A Few Words From Meggie...

 

 

Hiya! Alexa and I are so glad you've stopped by to join us. We're so excited to celebrate the release of Alexa's new book, Carry Me Home, that is part of the new Tease line. Oh, wait. I suppose I should tell you who I am. My name is Meggie MacDougall. The hero in Carry Me Home is Jamie MacDougall, me oldest brother. (Aye, I talk with an accent. I'm Scottish, after all!)

 

Do you want to know how this story came about? Aye? Well, one of Alexa's grand editors emailed and asked her to be a part of Decadent Publishing's new project, Tease. Naturally she was honored and excited and a bit nervous. But how wonderful to be asked!

 

 



Straight away Alexa knew she had the perfect couple for this lovely little story-  Jamie, and his wife, Mary. You see, all three of us are a part of Alexa's very first book, Her Highland Champion. After Alexa finished that story, she knew all we MacDougalls had a lot more to say and do. So, after the editor asked her to write for Tease, Jamie and Mary's impending divorce took over Alexa's mind and she went to work writing Carry Me Home. It was a whirlwind of a story, although a heartache for us all. I mean, me daft brother was about to lose the only lass he'd ever loved and if.... Och! I cannit share anything else. I promised Jamie, Mary and Alexa I'd not say too much. For some reason they all think I talk too much!

 

All right. All I'll say now is if you want a good cry and a good laugh, then get on your way to buying this book as soon as you can. You'll not be disappointed.

 

Now, since this is part of Alexa's Release Party for Carry Me Home, let's get to the question you need to answer for a chance at a prize. Have any of you come across a secondary character you definitely wanted to learn more about?

 

(Remember, leaving comments on any of Alexa's blog spots this week can put you in the running for one of the FIVE prizes she's offering! Scroll down to Monday to see the list of places you can read more about Carry Me Home! AND if you tweet about it, which will give you MORE chances to win, make sure to include me @AlexaBourne and #CMHReleaseParty!)

 



Sneak Peek Sunday!

It's time again for Sneak Peek Sunday! A bunch of authors share six paragraphs from a published work of theirs or a work-in-progress. To read more about Sneak Peek Sunday, visit this website. As for the sneak peek into my own work.....

In 3 weeks and 3 days, my next book will be available! Carry Me Home is the name of it and I'm soooooo excited! Early reviews are saying good things! So, as I'm working on promo ideas for it, I've decided to share snippets with you from Carry Me Home each week for the next 4 Sundays. Today's snippet is the opening of the book. I hope you like it! Please let me know what you think!


Mary MacDougall tossed the edge of her scarf over her shoulder and reached for her suitcase handle in the overhead compartment of the train. Six months was a long time to be away from everyone she knew and loved. Much had changed with her. Would anyone notice? Or would she fail and return to the woman she used to be?

With her case in her hands, she descended the stairs. When she stepped onto the Glenhalish platform, her stomach curled. Sunshine brushed across her face. She turned up to it, closed her eyes, and inhaled the scents of her home. Sweet heather and freshly cut grass from somewhere.

Aye, she loved Edinburgh, but Glenhalish held her soul.

Had held it until she’d run away in the dead of winter.

As the train closed doors and chugged onward, Mary reopened her eyes. She’d be reboarding in four days’ time, with everything she owned and the signed papers that granted her freedom.

Hopefully.

 

Alexa's New Book Cover!

Today marks the official, public beginning for an exciting time in Decadent Publishing’s history, and I’m so excited to be a part of it. We are unveiling a brand new series of books for you. The new Tease series is smart, sassy and short, and includes historical, paranormal and contemporary romances. All the stories are meant to be short reads for those times when a reader might want a quick, satisfying pick me up. You are promised a solid story with a happy ending, but the rest is up to the author.

I’m one of those authors and this is the cover to my first Tease, Carry Me Home.

Carry Me Home Book Blurb:

After six months in the city, Mary MacDougall returns to the Scottish Highlands to finalize her divorce. Because of a past tragedy, she doubts her husband Jamie can possibly love her with the same unbridled passion as before and insists ending the marriage is best for both of them. But Jamie has other ideas….

