Monday, July 29, 2013

Interview with Alexa Bourne





Carry Me Home
Alexa Bourne



 Tell me about yourself, and your writing.
I’m an English teacher to kids and I also teach online classes for new writers. I’m a kid at heart, I listen to the voices in my head and I love to laugh. I travel a lot, I think about exercising and I love to watch sports (especially soccer!). I believe I’m the queen of procrastination, but I do manage to get everything done.

How long have you been writing? How many published books do you have, and what genres? I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. At the moment, I have 5 books out and 2 more submitted to publishers. 3 of them are romantic suspense and the 4th and 5th ones are contemporary romance.

Do you write in multiple genres or just one? If just one, do you ever consider straying outside your genre? I do write in romantic suspense and contemporary. I tried writing a short historical romance, but I couldn’t do it. 

Are you a plotter or do you write from the seat of your pants? I write the rough draft blind. Basically I have an idea or a character and I just start writing. I learn the plot as I write the rough draft. Once the really rough draft is finished, I go back and organize and revise the plot. 

What is a typical writing day like for you? There really is no typical day. I have a full time job so my writing activities take place around that. Some days I write, some days I don’t. Some days I focus on promotion and other days I just read. It really depends on the day and what is most pressing.

Who do you love to read? Favorite authors, favorite books? Jill Shalvis and Laura Griffin are my favorite authors. 

What is something you'd like to accomplish in your writing career next year? I hope to get contracts for my full-length books.

If you could have one paranormal ability what would it be? Oooh, that’s tricky. There are so many to choose from! Maybe telekinesis? I wouldn’t mind being able to move things with my mind. Imagine watching a movie on the couch and “thinking” a drink or snack to yourself! Or what is it when I could just disappear here and show up somewhere else? Teleportation? That would save TONS on airfares!!!!

If you could keep a mythical/ paranormal creature as a pet, what would you have? I’m not a pet person. I spend too much time traveling and away from the house.

Tell us a little about your latest release.
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?


What is something that you absolutely can't live without? (Other than family members) Peanut M&Ms.

Could you ever co author a book with someone? If so, who would you choose, and what would you write? I could, I think. I’m not sure who I’d choose though.

If you could spend a day with anyone from history, dead or alive, who would it be, and what would you do? What would you ask them? Thomas Jefferson. I watched a movie with him as one of the characters and then I visited his home, Monticello, and loved it. I’d ask him to talk about his time period and why he made the decisions he did.

What are some of your other hobbies outside of writing? I love watching sports. But I guess that’s not really a hobby. Or is it? I like to sing. I like to join gym classes and play racquetball. And travel. I LOVE to travel.

What is something you've always wanted to do, but haven't done yet. Why not? I’d like to take a helicopter ride over the Napali Coast of Hawaii. I was in Hawaii, but it rained 8 out of the 10 days I was there and the only day I could’ve gone up, rain kept threatening.

If you were on the staff to have a book adapted to movie, what would you pick? Laura Griffin’s Snapped.

What is a talent you wish you had, but don't? Drawing. I’m horrible. I can handle clouds and a rainbow. Okay, and maybe a house, but that’s truly it.

             Favorite color? Blue, any blue except baby blue.

Weather: Hot or cold? Hot

Favorite place to read? On the couch

Favorite meal Stuffed shells

Favorite non-alcoholic drink. Coke

If you could travel anywhere and do anything, no limits or money holding you back, where would you go? I would love to take a cruise through the Hebrides of Scotland, with stops along the way to explore the islands.









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?

Excerpt:
What do you want, Jamie?” She’d not get caught up in his soulful amber eyes. No, she would not.
You’ve had your bit of fun, but I want you to come home.” He tilted his head to one side and drifted his fingertips along her bare arm.
She yanked away. “I’ve come to get my papers from you, to say good-bye to those I love, and to move on with my life.” She stepped around him and continued down the path to the center of Glenhalish. “I’ll be at the Kierlain House until Sunday. Please bring the forms and leave them with the front office.”
I don’t have them.” He nearly shouted with glee. “I tossed them out.”
I thought you might say that.” Smiling on the heels of another small victory, she fished through her handbag and pulled out another copy of the divorce papers. She’d come armed with a half-dozen copies just in case he chose to be difficult. She strode back to him with her chin held high and slapped the papers against his chest. “Here.”

Jamie stared at the lass’s fine arse strutting away from him. Her hair had been cut, straightened and the summer dress with the flowery print accentuated all the curves he’d fallen for so many years ago, the curves he knew so intimately. And those heels, for the love of St. Bridget, Mary hadn’t worn high heels like that since she left school. They’d brought her closer to his height, yet she still only reached his shoulders.
She’d left Glenhalish in January, a cold, distant housewife, and come back this alluring woman. For a moment, panic set inside his gut. He’d intended to convince her to come home so they could face their grief and move on together, but seeing how much happier, sexier, and sophisticated she was, perhaps Edinburgh was good for her, better than he could be.
But he wanted her back, wanted to get through this rough patch they’d strayed onto after the lad’s death, and return to the partnership they’d shared since primary school. They had too many years left. She couldn’t leave him. He wouldn’t survive without her.
The lass may have plans to leave him forever, but Jamie MacDougall wouldn’t give her up without a fight.
Buy Links:
Reviews:
Deeply moving…this is a must read!”~ Jan Hudson


I started reading Alexa's books last year. I like that they are all set in the UK - and yet they are contemporary. Which tends to be rare in romance. This book was a short - sweet - happy ending type of book that was just perfect to read before bedtime! The thing that I liked most about the book was that the author did not make the characters daft to other's feelings or situations. She threw them together and had them work it out. I like smart books with smart characters that don't run around 50...more”This book was a short - sweet - happy ending type of book that was just perfect to read before bedtime! “Cheryl Rae on Goodreads rated it 5 of 5 stars
The story came to life on the first page. It tugged at my heart and never let go…If you want a story filled with passionate moments, a beautiful setting, and heartfelt emotion, Carry Me Home is a must read.” 5 out of 5 stars- By Kathleen Gallagher




Author Bio:
Alexa Bourne 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 love of Great Britain 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. She loves to interact with readers, so visit her web page, hang out at her blog, follow her on Twitter or drop her a note at Alexa@alexabourne.com!


No comments:

Post a Comment