With: Leslie P. Garcia
Congratulations to "Julie O.", the grand prize winner and "Norma", "Natalija", "Dee" and "Laney4", the e-book winners in Leslie's giveaway. Thank you to all who participated!
On
June 9th, 1973, a thoroughbred named Secretariat shattered records as he won
the Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths. While
that may seem an odd detail in a post about love, it really isn’t—the Belmont
Stakes was the first time that my husband-to-be and I watched television
together. Cruz and I both worked at a Texas dude ranch, where prejudice was
still rife. He was in the country illegally, and my father didn’t allow his
children to associate with anyone anyway. The dude ranch owner and my father
would later take drastic action against our relationship, but at that
particular moment—we shared a once in a lifetime experience from opposite ends
of one couch. Love has many magic moments, but that became our first.
Thinking back, I wonder if my life-long fascination with cowboys (okay, and horses) made falling in love with someone whose language I had to learn easier than it might otherwise have been. I grew up with crushes on men from Roy Rogers to Dean Martin (in Rio Bravo) and everyone in between. Granted, Cruz worked thirteen or fourteen hours a day and seldom rode, but the one trail ride I took with guests, he rode on as well. Neither of us fell off, and I’m sure the ranch’s real cowboy, Noe, didn’t find our horsemanship skills remarkable, but he smiled more than usual that day. Maybe he thought back and remembered one of his own magic moments in time.
Lives
and passions change over forty years. Cruz and I wound up in Laredo, Texas,
horseless and working in jobs that provided different paths than a dude ranch
in the Hill Country had. I have written from the time I was six, but as I
matured, my writing focused more on romance than creating a Phantom Stallion
series to make Walter Farley turn green. Moments of love fascinated me—not just
those sizzling, lust-driven moments of love, but the simple, seemingly
unrelated incidents that actually become the glue holding lives together.
Romantic
moments—like the friend’s husband who filled her bedroom with rose petals for
one anniversary, and for another secretly invited her closest friends out to an
elegant dinner. We teased her about how we envied her, but we were genuinely
happy for her—she found a man who really loved her.
A
friend’s daughter planned a birthday celebration for her man—someone she hadn’t
immediately felt ready to marry. There, in formal wear and surrounded by
friends, she got down on a knee and proposed to him—a heartwarming, magic
moment in the lives of her many friends, especially those who knew her from childhood
to womanhood.

Cruz
never has been the horse nut I have, and for many years, we haven’t watched
races together. Recently, the years have affected our memories, and he’s
struggling sometimes to remember our early years. But I was touched this June
when he came to my room and told me to come watch “our” race, the Belmont, with
him. That he would fish for another moment meant the world. Love lives on in
our ability to find illusion and hope through the years. Love lives on magic.
Please
share some of those magic moments you’ve lived. Love comes in so many forms and
touches us so uniquely—I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Excerpt
from A Cowboy’s Magic
Alex wanted to say something, but what? He hadn’t
known about her existence back then. And if he had…he’d have been at college or
the nearest rodeo. She was right about that.
Doozie flushed slightly. “Not your fault, boy,” she
apologized after a moment of awkward silence. “We’re not kin and you don’t owe
me. I gotta quit hittin’ out at folks who don’t follow the paths I think they
should.”
A door creaked, interrupting them.
“Good Lord, Magic Lynne Holmes, what in the name of
Hades’n’hell happened to you?”
The stench hit him before he heard anyone answer, and
he fought to keep from fishing out his bandana and covering his mouth and nose.
Slowly he turned, wondering if Doozie had a hog with a name as strange as her
own.
A woman stood there, covered from head to toe in what
could charitably be called mud; judging from the smell, though, he would bet
that Doozie did keep hogs. He didn’t know if the newcomer was pretty and he
couldn’t guess her age. The filth covering her and the stench around her were
overwhelming, even though he’d landed face down in bull shit more than once.
“I—” She suddenly noticed the stranger and
straightened a little. In spite of the stinking mess, he could tell she was
fairly tall and probably had long hair under the strands of gunk hanging down
from her head.
“You get your butt outside and hose yourself down
good, girl! I mopped a bit ago and there you are…” Doozie stopped in mid-rant.
“You lost Sweetie again, didn’t you?”
“She’s not lost,” the woman returned calmly. “She ran
your hogs out of the wallow. I tried to stop her.”