Jamie MacDougall has no intention of letting his bonnie lass go. At least not without a fight. Aye, they’ve suffered heartache, and she may be ready to call it quits, but he refuses to throw away the partnership they’ve built since they were children. Instead, he’ll remind her they were meant to be together, forever.

Can this marriage survive pride and grief to allow love to carry them home?

This cover fits Mary and Jamie perfectly and I absolutely love it. Isn’t it gorgeous? My book will be released June 5th, but you have plenty of Tease stories before then. To find out more, visit http://www.decadenttease.com/tease-affairs/ today! There you will be able to see more of the gorgeous Tease covers, be introduced to the people “behind the scenes” (including the 1st Tease authors), and find out more about the new series. AND you can be in the running for some GREAT prizes. So come join the party!

 

 

Way Back Wednesday!

Welcome to this week's edition of Way Back Wednesday! Today I have a special treat for you! Read on to find out more.....

Happy Anniversary!
It is one year ago that my very first book, Her Highland Champion, hit the cyber shelves! Happy Anniversary to me, Malcolm and Heather!!!

It's been an amazing year, with a lot of twists and turns. Since that first book, I've seen 2 more novellas come out, a print version with all 3 and I've signed another contract with Decadent Publishing for their new Tease line. At the moment, I also have ANOTHER submission in with Decadent, a full-length romantic suspense submission with two other epublishers, and I'm working on a brand new Honor Guard story.

I haven't reread Her Highland Champion since it came out, but I'm thinking I might. I still love that story for so many reasons. It was my first published book, of course, but it was also my very first suspense story. It is set in my favorite place in all the world, a fictional version of Glenfinnan, Scotland. It has some wonderful characters who have lived inside my head for over 14 years. It began my International Protective Network series of stories and some of the secondary characters have found their way into other short stories Decadent Publishing and I will be bringing you later this year.

What's next?
In the next year, I hope to sell more copies of this heart-warming contemporary Scottish romantic suspense. I hope to work more on my International Protective Network, to discover more aspects of the exciting fictional business. I've got several more employees to write about, with more sexy heroes, feisty heroines and intriguing international settings. And of course, there will be suspense!

How about a contest?
To celebrate my one year anniversary as an officially published author, I'll be giving away a signed copy of my print book, Through the Eyes of Darkness. Her Highland Champion is in there along with my other 2 ebooks from 2012. Plus, I'll throw in some other UK treats!

How do you win?
There are THREE ways you can be in the running for this prize!

1: Leave a comment here. (To help you with a comment idea here, tell us one thing you've accomplished over the last year.)
2: Leave a comment on the Daily Dose of Decadence Blog on Friday, where I'll be blogging about my next adventure with Decadent Publishing.
3: Become a follower of this blog. (If you're already a follower, you're already in the running!)

The winner will be chosen after midnight on Friday and announced on Saturday!

Way Back Wednesday!

Welcome to Way Back Wednesday! This is the day of the week where I share a story form my past that's related to writing. Every Wednesday I'll be sharing something so make plans to come back! This week's story features Kathleen Givens:

 

The first time I met Kathleen Givens was at the Dreamin' in Dallas Conference many years ago. I was mostly reading Scottish historicals at the time, had read a few of hers and LOVED them all. I was also writing my own Scottish contemporary suspense (my very first suspense, which became part of my first book, Her Highland Champion). At the time of the conference, she was my favorite author and I was still pretty new to the writing world.

 

She laughed when I bowed down to her and told her I loved her writing. We chatted then and each time we ran into each other for the rest of the conference. It was the first time I really understood that famous authors were still people too.

After the conference, I continued to read her books. I also promoted her and her work as much as I could as I continued to learn more about the industry and what I wanted my part in it to be.

 

Sadly, Kathleen passed away rather suddenly in 2010. I'm sure her family and friends still miss her. I know I do, but I will always be thankful for her kindness to one giggly fan with wide eyes and a dream to follow in her footsteps.

