Monday, December 21, 2015

Holiday Fun with Author Alexa Bourne

Romantic Suspense author Alexa Bourne is no stranger to Romantic Interludes. Alexa is a teacher by day and a romance writer by nights, weekends, and all school holidays. She also teaches online classes for writers throughout the year. She writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance and is thrilled to have the chance to share her stories with readers everywhere.
When she’s not concocting sinister plots and steamy love scenes or traveling and exploring new cultures, Alexa spends her time reading, watching brainless TV, and thinking about exercising. Okay, she also spends way too much time interacting with readers and writers on social media sites. But don’t tell her editors!
 Let's welcome her today as our special guest!  
Happy Holiday Alexa!

Happy Holidays, everyone! Do you have a favorite holiday movie? I do! I love almost any version of A Christmas Carol. I will watch cartoon versions, TV movie adaptations, stage productions. As a middle school teacher, I’ve had my students perform the play for other classes and I’ve guided student groups to create their own version of the play. I love the story of Scrooge and how his heart opens to the world around him. I love that the movie expresses what our world should be like no matter what our differences are.

My favorite version of the movie is the 1951 black and white version starring Alistair Sim. I don’t know why this is my favorite. I think part of it might be because in that time period, Hollywood didn’t have all the bling and pizzazz with movie production it has now, but the actors still managed to give such a charming life to an age-old story we can all relate to.

The years I lived alone, several hundred miles from my family and with no money to fly home, it became a tradition to watch it on Christmas Eve. After dinner, I would plug in the Christmas tree lights, light up candles in the living room, open my gifts people had sent me, and then sit on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate while I watched the movie. (Don’t worry. I wasn’t alone for the whole holiday! I worked early Christmas morning & then spent the day with my closest friend and her family.)  


How about you? Do you have a favorite holiday movie? What is it that draws you to the story?


Find out more about Alexa Bourne and her books on her website

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Friday, December 18, 2015

Fun Friday with author Gina Wynn

·      Gina Wynn joins us today to give us a little insight into her new book, 
Her Undercover Christmas.
Blurb:
Christmas is approaching and Phil is a girl out to get what she wants—the life of her choosing. She wants it all: a good looking man, his money, and the respect he commands. She just needs to throw her lot in with her criminal cousins for one day. Long enough to pull off a theft and come to the attention of the man she desires. But the job goes wrong.

Bastian is a man on the run—from a lifestyle he never chose and can’t seem to escape. One last favor before he disappears for good, and then he can start afresh somewhere new. But the favor balloons into more than he anticipated, and suddenly there are two of them on the run, and two of them snowed in and hiding out in his one last safe place.

Can a woman who thinks she knows where she belongs help a man who has never really belonged anywhere?


        Gina, thanks for stopping by today and congrats on your latest release. We've love to hear... what was the inspiration behind Her Under Cover Christmas? 
Over the past few years, I’ve started a tradition for myself of reading Christmas stories in December. I like to finish my final one on Christmas Eve night, so December is a bit of a reading frenzy if I find a lot of holiday themed books. I particularly love Christmas chick lit/romance/WF by British authors because I love reading about Christmas in England.

Bastian and Phil have a very unconventional Christmas. For a start, they’re accidentally hiding out together, and I’ve given them a lot of snow. I love the magic of Christmas, I love the idea of snow covered fields, and I love fires to keep characters warm. Christmas trees also feature as Phil shares my love of Christmas. She has very fond memories of childhood Christmases, and Bastian tries to recreate some of what she loves for her. He doesn’t quite get it right but points for trying.

·         You sound like a person who gets excited about Christmas.
I love Christmas. :-) When I was younger, I loved it for the obvious reasons—no school, overdosing on TV and, obviously, PRESENTS! Now, though, I love the time I get to spend with my family, and I love making the time of year really special for my children because I want them to remember their Christmases as I do—safe, magical times.

So, I rearrange the furniture, decorate the house and try to fill it with those wonderful smells of Christmas, and I spend time watching Christmas movies with them. I am a sucker for a Christmas movie, and a good Christmas book. At the beginning of December, I bring out all of the picture books with a Christmas theme that we’ve managed to collect over the years, and it’s fun to see the children rediscover them. For me, I have started a tradition of spending my December reading Winter/Christmas themed books. I try to finish the last one on Christmas Eve to be ready for the big day itself.

I eagerly anticipate snow all through December, but it’s only fun if we’re able to stay home and watch it from inside or go into the garden to play in it. All three of my babies were born with snow outside—although all in different months of the year. My third was possibly the most awkward because we had to make the trip to the hospital on a day when my other children were sent home from school and people were trying not to travel. Still, at least she maintained the snow births.
There aren’t any snow birth babies in Her Undercover Christmas, but there is plenty of snow, and there is a real Christmas tree. I’m a little ashamed to admit I’ve lost the real tree over the past few years, and opted instead for an artificial one as the children like to put it up early in December. Maybe I just need a Bastian.

