Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Welcome Guest Blogger and Debut Author Cynthia D'Alba!

Hi everyone! I'm so excited to introduce my friend Cynthia D'Alba to everyone here at Killer Fiction. Cyndi and I met six years ago at a conference in Florida and have been meeting up at conferences ever since--she's one of my all-time favorite people. Please make her feel welcome, she's such a doll, I knew she'd fit right in! I can't wait to read Texas Two Step so I'm off to preorder it right now.



This post is proudly a stop on the TEXAS TWO STEP Blog Tour. For a complete listing of all stops on this tour, please visit here. All contests are for U.S. residents only unless otherwise noted. Comments left on this blog will be counted toward the Texas Two Step Faithful Follower Gift Certificate. To see a complete listing of Blog Tour Prizes, click here. Be sure to check out the freebies. Yours for the asking as long as they last.

Thanks and BIG HUGS to Robin Kaye for hosting me today. I met Robin way back in 2006 when we were both unpublished. Since that time, I’ve watched Robin become a major contemporary author and I get to say…I knew her when! ☺ Thanks Robin.



Today marks the seven-day countdown to the release of my debut, Texas Two Step. If this is the first time you’ve stumbled across my OMG-I-HAVE-A-BOOK-BEING-PUBLISHED tour, I’m glad to see you! For the past week, I’ve been posting installments of Texas Two Step-The Prequel. In today’s episode we continue The First Date. Click here if you want to read today’s episode and for links to earlier installments.

Mitch and Olivia (my hero and heroine from Texas Two Step) meet and date during college so I thought today we should talk about college dating. It can be brutal, can’t it?

When I was a freshman at the University of Arkansas, all the girls were required to live in dorms and could not pledge sororities until their sophomore year. Freshman guys could pledge fraternities, so there was no lack of fraternity parties to attend and lots of pledges needing dates. The freshman class came from all over the state. Sure, some people knew others in the class but mostly we were strangers to each other. Honestly I didn’t make that many friends in classes I took. I was pre-nursing so classes with guys were limited. When it came to dating, blind dates were commonplace. But remember, we didn’t know each other so how did we link up for the date?

The dorm I lived in was four stories. Guys weren’t allowed in our rooms except for certain times of the day or week. (I don’t remember the criteria that governed boys in our rooms but yes, it was a long time ago!) When a guy came to pick up his date, he would call her room to tell her he was downstairs. Since the vast majority of these dates were for frat parties, the lobby would be packed with guys picking up dates. But remember, lots of these were blind dates. We didn’t have a clue what the date looked like. So you’d hear lots of clothes descriptions. “I’m wearing a yellow shirt and a pair of khaki pants”, then the girl would describe what she was wearing, “I’m in a denim skirt and tan top.” So when she hit the lobby, she’d be searching for a yellow shirt and khaki while he was looking for a girl in a tan top and jean skirt. They’d connect and off they’d go.

However, it was not unheard of for the guy to lie about what he was wearing. He wasn’t in a yellow shirt and khaki pants but he knew what she wore to look for her. Why would they do this? Can you guess? The guy was checking her out FIRST. If she wasn’t to his liking, he wouldn’t “claim” his date and could sneak out the door! Seriously. Here’s this girl wandering around looking for a guy in an outfit that didn’t exist. Horrors!
Luckily this never happened to me. But I know plenty of guys who used this ruse to slip out on a date. Cads, don’t you think?

So what was the worst date you went on or heard about? Make us laugh. Or Cringe. Or go hunt up some guy from college who left you standing in the lobby as he sneaked out.

Today’s TTS Blog Tour Prize
Many guest bloggers can offer a copy of a backlist book to be given away as a potential prize for a blog commenter. As a debut author, I don’t have a backlist. But I do have some awesome author friends who have stepped forward and offered one of their books as a prize.


Today’s TTS Blog Tour Author Sponsor is Indie Press Author Margery Scott. Margery is offering her book, Devil’s Harvest, to one lucky person who leaves a comment. To find out more about today’s Blog Tour Sponsor, you can visit her Website, Twitter or Facebook.


To learn more about me check out these links:

Website , Facebook, Twitter, Group Blog, and Personal Blog
And if those aren’t enough, sign up for inside scoops and special contests by receiving the newsletter I share with my blog buddies.

Remember! Leave a comment for a chance to win Margery’s books!