Six Sentence Sunday!

Welcome to my snippet for Six Sentence Sunday! You can find other participants here.

This week I'm sharing a snippet from my current work in progress, Silent Surrender. I'm hoping to get a HUGE chunk of work done on it this coming week so that I can submit it to my epublisher by the end of January. This is a short, contemporary romance set in the Scottish Highlands. If you read my first book, Her Highland Champion, you'll recognize the setting and some of the characters. The heroine in this story is Meggie MacDougall who works part of the time in the family pub and part of the time in the B & B from that first story. Here's the really, really unofficial blurb for this story so far:

To Quinn O'Connell, working as a football coach meant everything to him until a chance encounter with vacationing Highland lass Meggie MacDougall showed him just how to live.

Well? What do you think? Yeah, I know, the blurb's not that great, but I'm pretty happy with my six sentences. See if you agree!

He'd come to find a woman, but he'd bought the train ticket before he could think this plan through. What if she didn't remember their wild, sex-filled weekend when she'd come to Dublin? No, that wasn't likely. He had enough faith in his ability to charm and satisfy a woman, but what if she didn't want to see him? That was entirely possible, but he wouldn't let it discourage him. The bottom line was he'd come for Meggie and Quinn was used to getting what he wanted.

My Print Cover!!!! It's Here, It's Here!!!

 

This is the cover for my 3 Honor Guard novella anthology. Her Highland Champion, Fractured Paradise and Simple Treasures will be released as one PRINT book. Isn't this cover AWESOME???? That's Castle Stalker in the upper right hand corner and the Wearmouth Bridge in Sunderland, England in the lower left corner. That bridge is the bridge my mom used to walk across as a kid and she and I have walked across it together as well. I am in awe of this cover and I cannot WAIT to hold the book in my hands! It also makes me want to write more stories set in England and Scotland.

And just to tempt you, here's the unofficial back cover blurb:

The International Protective Network hires the most efficient operatives to protect their clients, but what happens when those employees need to face their personal demons in order to get the job done?

A broken-down bodyguard with no confidence...an American lass with no memory...a technical analyst more confident with computers than people...a lad living in the past...a new operative with something to prove...a former soldier struggling with her war scars.

In the cozy communities of the British Isles, three couples charge through the dangers confronting them in order to find truth, justice and the love they deserve.

Dreams Really Do Come True!!!!

I'M GONNA BE IN PRINT!!!!!!

 

Yes, you read that right. Another one of my dreams is coming true. Decadent Publishing is putting all 3 of my Honor Guard novellas in one print book!

 

So if you like to hold the book you're reading in your hands, you'll soon be able to do that! The book will have a new cover and I came up with a new title: Through the Eyes of Darkness.

 

I don't have all the details yet, but I know it'll be released this spring. I'll definitely keep you updated. 

 

 

Release Party- Day 3!

 

Welcome back for Day 3 of my Release Party for Simple Treasures! Today is the Story Behind the Story Day. Come on. You know every book has to have one, right?

 

Once I had the contract for my second book, Fractured Paradise, I began thinking about the possibility of writing a New Year's Honor Guard novella with a specific hero in mind. When I was trading emails with my fantabulous senior editor about something else in May, I asked her what the odds were that if I submitted another novella soon that it would be available in December 2012. If it couldn't be done, I planned to wait and write it next year. But my senior editor said that if I submitted it by June and the acquisitions editors accepted it, then it would be out this year. I had 3 weeks.

 

Immediately I began plotting and planning. I thought for sure the book would come together and be perfect for my intended hero. After all, I knew him well since he appeared in both Her Highland Champion and Fractured Paradise. But it wasn't working. I typed up a rough draft and sent it to my awesome critique partner and she basically told me it was crap. She was right, of course. So, I rewrote bits, tried some other ideas and a couple days later I sent her the opening again. And she told me....it was crap.

