Showing posts with label contempoirary romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contempoirary romance. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Matched with Her Runaway Groom by Britney M. Mills

 


Matched with Her Runaway Groom

by Britney M. Mills 

 

Blurb: 

 

A cruise should’ve been their honeymoon. 

Rachelle Stewart has spent the last year working through her Breakup Bucket list, something her roommates helped her create to get over her ex-fiancĂ©, Landon Higgins. The cruise she won is going to be the crowning achievement of her list, but she can’t seem to get rid of Landon when he shows up as a passenger. 
 
Luck is on Landon’s side when he finds out he’ll get uninterrupted time with his ex-fiance. He ruined things a year ago and getting her back is a long shot. But seeing the changes in her gives him the sliver of hope that they might forgive and forget. 
 
As the truth is revealed, will she trust him after all they’ve gone through apart? Or will they leave the ship and go their separate ways? 

 

Excerpt: 

 

He pulls off his helmet and I’m pretty sure everything around me has either frozen or stopped. Those brown eyes and light brown hair cause my stomach to twist in knots. My instincts were right about the mysterious figure. I pull off my helmet and aim for him, using my fingers to toggle the trigger. 

Three orange paintballs hit him in the chest. His team starts yelling but I wait for him to glance up and see me before I turn around and walk out of there. 

My brain is completely void of any words and I’m pretty sure my hands are shaking now. All I can think of is getting out of this suit and into my car. Kenzie runs up alongside me the most surprised look I’ve ever seen on her face and right at me. 

“Who? What? What was that?” 

We make it into the small dressing area and I don’t say anything, focusing on staying calm and taking off the binding suit.   

“I can’t believe you hit someone that close while his mask was off. Do you know him?” 

“Oh yeah,” I say, not even turning to look at her. “He’s my ex-fiancĂ©.” 



Author Bio:

By day, Britney M. Mills is the wife to a builder and mom to five, but by night, she turns into an author, writing YA & contemporary romance stories. 

A book lover, former college athlete, and Jane Austen fan, she crafts stories with the idea that anyone can find love. When she's not writing, she spends time playing games with her kids, or shuttling them to and from their activities, watching Sanditon and Murdock Mysteries, or dreaming of future characters while she folds a mountain of laundry. 

You can find excerpts of her next project at http://www.britneymmills.com


Wednesday, August 06, 2014

STRANGERS ON A BUS





How far can they get on a bus ride anyway?


Publication Date: March 29, 2011
Genre: Romantic Comedy/Memoir

If you liked When Harry Met Sally, you'll fall in love with Robb and Gertrude from Strangers on a Bus...

Robb is crushed by a failed relationship with the love of his life and finds himself unexpectedly on a long bus trip from his adopted home in the U.S. back to his native Canada.

At the first stop in NYC, a girl gets on and so begins a contemplation of life, love, and strange events that will bring tears of laughter and heartache streaming down your face.

Is this girl Robb's real true love or just a rebound? How far can they get on a bus ride anyway?

This is a true story.


Purchase the Book at Amazon (US) (UK) (CAN)




Robert Manary is an international playboy and man of mystery, with the charm and sophistication of James Bond shaken not stirred with a couple ounces of Cyrano de Bergerac, a dash of Rasputin, and garnished with the rapier wit of Thurston Howell the Third.

That’s how he sees himself, anyway.

The truth is Robert Manary is a construct created to protect the dubious reputation of his Clark Kent like mild mannered writer/puppeteer/the man pulling the levers and breathing life into the Great and Powerful Oz (don’t look too closely behind the curtain).

Manary is an award winning blogger, an erotic romance novel writer, the author of a pretty decent romantic comedy, and for a brief period in the early nineties served as dictator of a small South American country.

Most of that is true.

Manary is also an experimental artist who has no clue how to write an Author’s Bio, and definitely no idea how to end one.

P.S. He is also a shameless plunderer of pop culture.


Thanks for stopping by!

Monday, December 16, 2013

SHERRY GLOAG SHARES HER CHRISTMAS STORY, NAME THE DAY

By Sherry Gloag

Holidays are always fun. They always make you feel good. They are always something to look forward to.