“So I see.” Doozie nodded matter-of-factly. “Well, go
on. You’re not going in my bathroom covered in that!”
The woman turned and headed toward the door without
speaking.
Doozie glared at him. “What are you waiting for, boy?
You get out there and help hose her down! You got any idea how hard it was to
get the floor clean after the rains last week? As is she dripped and I gotta go
get the mop. Go on! Go! And don’t you come back in ‘til she’s clean and you’re
both dry!”
He’d been brought up to obey elders, so he did an
about face, realizing that Stella was right. Doozie didn’t have a sane brain
left under her sparse white hair.
He hurried out the door and toward the string of
expletives and banging noises somewhere behind the house.
Spend some Cowboy Time with the bestselling authors who brought you Cowboy Up 1 and 2.
A book bundle by some of the hottest Western authors around. Each story is unique… from sweet to sizzling with a story sure to please fan of Western Romance.
Happily Ever After, Cowboy by Allison Merritt
She’s planning the wedding of her dreams with a pretend groom and a fake ceremony. What could possibly go wrong?
A Cowboy’s Magic by Leslie P. Garcia
Every cowboy needs a little Magic in his life…
A Pigskin Cowboy by Melissa Keir
Being financially secure is Charley’s biggest dream. Clearing his name is Kane’s. When the media comes looking for the big story, will Kane and Charley’s relationship survive the drama or will the football player run again?
Keep Calm and… Cowboy by Autumn Piper
Everyone knows his area of expertise falls squarely between the sheets, but nobody knows his best friend just asked him for a crash course in all things sex.
Sadie’s Fantasy Cowboy by Sara Walter Ellwood
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas; that is until the heart is involved…
Lily’s Summer Cowboy by D’Ann Lindun
Friendship turns to passion …but can they heal one another?
Giveaway:
Leslie will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky person leaving a comment or email entry. She will also be giving away four copies of Cowboy Time to 4 lucky commenters.
Giveaway ends 11:59pm EST July 8th. Please supply your email in the post. You may use spaces or full text for security. (ex. jsmith at gmail dot com) If you do not wish to supply your email, or have trouble posting, please email maureen@JustContemporaryRomance.com with a subject title of JCR GIVEAWAY to be entered in the current giveaway.
Hi, Everyone. Thanks for dropping by. We--D'Ann, Melissa, Allison, Autumn, Sara and I--are so excited to release Cowboy Time. You'll find a lot of literary "magic moments of love." But would you share some of your personal moments? We'd love to hear them!
ReplyDeleteI love cowboy reads. Thanks for sharing your story, Leslie. So glad to hear things turned out so well for you! I don't have any special moments but I look forward to them!
ReplyDeleteahui89 at hotmail dot com
Thank you for coming by, Ada! Your moments will come--and, too--there are those magic moments when we just love life itself, right? Good luck in the drawings!
ReplyDeleteI love a good cowboy story. Thanks for sharing your story...it's lovely and it sounds like there's a romance novel in it. Especially since you got your happily ever after. I love when gifts from a significant other aren't extravagant, but are meaningful. Something that reminds you that they really do know you.
ReplyDeleteGoldgirl149 at hotmail dot com
Laura, thank you for coming by! I agree with you on gifts--they don't have to be extravagant. Sometimes, it's just someone knowing you well enough to know what would be perfect in a particular moment. Good luck in the giveaway!
DeleteI love a happy ending in a story - or at least a happy for now. Living in the present world with so many ugly news got me exhausted in hearing, reading or watching bad stuff. Sometimes, happy ends on some books might felt too forced or rushed, but I'd prefer that all the way! Genre doesn't really matter for me, I read contemporary, historical, steampunk, urban fantasy, space opera, romantic suspense, humorous and whatevers as long as I can dive in and the story entertain me! :)
ReplyDeleteDee, thank you so much for dropping by and sharing--I love how widely you read! I generally prefer happy endings, too, and the beauty of a book is that writers and authors together can sort of choose the ending that works for everyone. Best of luck in the giveaway!
