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 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!

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!

LET THE RELEASE PARTY BEGIN!!!!

WELCOME TO MY RELEASE PARTY FOR FRACTURED PARADISE!

First off, I'm so thrilled you're here. Thank you for sharing this event with me. Fractured Paradise is my second Honor Guard story with Decadent Publishing. It's a contemporary romantic suspense novella set in the UK.

I'm so excited to share this book with the world. It will be available tomorrow, but I wanted to start the party early. I'll be here all week sharing stories, facts and details about this book and the process it took to get published. I'll also be giving away prizes to commenters and followers. So be sure to visit, share your thoughts and get in the running!

What's on tap for the week?

Monday: (2 posts) Introduction, & the Story Behind the Story
Tuesday: (1 post) Official Release Day!
Wednesday: (2 posts) Fun Facts of Fractured Paradise, & What's this IPN?
Thursday: (2 posts) Sunderland Dialect game!
Friday: (1 post) What's Next For Lexi?

I'll be choosing WINNERS from the comments this week to receive UK treats! There will be one winner a day AND one lucky commenter will win a FREE copy of the book at the end of the party! (Winners will be chosen and announced after midnight each day. Grand prize winner will be chosen from all commenters all week and announced Saturday.)

PLUS, you can have an extra chance to win a copy of the book if you visit my 2-day release party on the Get Lost in a Story blog. Tomorrow is the official release, with an excerpt, and then Wednesday on there I'll be interviewing Rachel Grant, the heroine from Fractured Paradise. From the commenters on that blog, I'll be choosing 1 winner for a copy of the book too!

Okay, later today I'll be sharing the story behind the story for you!

(In the meantime, feel free to visit the Celtic Hearts blog, where I'm blogging about Thurso, Scotland today.)