By this time, I was panicked. June 1st was right around the corner and all I had was a heroine I sort of liked. I'd stopped getting online, did nothing but work and then come home to write. At this point, I took one day to take a long, hard look at my story ideas. I gave myself one day to figure out a decent enough plot with a fantastic hero who could bring out the best in my heroine. If I could not have all those pieces in play by the next day, I told myself I would skip the story and write it for New Year's 2013/2014.

But I really liked the suspense plot idea.

And I started liking more about my heroine.

And the setting, Edinburgh during Hogmanay, was perfect.

AND I really, really, really wanted an Honor Guard UK trilogy.

 

So I plotted and planned, wrote down details of the hero I knew was right and by the end of that day I had my story outlined. Every free moment I had during my substitute teaching job, I wrote. In between sub jobs and my tutoring job, I wrote. When I got home from work, I ate a frozen meal, turned on some music, and wrote. On the weekends, I wrote from sun up to long after sun down. I took 15-30 minute breaks in between each hour. Some nights I fell asleep on the couch. Some nights I didn't sleep at all, but on June 4th, I hit send on my submission.

 

8 weeks and 2 days later I received the contract in my email. I knew the book still needed a lot of revising, but the crux of a good story was there, one I could definitely be proud of. My FANTABULOUS content editor helped me whip it into shape and now I get to share it with all of you! I hope you like it!

 

 

Simple Treasures Dedication~

For (MY CRITIQUE PARTNER). Thank you for your pom-poms, a swift kick in the arse, and the wisdom to know which one I needed on which day!

 

Remember to leave a comment to be in the running for the NEXT PRIZE! Be sure to leave your email address too.

Release Party- Day 2!

 

Hello, hello! Thank you to everyone who joined me yesterday for the beginning of my Release Week! Today I'm still celebrating Christmas with the family so I decided to share another snippet of the book with you. I LOVE this opening and I talk about it every chance I get. I teach an online class a few times a year about writing Killer Openings. I'm hoping this one fits into that category and that my former students would be proud of me!

 

Without further ado, here is the Killer Opening of Simple Treasures.



Chapter One
Colin Munro didn’t know which knife to worry about more, the one pointed at his throat or the one at his crotch.

"You’ve got ten seconds to tell me who the hell you are, or I start slicing," the woman threatened.

He glanced into her stormy dark eyes. Joanna Grainger. The lass he’d been sent to keep safe.

Aye, but who would protect him?

"Take care where you move those blades." Of course, he wasn’t terribly worried. If he needed to, he could easily disarm her. She stood about five foot six without the high heels she’d been wearing when she’d first entered her flat.

"I’m the one giving orders here." The steel at his neck pushed a bit closer to his Adam’s apple.

"I don’t think so." Colin smacked her arms, snatched the blades from her fingers with one hand, and pushed her back to the wall. The picture frame close to her head shook, but he hadn’t shoved with nearly as much force as he could have. He pinned both her wrists to the wall above her head. "I’m Colin Munro, and I’m here to protect you."

"I don’t remember asking anyone for help." She brought her knee up for a perfect shot to his groin, but he shifted in time to get his family jewels out of the way.

"You didn’t, but Heather Winchester did." He imagined she could be quite bonnie when she wasn’t scowling or threatening him.

The name of her university mate drew those big brown eyes wide for a moment. "Heather?" She dropped her leg, leaving her navy skirt sitting crooked on slim hips.

"Aye. Heather called Russell MacLeod of the International Protective Network this morning, explained you’d witnessed a crime, and she was worried about you. She thought you might need protection. They gave the job to me." 
She narrowed her gaze on him. "Why should I believe you?"

"Because if I were here to kill you, you’d already be dead." Taking a step back, he tossed the blades to the coffee table. The sound of the metal scattering across the wood charged into the silence of the room. Her back, he noticed, stayed against the wall.


If you've read my first book, Her Highland Champion, you'll recognize Heather's name. She was the heroine in that first book. Although my characters drift through each others' stories, you do NOT need to read all of the books to "get it".

Remember to leave a comment today (or in yesterday's comments...or both!) to be in the running for the FIRST PRIZE, which will be awarded after midnight tonight!

