Monday, August 23, 2010

Author Carolyn Brown guesting along with a giveaway!!

 Hello! It’s great to be visiting here at your blog site this morning. And a big, big thank you for the awesome reviews you have given me! I Love This Bar started the Honky Tonk series in June. Hell, Yeah, the second book in the Honky Tonk Series came out a couple of weeks ago. The third book, My Give A Damn’s Busted, will be on the shelves the first week in October and the fourth, Honky Tonk Christmas, will be available the first week in November. So there’s lots of country music, boot scootin’ boogies, belt buckles, cowboy hats and cowboy boots in store for the readers. Grab a cold beer and put a couple of quarters in the juke box.

Since I’ve been asked to discuss my five favorite songs and how they relate to love I’ll pick out the songs and tell you why such strange songs relate to love in Hell, Yeah!  I will even give you proof of why they are love songs.

Number one has to be “Redneck Woman” by Gretchen Wilson. And you are all raising your eyebrows because that song is anything but a love song?

Well, in Hell, Yeah it is very much a love song. Gretchen has just belted it out from the juke box in the Honky Tonk and here comes Travis in the door, ready to kiss someone for good luck at the stroke of midnight. How about an excerpt for proof?

“Ten, hell yeah!”
The women yelled with Gretchen Wilson as she sang “Redneck Woman” and asked the redneck girls to give her a big hell yeah as the New Year’s countdown began … Cathy O’Dell was halfway across the dance floor headed for the bar when she stopped to look at everyone who’d be kissing someone in four more seconds. She remembered the previous year when she had someone to kiss. Even if he did turn out to be a first-rate son-of-a-bitch, she missed the excitement of bringing in a brand new year with a kiss.
“Four, hell yeah!”
She looked up to see a cowboy coming right at her. She blinked several times. It wasn’t possible. Her imagination was playing tricks like it had for twelve years.
“Three, hell yeah!”
Watching him cross the floor in those long strides made goose bumps the size of mountains rise up on her arms.
“Two, hell yeah!”
Was he deranged or just drunk? If he didn’t stop soon he would plow right into her.
“One! Hell yeah!” The noise shook the rafters.
He stopped with the toes of his scuffed up boots barely an inch from her feet and wrapped his strong arms around her, tilted her chin with the flat part of his fist, and kissed her hard and passionately.
“Hell yeah!” the whole crowd roared when their kisses ended.

That kiss set Cathy and Travis both on an emotional roller coaster that turned their lives inside out and upside down. Every time either of them heard the song they remembered the steamy hot kiss that had glued them to the floor that night so it was definitely a love song.

Number two: “Why’d You Come in Here Looking Like That,” by Dolly Parton. I see eyes rolling again. Take a sip of beer and let me explain. Cathy was havin’ trouble keeping her eyes off Travis with his tight fittin’ jeans and pretty eyes and she was wondering why the devil had sent him to shake her roots.

Travis had a hip propped on the side of the other pool table. Merle said something to him and he smiled. Heat vibrations started in the depth of Cathy’s heart and warmed her from the inside out. Between customers she stole glances that way and looked her fill of him. He was at least six feet three inches because he was slightly taller than she was. He had dishwater blond hair with that just-crawled-out-of-bed look. Light brown thick lashes and brows. Nice wide chest that narrowed to a tight, firm rear end. The whole picture set her hormones to singing one of Dolly’s old country tunes, “Why’d You Come in Looking Like That?”

Number three: Are you ready for this? “That Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” by Trace Atkins. No eyes going up to the ceiling? Good! Either you’re getting used to my crazy love songs or else the beer is loosening you up. You see there was this night when Travis was sleeping at her place … on the sofa … and that song kept going through his mind. I believe the man knew even then that he was falling in love with her but he was still fighting against it.

Travis hummed “That Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” and thought about how often he’d stared at Cathy’s cute little fanny every time her back was turned. The words to the song asked just how she did get them britches on? Travis didn’t care how she got them on; he wanted to take them off. He pulled the covers up and shut his eyes and dreamed of her again that night.

