactly the effect you are having on me.”

The hard evidence of his arousal pressed firmly into her stomach. His chest vibrated against hers as he hummed along with the song. She found herself perversely pleased by how comfortable she felt in his arms.

But on the other hand, maybe she needed to get a hold on her feelings. They had no future beyond this fall. She had to keep telling herself that.

As the song came to its closing note, Travis hugged her before ending the dance with a deep dip. She laughed with delight. Travis grinned and then brushed her mouth with a quick kiss.

Curious about TEXAS TANGO? Here’s a little more:

Texas Montgomery Mavericks

Book 2

TexasTango72web

Dr. Caroline Graham is happy with her nomadic lifestyle fulfilling short-term medical contracts. No emotional commitments, no disappointments. She’s always the one to walk away, never the one left behind. But now her great-uncle is gone and her grandmother is on her deathbed, more concerned about Caroline’s lack of a husband than her own demise. What’s the harm in a little white lie? If a wedding will give her grandmother peace, then a wedding she shall have.

Travis Montgomery has one dream left—to build the ranch he and his wife planned before he lost her to cancer. There’s just one thing standing between him and the last bit of acreage he needs—a last living heir who has one traveling foot out the door…and an unusual request that challenges his determination to never again place his heart at risk. The land he wants in exchange for a faux marriage. Everyone wins. Until things start to snowball…and the hearts they stand to lose are their own.

Want more? Click HERE to read the opening to Texas Tango.

TEXAS TANGO is available at your favorite online bookstore or use one of the links below:

Amazon | Samhain  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo

 

D'Alba RT BooksigningIs this your first time to come across me? Here’s a little more about Cynthia D’Alba: I was born and raised in a small Arkansas town. After being gone for a number of years, I’m thrilled to be making my home back in Arkansas living in a vine-covered cottage on the banks of an eight-thousand acre lake. I started writing on a challenge from my husband in 2006 and discovered having imaginary sex with lots of hunky men was fun.

My first book, Texas Two Step, released in 2012 to outstanding reviews, was a Samhain Publishing best seller. The second book in the Texas Montgomery Mavericks series, Texas Tango, released November 5, 2013, again from Samhain Publishing. In February, 2014, Texas Fandango, a Novella in the Texas Montgomery Series will be released by Samhain Publishing. I am currently at work on book 3 of the Texas Montgomery Mavericks series (Texas Twist).

I love love love to hear from readers and there are lots of ways to find me. Online, you can find me most days at my website or my group blog.

Follow me at Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Goodreads or Pinterest.

or email me at cynthia@cynthiadalba.com

To send me snail mail, write to: Cynthia D’Alba   PO Box 2116   Hot Springs, AR 71914

So now for the fun stuff! J

 

I want to know about the dances you went to as a teen. Are country club dances in your history? What about high school football…was it a big deal where you grew up? What’s your favorite dance or high school football memory?

In the spirit of Christmas sneaking up on us, I’ll pick among the comments for someone to take home a western-themed ornament. Here’s just a sample…

Christmas Ornaments

Plus, I doing a jewelry-themed For my TEXAS TANGO Jewelry-Themed Rafflecopter Giveaway. Be sure and look for the Rafflecopter widget at the end of the post. Also check out my personal blog for other places you can enter! Here’s the loot you can win…

Prizess

AND I have freebies for the asking! But when it’s gone, it’s gone. Pens, jar openers, postcards, bookmarks, trading cards…just go by my contact page and send me a note.

Tour Freebies

Thanks for coming by! Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win one of the Christmas ornaments!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

15 Responses to Guest blog & giveaway with Cynthia D’Alba

  1. Denise November 5, 2013 at 9:22 am #

    can’t wait to read this one!

    • Cynthia D'Alba November 5, 2013 at 10:03 am #

      Thank you, Denise. I hope you’ll drop me a line if you do. 🙂

  2. Diane November 5, 2013 at 4:00 pm #

    I didn’t go to many dances as a teen but I did my hubby in a country western bar almost 35 years ago now!

    • Cynthia D'Alba November 5, 2013 at 6:11 pm #

      35 year ago I was more into pop than country music. But back when I was about 15, I went to my first “fancy” dance…long dress, OVER THE ELBOW GLOVES!!!, updo hair. I thought I was so hip. HAHAHA

      thanks for coming by and leaving a message

  3. Marcy Shuler November 5, 2013 at 5:05 pm #

    I can’t dance, but I do have good memories of attending homecoming football games in HS even though I had/have no football knowledge. LOL

    bmndshuler(at)hotmail(dot)com.

    • Cynthia D'Alba November 5, 2013 at 6:13 pm #

      High school homecoming dances…yeah. I grew up in Arkansas. Those were a BIG DEAL in my teen years also. One year my mom made me a full hoop dress…think Scarlet O’Hara. Let me say, those are HARD to sit down in. Have to be very careful or the next thing you know, your skirt is flipped over your head!

      Thanks for coming by

  4. Glittergirl November 5, 2013 at 5:23 pm #

    In our youth my husband and I used to square dance. We has a BLAST! We learned the plus moves, I made our outfits, danced with all the twirls and flourishes, we went to dances all over the area. We even took our own square with us and sometime got mischievous and tried to mess up the caller. Alas our joints are too old to dance like we used to but now that we are empty nesters maybe we need to brush off our dancing shoes 😉

    p.s. I just won Texas Tango on Samhain’s Facebook Cover Wars so I’m looking forward to reading this book!

    • Cynthia D'Alba November 6, 2013 at 7:17 am #

      Congrats on winning Texas Tango.

      I learned to square dance in grade school and I loved it! Like you, my husband and I have joints that might be best suited to square dancing!

      Thanks for coming by

  5. Jeanne November 5, 2013 at 6:08 pm #

    I wasn’t much of a dancer growing up but I sure did have fun going to the football games. It was and still is a major thing here in the south. I live in Alabama so football is tops. Especially Alabama Football. ROLL TIDE!!!

    • Cynthia D'Alba November 5, 2013 at 6:15 pm #

      Alabama is having quite the football year. I am an Un. of Arkansas Razorback fan but sadly, we haven’t had anything to cheer about this year! Hubby and I drove our RV to an AL-AR game a few years ago. We stayed on the U of AL campus. Fun game. (we won!)

      Thanks for coming by!

  6. bn100 November 5, 2013 at 7:45 pm #

    didn’t have that many dances

    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

  7. Shadow November 5, 2013 at 9:07 pm #

    I did attend football games and attend a few school dances. They werent really my thing. I have to left feet and no concept of football. Left to my own devices, it wasnt pretty. lol Thanks for sharing! Your book looks awesome! Congrats and have fun on your tour!

    • Shadow November 5, 2013 at 9:08 pm #

      Forgot email, sorry! shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

  8. Kelly November 6, 2013 at 9:23 am #

    Winner of Cynthia’s Christmas ornament is Shadow.

  9. Mary Preston November 6, 2013 at 9:53 pm #

    I went to some High School dances. Loads of fun. Some community dances too – with my parents. Less fun.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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