Enjoy the rest of your Boxing Day and be sure to stop by tomorrow to learn more about Simple Treasures, the book that almost wasn't!

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop!!!

Week 25: THE NEXT BIG THING BLOG HOP

There are the books everyone has heard about: Twilight, Hunger Games, Fifty Shades of Gray. But what about all those books written by people you’ve never heard of? Some of them are treasures, just waiting to be found, and that’s what this blog hop is all about: the books you might not have heard about, but that you might end up loving.

This blog hop is like a game of tag. One author posts and tags other authors who link back to their website the next week and tag new authors. If you follow the blog hop long enough, you’re bound to find some books you’ll love! Maybe you’ll even discover a book that ends up being the next big thing.

I was tagged by Julie Kenner. You can learn more about her book Carpe Demon (and all sorts of other titles!) on her website www.juliekenner.com

This blog hop includes ten questions to help you learn more about an author’s current work in progress, so here’s a little info about my current project:

1: What is the working title of your book?

Silent Surrender

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?

My senior editor at Decadent Publishing suggested I write a story for one of my secondary characters from my first book, Her Highland Champion. I loved the character, Meggie MacDougall, so I was thrilled with the chance to tell her story too!

3: What genre does your book fall under?

It is a short story contemporary romance.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Ah, I never reveal my actor inspiration. I leave that up to the reader!

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

To Quinn O'Connell, working as a football coach means everything to him until a chance encounter with Highland lass Meggie MacDougall teaches him how life is worth so much more.

6: Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Neither. It will be submitted to my publisher this month and hopefully available for readers in the spring of 2013!

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Because it's a short story, it only took about two weeks. (Of course, there are LOTS of revisions to do in the following weeks, though!)

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Hhhhhmmmm, not sure about that. I think it's along the same lines as the TV show Monarch of the Glen, which was actually the first inspiration for all my modern day Highland stories.

9: Who or What inspired you to write this book?

As I said, my senior editor had a lot to do with this story coming to life. As for the Irish hero, he showed up on his own and demanded a spot in the story. I tried to make him Scottish, but he refused.

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

The story is set in the Highlands of Scotland, but it's a modern story. Also, the hero is a fiesty Irishman who won't take no for an answer!

Jane Sevier (http://janesevier.com/) will be joining the hop for week 26 on December 19th. I hope you’ll visit her blog next week and learn more about her FANTABULOUS books. Maybe Jane will become your new favorite author! Thanks for visiting with me!

 

Christmas Wishes Blog Hop!!!

Hello, hello! Are you ready for the holidays? Finished with your Christmas shopping? Sent out all your cards? I’m about halfway through my holiday work. Luckily this is my favorite time of the year so I don’t mind taking my time.

Thank you for participating in the Christmas Wishes Blog Hop! I’m so happy you decided to stop by my blog. In honor of the Christmas season, I’ve decided to share with you what each of my characters’ Christmas wish is and why.

Of course, they would all share the wishes of peace, love and health for those they love. That’s what makes them wonderful characters. But, like the rest of us, they also have wishes for specific items that reflect their own personalities.

Her Highland Champion

Malcolm Fraser would love his registration paid for the Lochaber Marathon in April 2013. He’s been running since he was a wee lad and thinks he could do pretty well if he could get sponsored for a spot.

Heather Winchester has been spending the last few years reading and studying for her Ph.D. in Archaeology, so she’d LOVE a gift card to a bookstore. Reading fiction never sounded to perfect!

 

Fractured Paradise

Rachel Grant is a self-proclaimed computer nerd, so she’d love the new 12" Ultrabook.

Aidan Camden keeps it simple. He’d love a new, sturdy backpack and other hiking/camping necessities. With him being a tour guide, he goes through them often.

Simple Treasures

Colin Munro has been told by his lass that he works too hard, so he would love a pair of tickets to a Celtic Football Club game.

Joanna Grainger has been in Edinburgh as a college exchange student and she’d love a sturdier and larger desk for her to do her studying. Right now she’s using one that barely fits her computer and one text book!