Right?

Wrong!

There are so many reasons why some people dread upcoming holidays, it would be impossible to list them all here. And Christmas is no different. Many of these reasons stem from bad experiences and, or bad memories. Add in the increasing commercialism of the slightest connection to a holiday, then Christmas often tops the list of those who hate the way a sacred holiday has been hi-jacked.

In NAME THE DAY, Samantha Brown’s dislike of Christmas combines all three. Childhood experiences, a multitude of other memories and a loathing of commercialism, even though she works flat out to complete commissions for her clients in time for the holiday.

Chuck an arrogant hero into the mix and sparks are going to fly, and Samantha’s temper, already on a short fuse, it doesn’t take much to light the touch paper this year.

Successful Rafael Santini believes in family and will do anything to ensure members of his family are always provided for, supported in times of grief, stress and betrayal, so when he meets Samantha Brown all his protective instincts go into overdrive.

As does his heart.

For many people there is no happy ever after when the holidays are over. For most the ghosts of their past haunts them until the memories die away for another year and life settles down again. While for other those memories become props, companions to hold on to because it seems there is no other way to survive. And sometimes life simply throws an ugly curve ball which appears to have no solution.

Samantha Brown appeared out of the blue when I sat down to write NAME THE DAY, and we went many rounds together as her story unfolded. Her bottom line?

While for most holidays are a time for joy, families and celebration, there are those who grin and bear it because they don’t want to spoil the fun for others. This generosity of spirit is a lonely place. And in Samantha’s case it took courage to step out of her familiar attitude toward Christmas and move on. To grow, and find happiness.

I’d like to thank Caroline for inviting me to exchange blog visits today, and to wish everyone a holiday they can enjoy. Fine Caroline at my blog, The Heart of Romance, at this link



NAME THE DAY Blurb:

Renowned portrait artist, Samantha Brown is through with men. After dealing with an overbearing father and cheating ex-fiance, Samantha is not in the market for romance, of any kind. Give her a blank canvas, some paints and brushes and she’s in charge of her life. There was no room in her life for love, so why did she find herself giving in to Rafael Santini’s outrageous demand that she paint his portrait?

Satisfied with his upcoming marriage of convenience Rafael Santini isn’t in the market for love. So, how come he finds the pint-sized artist stirring up emotions he didn’t have time for?

An accident forces Rafael to re-evaluate his life and wonder whether he can teach Samantha the art of love.



NAME THE DAY Excerpt:

Why couldn’t the stubborn man get it? She wasn’t giving him any favours at the expense of her other clients. In his case, money would not talk. Almost all her clients were well-heeled, but most understood the time restraints. After all, as she told each person, including Rafael Santini, who contracted a commission they wouldn’t want her to rush their painting and offer them a sub-standard product, would they?
“Give me the names of your clients and I will arrange to exchange places in your queue.” His unequivocal belief pulsed across the airwaves. Did the stupid man expect her to break the confidences of her clients?
“Tell me, Mr. Santini,” she asked in her most dulcet tone, “if I asked for a list of your clients would you hand them over, simply because I wanted something?”
“Don’t be stupid woman. It’s not the same thing at all. I’m a businessman.”
Would someone please save me from stupid arrogant men, Samantha offered in silent plea to the ether without expecting any response.
“I may not deal in electronics and communications systems, or equipment for the world of espionage, secret agents, and private investigators, Mr. Santini, but I do maintain a strict code of integrity and honour and customer confidentiality.”
“Why would you need confidentiality to daub a few colours on a piece of paper?”
Is this guy for real? Does he think insults and condemnation will get him what he wants?
“Let me get this straight. You want my agreement to let you queue jump the rest of my clients, who, incidentally have all signed contracts to be here on specified dates at specific times, and then you will be quite happy for me to go around publicising the fact you are not only having your portrait done, but that you bullied, harassed and threatened me into agreeing to your terms? I don’t think so. Not to mention that in many cases the commission is usually a gift for someone special and total secrecy is not only expected it is essential.”
The silence at the other end of the phone was almost deafening.

