Showing posts with label Simple Treasures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Simple Treasures. Show all posts

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Alexa Bourne Spills the Beans


Hi Alexa! So glad to have you at Spilling the Beans, where we can learn a little bit about you, and your book.

Thanks for having me!

Grab a cappuccino and let’s chat. Unless you have another favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)?
I think for this time of year I’ll have some mulled wine.


What’s your guilty pleasure?
Spending an entire day on the couch with a good book and a bag of peanut M&Ms.


Favorite quote? 
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”


If you could live out any fantasy, what would you do?
LOL! I’m not sharing those details even if you paid me!


Beethoven, Beatles, Foo Fighters or Keith Urban (what type(s) of music makes you rock out)? 
Out of those choices, I’d take Beethoven. Honestly, though, I love all music except jazz and opera. I respect jazz musicians and opera singers, but the music just grates on my nerves.


Does music influence your writing? Do you have a music playlist for your book?
Music absolutely influences my writing. I used to buy a new CD every time I started a new book, but that got expensive! So then I just started choosing a specific theme song for each book and I’d play around with songs and make lists on my iTunes. All of my books so far have been set in the UK so I listened to a lot of Celtic music or bagpipe music while I wrote those. 



Which of your characters would you most/least want to hang out with, and why?
What an awesome question! I would have to say I’d love to hang out with Meggie MacDougall. She’s the heroine in SILENT SURRENDER, but she and her brothers own the pub in my fictional Highland village of Glenhalish (where 3 of my 5 books are set). Meggie is the gossip queen there so she’d have lots of information to share!


While creating your books, what was one of the most surprising things you learned? 
I’m not in charge. The characters are. Anytime I’ve tried to change sections of the story or the characters instead of listening to them, they let me know they don’t like those ideas by shutting down my brain and locking me into writer’s block.


They can be devious that way! Where can readers find out more about you?
They can visit my website, which I JUST had redone! www.alexabourne.com While visiting the site, stop by the Cuan MacDougall Pub, where Meggie will give you the latest gossip!


Please share a book blurb and/or excerpt!

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 through the city during one of the busiest time of the year, Joanna must convince Colin she’s a worthy partner. But first, can she convince herself?



Thanks for spilling the beans today, Alexa!

Thanks so much for having me!


GIVEAWAY!

In honor of the holidays and my New Year’s romantic suspense story, SIMPLE TREASURES, I’ll choose one commenter to receive a UK gift! Please leave your email address and I’ll choose the winner tomorrow Saturday morning!





Saturday, December 8, 2012

8th Day of Christmas: Alexa Bourne


Cate: Alexa is here to spread some holiday cheer! Alexa, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Alexa: I’m a teacher by day and a romance writer by nights, weekends and all school holidays. I love to read, travel, eat chocolate and watch sports. I’m a little crazy, but people seem to love me anyway!

Cate: lol What do you love most about Christmas?
Alexa: I love everything about it! I love the music, the gift-giving, the decorations, and spending time with family and friends. I also love to see people being kinder to each other.

Cate: Do you have a favorite memory of a Christmas past?
Alexa: When I was young, my parents got divorced. After that, my aunt and uncle made it a tradition to take me to their house for an overnight to help them decorate for Christmas. We would pick out the tree, decorate it, sometimes we made ornaments, and watched Christmas shows. This meant so much to me that when I bought my home, I began inviting my youngest nephew and niece to come over to help me decorate.

Cate: So sweet. :) If Santa could grant one wish, what would you ask for?
Alexa: A chance to visit with my father and my grandparents. They all passed away before I received a book contract and they were so supportive of my dream to be an author. 

Cate: Aw, I'm sure they're still proud! Any favorite Christmas recipes you’d care to share?
Alexa: LOL! Nope. I don’t cook. I just eat. :)

Cate: Ha! It always tastes better that way. :) So tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online.
Alexa:  Simple Treasures was a difficult story to write. I actually wrote it twice because it wasn’t working as I was writing it. I took a day off, studied why it wasn’t working and plotted a different book with the same heroine but a different hero. THAT worked and I couldn’t be more proud of the story as it is now. As for where it is, I’m still waiting for an official release date from Decadent Publishing.

Cate: Stunning cover! Care to share a blurb or excerpt?
Alexa: Sure! 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?

Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme?
Alexa: I spent New Year’s in Edinburgh a couple of years ago and I had so much fun I knew I wanted to write a story set there and during that time. As for the suspense angle, it just came to me as the characters revealed themselves to me.

Cate: Very cool. Anything else you’d like to share?
Alexa: I hope you and all your readers have a WONDERFUL holiday and a happy 2013!

Cate: The same to you! And thanks so much for being part of the 12 Days of Christmas! Hope you have a jolly holly holiday!
Alexa: Thanks for inviting me to join you!

Cate: On a side note, I'm holding a Holiday BlurbFest at TBR, my reader's blog this weekend. If you have a holiday story, please share your blurb there! Or if you're a reader who loves holiday stories, go check out the blurbs and get ready to add to your TBR list.

You can find TBR here: http://tbrtheblog.blogspot.com/