Aloha to Carolyn Brown and LOVE DRUNK COWBOY

I'm off to Kualoa Ranch today to check out the paniolo (cowboys) on the windward side.  Your host today is the multitalented Carolyn Brown.  Carolyn previously visited SOS Aloha on January 30 to spotlight the Honky Tonk series. 

Good morning! I’m so excited that y’all asked me stop by here on my blog tour for LOVE DRUNK COWBOY. It’s the first book in the new Spikes & Spurs series and just hit the sales racks two days ago. Don’t you just love all that gorgeous red? Does it make you drool for a pair of red cowboy boots?

Spikes & Spurs features powerful women who trade in their spike heels for cowboy boots when they relocate along the Red River. Austin Lanier is the heroine in the debut, LOVE DRUNK COWBOY. She’s a high powered executive in a prestigious oil corporation in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the quicker she can get rid of a watermelon farm she’s inherited in the tiny town of Terral, population 386, the better she’ll like it. As it is, she’s already giving up her two weeks’ vacation to clean out Granny’s house and put the place up for sale.

Rye O’Donnell, our tall, dark, sexy cowboy hero, throws a monkey wrench into those plans from day one. He hadn’t figured on losing his heart to the big city woman; and she sure didn’t figure on loving country life.

Today I have Austin Lanier with me here at the SOS and she’s agreed to answer questions. She’s even brought several bottles of her Granny Lanier’s watermelon wine for us to sip while we visit. Everyone got a glass?

Carolyn: Maybe I could have your attention for a toast: To Granny Lanier, a very wise woman!

Austin (with a giggle): Yes, ma’am. To Granny Lanier who interfered with my life and gave me happiness!

Carolyn: Okay, Austin is ready for questions. First one from the lady over there at the table refilling her glass with watermelon wine. Pretty good, ain’t it?

It is very good. I’ve never had it before. I’ll be ordering a case as soon as I get home this evening. My question: What did you think the first time you met Rye O’Donnell?

Austin: Oh, honey, I wondered if Mother had any extra “hot flash” pills she could share with me. I’d been talking to Rye for six months most every week and I’d pictured this gray haired gentleman with a nice deep voice, maybe wearing overalls and somewhere in his seventies. Got that picture in your mind? Now replace it instantly with more than six feet of hunky cowboy: black hair that needs cut curled up on his shirt collar, mesmerizing green eyes, boots, jeans and a Longhorn bull on his belt buckle (believe me I let my eyes stray below that buckle long enough that I needed two hot flash pills). Sex-on-a-stick was my first thought.

Carolyn: Next? Okay the lady on the back row in the red cowboy boots.

I love your boots on the cover of Love Drunk Cowboy! I live in Nocona, Texas, not far from Terral and had a pair special made after I saw yours. I was wondering if you still like your boots?

Austin: Yes, I do! There’s an attitude that goes with boots, especially red ones, that you can’t describe unless you put a pair on. Guaran-damn-teed to make you feel like two steppin’ and kissin’ a sexy cowboy like Rye.

Carolyn: That lady in the middle with her hand up. Stand up darlin’. You dipped into the vertically challenged gene pool, didn’t you?

Yes, I certainly did and I’ve always thought I’d like to be tall. Austin, was it Rye’s height that appealed to you since you are almost six feet tall, yourself?

Austin: It was everything about Rye, not just his height that grabbed my eye. Mostly, I believe it was the way he looked at me from that first day in the Peach Orchard Restaurant there in Terral. Lord, that man made me feel like he was undressing me with his eyes and honey, it was not a bad feeling at all. Kind of made me all warm and tingly and confused as hell since I only had two weeks in Terral to get a helluva lot of work done. I damn sure did not need a handsome cowboy getting in my way.

Carolyn: Next question. Austin is pointing to the woman in the black business suit so what’s your question, ma’am.

I was privileged to receive an ARC of Love Drunk Cowboy from Sourcebooks for a review so I already know your story. I got to say, it was a romp from start to finish. I’d sure like for you to tell us more about the night that you got a Charlie horse in your leg at the worst possible moment.

Austin (who just spewed wine all over the carpet): Can’t comment on that one because it would be a big spoiler. I’ll just say one word. Aggravation at Granny Lanier. I swear that woman was interfering with my love life even from beyond the Red River. I’d say grave but we didn’t bury her. I tossed her ashes out on the Red and they carried her away. There were times when I thought she’d fooled me into sifting the ashes of a trash pile and she was hiding somewhere in Terral overseeing everything I did.

Carolyn: Time for one more question before Austin has to get back to Terral. She says the watermelon crop is up and going well but that she can’t be gone from it very long. Austin is smiling at the gray haired lady over to my left. So what is your question, ma’am?”

I’m planning a trip through Oklahoma next week. I’ll be traveling down Highway 81 and wondered if there really is a Terral, Oklahoma and if there’s a Doug’s Peach Orchard because I’d like to try calf fries.

Austin: Yes there is. If you cross the Red River you’ve gone too far, turn around and come on back a mile. Doug’s Peach Orchard sits on the west side of the highway and they serve amazing catfish and calf fries. Don’t forget to save room for a piece of pecan pie and have a glass of sweet tea. Drive through town (watch those speed bumps in front of the school), go on out east of town and you’ll find my watermelon farm on the south side of the road. Or come visit on the third weekend in July at the Terral Watermelon Jubilee and eat all the cold watermelon you can hold (no charge). We are a friendly bunch of folks and we’ll make you feel right at home.

The Air Force's T-37 Static Diplay off Highway 81
even cowboys like to fly!

Carolyn: Austin has to scoot back to Terral but she’s agreed to keep her cell phone on all day and we’ll be glad to answer any questions. Remember to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Love Drunk Cowboy. It’s the only way you’ll ever find out about the night of the Charlie horse!

I want to thank everyone who’s been here with us today. You’ve all been awesome. Now go on over to the refreshment table and have some more wine. There’s another six bottles and the day is young yet. Have some cheese and fruit to go with it and we’ll talk some more about calf fries, watermelon wine and sexy cowboys!

(Kim returning to the blog).  OMG - what happened here?  There are bottles of watermelon wine everywhere!  Luckily, Carolyn and Austin left me enough wine to last through Saturday, May 7, 10 pm, when I'll randomly select a commenter to win a copy of LOVE DRUNK COWBOY.   I'll post the winner on Sunday. 

Although this giveaway is open to US residents only, we welcome comments from all readers!

Okole maluna (cheers!) 

Kim in Hawaii

Speaking of spurs, no doubt the Household Calvary were wearing spurs as they accompanied the Bride and Groom in last week's Royal Wedding.  This reminds me of a formal dinner hosted by the UK delegation when my husband was assigned to a NATO unit in the Netherlands.   Officers from each country wore their "mess dress" - the equivalent of a military tuxedo.  The British Army, by far, had the most colorful uniforms as they dressed by historic regiment.  The ranking British general even wore spurs as he had been assigned to a Calvary regiment.   The ladies were a little leery of dancing with him that night!