Texas Two Step is available for preordering at Samhain, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

I will be forever in your debt if you would buy it!

Tomorrow, I’ll be at Romance University talking about finding names for your characters. The Prequel will continue on Thursday. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.

43 comments:

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi everybody! I'm so excited to be here. I ADORE this group.

My link to today's installment in Texas Two Step-The Prequel didn't make the transfer (or I forgot to link it!) so here's the link to today's episode...
http://texasmontgomerymavericks.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/mitch-olivias-first-date-part-two/

Leigh Duncan said...

Good morning, Cyndi! One week to the Big Day! Can't wait for my copy of Texas Two Step to arrive.

krisgils33 said...

congrats on your debut! looking forward to checking it out!

Jillian said...

Congrats. Can't wait for this! You're a superstar!

Robin Kaye said...

Welcome Cyndi! I'm so glad you're here and I'm just thrilled for your debut! I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to reading Texas Two Step!

Hugs...Robin :)

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Thanks Leigh. Hard to believe it's only a week. YIKES. What if nobody buys it? (deep breaths deep breaths)

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi Krisgills33...interesting user name!

Thanks for coming by and leaving a comment. I hope you enjoy Texas Two Step. Drop me a line and let me know what you thought.

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi Jillian. I am so glad to find out that you respond to threats. (*rubs hands together*)

Thanks for being so supportive!

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Thanks Robin for hosting me here. Who'd have thought back in 2006 that our friendship would make it to this!

Cynthia D'Alba said...

So here is my share for today!

One of my good friends, Elle James, just brought to my attention that Texas Two Step is #3 in Western Romance sales at Samhain based on pre-release sales. WOOT

Cool huh?

Diane Kelly said...

Too funny! That would be a riot if both the guy and girl lied about what they were wearing and never found each other. Might serve them both right, huh? : ) One of the most fun guys I dated in college was NOT at all good looking. But he was smart and had a deliciously warped sense of humor and I always had a good time with him.

sweeziek said...

Well, since I didn't go to college until I was 37 years old, I'm (perhaps) lucky that never happened to me!! In face, I was NEVER 'stood up' by a date but I was STALKED by a very young man once upon a time. He was several years younger than I and I'm pretty sure he was just looking for what he perceived would be a "good time" but he'll never know because i DODGED HIM long enough for him to give up and move on to someone else! Cyndi, I get butterflies when I think about how exciting this is for ALL of us who know you!!!! I CAN'T WAIT FOR FEBRUARY 28!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE YA!

Joanne said...

I commuted for college. A friend from one of my classes fixed me up with her brother's friend. He was nice enough, but there was no chemistry. He was good looking, not to tall, but we ended up being friends. I still talk to him. Congrats on the new release. Thanks for the blog tour. I'm having a lot of fun.

e.balinski(at)att(dot)net

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Cyndi. I actually had a date say "You're a terrible kisser." Since I'd only been kissed maybe twice, yeah, I probably could have used some coaching. However, his way was rude. LOL

Sarah S. said...

This brings me back to my good ole' college days. I had the same kind of dorm nazis where I went to undergraduate. My freshman year I lived in a five story building, that was nicknamed the virgin vault. The guys had to check in with the two 70+ year old guard's after 5pm (leaving their id's at the desk and being escorted up to the girls room) and during the weekdays they had to be out of the building by midnight and fri and sat out by 3am. One of the guards had to call your room and if that didn't get the guys out they came up to your room to get them. It was aggravating, but also pretty funny.

Margaret said...

I didn't date much in college, but I seemed to have a steady boyfriend all the way through. Not the same boyfriend, two or three different guys. Can't quite remember how I came to be involved with them, but I do remember one particularly tragic breakup. I may have thrown something....

Great post, Cyndi! You're rocking the bog tour.

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi Diane. You know there were times both people lied! Can't you see it? The entire lobby empties out of dates and those are the last two standing! LOL

Thanks for coming by. I know how busy you are.

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi Susie! LOVE YOU! I know blog hopping isn't your usual thing!

And yes, I have butterflies staging sword fights in my gut!

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi Joanne! Thanks for being such a faithful follower of the tour!

I can't wait to hear what you think about Texas Two Step!

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Vicki!! OMG!! He TOLD you that you were a bad kisser? Sounds like he missed a great opportunity to do some one-on-one teaching.

