Sunday, December 14, 2008

A COWBOY'S DREAM contest

CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF A COWBOY'S DREAM with me! Scroll below to see how to win a copy!

Author Leah Smith has fantasized about her neighbor, Houston’s pro baseball player Marcus Slade, for years, but thinks it’s unlikely she’d catch the cowboy’s interest since her IQ is bigger than her bra size. Having already been hurt by a man who wanted size over substance, she’s not in a hurry to play in that ball field again.

When an unexpected opportunity gets Marcus inside his favorite author’s apartment, he’s not about to let a second chance at love pass him by. Their attraction is quick and electric and has him instantly thinking about something more long-term. But when a woman from his past intrudes, his hopes of a cozy Christmas with Leah are buried beneath her cold shoulder. Risking a strikeout, Marcus has one chance left...go for the grand slam of his life and crash Leah's annual Christmas Eve party in hopes of convincing her she’s this Cowboy’s Dream.

Unedited Excerpt:

A Cowboy's Dream by Anna Kathryn Lanier
Release date: December 17, 2009

The mouthwatering scents of seared steak wafted around Leah as Marcus escorted her into the world famous Kemah Boardwalk Steak House. Her stomach grumbled, a reminder she hadn’t eaten since early morning.

The hostess greeted Marcus by name and smiled warmly at her. Leah glanced at him, wondering how often he came to the restaurant. Celebration dinners should be rare, not weekly—unless you found an excuse to celebrate every little thing. But what made them special then?

She slid into the booth and mentally shook her head. No matter what Marcus did in the past, this was her celebratory dinner. She smiled as he sat opposite her and determined to enjoy his company for as long as she had it.

The hostess handed them menus. “Would you like something from the bar, Mr. Slade?”
Marcus placed his Stetson beside him on the booth cushion and raised a brow at her.
“Whatever they have on tap will be fine,” she said.

He grinned and nodded. “Two beers, please.”

Glancing at his ‘celebration clothing,” she was glad she’d summed him up right. She’d nearly put on the $900 designer gown she planned to wear to next month’s charity fund raiser and made her look hot as hell, but at the last minute went over what she knew about pro ball player Marcus Slade. Celebrity though he may be, he was obviously still a cowboy at heart. Instead of the silk and satin confection, she pulled on blue jeans and simple blouse. She matched his jeans and western-styled shirt quite well.

Leah opened the menu and looked it over. “You’re a man after my own heart. There’s nothing better to celebrate with than a beer and a good steak.”

He jerked back as if surprised. “You mean to say you’ll actually order a steak?”

“Well, of course.” She laughed, brushing her hair behind her ear. “What’s the point of going to a steak house and not ordering a steak?”

He opened his mouth, but then shut it for a moment before uttering, “Truth be told, most of the women I know don’t eat much meat.”

That was no surprise. Most of the women she’d seen him with were the size of twigs—except in the bosom area—and probably ate weeds.

“Well, I hope you brought along your charge card, because I haven’t eaten much today and I’m starving. I plan to get a really big steak with all the fixings to celebrate.”

Marcus laughed. “Honey, the day I can’t afford to buy a pretty lady a steak is the day I’ll hang it up for good.”

Her heart fluttered at the endearment. Sure, it was common enough for Texans to drop honey and darling like hello and good-bye, but still, hearing it from Marcus made her insides quiver.

He wagged his brows, then glanced down to study his menu. She released a small sigh. Since she was a Roughrider’s fan and had held season tickets for years, she’d known who Marcus was before he moved into The Towers. To say she had a crush on him was probably an understatement, but she’d never suffered from delusions, either. Leah Smith, plain, average daughter of nomad archaeologists just wasn’t the type of woman the major league outfielder dated. As much as she wished she differently, she shouldn’t read more into this ‘date’ than what it was—a friendly, celebratory meal.

Leave a comment and tell me what Marcus ordered them to drink with their meals. On December 17th, I'll hold a drawing and the winner will receive a copy of A COWBOY'S DREAM and a $10 TWRP gift certificate.

Anna Kathryn Lanier
http://www.aklanier.com/

43 comments:

  1. 2 beers! :) Don't you have another story coming out soon?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Two beers. Great excerpt and I just love the cover!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Skhye,
    Yes, next month I have the story of the hero's ancestors being released. SALVATION BRIDE will be released on Jan. 21st. Laura is a mailorder bride, David is a sheriff and rancher. You can learn more about them now by visiting my website: www.aklanier.com

    Susan, I love the cover, too. Thanks. I know I should know who designed it, but I don't remember. I'll have to look that up and give her credit.

    Anna Kathryn

    ReplyDelete
  4. Two beers! Congrats on the release, A.K! I've been enjoying TWRP Christmas stories this month.

