Winter In July Blog Hop

I'm taking a break from the Carry Me Home blog tour to participate in the Winter in July Blog Hop! 5 other authors and I are traveling around to talk about our books set in winter. Mine is Simple Treasures, my 3rd Honor Guard novella that was released in December 2012. Here's the list of places we'll be visiting in case you want to tag along. Plus, we're giving away SIX prizes!

 

 

 

July 24th- Sara Brookes' blog- : http://www.sarabrookes.net

July 25th- The Literary Lagniappe- http://literarylagniappe.com

July 26th- Get Lost in a Story Blog- http://getlostinastory.blogspot.com

July 27th- Pink Fluffy Hearts Blog- http://pinkfluffyhearts.blogspot.com

July 28th- Happily Ever After Thoughts blog- http://www.happilyeverafterthoughts.com

A New Review On An Old Book!

Squeeeee! I just read this review on my second Honor Guard story, Fractured Paradise. It still tickles me to hear what people love about my books and I'm thinking that will never change. I'm so thankful to anyone who leaves an honest review anywhere other readers can see it!

Rachel is a headstrong woman determined to renovate her grandmother's house. Aidan is the man determined to buy it from her.

What I loved about this book is both Rachel and Aidan each had reasons beyond their own personal needs to buy and keep the house, and there were so many emotions that accompanied the reasoning: guilt, love & grief. The romance was steamy, and got hot. Then the author threw in a bit of danger and drama, and overall it was a very nice quick read that had emotional depth I could relate to with both Aidan and Rachel. A wonderful "beach read."

Thank you Carly Fall!

Sneak Peek Sunday!

Hello! Welcome to Sneak Peek Sunday, where authors bring you six paragraphs of their work. To find out more about the participants, visit here. As for me and the work I'm bringing you, this is a snippet from my 2nd Honor Guard book, Fractured Paradise. I love this story, set in northern England with an American heroine trying to fulfill her grandmother's wishes and "fighting" with a run-down home...and a local lad......

 

Rachel had come to the United Kingdom years ago to accept the job of a lifetime. She’d come to this city, if you could call it that, today at Nan’s request. Tonight, she came to the Thrush and Hound Pub because she seriously needed a drink.

 

Hopefully, the pint of lager sitting in front of her would help ease the panic that had settled into her bones after an afternoon in the cottage. She was beginning to think she’d bitten off more than she could chew here. How the hell had she let Nana talk her into this?

 

She should be in her element, searching through digitized documents for the bodyguards of the IPN, instead of carrying out this ill-fated secret mission for her grandmother.

 

She sipped her lager, took a deep breath, and scanned the pub. The building was twice the size of that dilapidated cottage, and with a much cozier atmosphere. It sported wooden tables and pictures of when Sunderland shipyards were in full swing. An area with darts and a big screen TV lay on one side separated by an ornately carved wooden railing. A sense of warmth welcomed her from the moment she’d stepped inside.

 

Then again, maybe that was just what she’d hoped to find after the strange encounter with Aidan Camden. She set her pint back on the bar and traced lines along the glass with her finger. Clearly, he didn’t want her around now that he knew she didn’t intend to sell the cottage, and yet she couldn’t stop her hormones from reacting to him.

 

The bell on the front door of the pub chimed. The bartender looked up from loading glasses in a dishwasher and waved. "Hello, Aidan. What can I get you?"

Well? Did you like it? Are you intrigued? Check out more of the story for free here!







 

 



Section Sunday!

Welcome back to Section Sunday!

 

Today's story is a bit of my next Honor Guard submission, Don't Say a Word. I'm hoping to have it ready to submit by June.

 

The story is about an American woman, Brynne, who is in Mexico to learn Spanish and the culture. She "overhears" something she shouldn't, but she doesn't know what it is because....she doesn't speak Spanish. Her bodyguard, Jas, is a member of the International Protective Network (IPN), but he's got other plans for his visit to Mexico. It's REALLY rough, but maybe you can see why I'm having so much fun with this couple. To set the scene, someone just took a shot at them.

 

“Are you all right?” Jas pushed himself up. She continued to shake. Without invitation, he swiped his hand over her backside to brush away the pieces of glass from her ass. She didn't move. Okay, now he was officially worried. The Brynne he'd been with would have smacked him for that innocent touch.

“Hey.” Had she been hit? A lead weight thudded in his gut.

