Happy Release Day Christie Craig! BLAME IT ON TEXAS is here!

WINNERS: Spav & Stacey!

I’m thrilled to wish author Christie Craig an UBER happy release day here on the blog!!  The second book in her Hotter in Texas series releases today — BLAME IT ON TEXAS.  Christie is here with LOTS of awesome stuff today! 

• She tells us why she’s so mean
• Shares the top 10 things you will learn from BLAME IT ON TEXAS
• Shares an excerpt from BLAME IT ON TEXAS
• Gives away 2 copies of ONLY IN TEXAS
• Gives away a $25 Gift Card to Amazon or B & N

But first…let’s learn more about BLAME IT ON TEXAS!

Zoe Adams has always been content with her quiet nights at home, watching TV alone-until her life turns into a real-life episode of Unsolved Mystery Hunters. The story of a kidnapped girl triggers unexplained memories, and Zoe is dead-set on figuring out why. Her search leads her to one of the Lone Star State’s richest families-and to sexy PI Tyler Lopez.

Tyler has sworn off women, especially redheads with killer curves who poke their noses into his clients’ private lives. Still, he can’t deny the attraction any more than he can deny that some of Zoe’s crazy story makes sense. But when she becomes a hit man’s target, this cold case starts heating up. Suddenly, Tyler will do anything to protect Zoe-even risk his heart.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Katy Budget Books | Books A Milion

Now, let’s here from Christie!

Why am I so Mean?

Recently a devoted reader came up to me with an odd question, “Why are you so mean to your characters?”

I considered the question and then just blurted out the truth. “Because if I wasn’t mean to them, you readers wouldn’t like my books. So it’s not my fault, it’s yours.”

Let’s face it, if characters aren’t a little bit tortured, if they haven’t had some hurdle to overcome that left them just slightly wounded, if they aren’t swimming in conflict, well … it’s easy to put a book down. And personally, my readers have grown to expect scenes where my characters find themselves in a few compromising and downright embarrassing situations.

Ahh, but as mean and mischievous as I am to these characters, I offer them joy, lots of laughter, some hot passion, and even better, I offer them true love. Oh, it will be a journey before they find their happily ever after, but you can bet your best bra that they will find it.

In Blame it on Texas, Tyler and Zoe have experienced their share of tragedy. Both need someone to laugh with, someone to love. Tyler’s has always worried he’s relationship impaired due to his own parent’s dysfunctional marriage. Layer that with his fiancé skipping out on him when he was framed for murder. Then spending eighteen months in jail for the crime he didn’t commit, and yeah, he’s a tad wounded. Then there’s Zoe’s story. Imagine having unexplainable memories and reoccurring nightmares. Imagine seeing a cold case show on TV where a picture of you as a child is shown, then it’s reported that this child was kidnapped from a rich Texas family years ago. Could your now deceased parents, whom you dearly loved, have lied to you? Worse, could they have been criminals capable of unspeakable acts?

Seeking answers, Zoe high tails it to Texas and lands at the feet, or rather is caught hiding under the desk of a very sexy private investigator who works for the family. Tyler thinks she’s the new receptionist, and Zoe lets him think it and escapes. When Tyler catches up with her at her temporary waitressing job, she unintentionally drops a few plates of food on him. When she later explains that she believes she’s the kidnapped child, Tyler’s pretty sure Zoe’s a few eggs short of a Grand Slam breakfast, but he still offers his services. In no time, the sexual tension grows hotter and his offer covers services both in and out of the bedroom. While tempted, she knows Tyler’s not looking for commitment and her fragile heart can’t handle a short fling. So no hanky-panky. She makes that very clear.

Ahh, but a woman has a right to change her mind. And a proposed game of Strip Scrabble should convince this stubborn Texan she’s reconsidered.

As Tyler and Zoe inadvertently laugh their way into love, my goal is that readers will laugh right along with them. Yes, I might be slightly mean to my characters, but in the end, I think it’s worth it.

Ten Things You Will Learn from Blame it on Texas.

1. Guys don’t like to play dress up; but when one willingly dresses as a clown for his six-year-old niece’s birthday party—because the real clown canceled—he’s one special uncle. And could possibly make a special hero for some lucky lady.

2. Sometimes, fear itself can do much more damage to us than the thing we’re actually afraid of.

3. Any man who doesn’t cuss up a blue streak when you dump a plate of hot grits on him can’t be all bad. (In fact, he might just be The One.)