Buy Links for NAME THE DAY:










ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Best-selling author, Sherry Gloag is a transplanted Scot now living in the beautiful coastal countryside of Norfolk, England.  She considers the surrounding countryside as extension of her own garden, to which she escapes when she needs "thinking time" and solitude to work out the plots for her next novel.  While out walking she enjoys talking to her characters, as long as there are no other walkers close by.

Apart from writing, Sherry enjoys gardening, walking, and reading. She cheerfully admits her books tend to take over most of the shelf and floor space in her workroom-cum-office.  She also finds crystal craft work therapeutic.  Sherry loves to hear from her readers.  sherrygloag@gmail.com

Amazon author page: http://tinyurl.com/buj6zj8


Thanks to Sherry for sharing with us today, and thanks to readers for stopping by!

Monday, July 23, 2012

MEMORIES FUEL WRITING




When I was a girl aged from about 11 to 13, going to spend a week with my aunt and uncle who lived south of Lubbock was a vacation. My parents would take me to my uncle’s house on a Sunday, and my uncle would bring me home later in the week. My cousins were older than I was, but I was a daydreamer and made up my own adventures and wasn’t lonely. To me, my aunt and uncle were wealthy. I realize now that they were comfortably well off, but not wealthy.

West Texas Cotton Field near Lubbock
Vacations spot?

Actually, my uncle was a cotton farmer, and lucky enough to have irrigation for his crops. I loved "helping" him check the irrigation. He had an old Jeep and riding in it was fun. He was very tolerant. Since his and my mom's dad died when my mom was six, he was sort of like her substitute dad. He was twelve years older than she was, and she was the youngest sibling and probably pampered and spoiled.

Happy memories inspired me to write HOME, SWEET TEXAS HOME in a fictional area near where my aunt and uncle had lived. HOME, SWEET TEXAS HOME, is a sweet contemporary romance and is a twist on Cinderella. Here’s the blurb:


Courtney Madison
Courtney Madison has battled poverty her entire twenty-five years but is determined to make a safe and happy home for her teenaged brother after the recent death of their mom. Her mom’s illness left Courtney with a mountain of hospital bills, her formerly sweet brother Jimmy is now cutting class and hanging with a rough crowd, and she’s just learned she’s being downsized in two weeks. Hanging on by the threads of a fraying rope, she learns she’s inherited two million dollars from a kind elderly man she befriended when he was in the hospital across the hall from her mom. She thinks her inheritance in West Texas is the answer to all her prayers--but Courtney learns that while money improves her life, it doesn’t guarantee happiness. This modern Cinderella encounters problems even a fairy godmother couldn’t imagine.

Derek Corrigan
Rancher/entrepeneur Derek Corrigan has incredible instincts for flourishing in the business world. With women, not so much. In fact, his friends bemoan he’s King Midas where money is concerned, but his judgment of women is pathetic--evidenced by his late wife and now the flamboyant woman he’s been escorting of late. As far as Derek is concerned, all he wants is to be a good dad to his children Warren, aged 8, and Meg, aged 5. Derek suspects the worst of his new neighbor and vows to fight his attraction for her. The only way he can protect his children and himself is to keep his private life very private. Besides, he knows what women do to him--they always leave and take chunks of his heart with them. He's been there, done that, had the vaccination and is cured. Isn't he?

Here’s an excerpt from HOME, SWEET TEXAS HOME:

Set up: Derek surprised both he and Courtney when he asked her to the Winter Madness Ball held at the local county club.