Number four: “Behind Closed Doors,” by Charlie Rich. Ah, I see a few heads nodding. I chose that one because it was playing the first time Cathy and Travis danced together after the Tonk closed down one night.

He tipped her chin up and brought her lips to his for a lingering kiss. “Behind Closed Doors” played as the kisses went on and on.
“But I really am too tired to say ‘I want to,’ like Charlie Rich is singing,” Cathy whispered.
He kissed her eyelids and her forehead before going back to her lips. “For tonight this is enough.”

And number five! Drum roll please because I know all of you are going to agree with me. “I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You,” by Elvis. Do I hear a big hell, yeah from the crowd? I thought so. Trouble is I’m not going to give you an excerpt from that song. Suffice it to say that you must read the book and find where that fits into Travis and Cathy’s story. But it is a love song and it plays while a major scene is going on in the Honky Tonk.

And now it’s your turn. What’s your favorite love song and why?

All Excerpts © Carolyn Brown, Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2010


HELL, YEAH BY CAROLYN BROWN – IN STORES AUGUST 2010

She’s finally found a place that feels like home…
When Cathy O’Dell buys the Honky Tonk, the nights of cowboys and country tunes come together to create the home she’s always wanted. Then in walks a ruggedly handsome oil man who tempts her to trade in the happiness she’s found at the Honky Tonk for a life on the road with him…

He lives the good life…
Gorgeous and rich, Travis Henry travels the country unearthing oil wells and then moving on. Then the beautiful blue-eyed new owner of the Honky Tonk beer joint becomes his best friend and so much more. When his job is done in Texas, how is he ever going to hit the road without her?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carolyn Brown, an award-winning author who has published 36 romance novels for the library market, credits her eclectic family for her humor and writing ideas. She was born in Texas but grew up in southern Oklahoma where she and her husband, Charles, a retired English teacher, now make their home in the town of Davis, Oklahoma. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. http://carolynlbrown.com/

GIVEAWAY!!
Sourcebooks is sponsoring a giveaway for two readers to win Hell, Yeah!
USA and Canada Only

***You must answer Carolyn's question above  What’s your favorite love song and why?***
***You must be a follower/subscriber of this blog to enter ***

Winners announced on September 6th.

GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.

26 comments:

  1. Good morning!
    I've got coffee in hand and am ready for comments and to hear what your favorite love song is.
    Pour a cup and let's visit.
    Carolyn Brown

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  2. Hi Carolyn,

    LOVE this blog and the songs and excerpts you chose. I'm having a blast reading this series. Thanks for putting a smile on my face this Monday morning. Cheers~

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  3. Great post, Carolyn! My favorite love songs are heartbreak songs - Patsy Cline's "Crazy" and "I Fall to Pieces." But your songs always make me think of Brad Paisley's "We Danced" - which I love. Like I love your books! Hell, Yeah!!!

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  4. Already publicly following Minding Spot with Google Friend Connect [Cheryl F. {The Lucky Ladybug}] -- My favorite love song is For The First Time by Kenny Loggins because I'm a huge fan and melt every time I hear it :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!
    theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

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  5. Thanks for the comments! Love all those songs, too ...

    Carolyn B.

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  6. Hi Carolyn! Thanks so much for being here! I love country music and I have alot of favorites! My favorite favorite is He Stopped Loving Her today by George Jones, but I also love Amazed by Lonestar and Seven Spanish Angels by Willie Nelson and so many many more!

    I almost swooned when I saw your Trace Adkins pick!!

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  7. Carolyn, Great song choices. You have great taste. I would have to pick I Will Always Love you by Dolly Parton. I like the Whitney Houston version too.
    I would love to read your book.
    I am a follower.

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  8. annie's song by john denver...
    i'm a follower :)

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

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  9. I'm back. Had to go write some on the second book for the Spikes & Spurs series coming out next year! More cowboys and fiesty ladies!
    I love the songs y'all are coming up with. Amazed by Lonestar played a part in I LOVE THIS BAR!
    Carolyn Brown

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  10. I know there are a lot of wonderful love songs out there, but I can't think of any better than I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You, by Elvis Presley. You picked a great one there and I can't do any better.