 

Faint whispers accompanied tiny shivers coasting through her body. No blood around her or on her clothes. Maybe she was just in shock.

 

He crouched close to her and bit back the command forming in his mouth. She wasn't used to this lifestyle. He couldn't take it out on her.

 

“Brynne.” He reached for her hair and tucked it behind her ear.  The soft strands reminded him she was fragile, gentle, vulnerable. “Are you hurt?” Easing his hand on her back, a tiny bit of him was relieved to feel her steady breaths through his fingers.

 

“No.”

 

Her voice broke with that one word and Jas had an unbelievable urge to tear the shooter limb from limb.

Logo Unveiling!!!!

It's Here, It's Time, It's FANTABULOUS!!!

My fictional bodyguard company, the International Protective Network (or IPN), has an interesting history. To read more about it, go here. I guarantee you'll see exactly why this logo is PERFECT for the company!

 

In each of my Decadent Publishing Honor Guard books, one of the main characters is an employee of this company, the IPN. The stories I plan to submit this year (and in the future), will also have one employee. Now I have this fabulous logo to use for promoting ALL of my Honor Guard stories. 

 

A HUGE thank you to Cheryl Rae, the wonderful artist who worked with me over a couple of months to put this design together. I love it a bit more each time I look at it.

 

Well? What do YOU think?   

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.

New Year's Blog Hop!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

A WORD FROM OUR BLOG HOP SPONSORS....

It's another year over! Can you believe it? Well we authors, readers, and bloggers sure can't. And to celebrate the New Year with bang, we're going crazy and sending out so many prizes, fun parties, experiences, and other goodies, that it's a bit scary. Each author has a favorite New Year memory, book, idea, or way to party and we're going to show you! Can't wait to see you January 1st - 6th!

And while we do that, we are EACH doing a giveaway. Yep. There will be over 200 giveaways on each blog hosted by that Author or Blogger.

But that's not all....

We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 200 times!

Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $300 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!
(The Swag Pack is US ONLY.)

AND NOW A WORD FROM LEXI...
Can you believe it’s 2013? Time flies, for sure! I hope you all celebrated responsibly last night and today. I’m spending the day with family, watching football and…thinking about where 2013 will take me. I’ll definitely continue writing. It’s a passion, and job, I can’t and don’t ever want to give up. But you know what else I’m hoping to do this year? Read more.

Now, it may seem like an odd hope to have, especially for a writer, but reading is a luxury I have to fight to keep. You see, in the last 3 years, the total number of books I read dwindled each year. I was sure that in 2012 I’d be able to read a book a week. Yes, I had a lofty goal that I shared with the world. On all my social media sites, I vowed to read 52 books in 2012.

Didn’t happen. I managed to read 30, which isn’t too shabby, but I had really hoped for more. So, in 2013, one of my New Year’s Resolutions is to read 40 books. I think that’s doable and still a bit more than last year. What do you think?

Also, though, I’m planning to read a wider variety of books. I’m a romance writer who happens to love suspense, so naturally a lot of what I read is romantic suspense. But I also like contemporary romances, inspirational romances, historical romances. I bet you’re saying to yourself, “This woman only reads romances”, but you’d be wrong! I also love non-fiction historical stories, crime dramas, thrillers, classics. I’m pretty open to trying any type of story once. In 2013, some of the stories I plan to read are Rebecca (by Daphne du Maurier), Common Sense (by Thomas Paine), a book about the history of Ireland I can’t seem to find in the house, The Art of War (by Sun Tzu), and anything I can get my hands on by Alexander McCall Smith and John Hart. Of course, I’ll also be reading new romances too. I'm a new Jodi Thomas fan and I can't live without reading Laura Griffin's books or anything by Jill Shalvis. 

What about you? Do you have books you plan to read this New Year? Or do you have any other New Year’s Resolutions you’d like to share? Leave a comment and be in the running for a prize from me as well as be in the running for those fantabulous GRAND PRIZES mentioned above.

 

 

 

Release Party- Day 6!

 

Welcome back to the "What's Next?" Day of my Release Party! Simple Treasures is my 3rd Honor Guard novella for Decadent Publishing. It was my 3rd release in 2012. So what's next for me?

