Cover reveal and excerpt: 'Leaving Amarillo' by Caisey Quinn

HEA gets to be the first to show you the cover of Caisey Quinn's Leaving Amarillo, coming out in March 2015, AND share an excerpt. Leaving Amarillo is the first book in the Neon Dreams series. Enjoy! (To see a larger version of the cover, click on the blue arrow in the lower right corner of the image.)

First, here's the blurb (courtesy of William Morrow Paperbacks):

Nashville meets New Adult in Neon Dreams, a dramatic, sexy series from bestselling author Caisey Quinn, about a country band's rocky road to fame—and the ambition, dreams, and love of the people who make the music.

Dixie Lark hasn't had it easy. She lost her parents in an accident when she was young and grew up in a ramshackle house on a dirt road in Amarillo with her ailing grandparents and overprotective older brother. Thanks to her grandfather, Dixie learned to play a mean fiddle, inspired by the sounds of the greats—Johnny and June, Waylon, and Hank. Her grandfather's fiddle changed Dixie's life forever, giving her an outlet for the turmoil of her broken heart and inspiring a daring dream.

Ten years later, Dixie and her brother Dallas are creating the music they love and chasing fame with their hot band, Leaving Amarillo. But Dixie isn't enjoying the ride. All she can think about is Gavin, the band's tattooed, tortured drummer who she's loved since they were kids. She knows he feels the connection between them, but he refuses see her as more than his best friend's little sister.

Convinced that one night with Gavin will get him out of her system, Dixie devises a plan. She doesn't know that her brother has forbidden Gavin from making a move on her-a promise he swore he'd always keep ... a promise that once broken will unexpectedly change the future for Dixie, Gavin and the band.

The excerpt (also courtesy of William Morrow Paperbacks) …

"Okay, man. Yeah. Got it. And seriously, thanks. I mean it. There's anything I can do for you, holler. All right?"

Dallas disconnects the call and his shining blue eyes flicker first to me where I'm standing applying rosin to my bow, then over to where Gavin has just joined us.

"That was Levi Eaton," he says without giving either of us time to inquire about the phone call that has him grinning almost maniacally. "His band is backing out of Austin MusicFest. His keyboard player slept with the lead singer's wife. Needless to say, they're taking a breather."

"Nice," Gavin says with a touch of sarcastic awe in his voice.

"Yeah," my brother says, nodding as the door closes behind him, looking like he's announcing lottery winnings. "I mean, not that that dude nailed the guy's wife. But that means there's performance space available at the festival."

Austin MusicFest is a five-day music festival on Sixth Street, second in size only to South by Southwest. It doesn't pay much, but the exposure alone is worth more than we'd make in a year. Maybe even more than that.

We've signed up to be considered every year since we started playing seriously. But so far we haven't been able to get onto the lineup.

"So you think we can just show up and pretend to be Levi's band?" I set the rosin aside and join in the conversation.

"No," Dallas laughs as if I've said something funny. "We're in. As us. Levi even gave us his hotel room. Thank goodness, because otherwise we'd be sleeping in the van all week."

The air vacates my lungs as if Dallas popped them with his words. Maybe someone heard my rooftop prayer after all.

Up until now, we've mostly performed gigs close to home. Sure, we've slept in the van from time to time when playing out of town, but never for more than one night at a time. And the boys always stay safely in the front seats and I crash on the bench seat in the back. When on the road we sleep in shifts and take turns driving the hunk of junk we lovingly named Emmylou after my infatuation with Emmylou Harris.

This will be different. Much different.

"There are over one hundred managers attending and at least as many booking agents and record label execs. This is it. This is our shot. Finally." My brother beams at us. "We'll leave tomorrow night." His eyes widen as they meet mine. "We're in. Holy s***, we're in."

The guys are fist-bumping and celebrating while I try to process what this means. My mouth is dry when my gaze makes its way over to the tattooed tortured soul grinning from behind his drum kit.

I've done the best I can to keep my distance, to behave myself and not open my mouth and let my heart fall out. It would ruin everything.

One week. One hotel room. Our shot at finally making it.

I don't know if I can do this.

I just know that I have to.

Find out more about Caisey and her books at www.caiseyquinnwrites.com.