They joined the others circling the room and Derek pulled her into his arms. He looked down at her while they twirled to a waltz. His beautiful cobalt eyes held passion and tenderness. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.
His arm tightened, snuggling her to him. His lips brushed her hair and she thought he murmured her name. Contentment washed over her, sending her encounter with Janelle far away.
A samba followed. He put both hands on her hips and she rested her hands on his shoulders. They moved as one to the rhythmic beats. Erotic fantasies invaded her mind. Tropical isles, sun drenched beaches, surf gliding gently over their entwined bodies.
In the middle of the next number, a fox trot, Derek guided her to the edge of the ballroom floor and out into the lobby. Gently, he pulled her into a shadowy corner before he pressed his lips to hers. For Courtney, they were alone in the universe.
He pulled her closer and she melted at his touch. She slipped her hands inside his jacket and wound both arms around him to knead his back, oblivious to anyone else in the world.
As he slowly raised his head, she felt herself pulled into those deep blue eyes.
Her senses reeled from his kiss and she struggled to maintain at least a shred of her sanity. “You’re a prominent person here, and this is a public area.”
“You’re right, but I couldn’t wait a second longer to kiss you.” He pulled her head to his chest. “Let me hold you a few moments longer.”
With his arms gently caressing her, she rested against his chest. When at last she raised her head to meet his gaze, he exhaled in resignation and brushed his lips across hers. “I know, I know. We should rejoin the others.”


HOME, SWEET TEXAS HOME is available from The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook at
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=638
and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online stores.

Thanks for reading. On Wednesday, I have a new guest author for you, so please return.



Friday, June 15, 2012

THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE

Marie Astor, Author

Marie Astor and her new release, THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE, are today's features. Marie  is a die-hard romantic who wholeheartedly believes in true love, which is why she writes in the contemporary romance genre. Marie is the author of contemporary romance novels. In addition to THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE, Marie had written LUCKY CHARM, ON THE RIM OF LOVE, and a short story collection, A DRESS IN A WINDOW.

If you would like to learn more about Marie’s writing, please stop by her website: www.marieastor.com to sign up for book release updates and events or visit her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection

THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE is a love story about finding one’s perfect match - sometimes following one’s heart is as convoluted as learning the steps of tango.




Here's the blurb for THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE:

Twenty-eight-year-old Claire Chatfield has everything a girl could possibly wish for: looks, a promising career at New York’s top architectural firm, and an engagement ring from one of New York’s most eligible heir-bachelors! Life should be a dream, but when Alec Brunell, a sexy tango dancer, moves into the apartment one floor above from Claire’s, he unwittingly awakens Claire’s old insecurities, making her question her life choices. Will Claire brave her fears and allow herself to take a chance on Alec, or will she continue to play it safe?

In order to secure his place as his father’s successor, thirty-three-year-old David Lawson must settle down with a wife befitting the future head of Lawson Enterprises - and who could fit the prerequisite better than the stunningly beautiful and incredibly bright Claire Chatfield? There is just one glitch – David Lawson is in love with another woman – a Hollywood Legend Claudia Block.

A successful tango instructor, Alec Brunell has never lacked for women’s attention, but he finds himself at a loss when faced with his downstairs neighbor, Claire Chatfield. Upon hearing of his occupation, most women swoon with desire, but Claire runs for the door. Still, her iciness only adds fuel to his fire, as Alec is determined to change Claire’s view of him.

THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE is a love story about finding one’s perfect match - sometimes following one’s heart is as convoluted as learning the steps of tango.



Here's and excerpt from THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE:


Back in the safety of her apartment, Claire locked the door behind her. Her face was burning crimson red – she had never lost control like this before.
She stumbled into the kitchen and put on the coffee pot – she was too rattled up to go back to bed now. Mechanically, she poured cereal into a bowl and splashed some milk over it. Taking a bite of her cereal, she cringed as she replayed the encounter in her mind – she could not remember the last time she had been this flustered. She liked to think of herself as a fairly rational person, and yet, just now she had behaved like a complete maniac. First, she had burst into a total stranger’s apartment, and then, she ogled his naked, incredibly muscular torso – at this thought Clair cringed again, hoping that her new neighbor had not noticed this lapse, and then, after he had tried to make small talk despite her unexpected appearance in his apartment, she nearly screamed at him for playing his music too loud. And to top it all off, after he had sincerely apologized, she snubbed his perfectly good-natured offer of a cup of coffee.
Reliving the memory of her embarrassing behavior was enough to make Claire burrow her face in her hands and pull on her hair. She was a grown woman and she knew how to handle tough situations. What on earth made her act like this? Sure, Alec’s devastatingly handsome looks could have been an explanation, but Claire knew full well that it was not the answer. A part of her wished it had been the answer – that would have made things so much simpler. But Claire was in love with David Lawson, and she was not the kind of woman who got smitten by a six-pack, no matter how hard, or dark eyes, no matter how piercing. No, the true reason lay in the music – the sultry, maddening tango music.