 

Well, I'm very excited because there's a bit of talk about possibly bringing all 3 of my novellas to PRINT! It would be one anthology with just my own books. I'm excited because I'd LOVE to hold my own book in my hands. It would be another dream come true! Of course I'll keep you updated on that.

 

 

I'm also working on 2 other projects that I'm not at liberty to discuss yet. (If I tell you, I'd have to kill you. I know, looking at me in this picture really makes me look dangerous, huh?) Hopefully I'll be able to share more information with you soon! I will tell you that the projects are related to my UK novellas, so naturally I've been having fun.

Once I get back to work in January, I'll be working on my next Honor Guard story. I'm happy to tell you I have 3 or 4 more that I plan to submit to Decadent within 2013. BUT, I'm having trouble deciding which one to work on in January! Wanna help? Which one should I focus on first: 1 set in Thailand, 1 in Mexico, another in either England or Scotland, OR 1 set in Ireland? Which country would you like to read about first?

 

THEN....I'll be focusing on revising one of my full-length romantic suspense novels. I'll also be searching for a home for a full length story that is already complete. (As much as I love Decadent Publishing, my full-length stories are too long for them to publish.)

 

So, what do you think? Are you excited to hear about my secret projects? Leave a comment and be in the running for the next prize! And remember to share your thoughts about which country I should visit with my International Protective Network next!

Release Party- Day 5!

Good morning! Today is Fun Facts Day! As I sit back and enjoy more of the Christmas holiday, I'll be sharing facts about the characters of Simple Treasures, the story and me.
 

Joanna Grainger

*The last name comes from Hermione from Harry Potter and Colby from the TV show Numb3rs.

* Joanna served in the US Army. She took advantage of the GI Bill and has been studying since.

*After being injured while in th Army, Joanna has learned to appreciate everything she has, sees and experiences. This, of course, drives Colin crazy (which made the story even more fun to write!).
 

*She became friends with Heather Winchester, the heroine from Her Highland Champion, when she first arrived in Edinburgh.
 

 Colin Munro

* Colin grew up in the small community of Thurso, Scotland.
 

* He had a lot of pressure from his family to be a success and showing any sign of weakness was unacceptable to his father.
 

* After he was discharged from the Royal Navy, he accepted various jobs that made him responsble for the safety of other people- from a security guard at a shopping complex, to a police officer job in Thurso.
 

* Colin very much has a one-track mind. He often sees more than he lets on, but he always has one main objective.

 

Alexa Bourne

* I attended Hogmanay in Edinburgh in 2011/2012 to celebrate the beginning of the year I turned 40.

* My favorite trip of all is the train ride between Glasgow and Glenfinnan. No matter the weather- heavy rains or beautiful sunshine- I can find something to love about the scenery.
 

* I hadn't planned to write 3 UK novellas at first. They just.....happened. And my 2013 novellas? I had planned 3 other countries for settings, but a couple of British characters are sitting right inside my brain and forcing me to rethink my 2013 plans.

* I still eat Peanut M & Ms while I write. I get them to celebrate when the writing is going well, and I get them to fuel my muse when I'm having trouble.  

So, any questions for Joanna, Colin or me? Or any thoughts about what we've shared? Feel free to leave comments and you can be in the running for PRIZE!

Release Party- Day 4!

 

Good Morning! Welcome to Day 4 of my Release Party for Simple Treasures! Now, this particular story takes place in Edinburgh during Hogmanay, or New Year's. I thought today I'd show you some pictures of the year I spent in Edinburgh for Hogmanay.

 

First, Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year. The Hogmanay Festival is HUGE in Edinburgh, with THOUSANDS of visitors every single year. Indeed, tickets sell out early. I think we worked on preparing our plans the spring before we actually wanted to be there.

 

This is Edinburgh Castle. When my friends and I walked out of our hotel, this was what we saw. From the hotel dining room, this is the scene. How beautiful, huh?

 

These next two pictures were taken on the night og the Torchlight Procession, December 30th. Thousands of people gather on the Royal Mile, with bought torches. At the start of the line, there are bagpipers and people light the torches. Each group turns behind them and lights the torches of the people behind them. In this first picture, here I am lighting my torch.

 

Once all the torches are lit, the group begins the walk from the Royal Mile, through the streets of Edinburgh and up to Calton Hill. I can tell you the pictures don't do this justice. It was such an amazing feeling to be a part of something so fabulous.

