Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Author, author...

...read all about it!




Today we have a special guest Top Ten post from

 Lauren Clark!




Ten Southern Superstitions

There's so much that makes a region of the country different and unique -- the food, the way that the trees and houses look, and certainly, the way that people talk (think the heavy accent of New York City natives and the soft, soothing drawl of Southerners).

Like travel writer Julia Sullivan in Dancing Naked in Dixie, and anyone 'new' to life in the Deep South, there's a lot to learn about the history, culture, and customs. If you visit anyone below the Mason Dixon Line, here are ten Southern Superstitions you might hear about -- all guaranteed to make you giggle!

1. If a girl takes a piece of wedding cake home and puts it under her pillow, she'll dream about the man she's going to marry

2. A woman should never sweep the floor when she's pregnant or the baby will have the umbilical cord around his/her neck

3. Bundle a baby before going outside or he/she will get "the colic."

4. If your right palm itches, you're going to come into money

5. If you dream about fish, someone you know is pregnant

6. Never speak ill of the dead

7. If you tickle a baby it will make him/her stutter

8. There's a baby in every bottle of Geritol (Taking these vitamins will help get a woman pregnant)

9. If a woman has a lot of heartburn while pregnant, her baby will have a lot of hair

10. If a baby bumps his head, he'll make bad grades in school

You'll find plenty of additional Southern phrases and eclectic sayings in Dancing Naked in Dixie. Which are your favorites?
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Dancing Naked in Dixie

Lauren Clark

Travel writer Julia Sullivan lives life in fast-forward. She jet sets to Europe and the Caribbean with barely a moment to blink or sleep. But too many mishaps and missed deadlines have Julia on the verge of being fired. With a stern warning, and unemployment looming, she's offered one last chance to rescue her career. Julia embarks on an unlikely journey to the ‘Heart of Dixie’—Eufaula, Alabama—home to magnificent mansions, sweet tea, and the annual Pilgrimage. Julia arrives, soon charmed by the lovely city and her handsome host, but her stay is marred by a shocking discovery. Can Julia's story save her career, Eufaula, and the annual Pilgrimage? 

Buy Links:  Kindle /  Paperback / Nook / Apple



 
Excerpt :

I’m a travel writer at Getaways magazine. Paid for the glorious task of gathering up fascinating snippets of culture and piecing them into quirky little stories. Jet-setting to the Riviera, exploring the Great Barrier Reef, basking on Bermuda beaches. It’s as glamorous and exhilarating as I imagined.

Okay, it is a tad lonely, from time to time.

And quite exhausting.
Which is precisely why I have to get organized.
        Today.

I sink into my chair and try to concentrate. What to tackle first? Think, think.  

“Julia Sullivan!”                           

Third reminder. Uh-oh.

Marietta rolls her eyes and jerks a thumb toward the inevitable. “Guess you better walk the plank,” she teases. “New guy’s waiting. Haven’t met him yet, but I’ve heard he’s the ‘take no prisoners’ sort. Hope you come back alive.”

I grope for something witty and casual to say, but all of a sudden, my head feels light and hollow.

                I’ve been dying to find out about the new editor.

Every last gory detail.

Until now.

“I’m still in another time zone,” I offer up to Marietta with a weak smile. My insides toss from side to side as I slide out of my chair.

Marietta tosses me a wry look. “Nice try. Get going already, sport.”

I tilt my head toward the hallway and pretend to pout. When I look back, Marietta’s already disappeared. Smart girl.

“Fine, fine.” I tug a piece of rebellious auburn hair into place, smooth my wool suit, and begin to march toward the inevitable.

Our new editor.

My neck prickles.

I’m not going to worry. Not much anyway.

                My pulse thuds.

                Not going to worry about change. Or re-organization. Or pink slips.

                Focus, Julia.
***

 Reviews
Praise for Dancing Naked in Dixie

"... a delightful, heartwarming read full of Southern secrets, sweet tea, and a touch of Dixie romance."
- Juliette Sobanet, author, Sleeping with Paris and Kissed in Paris

"There's nothing more fun then plunking a tried and true New Yorker down in the Deep South. I read this book in a day and loved every second of it!"
- Kate Rockland, Author, 150 Pounds

"Lauren Clark has captured the real life personalities of the hip New Yorker and the caring Southern ladies and gentlemen. This book is a must read for all romantics, young and old."
- Trudi LoPreto, Readers Favorite

"The story is sassy and sexy; her characters are fresh and real. I adored Dancing Naked in Dixie and I'm sure you will too."
- Laura Pepper Wu, Author, Wow! Glowing Bride in 30 Days

"A splash of humor and a healthy dollop of romance make this a fun read from beginning to end."
- Lynnette Spratley, Author, Memory's Child

"I read Dancing in one sitting! Loved it and didn't want it to end! Anxiously waiting for the next one."
- Elizabeth Wright 



About the Author:


The Deep South is the perfect setting for Lauren Clark’s novels; contemporary fiction sprinkled with secrets, sunshine, and surprises. Her heroines are real women with real obstacles in their lives; challenges that require strength, sacrifice, and personal growth. And while it’s convenient to have a prince charming on standby, Lauren’s heroines are capable of creating their own happily-ever afters–with brains, not beauty, saving the day.

A former TV anchor, Lauren is a reformed news junkie, non-reformed coffee drinker, and certified library geek. She loves the color pink, her Electra Townie bike, and any place she can see the ocean and stick her toes in the sand. Lauren adores her family, paying it forward, eight hours of sleep a night, homemade macaroni and cheese, and true-blue friends.



 
It was a pleasure having Lauren's spotlight today and readers, this a book you will love and won't want to miss.  Get your copy today!

Buy Links: Kindle / Paperback / Nook / Apple





Until next time, happy reading !!

Krista


3 comments:

  1. These are great sayings. Just the other day my mother's foot was itching. She said, "Mommy used to say that if your foot itches you'll walk on new ground."

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  2. Thank you so much for hosting Dixie during the Sizzling PR tour. I really had fun with this post and could have added about ten more sayings!!!

    Hope your summer is fabulous, Krista! Xx Lauren

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  3. Missy - thanks for sharing that! Love it, xx Lauren

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