Checkin' In

Well, I've just started round 4 of my revisions for my full-length romantic suspense, HER RELUCTANT PROTECTOR. I'm about 8K into it. I wish I'd gotten more done tonight, but I'm tired and I don't want to push myself when I know it won't be good. So, I'll do what I can when I can each day until it's ready. The good thing is I know the end is near. I anticipate submitting this next week!

I also got my line edits for FRACTURED PARADISE tonight. They're not too difficult so I plan to do those tomorrow after the day job. Getting the line edits has gotten me excited again about the story. This also means I should be getting a release date for it soon! I'll share the unofficial, almost official blurb for it tomorrow when I'm working on the edits.

Now, I'm off to have a cup of tea, watch a bit of "the idiot box" as my grandmother would call it, and then get some sleep.

Six Sentence Sunday

Hello, hello! I can't believe it's already Sunday again. I'm happy to share with you another snippet from my current manuscript, Her Reluctant Protector. To refresh your memory, Jessa's brother has gone missing and he's sent his friend Matt to keep her safe. They, of course, want to do whatever they can to help the brother, but those choices put their lives in danger too.

Last week, Matt gave Jessa a gun to protect them both, but she wasn't ready to take it. He convinced her to practice using it while it was unloaded so she can start to get used to it. That's where we pick up the story this week:

She may not have wanted to shoot before, but she learned quickly.  Each time she practiced, her movements became more fluid.

Matt smiled and allowed hope to gather inside him.  Even though shooting a person was different than pretending with a target, maybe she’d have the guts to pull it off if he needed her to.  If there was a God, though, it wouldn’t come to that.  

“This time, from where you’re standing right now, I want you to imagine someone other than me coming through that door.” 

Thanks for letting me share bits of my latest baby with you these last few weeks. Next week will be our last visit with Matt and Jessa so be sure to turn in! As for today, visit www.sixsunday.com for more snippets from other authors. And be sure to leave comments for them! (Authors love those!)

Come Read My Interview

Today I'm over at fellow Decadent Publishing author, Zee Monodee's, blog. Come join me here!

Curious...Share Your Thoughts?

I'm curious. Am I the only one who likes modern-day stories with Scottish heroes? I mean, I love a kilted hunk as much as the next girl, but sometimes I like my Scotsmen to be more... modern, which is what Malcolm, the hero from Her Highland Champion is.

 So which do you prefer? A Scottish historical, a Scottish contemporary or both? (Or neither?)  I'll take comments all week on this and reveal the results on Saturday. Come on. Help me with research as I plan future stories!

Six Sentence Sunday

Here we are again on a Sunday morning. That means it's time for Six Sentence Sunday, where authors share six sentences from their works. If you're interested in reading other entries of Six Sentence Sunday, visit here! There are a lot! I know I'll be cruising down the list for a while today!

But for now, here is my entry. Last week, Jessa was a bit panicked about taking the gun Matt offered her. Today we pick up from there. (Mick is the heroine's missing brother.) Enjoy!

Matt gripped her hand tighter, wrapped her fingers around the weapon.  “This isn’t about Mick anymore.”  She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off.  “I know you think it is, but it’s not.  It’s about you and me staying alive.  That’s our priority."  

Checkin' In

Hiya! Been working hard on my revisions for HER RELUCTANT PROTECTOR. I finally added the 19,000 words I needed to add and I'm so excited about where the story is going! I took a break, had a drink to celebrate hitting 70k and now I'm onto round 2 of my revisions, which will be me putting those new scenes in the story where they should be and revising to make them fit perfectly.

I hope you make plans to visit tomorrow because I'm participating in Six Sentence Sunday again with another scene from this story. Not sure which scene yet, so you'll have to come back to see!

I've got a few places I'll be out and about online this week so I hope you'll be around to check those out too. Interviews Tuesday and Wednesday and then Thursday I'll be spotlighting the RITA finalists in the romance novella category on one of my other online homes.

See you later!

You Know You're A Suspense Writer When......

You know you're a suspense writer when the AAA guy who comes to tow your car offers you water and you immediately wonder if it's been drugged with the intention of kidnapping unsuspecting women.

Seven Meme with Her Reluctant Protector

I've been picked by my new friend Sabrina Garie to participate in the Seven Meme. I'm expected to share some of my work in progress in raw form. I have a choice-the 7th page or the 77th. From there, I count seven lines, share the next seven and choose seven writers to do the same.

I'm working on revisions for HER RELUCTANT PROTECTOR, which is targeted to the Harlequin Romantic Suspense line. This is also the story I've been using for my Six Sentence Sundays. My lines are from page 77. (I know it looks like more than 7 lines, but I promise it's not! I just couldn't get them posted right without pulling my hair out.) Here ya go!

“Are you all right?  You’re not injured, are you?”  Jason took his eyes off the road for a quick glance at her.

Her brain registered both questions.  “No.”  She’d never be all right again.  

Nothing would ever be right again.

           Numbness settled over her limbs.  She pulled her knees to her chest and stared at the floor. 