4. It’s important to remember the lessons of the past so we can use them when making decisions for the future. But those lessons should never keep us from having the future we deserve.

5. Before accusing the sexy guy who pounced, knocked you down, and crawled on top of you of being foreplay impaired; check to see if someone is shooting at you.

6. The southern delicacy of a banana and mayonnaise sandwich may be an acquired taste, especially when a hungry hero chomps down on the delicacy and is expecting ham and cheese.

7. If you think getting caught screaming and dancing on top of a mattress—all while attempting to rescue your cat from an overzealous dog—can be slightly embarrassing, try doing it while you’re wet from the shower, and as naked as a jay bird. Oh, and just to make it even more fun, make sure you’re caught by your possible love interest who hasn’t seen you naked yet, and . . . (yes, it can get worse) his two best friends.

8. It’s downright amazing how playing a few rounds of Strip Scrabble can spice up an evening.

9. A family doesn’t always have to be the people who share your bloodline; sometimes, the best families are those we make when we gather together all the people we love.

10. Learning to trust yourself is usually a lot harder than trusting another person. But both are generally required before finding true love.

Excerpt

When Tyler spotted the silver Cobalt with Alabama tags parked around the back of the diner, a thrill shot through him. After parking, he took a minute to figure out how best to approach Zoe. How best to find out why she was snooping around on, and under, his desk? Inside, he immediately spotted her waiting on an elderly couple.

His gaze did a quick up and down of her shapely body. She filled out the white skirt and top to perfection. When she moved to a dirty table and started stacking dishes, he moved forward.

“Mind if I sit here?” He waited for her to look up, anticipating her reaction.

“No problem.” She barely glanced at him.

When she leaned over to clean the far end of the table, his gaze shifted to her ass and he recalled watching her crawl across his office floor.

“Coffee?” She gave the table two more swipes, her hips moving with the circular motion.

“That would be fine.” He sat down. “Thanks.”

He waited to see if she’d meet his gaze and hoped for a flash of recognition, but she didn’t look at him directly. He watched her step away. She snagged a cup and filled it. Then turning back, she placed the coffee on a tray loaded down with three plates of food.

She moved toward him and set the coffee on his table while balancing the tray with her other hand.

“Got some cream?”

Her gaze shot to his face, and her blue eyes widened with recognition.

He grinned.

She didn’t move, but one of the plates on her tray did. She adjusted her hold on the tray as if trying to prevent the disaster, but it was too late. Tyler saw it happening, but there was nothing he could do to stop it. The white plate flew off the tray, heading right at his head. He dodged the plate, but the hot grits and scrambled eggs made a direct hit with his face.

“Shit,” she muttered as the plate crashed to the floor.

He knocked a blob of butter from his cheek and looked at her. Her step back sent the second and third plate racing across the tray, and, once again, he was the finish line. Shredded potatoes, accompanied by the half-cooked eggs, plopped right in his lap.

Somehow, he’d managed to catch one plate, but the other plate bounced off the table, hit the linoleum, and shattered. As a thick glob of grits fell from the end of his nose, laughter exploded from the other diner patrons.

“I…” She stared at him.

He scooted his chair back from the table and looked down at himself. She dropped the tray on the edge of his table, grabbed his napkin, and started wiping globs of still warm grits off his chest. She kept wiping, following the trail of food down to his lap. She attempted to flop one half-cooked egg from his crotch. But the yoke burst and he watched it run between his legs.

Finally, she raised her head and met his gaze. He stared into her beautiful blue eyes and the sweetest mouth he could ever remember seeing. Appearing almost as mesmerized by his gaze as he was by hers, her hand slipped deeper between his legs. Her gentle touch came in direct contact with sensitive body parts and felt pretty damn good, too. She jumped back as if suddenly realizing where her hand was.

A smile pulled at his mouth. “It’s okay.” Actually it was more than okay. By damn, she was a pretty thing.

And now that I’ve told you ten things you’ll learn from my book. Why don’t you share with me some things you’ve learned from other romance novels? Today, just for leaving a post, you’ll be entered to win one of two book giveaways–the first book in the series, Only in Texas (previously published as Don’t Mess With Texas). And to everyone who posts and tells me that they bought my book, I’ll put them in a drawing to win a $25 gift card to either Barnes and Noble or Amazon, winner’s choice.

Oh, also here’s my video for Hotter in Texas.

Good luck!