Thanks for coming by. I know how busy you are on your own book tour.

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi Sarah S. "Virgin Vault" HAHAHAHA Somebody HAS to use that phrase in a book. It's too funny. Sounds like we were in college about the same time. We had those "boys in the room" curfew too but I don't remember what it was.

Thanks for coming by and leaving a message.

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi Margaret! YOU THREW SOMETHING DURING A BREAK-UP!! OMG! You have to tell me that story sometime!

Thanks for coming by and leaving a message.

Can't wait to see at the DSRA Retreat!We are going to have so much fun

catslady said...

I love finding new debut authors. There's just something about firsts. Congratulations and best of luck. It sounds like a great read.

catslady5(at)aol.com

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Thanks Catslady. I hope you get and read TTS and let me know what you thought.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and leave a message

Christie Craig said...

Hi Cynthia!!

I love your cover and title. Since I'm writing a series, Hotter In Texas, you can guess I like Texas guys. Congrats on your success and keep up the good work.

Oh...isn't Robin great.

CC

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi Christie. Robin is da bomb! :)

thanks for the comments on my cover. I am thrilled with it.

Thanks for coming by and leaving a message

Anonymous said...

I think I mentioned on another post of yours about the blind double date that involved alcohol and firearms. I was the only person not drinking and I didn't have a shotgun but others did. This was in Oklahoma by the way. I don't think I will EVER go on another blind date. It was a total nightmare.

geishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com

Catherine Lee said...

Congrats on your impending debut.

You're right...College dating was rough. I lived in a co-ed dorm on a co-ed floor...guys to the left of us, guys to the right of us. There tended to be more hooking up than actual dating.

Anonymous said...

Cynthia! Mega congrats on your debut! And very best wishes with the rest of your blog tour. Exciting news about TTS being #3 in Western Sales! Wahoo! :-) I have ordered my copy and by the way, I *love* that cover! :-)

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi Catherine. Dorms weren't co-ed when I was in college, which frankly I liked. I think if I lived in a co-ed dorm, I'd feel like I always had to be looking good. No time off, know what I mean?

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi Kathy! THANK YOU for preordering Texas Two Step!!! I LUV YOU :)

thanks for coming by and leaving a message

Cynthia D'Alba said...

OMG Stacie. Three things that shouldn't be in the same sentence...
blind date, booze, and guns! HAHAHAHA

Thanks for coming by

Barbara White Daille said...

Hi, Cynthia!

Wish I had a good story to tell, but I can't think of a single bad-date horror tale. Probably blocking them all from my brain!

I'm enjoying reading the other stories, though.

Question: if a girl found out that a guy lied to her--and she could easily figure out his reason!--why the heck would she ever go out with him?

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi Barbara! Looking forward to being at your place tomorrow!

I think at our mature ages, we look at things differently. Back when I was 18, I'm sure I could made excuses for a lying guy, especially if he was rich and cute! HAHAHA

Barbara White Daille said...

Cynthia - you *do* have a point! LOL

Looking forward to seeing you at my cyber home tomorrow, too!

Dawn said...

Stopping by to say HI!!! I loved Texas Two Step. And Mitch, even with his temporary King of Douchebaggery crown ;-)

Best wishes on the release!

Amy Fendley said...

Hey there! I can't wait to get my copy. I prebooked it almost a month ago. I can't wait to read it. I just wanted to stop by and say hi! Have a great day!
Amy Fendley

Gail Hart said...

Congrats or your release, Cyndi! You must be so excited.

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi DiDi! Thank you for coming by. Everybody...DiDi did the first review for TTS and I loved it! :)

Hi Amy. Thanks for coming by! Look forward to seeing at the DSRA meetings.

Hi Gail. You're a sweetie from coming by and leaving a message. I appreciate it.

Cynthia D'Alba said...

This post is not CLOSED for Faithful Follower Comments.

Any comments left after this notice are appreciated and welcomed but will not count in the Faithful Follower Contest.

Book winner - sweeziek Congratulations

Patti P said...

Here I am just enjoying reading more about your and your book.

musicalfrog at comcast.net

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Hi Patti! Thanks for getting to know me:)

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Please be aware that comments left after 2/25 will be not counted in the Faithful follower contest.

This post is CLOSED to additional comments.

Thank you

Cyndi