    Heather

    ReplyDelete
  5. He orders two beers on tap to go with their steaks. Nice excerpt and cover!

    ReplyDelete
  6. 2 beers, one for each of them. I love the sound AND the feel of this excerpt Anna Kathryn. I love finding new authors too.

    Major Congrats on A cowboys Dream releasing this week.

    Sandie

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous8:14 PM

    2 beers. I love stories with cowboys in them! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yes two beers it is. On tap for her and him too I presume. I just love western romance novels!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great! I've read Salvation Bride. It's definitely for readers who love Westerns set in Texas. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  10. 2 beers. Great excerpt, Iloved it.
    Happy Holiday!
    lexeetoste@sbcglobal.net

    ReplyDelete
  11. Beer was his fedrink of choice! Great excerpt. I think I would be feeling the same she is! Please enter me in your delightful book drawing. Many thanks and Happy Holidays.....
    Thanks, Cindi
    jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  12. He ordered them some beers! :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. two beers on tap
    Beautiful cover!

    ReplyDelete
  14. A BEER FOR EACH OF THEM-CAN'T WAIT TO READ.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous9:02 PM

    Two Beers please. The story sounds great. Thanks for the chance.

    ReplyDelete
  16. He ordered two beers--"whatever they have on tap." Second chance at love stories are always fun. Good luck with the new release!

    ReplyDelete
  17. “Two beers, please.”

    Thanks and congrats!
    Dina

    dlsmilad(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Two beers on tap.
    Great excerpt and lovely cover!
    Congrats and Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Two beers, of course!

    Deidre

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love my cover too, and the cover artist is Nicola Martinez. She's done my covers for The Priceless Gift and for Salvation Bride. I really like her desgings.

    Anna Kathryn

    ReplyDelete
  21. two beers. Great excerpt!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Two beers! Pick me!

    Blessings,

    Teri

    www.teriwilson.net

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous10:04 PM

    two beer. Sounds good!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Yum, Cowboys! 2 Beers!! She's write this is a cowboy dream! I love his talk!! This is a great excerpt, thanks for the peek!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Two beers. (Yuk) Not my idea of a celebration drink, but each to his own. Enjoyed the excerpt. May you sell out the first day!! Penny

    ReplyDelete
  26. Intriguing. Makes me want to read the book, especially since I like cowboys.

    He ordered two beers.

    J. K. Maze

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi, Penny. Yeah, I don't drink beer either. In the original story, they're at an Italian resturant and drinking wine. But when I made Marcus a cowboy as well as a pro ball player, I had to change where they went to eat and what they drank....more down home than pasta and wine.

    Thanks for all the comments. I really liked writing this story, both times.

    Anna Kathryn

    ReplyDelete
  28. “Two beers, please.”
    A big congrats on this week's release. I love cowboy stories and the cowboys in them.

    ReplyDelete
  29. 2 beers - I am on your newsletter. Enter to win. I am not looking forward to ice, snow and all the stuff they are forecasting.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I forgot to leave my email - Jane Squires jrs362 (at) hotmail (dot) com
    squires j on post

    ReplyDelete
  31. Marcus orders two beers for them.

    Congrats on the release. Cowboys make great Christmas gifts, oops I meant books make great Christmas gifts!

    Happy Holidays!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Beers, two of them! Awesome cover and loved the excerpt!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Two on tap beers.

    Looking forward to Salvation Bride. I love historicals. Glad to see you're seeing so much success with your novels. Congratulations!

    Carolyn Smith aka Caroline Clemmons

    ReplyDelete
  34. Two Beers--love those cowboys!:)Great excerpt and looking forward to Salvation Bride too!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous9:51 AM

    Two beers. The book sounds great.

    ReplyDelete
  36. 2 Beers. Sounds like a great story. I love Cowboys and Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Two Beers! Loved the excerpt and the cover

    ReplyDelete
  38. Two beers. I enjoyed the excerpt.

    ReplyDelete
  39. 2 beers.

    Congrats on your new release and happy holidays!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Marcus orders 2 beers (On tap)
    I LOVE the not perfect heroine!
    Great excerpt:)
    Mindy :)

    ReplyDelete
  41. He ordered two beers. Awesome cover and great excerpt!!!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Congrats to JK Maze, who won my drawing for today. Please contact me, as I don't see a way of contacting you, to retrieve your prize - a copy of A COWBOY'S DREAM and a The Wild Rose Press Gift Certificate.

    Thanks to everyone who stopped by, read my blurb and commented.

    Anna Kathyrn.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Oh, yeah, you can send me an e-mail at annaklanier@aol.com.

    A.K.

    ReplyDelete