 

In Simple Treasures, Joanna really wants to participate in this event. Actually, she has looked forward to joining in many of the Hogmanay festivities in Edinburgh, but she's a good and decent person and she chooses to put her life on the line by coming forward to tell the police about the crime she witnesses.

 

Once as many people as possible get to Calton Hill, there is some more music and then fireworks begin. In the distance, there is also a burning boat, which is symbolic of the early Torchlight Processions, the Up Helly Aa Fire Festival usually associated with the Shetlands of Scotland. 

 

 

The next day, December 31st, My friends and I spent the day wandering around Edinburgh. I went up on this Ferris wheel while some other friends climbed the Scott Monument, which is behind the Ferris wheel. It was windy up there, but so much fun! Then my friends and I had mulled wine, wandered around the stalls with knickknacks and listened to music.

 

 


After dinner, it was time to get ready to ring in the New Year. Because it was so cold, I had on about 2 or 3 layers. I was very surprised it was not so packed with people. Yes, there were literally THOUSANDS of people, but we could stand, sit, or dance as much as we wanted without bumping into anyone.

 

For more information on the Edinburgh Hogmanay Festival and some of my other pictures, feel free to visit the Celtic Hearts Blog. I wrote a guest post about Hogmanay in Edinburgh a few weeks ago.

 

Have you ever participated in a major New Year's Event? Or are you more low-key, spending the time with close friends and family? Share your thoughts, leave a comment and be in the running for the NEXT prize!

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!

MERRY RELEASE DAY TO ME!!!!!

Merry Christmas to one and all! I hope Santa has been good to you this year. He's been ESPECIALLY good to me. Why? Among my other treats, he coaxed Decadent Publishing into releasing my latest novella, Simple Treasures, today!

If you've received a gift card or certificate to a book store, consider looking up this FANTABULOUS story! It is set in Edinburgh, Scotland during the New Year's celebration. It's a Decadent Honor Guard book featuring a member of my very own International Protective Network.

Are you intrigued yet? If not, here's the blurb:

Take-charge bodyguard Colin Munro believes working for the International Protective Network will be the perfect occupation for him. Unfortunately, his trial assignment is protecting a woman who has no intention of blindly following orders. Aye, he’ll bring the bonnie lass in line because there’s no way he’ll allow her to ruin his chance of securing his dream job.

Physically and emotionally scarred during her stint as a U.S. soldier, Joanna Grainger wants nothing more than to enjoy life. New Year's Eve in Edinburgh marks the beginning of her transformation. But when she witnesses a crime no one believes occurred, her plans come to a screeching halt. To make matters worse, her sexy but headstrong bodyguard has no compassion for her or the victim.

As danger hunts them during one of the busiest time of the year, Joanna must convince Colin she's a worthy partner. But first, can she convince herself?

Okay, admit it. You're curious now, right? If you're not, here's an excerpt to tip you right over the edge and send you off to the bookstore (DOT) com of your choice!

Joanna bolted upright. Darkness wrapped her in its hideous embrace. And silence reigned. Her heart raced. She flattened her hands on the mattress beneath her.

Mattress. Bed. Colin's hotel room.

Rustling sounds came from the floor. The bedside lamp flickered on. Colin propped himself up, one knee bent and an arm dangling over it. He squinted against the brightness. “Are you all right?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.” She brushed her fingers under her eyes.

“Don’t be daft, lass.”

“I had a bad dream.” She smoothed her hair back off her face. Moisture beaded at her temples.

“Here we call it a nightmare.” He smiled, and at once she relaxed her shoulders.

“Americans do, too.” After another deep breath, she said, “I’ll be all right.” Once her heart rate slowed to normal. With her forearm, she wiped perspiration from her forehead.

He stood, padded into the bathroom, and ran the faucet. When he returned, he sat beside her, tucked his finger under her chin, and pressed the cloth to her cheek. The cool moisture soothed her burning skin.

She reached up and covered his hand with hers. “I can do that.”

“I know.” He brushed her fingers away. “But you’ll not.”

After a few seconds, he moved the wet towel across her forehead and to her other cheek.

When he reached her neck, she sighed and closed her eyes for a few valuable seconds.

“Thank you.”

His gentle caress reminded her how much she’d missed simple comfort…from anyone.

“You’re welcome.” The cloth soon disappeared. “Now, will you tell me what you dreamed about?”

