Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Dylann Crush to HJ!
Hi Dylann and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, All-American Cowboy!
Please share your favorite scene from All-American Cowboy:
In the quirky town of Holiday, Texas, anything can, and often does, happen!
I had so much fun writing All-American Cowboy. Getting to know these characters and letting their stories unfurl on the computer screen was a blast. There are several scenes that made me smile, but the one I want to share below is one of my favorites.
It takes place immediately after Charlie and Beck get, um, nekkid for the first time. She’d put a ribeye in the oven then got distracted by a little romance and forgot about it, causing the smoke alarm to go off. Her big brother, Cash, who’s the hero in Cowboy Christmas Jubilee, barges in, catching them in the after-act…
What in the world did she have on? Beck sized up Cash, trying to determine how to best defuse the situation when Charlie stepped out of the kitchen with a star-spangled tablecloth clutched around her slender frame, a bag of frozen peas in her hand. Her knees sported matching raw spots from rug burn, and two stars on the tablecloth lined up perfectly on top of her breasts.
“It’s not what you think.” She directed the words to her brother.
“Oh no?” Cash cocked his head. “Looks like exactly what I think. Unless you want to try to convince me your boyfriend always wears his underwear ass-backward and you like to hang out naked in Nana’s handmade cross-stitched tablecloth while you pass the time?”
“What are you doing here anyway?” she asked. Beck liked the way she went on the offense, not seeming to care about her unusual patriotic display.
“I was at the house to pick up Kenzie. Dad saw the notification your smoke alarm was going off and asked me to come check it out. Things must have been pretty darn hot between the two of you to start a fire.” He cracked a grin, a nice break from his usually somber expression.
“I knew there’d be drawbacks to having everything wired to the big house.”
“It’s smart, Char. Say your place catches fire sometime while you’re”—he cast a glance at Beck— “out entertaining visiting royalty or something.”
She snorted. “Visiting royalty? Come on, even you can do better than that.”
“I can, and I will. Right after you go get some clothes on. You tryin’ to scar me for life or something? As it is, I won’t be able to unsee this.” He waved his arms around, gesturing between Beck’s shirtless chest and Charlie’s all-American attire.
She stomped across the living room, grabbing her clothes along the way, then slammed the bedroom door behind her.
Beck and Cash didn’t move, just stood in the awkward silence for a few beats. Then they both spoke at the same time.
“I’m—” Beck started.
“Hey, I—”
“Go ahead.” Beck dipped his head toward Cash, signaling he should go first. What would Charlie’s older brother think? If he even had an opinion. Who was he kidding? One thing he’d learned about the folks in Holiday: everyone had an opinion about everything. And so far none of them had been shy about sharing it.
Cash cleared his throat and spoke low, so low that Beck had to lean toward him to make out his words. “You hurt her, and I’ll have your balls for breakfast.”
Beck gulped. He’d been threatened before, both physically and verbally. Sometimes he’d even deserved it. But not once had he felt the threat so intimately. Cash meant every word. “Jesus.” He shifted his weight to his other foot. “I don’t think that will be necessary. We’re all adults here.”
Cash tucked his thumbs into his belt loops, leveling Beck with a smoldering gaze. “She’s been hurt. Bad. And I don’t want to have to pick up the pieces when you breeze on outta here in a couple months.”
“I don’t have any intention of hurting her.” Beck put his hands out, palms facing Cash in a gesture of reassurance. The man carried a gun. He had no desire to piss him off.
“Well, good. That’ll make Mom and Dad and the rest of the family real happy. We’ll be expecting an announcement of the engagement real soon. Think a fall wedding will fit into your schedule?”
Before he had a chance to respond, Charlie burst back into the room, fully clothed and fully pissed, still clutching the bag of peas in her burned hand. “Happy now?” She pointed toward the front door. “As you can see, the place isn’t burning down. We had a little oversight in the kitchen. You can tell Dad everything’s fine.”
Cash raised an eyebrow, giving him that brooding, distant cowboy look that Beck had seen in Ralph Lauren ads. “Yeah, what exactly do you want me to tell Dad, kiddo?”
Her skin pinked from the scoop neck of her shirt to the roots of her hair. “Cash Warren Walker, you are impossible. You tell him I was smoking out a gopher hole. That a snake crawled into my oven again and burned up when I turned it on to preheat. That I was messing around with the solder gun.”
“Or I could tell him how I found you and the Holiday kid naked, rolling around on the floor of your living room while you burned one of his best rib eyes. That would get his heart thumping.”
“Don’t you dare. Now get on outta here.” She moved behind her brother and pushed with one hand.
A full head taller than her and twice as broad, he held his ground. “I was just leaving.” He tipped his hat toward Beck, mouthing the word balls before moving toward the door.
Beck shook his head. “Always good to see you, Cash.”
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Thanks for blogging at HJ!
