Friday, May 24, 2013

Nice Shootin' Tex!


 
 

Hi folks!  I thought that I would give you all a look at the write up and an excerpt of Nice Shootin’ Tex!, my latest, which is a contemporary western/women’s fiction/romance novel about a sweet girl just trying to find her way in the world:

 

Here is the write-up:

Lauren McCoy, is a beautiful, smart, artistic, sweet, hardworking, sharp-shooting cowgirl of a woman who is feeling the urge to leave her daddy's farm and strike out on her own to make a life for herself, and hopefully find love too.

The catalyst for change is a cable TV show shooting contest that her brother enters her into. Defying her father and going further away from home than she ever has before, she goes on to show the world (and a very sexy TV show host) just how good a shot she is.

However, there is more to winning at shooting and winning at love than meets the eye. Lauren learns that even though she can't win at everything, she is still triumphant because she has a home full of love to come home to, and a happy future she could not predict.


 

 

And here is the excerpt:

Vibrant red canopies covered the grounds behind the mansion.  Under one canopy was a Barbeque pit being tended to by uniformed employees.  Another tent contained tables with electronic equipment with small monitors, and a few people watching those.  The third tent, a very large one held a massive screen.  Stepping closer to that tent, I found that the images on the screen were bits and pieces of Season One of American Sharpshooter.  I was impressed by the skills demonstrated by the competitors on the show.  Some of the shots I knew I could have made; others I was certain that I could not make. 
"I'm going to go mingle," said Suzy after a minute.
"I think that I'll stay here to watch the footage for a while longer," I said with a smile.
"It's good preparation; I watched the entire show myself already."
With that, she left my side.  I watched her as she easily mingled with a few of the guys outside of the food and beverage tent.  I knew that I should do the same, but I was too transfixed with the footage from the last season of the show. 
"I hated the way my hair looked last season," I heard a voice say from next to me.
Trevor was standing right next to me; he wasn't looking at me at all but was watching the video on the large screen.  My heart began to pound in my chest at the realization of his presence.  How long had he been standing there?  Not knowing what else to do, I looked back at the screen.  His hair had been longer, but it didn't look bad.  Nervously, I turned to look at him and noticed that it was shorter - and that it looked better too.
"It looked good then, Trevor.  It looks good now," I said with a blush.
Just then, he turned his beautiful green eyes from the screen to my own.  My breathing quickened and my pulse raced as I felt his eyes drink me in.  I watched as his eyes looked me over and I felt my mouth dry. 
"You look lovely tonight, Lauren," he said in a quiet, husky tone.
I took a breath and held it as I looked at him up close.  His skin was lightly tanned - he probably worked in the sun a lot.  He had a long straight nose that looked so refined on him.  His dark brown hair and his dark eyelashes made his green eyes pop even more.  He wore a red canvas shirt like the kind Tim wore.  He also wore blue jeans and boots.  He wasn't that tall though - maybe only five foot ten to my five feet of height but with all of his features, he looked like he belonged on a commercial or a magazine or something - he looked that handsome.  Which was probably why he was on television, after all.  Finally, I released the breath I'd forgotten I'd been holding.  He half smiled at me before speaking again in a low tone.
"It was nice...standing with you here, Lauren.  But I've got to get back to work now."
My heart picked up its pace with those words.  Did that mean that Trevor...the person and not the TV host might be interested in me?  God, I hoped so.  I then remembered my words earlier and my face flushed.
"I'm sorry about what I said earlier - when I called you a Prison Warden.  I'm sure that you have a job to do and I'm sorry if I offended you."
He leaned his head back then and laughed out loud.  His green eyes were mischievous as he looked at me again.
"Don't you apologize for that.  It was pretty funny, actually."
I smiled in relief at that. 
"Good."
His expression went a bit serious then.  I watched his eyes go from me to something just behind me.  He then looked down at me and smiled again, but the expression looked forced. 
"I am the face of this show.  Sometimes that's fortunate but other times it is unfortunate.  Just like it is now." 
I watched as he took a step away from me and addressed someone I had not yet seen.  Looking around, I saw that the rest of the contestants were watching us with varying degrees of interest.  Had I done something wrong? 
"One of those unfortunate things is the footage I am about to show you all here on the big screen.  It is the audition footage that each of you sent in.  From this point on, you'll be able to gauge your competitors - see their strengths and weaknesses."
Trevor took a couple more steps away from me and spoke in a louder voice.
"You might have made friends in the past four hours or so - or might have at least made friendly with your competitors.  That might be about to change."
***
Nice Shootin’ Tex! Is available at:
Amazon:
Barnes and Noble:
Smashwords:
 

About That Review...


Reviews.  Writers need reviews.  It lets prospective readers (and buyers) know that the book is purchasable.  It gives them the confidence to take a chance on a new writer.

Up until yesterday afternoon, I was annoyed over the lack of reviews I was getting.  But then, something happened (sounds like a typical pivot point in my novels).  I went to a hair salon near my home and read a sign that stuck with me (probably owed to the Business Ethics class I took back when I was in college).  It read:  “A free bottle of XXX shampoo will be given to each customer once their Yelp review has been posted.”  That bothered me, but I decided to explore it later. 

My haircut was just okay, and very expensive, which bothered me, of course.  I then wondered why I thought I would have a satisfactory experience at that salon.  Then I remembered!  The salon was reviewed SO WELL on Yelp.  It had tons of 5 star reviews, which was why I chose it.  Most of those good reviews were probably owed to free shampoo.  Not cool.

So what did I do?  I sent an email to the wonderful folks at Yelp.  After all, I’ve done business with great vendors, which I owe to Yelp.  The classy folks at Yelp are now investigating said salon for “the violation in policies” exercised by the folks at that beauty salon. 

The truth is that I feel a bit like a tattle-tale; I mostly feel like I am doing a favor to customers who might visit that salon based on inflated Yelp reviews. 

But what does all of that have to do with book reviews?  I’ll tell you.  I will no longer solicit them (book reviews).  I will no longer guilt my readers into leaving them.  If you buy my books, thank you.  That is all I have to say on that. 

 

 

Cyndia Rios-Myers