“Mark Rawlings. I dreamed I was back in the train car and he was bleeding out on the floor. The guy with him faded into the background, but I could see the man’s hands and lips moving. I couldn’t hear anything, though. Then somebody jabbed me with something, and my blood drained out of my body, but there was nothing I could do. The guy standing stayed in front of me. There was another voice, but the words were garbled.”

“Did you see anyone else?”

“No, but at the end I wasn’t paying attention. I was losing consciousness.” She tilted her head to one side and into her palm. “Colin, what am I going to do if we don’t find the professor’s attacker soon?”

“We’ll take it one day at a time.” Strong, confident, able to leap tall buildings and all…even in the middle of the night.


So there you go. As I said, today is the first day of the week long release party for this fantabulous book that almost never was! I'll be sharing something with you each day and there will be several prizes up for grabs for any commenters and followers!

Wednesday: An unofficial excerpt. Shhh. Don't tell!
PRIZE 1
Thursday: The Story Behind the Story That Almost Never Was
Friday: Hogmanay
PRIZE 2
Saturday: Fun Facts about the book, my characters and me!
Sunday: What's Next with Alexa?
PRIZE 3
Monday: 2012 Alexa Bourne Accomplishments & 2013 Goals
PRIZE 4

Prize winners will be chosen after midnight on the 2nd day (Except Prize 4, which will be chosen New Year's Day) and announced in a separate post. Please leave your email address if you want to be included in the contests.

And if you're so inclined, you can buy the book today at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Decadent Publishing, or most other places ebooks are sold!

Six Sentence Sunday!!

Good morning! Are you ready for six more sentences of Simple Treasures, my Honor Guard novella releasing TUESDAY????? I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited!

To read more snippets of other people's books, visit the official list here.

Okay, for this week's snippet, something dangerous has just happened. I'm not telling you what because....wait for it.......wait....for....it....you need to read the book! Colin and Joanna are back in his hotel room and Joanna begins by saying:

"We could’ve died tonight."

He crouched before her and took her hands in his. "But we didn’t, and you survived."

"Because you were there."

"I don’t plan on going anywhere yet." He brought her knuckles to his lips and kissed them.

<<<SIGH>>> I love him! But more importantly, what do YOU think? Hey, if you're so inclined when you have some time this week, I'll be having a holiday release party here beginning Christmas Day and lasting through New Year's to celebrate my Hogmanay book! I hope you'll join me for part of it!

Six Sentence Sunday Time!!!

Hello, hello! Here we are for another Six Sentence Sunday! To read more snippets from other authors, visit the main list of participants here.

As for my snippet, I'm bringing you another bit of my next Honor Guard novella, Simple Treasures. It releases on Christmas Day and is a Hogmanay, or New Year's, romantic suspense set in Edinburgh, Scotland. (I'll be having a release party, so be sure to check back for more details!!!) In this snippet, the heroine, Joanna, has just survived an attack. I won't go into much more detail because I don't want to spoil it for you since you're ALL going to buy it when it comes out, right? She's just slid into the car's passenger seat and Colin, the bodyguard hero, is circling the hood.

Despite the weather being warmer than the last few days, a chill still ran rampant over her spine. In the space of twelve hours, she’d become a Hogmanay tourist with a big-ass bull’s-eye on her back.

Colin’s large body slid behind the steering wheel. He, of course, didn’t look worried at all.

She’d spent four years in the military, had been injured downrange. One man would not bring her down.

Well?????? Are you intrigued yet? Feel free to leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Release Party Day 5- What's Next For Lexi?

First, thanks so much for celebrating all week with me. You've made my release so much more fun, and your presence means a lot. But, the party must end and I've got to get back to work.

At the moment, I'm busy writing a short story. Later in November, I plan to draft my next Honor Guard book. Also, I'm waiting to hear the official word so I can share some exciting news I've had to sit on for a while.

 BUT.....

In just a few weeks, you can meet another IPN Honor Guard. Well, Colin Munro wants to be an operative of International Protective Network, but one woman may get in the way.

Here's the unofficial blurb for Simple Treasures:

Take-charge bodyguard, Colin Munro believes working for the International Protective Network will be the perfect occupation for him. Unfortunately, his trial assignment is protecting a woman who has no intention of blindly following orders. Aye, he’ll bring the bonnie lass in line because there’s no way he’ll allow her to ruin his chance of securing his dream job.
 