Alissa dead.  Mick...hurt.  Dave guilty.  He’d killed a woman in cold blood, had tried to kill her and

Jason.  This couldn’t possibly get worse.  She closed her eyes. 


Now, I don't usually choose people to participate after me, BUT if you are an author and want to post your seven, please do and let me know so I can come read it!

I'm Guest Blogging....

Today I'm at the Celtic Hearts Romance Writers blog talking about the Glenfinnan Monument. Come visit if you have a chance!

6 More Sentences From Her Reluctant Protector

If you stopped by last week, you met Matt and his heroine, Jessa. Today I'm sharing another snippet from their story, one where they're in the same hotel room they were in last week. Enjoy!

“I don’t know how to shoot a gun.”  Instead of accepting the weapon, she twisted her hands.

“Your brother’s a cop.  He never showed you how to shoot?”

            She shook her head.  “Weapons and danger are part of Mick’s life not mine.”

So, will Jessa take the weapon? Or will she fight Matt on it? Can he convince her it's in their best interests for her to learn to protect them both? You'll have to wait to find out!

To read more excerpts from other authors participating in Six Sentence Sunday, visit www.sixsunday.com.

I'm off to do that myself!

I Think I Can......

I told myself if I could get to 60,000 words on HER RELUCTANT PROTECTOR, then I could do ANYTHING! If I could get to 60,000 words, the last 10,000 wouldn't be impossible. If I could get to 60,000 words, I'd be halfway to the total # of words I need to add.

I hit 61,000 words last night after a near-4000 word writing day.

Today I tended to other things- working outside the house, promo stuff that needed to be done, full-time job search, reading.

Tomorrow I intend to get busy with the next chunk of new words. This weekend I expect to get a significant amount of work done. After all, I told the editor I'd resubmit the manuscript by the first week in August. I have to revise the suspense angle of my plot since there's a new addition to the team of villains! I have to figure out where he belongs and how to have his story unfold so that the reader is a bit shocked when he's revealed.

Wish me luck!

Above All, Be Professional

I'm hard at work on the revisions for my "revise & resubmit" request from a FABULOUS editor. I started at the weekend and got so excited. I emailed the editor and told her I was working on it and would send it to her by the 1st week in August at the latest. On Monday morning, bright and early, I got a response from her answering the question I had asked and also saying she was looking forward to reading the revised version. I worked hard on Monday, and part of Tuesday and THEN....

Panic entered. I had added 2500 words, but I suddenly realized that adding the necessary 15,000 words would be a much bigger undertaking than I'd first realized. (word count requirement went up within the year my full was on the desk.) Suddenly I knew my precious story would have to change A LOT.

I whined, panicked and begged on twitter for some pep talks. I wondered what made me think I could pull this off. I played on the computer and stopped writing for the day. Then, as I got ready for my local writers' meeting, I started getting snippets of ideas for the changes I'd have to make. And through the lovely pep talks I got, I came to a HUGE conclusion.

I'm a professional. I've always prided myself on being professional when dealing with my writing world. I don't bad-mouth people in public ever and I don't whine...too much. But, the reality is revising is part of the job. Taking what I love about this story and pulling it apart to make it even better is necessary. This editor working with me has GREAT insight and I need to trust her. If I feel like I can't do it, so what? I KNOW I can. It is, after all, my job. And it's the job I want to eventually have full-time so I need to quit bitchin', pull up my big girl pants and deal.

Jason's Influence

Today I'm over at http://dominiqueeastwick.blogspot.com/ talking about how my favorite fictional character, Jason Bourne, influenced my writing. Stop by if you have time and share your thoughts!

6 Sentences of Her Reluctant Protector

This is my 1st time participating in Six Sentence Sunday, where authors (published & unpublished alike) share 6 sentences of their writing. To learn more about it or to see who else is participating, visit here: www.sixsunday.com

My entry is 6 sentences from my current work, HER RELUCTANT PROTECTOR. I'm in the process of revising the manuscript so I can resubmit it to an editor who would like to read it again. This story has a special place in my heart. It was the first full-length manuscript I truly believed had the potential to sell. Hopefully I'll kick butt on revisions and wow the editor into offering a contract! 

So, what do you think?

Her gaze fell away from him. “Surely we can share a bed.”

Matt’s blood heated.  Without touching?  Without pulling her into his arms to smooth away the worry etched across her brow?  “Sure.”

We Have A Contest Winner!

HOORAY! WE HAVE A WINNER!

First, thank you to everyone who has read HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION and left a review or a rating anywhere online. I appreciate your comments & the time you took to share them.

Now, out of those who left a review, I've chosen 1 winner using random.org. This winner receives a FREE book of her choice from Decadent Publishing and a treat from me.

And the winner is......

BETH ROWAN!

Congratulations, Beth! Shoot me an email at alexa AT alexabourne DOT com

and we'll get you your prizes!

Happy Birthday, America!

If  you are celebrating today, be safe and enjoy!!

I'm Interviewing...

Today I'm over at the Get Lost in a Story Blog interviewing Kathy Bennett! Come join us, learn all about her, leave a comment there & be in the running for her giveaway!