Books by Marie Astor:

THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE – a contemporary romance about overcoming one’s inhibitions, learning to tango, and finding one’s true match.
http://www.amazon.com/This-Tangled-Thing-Called-ebook/dp/B0078IPNCW/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339771760&sr=1-3&keywords=mARIE+aSTOR

LUCKY CHARM – a humorous contemporary romance about love, luck and friendship.
http://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Charm-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B005BZL3L4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336842915&sr=8-1

ON THE RIM OF LOVE – a contemporary romance about the unexpected power of love.
http://www.amazon.com/On-Rim-Love-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B005TOWI7K/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

A DRESS IN A WINDOW – a collection of short stories about love, coincidences, and fate.
http://www.amazon.com/Chance-Encounter-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B004E112TO/ref=pd_sim_kstore_5?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2


Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.marieastor.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4665230.Marie_Astor

Twitter: @marieastor



Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

BOOK REVIEW - CATCH OF THE DAY





CATCH OF THE DAY
By Kristan Higgins
Winner of the 2008 RITA

One of my BFFs attended a conference where Kristan Higgins spoke, and raved about her. So, I checked out one of her books, and have to agree with my friend.

Maggie Beaumont has inherited a diner from her grandfather, much to her mother’s horror. While Maggie’s twin has married a doctor and has a baby, Maggie is single at 32. Worse, she has been publicly humiliated by her ex, then humiliates herself when she publicly announces she’s fallen in love. Gideon’s Cove, Maine is a small town, and no one will let her forget her faux pas. Not only that, since hers is the only decent place to eat in Gideon’s Grove, she sees the man she can’t have daily. Does Maggie mope and complain? No.

Maggie is a kind, compassionate woman who feeds people in her diner, then bakes food for the poor, for shut ins, and for just about every group in town for free. She serves on committees. She pays her cook more than she does herself because he has five kids. Her beloved dog Colonel has a special spot behind the counter in her diner and is her constant companion. This heroine is so admirable she makes saints look like slackers. The one person in town who never sets foot inside the diner is a local fisherman, Malone, tagged Maloner the Loner.

Nothing will satisfy Mrs. Beaumont for her daughter unless Maggie snags her own doctor immediately. Instead, Maggie’s curiosity is aroused by Malone. Heavens, no one even knows his first name, and he won’t tell her. The two have one magical day together before everything gets even crazier.

CATCH OF THE DAY is filled with snappy dialogue and terrific characterizations. I enjoyed this book a great deal. I felt the end was a bit rushed, but it was the correct ending. This was a fun (with one sad part), fast-paced read that I would highly recommend to anyone who loves a good romance.

Thanks for stopping by!


Monday, July 25, 2011

CHANCE FOR FREE PDF COPY OF HEART OF A HERO

Today I welcome my good friend Celia Yeary. No, we've never met in person, but we are online BFF's because we've learned we have an incredible number of things in common. Honestly, with so many experiences, we share we must be related--so we tell people we're cousins. Do you think anyone believes us?

I'm so pleased Cousin Celia is here today to share her new release, HEART OF A HERO. She's offering one lucky person who comments a PDF of the book. Now, here's Celia:

Author Celia Yeary

Thank you, Caroline, for allowing me to introduce a new release no one knows much about. I'm happy to have this opportunity to introduce a Contemporary Romance, a little spicy, full of hurting, revenge, and love. The title is HEART OF A HERO.


I wrote this story a few years ago and learned that most romance publishers wouldn't take it in its present form. You see, I do have a hero and a heroine, but the hero is entangled with a fiancĂ© with whom he tries to keep secret from a young woman he meets and instantly falls in love. She, too, holds a secret, and so they spend a summer together—a long, hot, dangerous summer—in which they cling to each other, knowing they will have to part.