Physically and emotionally scarred during her stint as a US soldier, Joanna Grainger wants nothing more than to enjoy life. New Year's Eve in Edinburgh marks the beginning of her transformation. But when she witnesses a crime no one believes occurred, her plans come to a screeching halt. To make matters worse, her sexy but headstrong bodyguard has no compassion for her or the victim.

As danger hunts them during one of the busiest time of the year, Joanna must convince Colin she's a worthy partner. But first, can she convince herself?

 

Want an unofficial peek? Shhhh. Don't tell, but here's the opening of Simple Treasures, which will be coming to you soon!

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 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 at the same moment, 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 her big, brown eyes wide for a moment. “Heather?” She dropped her leg, leaving her navy skirt sitting crooked on her 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.

So what do you think? I have to admit, I didn't really love Colin at first, but he totally grew on me as I wrote the story! Be sure to keep in touch with me because I'll be doing another party when this story comes out as well.

Remember to leave your comments to be in the running for the last day of PRIZES AND the grand prize, which will both be announced tomorrow!

THANK YOU!!!


 

Release Party Day 4- What Did You Say????

Welcome back to the 2nd half of my Sunderland Dialect Game for the Fractured Paradise Release Party! Did you get a chance to play this morning? If so, have you checked the answers?

The directions are the same as before. I've given you words or phrases from my Sunderland relatives as they speak them. Your job is to "translate" them to American English. You can translate as many or as few as you wish. Just leave your guesses in the comments section. I'll give you the answers around midnight!
THANKS FOR PLAYING!

11. "Wee said that, like?"
WHO SAID THAT?

12. "Where yae gawn tee?"
WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

13. carnt- In American English, this word has an apostrophe in it and fewer letters
CAN'T

14. hinny- My grandfather often called my grandmother this.
SWEETHEART/LOVE/A TERM OF ENDEARMENT

15. canny lass- Girls, we'd all be happy with this description of us.
GOOD LASS

(This is Penshaw Monument, Sunderland)

16. chatties- A food I LOVE
POTATOES

17. "Shut your gob."
SHUT YOUR MOUTH

18. bullets- Most of the time you can't get these out of a little kid's hand.
SWEETS/HARD CANDY

19. lugholes- We all, men, women and children, have two of them.
EARS

20. claes- Most of us wouldn't be caught dead out in public without them.
CLOTHES

Okay, there you go! I look forward to your translations!

Remember to leave comments on any posts this week! Saturday I'll be choosing the winner from all the comments from the week. And tonight I'll choose today's winner from everyone who plays the game!

Release Party Day 4-What Did You Say????

Good morning! Welcome to Day 4 of my Fractured Paradise release party! Today, we're going to play a game using the dialect of my Sunderland relatives (past and present). I don't really use these words much in my stories, but I often hear this dialect in my head as I'm writing.

Okay! Are you ready?

DIRECTIONS: I'm going to give you a set of words this morning and then another this afternoon and it's your job to try to figure out what each one means. You can make a guess about as many of them as you wish. For this morning's words, I'll give you the answers around noon. For the afternoon's words, I'll leave the answers up after midnight!

So for example, if I were playing and writing answers:

1. "She could talk the head off a wooden donkey."
In the comments section, I would put
1. Someone who talks too much.
2. (Whatever you think it means)
And if I skipped 3 & 4
5. (Whatever you think it means)


THANKS TO AL WHO PLAYED THIS MORNING. I ENJOYED READING YOUR COMMENTS! HERE ARE THE ANSWERS:

1. "Me mam nicked me sweets."
MY MOM TOOK MY CANDY.

2. deed- None of us want to be this anytime soon!
DEAD

3. "Watch how you go."
BE CAREFUL/WATCH YOURSELF/TAKE CARE

(This is Roker Pier Lighthouse, Sunderland)

 

4. "I'm gannin yem."
I'M GOING HOME.

5. "Why aye, man!"
OF COURSE!

6. pet- And I don't mean the furry creatures we have as part of our families.
IT'S A TERM OF ENDEARMENT. MY ENGLISH AUNTS ALL CALLED ME THIS.

7. ower- A direction (a preposition)
OVER

8. lang- An amount of time.
LONG

All right, participants. Good luck!

Remember to leave your guesses (and comments for other days) to be in the running for the PRIZES!

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!