Giveaway: Print copy of All-American Cowboy (Holiday, Texas) by Dylann Crush
To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Have you ever found yourself in an awkward situation? Maybe not one as bare as Charlie and Beck, but one that put you on the offense?
Book Info:
This city boy has it all figured out…
Until he goes toe-to-toe with a fierce cowgirl
who’s snagged the home field advantage.
Holiday, Texas is known far and wide as the most celebratory town in the South—and no shindig is complete without one of its founding members. It’s a real shame the last remaining Holiday is a city slicker, but what’s that old saying about putting lipstick on a pig…?
Beck has no intention of being charmed by some crazy Texas town, but the minute he lays eyes on his grandfather’s old honky tonk—and Charlie Walker, the beautiful cowgirl who runs it—he finds himself wishing things could be different. Life’s gentler in Holiday. Slower. More real than anything he’s ever known. And when he looks into Charlie’s eyes, Beck may finally discover what it’s like to truly belong.
Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo |
Meet the Author:
Dylann Crush writes contemporary romance with sizzle and sass. A romantic at heart, she loves her heroines spunky and her heroes super sexy. When she’s not dreaming up steamy storylines, she can be found sipping a margarita and searching for the best Tex-Mex food in Minnesota. Although she grew up in Texas, she currently lives in a suburb of Minneapolis/St. Paul with her unflappable husband, three energetic kids, two chaotic canines and a very chill cat. She loves to connect with readers, other authors and fans of tequila. You can find her at www.dylanncrush.com.
Mary Preston
I have been in many an awkward position. Nothing too exciting though.
Jolanda LovestoRead
No I never have.
Sonia
Not yet but I know l will eventually:D
Tonya Lucas
Oh yes I certainly have. It takes strength and conviction to get through it. I just love the cover of your book, so beautiful.
I also love piggies, for 20 years I raised them for a living. That’s how I ended up moving from Texas to Kansas. You have a blessed day!!!
bunnyclem
Not that I can think of. Thanks for sharing and for the giveaway!
Debra Guyette
I have found myself in awkward situations but nothing like this.
anxious58
No.
Olga
Yes, but not one as bare as Charlie and Beck.
lraines78
Many times!
janinecatmom
Oh yea, I have found myself in awkward situations far too many times.
Linda May
I have been on the offensive many times & I will stand up for who I believe in & what I believe in. Thanks for your generosity.
hartfiction
Yep
Dylann
Thanks so much for having me on your site today! I’m enjoying reading about everyone’s experiences!
Amy R
No
Tina
I don’t think I have
laurieg72
When I was home from college on summer break I went on a double date and we parked at the beach. The other couple went for a walk. Anyways I was in the backseat with an old boyfriend and we were kissing. Yes, a policeman came and rapped on the window and broke us up. Super embarrassing!
tina bartunek
I have a couple times.
Colleen C.
Awkward yes…
Caro
I can’t recall details, but yes, I do remember feeling awkward in some gatherings, lol.
Daniel M
of course
Debra Shutters
No I have not
Martha Lawson
NO!!
Nancy Luebke
Yes, but completely innocent.
isisthe12th
Oh Yes! I’m very awkward and find myself in many weird situations! Ha!
Teresa Williams
Yep a couple of times.This book sounds awesome and I love the cover.
Rachael
Not that I can think of
Tammy Y
Yes
Mary C.
No
Glenda
Oh yeah.
Jana Leah
Yes, but not like this one.
BookLady
Yes, I have
Shannon Capelle
Yes I have many times! Some good some bad!
Patricia B.
More times than I care to think. I had a rather sheltered upbringing (I don’t know how since my younger siblings didn’t) and never learned the meaning of some commonly used terms. I used them rather inappropriately a few times. Kind of sad when you are in your thirties, a mother of two, and your husband is having to explain terms kids today learn by 4th grade.
bn100
no
Irma
Yes. My mother and father are divorced and I had to play a mail man for quite a few times. THat was… not good.
sejoc1968
Haven’t we all found ourselves in more than one sticky situation? I know I have and they don’t seem to stop with age or I’m still waiting. My worst would involve my oldest daughter when she was about four and I had a boyfriend at the house. I’ll just say it was way past her bedtime and I’ll let your imagination take it from there. What a funny excerpt and the books in Holiday! Boy do I want to read this book! I have yet to read one of your books but I’m a virtual newbie to the reading world. I just started reading again in November 2016 after decades of not reading. I’m on my 151st adventure now! A giveaway is an awesome way to find a new author to add to my go to authors list. I’ll keep my fingers crossed!
Jen B
I have, not naked awkward though. When I was 14 a boy I barely knew got down on one knee and asked me out, in front of about 20 of our classmates. He was holding a heart shaped lolly pop, with “I love you” written on it.
Terrill R.
I’ve been in plenty of awkward situations. Some you just have to throw your hands up and give into the awkwardness. Laugh it off, make amends, and/or move on.