As a result, I held on to it, studying publishers who seemed to be more lenient with guidelines. I took a chance with Whimsical Publications, owned by Janet Durbin, and although we did some serious editing, the basic plot and characters remained intact. Thank you, Janet.


The story came to me in bits and pieces as I watched our men and women go off to war halfway around the world to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other dangerous places. Then I watched with a breaking heart, some of those who survived come home, often to more problems than they had on the battlefield. I always thought—now they must fight for their own freedom to have the life they want and deserve. As the reader will learn, Matt Carrington's family holds him hostage as much as the terrorists did.
 Blurb:


Matt Carrington escapes a terrorists’ prison while in the Army, but he has difficulty escaping the trappings of a demanding fiancĂ© and his own parents. To get away to think, he meets pretty, girl-next-door Lauren Delaney, the kind of woman he desires. But his fiancĂ© and his parents have other plans, and they determine to have their way—no matter what Matt wants.


Lauren Delaney is an independent young woman who quickly befriends the soldier hero who comes to town. Knowing he has another life in Dallas, she holds a secret, too. But she pretends neither have a problem in order to have the summer with him.


During the long hot months, a hurricane almost destroys the town. Matt and Lauren work with a team to save as many residents as they can, and in the process fall deeply in love. When the danger is past, the two lovers suffer from their own lies and misunderstandings. Can they find peace and happiness without hurting others?


Excerpt:


Lauren knew he was shutting her out.


Matt was angry, so angry that he couldn’t talk anymore.


She could figure out what had probably happened with his family and his girl. He had not been given time to sort out his feelings, or grieve for lost comrades, or contemplate his own life—which he almost lost. Lauren’s heart went out to him.


Walking to him, she placed her palm on his back, on the wound beneath his shirt. The ugly, sickening scar, with a matching one in front. At the river, she had plenty of opportunity to see it and plenty of time to feel the pain he had suffered. Silently, she had wept for him and prayed for him. Now, she knew for certain that the biggest, ugliest scar marred his heart and soul. His family had become the enemy.


Instead of talking to him, she took his glass from his fingers without his knowing. As quietly as she could, she began to collect ingredients for their dinner. Food would help him. Then, she had a plan that would soothe his hurting. At the same time, she would soothe her own.


He appeared in the doorway. “Are you okay?”


“Me, Matt?” she asked. “Well, yes, I am, but I’m very hungry. Aren’t you?”


“Are you angry with me?” With a frown, he ran his fingers through his short, dark hair and then let his arm drop.


She placed the skillet on the stove, turned fully to him, and spoke ever so softly. “Why would I be mad at you? How could I ever be angry with you, Matt? All I see in you is good and honest and generous. Do you think because you chose not to talk anymore, that I would turn on you? That’s unfair, isn’t it? You’re a free man, Matt; free to do as you choose, free to make your own choices. Isn’t that one reason you went to fight a war halfway around the world? To defend freedom? It’s precious, Matt. Don’t let anyone take that away from you. Whatever you do, don’t let them take it away.”

BUY LINKS: in eBook and print


HEART OF A HERO, a contemporary romance set in Texas, is now available at:


Amazon Kindle--- http://www.amazon.com/Heart-of-a-Hero%20e-book/dp/B0059WEBUO/ref=sr_2_10?books&ie=UTF8&qid=13110820975&sr=1-10

and eBook on Smashwords by Whimsical Publishing: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/71142


PRINT AND EBOOK FOR THE NOOK:


B&N- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heart-of-a-hero-celia-yeary/1104173045?ean=9781936167456&itm=3&usri=celia%2byear y

I would love to give away a pdf copy of HEART OF A HERO. Please leave a comment for a chance to win. Thank you…


Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas


http://www.celiayeary.blogspot.com/


http://www.celiayeary.com/


http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/

Thanks, Celia. Readers, thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to comment to qualify for Celia's drawing!


Available Now!
For those of you not from Texas, that's the
Dallas skyline in the cover's background