As for me, I would love a gift card to an office supply store. I think it would be GREAT to have a card so I could buy more notebooks for writing, pens, pencils, binders for organizing,…uh….where was I? Oh yeah, so, what about you? What’s your Christmas wish?

Just for visiting, one commenter will win a holiday surprise from me! Winner will be chosen, announced and contacted on Friday, Decemer 14th. Be sure to leave your email address. And did you notice the GRAND PRIZES of the Christmas Wishes Blog Hop? A Kindle Paperwhite, A Nook Glow, and a $90 choice giftcard for either Amazon or Barnes and Noble. AND Both Tablets will come with a book bundle!!  How awesome is that? Check out all the details and the other participants in the Christmas Wishes Blog Hop here. Now, get busy sharing your own Christmas wishes!

 

WINNER!!!!!

FOR MY PART OF THE BLOG HOP, THE WINNER IS ANNOUNCED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OF THIS POST.

My Happy Place

Come see pics and hear about my Happy Place, Glenfinnan Scotland, an how it inspired me to write Her Highland Champion! Just click.....HERE!

Release Party Day 3- What Is The IPN?

 

And we're back for more partying! Fractured Paradise is the 2nd book that discusses the International Protective Network, or IPN. Because this fictional organization is so important to me and my Honor Guard stories, I thought I'd share a bit about it. 

(Released March, 2012)                                                       

 



HOW IT CAME ABOUT

I've always been interested in reading books and seeing TV shows and movies that deal with justice organizations such as the FBI, CIA, soldiers, police, detectives. I wrote a few stories before with characters in each of these organizations, but getting the details right is difficult if all you have to go on is Hollywood. So, when I had the opportunity to write for Decadent Publishing, I decided to create my own business.

 

Creating my own business has been very interesting. Coming up with the name and what they did wasn't too difficult, but when I started having to figure out where its headquarters were and the company's background....wow! It suddenly became just like creating a "real" business. I had to know who opened the company and why. I had to know who worked in the technical side of the business and who they helped. I had to figure out what the lobby looked like and what hours the head office was open. At times, it's still overwhelming, but for the most part it's exciting because it's all from my own head!

 

 

THE ORGANIZATION

The International Protective Network is a world-wide organization of bodyguards. When other legal agencies can't guarantee a person's safety, the IPN can get the job done. The headquarters are located
in Edinburgh, Scotland. A Scottish couple, Russell and Mary MacLeod, started the agency after their youngest daughter testified against a criminal even after she was threatened. The police couldn't protect her and the criminal's friends eventually found and killed her. Russell, Mary and their remaining children opened the IPN soon after.

The IPN protects everyone from foreign dignitaries, to politicians, to Hollywood celebrities and even ordinary folks who can't get help anywhere else. They operate officially within the law, as true bodyguards, but they also have a more clandestine branch for more difficult and dangerous jobs. The men and women hired by the IPN come from all walks of life. At the moment, the company is still fairly new. So they only have offices in Edinburgh and Boston. But the agents will go wherever they're needed because in the end, justice must win.

 

THE IPN OPERATIVE OF FRACTURED PARADISE

In Fractured Paradise, the IPN operative is Rachel. She is a senior technical analyst. She's been known to get information on just about anyone and honestly, no one asks how she gets it. She worked for a computer company in the States until Russell and Mary MacLeod contacted her and asked her to join their company. Knowing exactly what it was like to feel all alone, as many of the IPN clients feel, Rachel accepted the job offer in hopes of helping people fight for justice. She moved to Edinburgh the week after her online interview.

 

Although Rachel's on vacation in this book, her IPN skills come in handy when someone tries to scare her away from her grandmother's cottage. Too, she calls her best IPN friend for advice.

 

AND NEXT....

I'm already hard at work planning 3 new IPN stories for next year (one in Scotland, one in Thailand and one in Mexico)! Plus, you've got Simple Treasures coming out next month with a Scotsman who hopes to join the ranks of IPN operatives.



Remember to comment on any of the posts this week to be in the running for the PRIZES!