DeleteI'm looking for happiness in any story I can get! ;-))
DeleteForgot to add my email on my previous comment, it's: puspitorinid AT yahoo DOT com
Much thanks for the post (and the yummy cowboy stories!! *winks*)
Leslie - your excerpt made me laugh aloud at the line "what could charitably be called mud." No giveaway entry for me please, but thanks for the giggle and best of wishes on your newest release.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lola--if I made you laugh, you made my day! We appreciate your taking the time to come by!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFor our 25th anniversary, we drove an hour away (holding hands in the car), took a ferry to a nearby island (while I read in the car, he walked around outside), drove slowly around the island (often smooching on the side of the road like teenagers), stopped for lunch (enjoying my homemade brownies in the car later for dessert), drove slowly some more around the island (still smooching), took the ferry back (with more reading for me and walking for him), stopped for supper (enjoying my homemade butter tarts in the car), then another ferry (with same reading and walking), a stop for ice cream cones, and home 12 hours later, safe and sound, but, more importantly, sweetly satisfied and content. Soooo enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteThis weekend is our 35th wedding anniversary. We've booked a hotel 2 hours away and plan on checking out local points of interest (and possibly visiting a friend) while there. Very much looking forward to our alone time....
Maureen has my email address....
I have a confession, Laney4--nothing hits my heart like lasting love, and I cry for joy when I hear about it! Thank you for sharing your very magic moments and congratulations--enjoy your 35th just as much!
DeleteOh my gosh, Leslie! What an amazing post. Good luck with your bundle!
ReplyDeleteAwww, thank you Lynn! We appreciate you coming by!
DeleteExcellent post, Leslie! May you have continued success with these wonderful boxed sets. Your novels always touch my heart.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Deborah! I love having you drop by!
DeleteOoh another cowboy box set!!! Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Colleen! Thanks for coming by. Good luck in the giveaway.
DeleteI love book bundles, even more if they feature cowboys. Definitely adding this to my TBR list. Thank you for the giveaway!
ReplyDeletenatalijaDOTshkomareATgmailDOTcom
You're very welcome, Natalija, and thank you for coming by and for your kind words! Bundles are great values, right? Good luck in the giveaway!
DeleteHI Leslie! Congrats on your new release. I loved your post and wish you great sales.
ReplyDeleteNancy, hi! Thanks for coming by and commenting!
ReplyDeleteLove cowboy romances. One of my favorite gifts is a story written and illustrated by my nine year old niece.
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
Hi, Taurus! Thanks for stopping in to visit. What a magic gift--a story by your niece! Good luck in the giveaway!
Deletefun
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
Hi, bn100. It's always nice to have you drop by. Good luck in the giveaway!
DeleteI love your stories, both true and fictional so much!
ReplyDeleteThank you, D'Ann! <3 Means a lot to me!
DeleteI can't wait to read this box set, the others have been fantastic.
ReplyDeleteRobyn, hi! Thanks so much for coming by and the kind words. Good luck in the giveaway!
DeleteCongratulations on new release!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great post :)
bubacka07(at)outlook(dot)com
Thank you, Bube! I'm glad you enjoyd it. Best of luck in the giveaway!
DeleteLooking forward to reading this set! Thanks for sharing your story, Leslie!
ReplyDeletethebigbluewall77 (at) gmail (dot) com
Thank you, Anita. I'm glad you dropped in. Good luck in the giveaway!
DeleteGreat post, Leslie! You gotta love a cowboy story. This looks like an awesome collection.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rachel! I appreciate it! Best of luck in the giveaway.
DeleteI love a good cowboy! :)
ReplyDeleteRLR888 @ aol.com
So do we, LynnB! Thanks for coming by, and good luck in the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI love your love story! Plus, we have something in common... I met my husband through a horse story. He rode his horse into the country tavern where I was bartending. He went back out when I carefully beat him, not the horse, with a broom. :) He came back in, on his own two feet, and sweet talked me into a date.
ReplyDeleteThis book bundle looks amazing. Congratulations
Oops...
Deleteblameitonabook@gmail dot com
Oh, you know I LOVE this comment, Julie! Way to a man's heart is a broom, and you know about girls and horses--lol! Best of luck in the giveaway, and I'm glad you enjoyed the post!
DeleteMrs.Leslie Garcia is a great author! Her stories will keep you reading and wanting to know more! She truly captivates through the beautiful love stories and characters.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with all your books Mrs.Garcia and continue with all the great work!
normaflores_02@yahoo.com
Oh, thank you normaflores_02! I appreciate your dropping by! Good luck in the giveaway!
DeleteThanks to everyone who came by!
ReplyDelete