Visit Gina at:
Website URL: http://www.ginawriteswords.com
Facebook author page: http://www.facebook.com/ginawriteswords
Twitter handle: @Gina_Wynn
Pinterest Page: http://www.pinterest.com/ginawriteswords
Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/ginawriteswords

About Gina:

From a magical land of castles and kings (Okay, it’s England), Gina doesn’t feel as old as she looks, owns three children (aged 2, 5 and 7) who can’t be tamed, and writes in spare – usually stolen – time. She sometimes bakes—not always with quite the desired results, and has found the only solution to keeping the characters in her head quiet is to placate them with lots of other lovely books and worlds. As well as Her Undercover Christmas, Gina has written two other books. Her Dollmaker’s Desire is also published by Decadent Publishing, and What You Wish For is published by Three Worlds Press.



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Her-Undercover-Christmas-Gina-Wynn-ebook/dp/B0189S86UA/
http://www.amazon.com/Her-Undercover-Christmas-Gina-Wynn-ebook/dp/B0189S86UA/
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/her-undercover-christmas-gina-wynn/1122995895?ean=2940157810504
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/her-undercover-christmas/id1060713093?mt=11
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-herundercoverchristmas-1933598-149.html
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/her-undercover-christmas
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookStore/pubs_product_book_info/decadent-publishing-c-93/her-undercover-christmas-p-14364#.VlDG-4QyDdl

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Tuesday Teaser - Simple Treasures from Alex Bourne

Alexa Bourne has a sexy new book that is a must have for the holiday season. 
Check out this hot new romantic suspense.
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 times of the year, Joanna must convince Colin she's a worthy partner. But first, can she convince herself?

Excerpt:
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.


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Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Tuesday Teaser - New Release from Jeanette Collins


 Check out this teaser from the new book, Elena Chavez by Jeanette Collins.



Chapter One


       Deputy Dale Jackson watched rain course down the windows of the squad car, flow into the gutter to be carried to the arroyo then on to the Rio Grande. The little New Mexico town had sweltered in the heat for weeks, but today, clouds had built up over the mountains and the rain swept through the canyons to drench the dusty streets. He was relieved to see it, but it gave him a sense of isolation, of being left behind, and for a brief minute, left him uncertain he was in the proper place. Should he have stayed in Santa Fe? Was he doing the right thing with his life? He brushed these thoughts away. At midnight, he returned to the Sheriff’s Office, his shift over.
Dale sauntered in, where Agnes Peralta, the mature, brown-haired night secretary, waited to close up and go home.
“Hi, Dale. How about this rain?”
       “Good stuff, Agnes,” he answered. “Any messages for me?”
       She stood up from the desk and got her purse from a drawer. “Uh-uh. It’s been quiet tonight. The heat has slowed things down, but it will be jumping again once people get some moisture in their bones. Anything to report?”
       He shook his head. “No. I’ll see you to your car.”
       Agnes locked up, sprinted for her car, and heaved herself in. With a wave to him, she left. Odd that folks waited, anxious for rain, then acted like a drop or two would melt them like sugar.
       He got in his car and headed down Main Street toward home. At Apache, he was cut off by a speeding car and became instantly angry. He took off after them, noting the number on the Texas plate, a yellow Ford with a dented left rear fender. If he’d been in the squad car, he could have turned on the lights and siren and scared the hell out of the fool. At the next corner, he pulled in front of the Ford and got out, rose to his full height, and strolled toward the car, his hand on his pistol butt. He never knew what might happen.
       He made a circular motion with his other hand, and the woman lowered the window. Young, black hair, dark eyes, fear in her face.
       He leaned down. “Going mighty fast, ma’am. You almost hit me.”
       The rear seat was empty, and he glanced at her. “Let me see your license and registration, please.”
       She rummaged in her purse then in the glove compartment and handed him those. Texas, again. Elena Chavez, age twenty-five, no restrictions, about to expire.            Registration was current.
       He gave them back to her. “You have your insurance card?”
       She handed him a ragged piece of paper, also about to expire. “Have you been drinking?”
       “No, I haven’t,” she murmured, her sultry, smoky voice inviting.
       Practiced, he decided and regarded her with suspicion. “I’ll take your word for it. You’re headed for trouble if you don’t slow down.”
       She smiled. “I got lost.”
       Doubtful. “Are you living around here?”
       “On Second Street. In the apartments.”
       Tired, Dale worked to contain his irritation. “Well, can you make it the three blocks without tearing up the road?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “I’ll let it go this time, but if I catch you racing around town again, you’re gonna face a big ticket. And get your paperwork in order. Your documents are about to expire.”
       Her voice curled around him. “I’m sorry, Officer.”
       He regarded her for another moment. White blouse, cut low, lush breasts.            “Okay.”
       At his car, he shook the rain off his hat, and got in. As he approached the corner, she sped away.
       Damn, an outlaw! He had an impulse to chase after her and drag her off to jail. He saw his hands on her, those frightened eyes, her dark hair tumbling, and went on home. He would not forget Elena Chavez. She would turn up again, and he would be on guard.
***
      




#ElenaChavezNovel   #DecadentPublishing