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May 7th, 2012

CBLS Guest Post & Giveaway: Dance Me to the Stars by Marie Astor

Dance Me to the Stars by Marie Astor
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 254 pages

Summary:

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.

Claudia Block has been basking in the limelight of Hollywood for more years than she cares to admit. While she still has her looks, she would much rather not mention her age, which makes her unconventional affair with young and handsome David Lawson that much more difficult for her to give up.

Excerpt:

Alec put down the paint roller and wiped his forehead on the back of his arm. Man, he was beat – he had forgotten how grueling physical labor could be. Sure, he worked out six days a week, not to mention daily dance practice, but painting walls made him discover muscles he did know he had. Every bit of his body throbbed, but at least he had gotten the job done – the south wall was painted red, and the other three were white. Now, all he needed was wait for the paint to dry so that he could add a silhouette of a tango couple against the red background – that ought to complete the ambiance. He opened the small fridge and reached for a bottle of orange juice. The cool liquid soothed his parched throat; holding the now half-empty bottle, Alec walked over to the window to check out his new view. All in all he was happy with his new digs: the rent was reasonable and the view was not bad either – from the top floor he had an unobstructed view of Second Avenue – not exactly the poshest of locations, but it would do.

One thing he had not counted on was fussy neighbors. Alec smiled, thinking of the unexpected visitor from the morning. “Claire,” he mouthed her name, remembering her tousled chestnut hair and hazel eyes – even that bulky bathrobe she had been wearing could not conceal the shapely outlines of her body.

Of course, a girl like that was bound to be a challenge. But he had always liked challenge, and the fact that he was a professional tango dancer usually played in his favor. Usually, but it might not be so this time. Alec winced, remembering Claire’s reaction to his innocent question about her music taste. What was all that about? he wondered – as far as he was concerned, no one could resist tango. Well, he would get to the bottom of Claire’s music idiosyncrasies in due time, but in the meantime, he needed to think of a way to become more neighborly.

“Think of the devil,” Alec murmured, taking another gulp of orange juice as he spotted the subject of his thoughts exiting the lobby. Someone must have a hot night planned, he thought, his eyes examining every detail of Claire’s outfit, which was far more flattering than the bathrobe he remembered from this morning. Now, she was dressed in a little black number that fitted her body to a T – his instincts had been right, from long, shapely legs to firm, flat stomach to wonderfully full breasts, her body was downright perfect, and the way her chestnut mane bounced down her back made Alec want to get to know his neighbor better. Heading out for a night on the town, Alec mused – it was Saturday night after all, and he was glad to remark the absence of a male companion by Claire’s side. Suddenly, his new building looked even more appealing.

Guest Post by Marie Astor

What makes a good leading man?

Thank you for inviting me to Blackraven’s Reviews. My name is Marie Astor and I am the author of contemporary romance novels, Dance Me to the Stars, On the Rim of Love, and Lucky Charm, and a short story collection, A Chance Encounter and Other Stories.

Today I would like to talk about writing a good leading man. There are many traits that make a strong leading man, but for today’s discussion, I’d like to cap the number to the five essential qualities. So, what are five most essential traits of a good leading man?

When I was writing about this topic the lyrics from Bonnie Tyler’s Holding out for a Hero immediately came to mind:

I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night
He’s gotta be strong
And he’s gotta be fast
And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light
He’s gotta be sure
And it’s gotta be soon
And he’s gotta be larger than life

Now admit it – every time this song comes up on the radio (preferably when you’re behind the wheel of a car!), it just makes you want to crank up the volume and sing along, swinging your hair in the wind – well, at least that’s my reaction, and I’m not ashamed to make it public. So, what are five traits that make a good hero?

1) A hero should be strong – let’s face it, women want men they can depend on – men who can stand tall in a difficult situation and be a rock to lean on.

2) A hero should be brave – he should be tough enough to stand up for himself and his beliefs.

3) A hero should be morally principled. I’m not saying he has to be a Boy Scout, but he should have a set of moral values by which he lives – even thieves have a code of honor among themselves.

4) A hero should have a set of skills that make him unique – whether that’s carpentry, accounting, horse-riding or ability to wield a sword will depend on the plot and the genre, but he should have unique abilities that set him aside from the pack.

5) So does a hero have to be perfect? Absolutely not. Who wants to read about a Goody Two-Shoes? In real life no one is perfect – our vulnerabilities and imperfections make us human, and those are also the traits that make us relate to fictional characters.

These are some of the guidelines that steered me true when I was writing the character of Alec Brunell – the leading man of my contemporary romance novel, Dance Me to the Stars. Here is a quick blurb to tell you more about the book:

Dance Me to the Stars is a love story about finding one’s perfect match – sometimes following one’s heart is as convoluted as learning the steps of tango.

About the Author

Marie Astor is the author of contemporary romance novels Dance Me to the Stars, On the Rim of Love, and Lucky Charm. Marie Astor has also authored a collection of short stories A Chance Encounter and Other Stories.

Marie’s latest contemporary romance novel, Dance Me to the Stars, has been selected in the first round of entries in the General Fiction category in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest this year.

Currently, Marie is working on her next novel – a first installment in her romantic suspense series.

Author Website: www.marieastor.com

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Astor/e/B004EBDX9Q/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

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

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

Twitter: @marieastor