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  11. Wow, Amazed is really popular! it is a beautiful, soulful song. It's hard to pick a favorite but I do love Martina McBride's, My Valentine...just lovely lyrics.

    I am a follower.

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  12. I'm a follower. My favorite love song is Me & You by Kenny Chesney. Notice the trend in country love song faves on this thread

    msboatgal at aol.com

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  13. I love the song Slow Hand by the Pointer Sisters.
    I think it reflects a deepening love when moving slowly.

    clenna at aol dot com

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  14. My favorite love song is Amazed by Lonestar. It was the first song we danced to it at the wedding reception. There are so many different country love songs I love. Brad Paisley has a bunch of love songs I love like we danced and some of his newer songs. Also, Rascal Flatts Here Comes Goodbye. What hurts the most. I love country music. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

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  15. I can't think of any titles right now, so I'll just say anything by Willie Nelson!! He's always great.
    I'd love to win this one, it looks like a great one.

    I follow on gfc

    mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

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  16. My favorite love song is "Two Sparrows in a Hurricane" by Tanya Tucker because it reminds me that with love you can make it through anything
    tanyainjville@yahoo.com

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  17. Elton John's Your Song! I never get tired of listening to it!

    Google follower!

    delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  18. I Still Love You by Alexz Johnson because I love her voice and it's a gorgeous song :)

    Laina1312@gmail.com

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  19. Sugar Shack by Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs was my husband and my song when we married in Feb 25, 1965. We were married 36 wonderful years before he died Feb 22, 2001. My son found a copy of the record as a Christmas present and put our wedding picture beside it in a frame. What a special present that was.
    Here are the words to the song:
    There’s a crazy little shack beyond the tracks
    And everybody calls it the sugar shack
    Well, it’s just a coffeehouse and it’s made out of wood
    Express coffee tastes mighty good
    That’s not the reason why I’ve got to get back
    To that sugar shack, whoa baby
    To that sugar shack.

    There’s this cute little girlie, she’s a’workin’ there
    A black leotard and her feet are bare
    I’m gonna drink a lotta coffee, spend a little cash
    Make that girl love me when I put on some trash
    You can understand why I’ve got to get back
    To that sugar shack, whoa baby
    To that sugar shack, yeah honey
    To that sugar shack, whoa yes
    To that sugar shack.

    Now that sugar shack queen is a’married to me, yeah yeah
    We just sit around and dream of those old memories
    Ah, but one of these days I’m gonna lay down tracks
    In the direction of that sugar shack
    Just me and her yes we’re gonna go back
    To that sugar shack,
    Whoa uh o
    To that sugar shack, yeah honey
    To our sugar shack

    [Fade]

    Yeh, yeh, yeh, our sugar shack

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  20. I Cross My Heart by George Strait because that was sun at our wedding. I am a follower.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

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  21. My favorite love song is God Bless The Broken Road by Rascal Flatts. I like anything by them. Also like anything by Josh Groban.

    seriousreader at live dot com

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  22. Hi Carolyn. Your book sounds great. My favorite love song is It's Your Love.

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  23. That's a tough question. There are so many great love songs. I will pick Livin on a Prayer.
    I'm a GFC follower.
    marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  24. madwoman-doing-cartwheelsSeptember 2, 2010 at 6:46 AM

    My favorite love song is Wild Horses by the Rolling Stones. I love it because it reminds me of steadfast love between 2 people.

    I follow and subscribe both

    rubymoonstone at gmail dot com

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  25. Oh this is a hard one to answer. I love Etta James "At Last". It is one of those songs that from the moment it start you kind of start to melt.


    giveawaymommy at yahoo.com

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The old grey donkey, Eeyore stood by himself in a thistly corner of the Forest, his front feet well apart, his head on one side, and thought about things. Sometimes he thought sadly to himself, "Why?" and sometimes he thought, "Wherefore?" and sometimes he thought, "Inasmuch as which?" and sometimes he didn't quite know what he was thinking about.

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