It’s All
About the Book…
Please tell us about your current or upcoming release.
My current book is Chasing Gold.
Grace McKay
spends most of her time alone trying to convince the world she’s strong enough
and smart enough to become one of the best treasure hunters. According to the
media, though, all she’s managed to prove
is she’s a frigid, narrow-minded woman who doesn’t have a chance to succeed in
her current hunt.
Simon
Andrews is tired of being a glorified secretary for his family’s treasure
hunting business. As the youngest
brother, he’s never had the chance to prove himself in the field, where his
true interests lie.
When Grace’s
uncle hires Simon on a whim to assist her with the search for an ancient family
heirloom, he comes up against a woman determined to accomplish her goal without
his—or anyone’s—help. But Simon, although captivated by her passion for her
quest and her beauty, will not relinquish his chance to prove both to the
client and his brothers that he has the family gift for finding valuables where
others have failed.
Grace,
frigid? Simon is sure the media met the wrong woman. He’s in danger of bursting
into flames every time they are alone together. As they get closer to finding
the heirloom, though, their growing passion for one another may distract them
from the very real danger that threatens their lives and their possible future
together. Whatever that might mean.
* What is
this book’s genre? Is this the genre you
usually write in? Are there any genres
you haven’t written that you’d like to try?
Chasing Gold is a combination of
suspense and adventure. I usually write in suspense, but this book has a few
more funny moments than I usually write. There aren’t as many questions about
who is involved or how.
* What
inspired you to write this book?
My friend Rebecca Royce told me
about the Decadent Publishing Beyond Fairytales series and she suggested I
contact them for a fairy tale to “rewrite”.
* How did
you pick its title? Did it come first or
did you have to write the story first?
I had a really, really, REALLY
hard time coming up with this title. I wanted something similar to the original
fairy tale, but I couldn’t come up with one I liked. I asked A LOT of others
for input. I think the book was completed and ready to be submitted when I
finally decided on Chasing Gold.
* How did
you create your characters? Did you use
any real life people in their making?
I always start out with who would
play the character in a TV movie. As I write the rough draft, the character
begins to take his or her own shape.
* Who is
your favorite character of this book and why?
How can I choose between Simon
and Grace, the main characters? I love them both. I love them both because they
want desperately to prove how competent they are in the work world, but it
takes their interaction with each other for them to realize how wonderful they
are as people.
* What is
your favorite part of this book? Can you
share an excerpt from that part?
My favorite part of the book? I love it all! BUT I will share
a section.
She lifted her chin. “What if it’s not in either one of those
places?”
Unable to stop himself, he reached out and brushed his thumb
along her jawline. He wanted to promise her she’d win the prize, but the words
stuck in his throat. Lying to her wasn’t an option. “We’ll reexamine the notes,
review the data, make another educated guess.”
When she nibbled on her bottom lip, his groin tightened. How
could such a simple gesture fill him with lust? Every part of him ached to take
that plump lip between his teeth and nip it. What would she taste of? The
blueberry scones they ate for breakfast? The three cups of coffee? Or sweet,
warm woman? He leaned forward, hoping she wouldn’t slap him. Hell, if he got a
chance to feel her mouth on his, who cared about a smack across the cheek? Her
gaze softened as though she longed to be kissed.
Zing! Something slammed into the tree trunk behind him.
Grace yelped. “Someone’s shooting at us!”
A second shot echoed through the woods. His heart rate
skyrocketed. Who the hell would want us dead? He shoved her back in the
direction they’d come from. “Go, go!”
* What was
the hardest part of this book to write? Can you share an excerpt from that part?
I actually didn’t have a hard
time with it, but I can share another snippet.
He tugged the brush from her hand
then began running it through her hair. “Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?”
“What would be the point? You
couldn’t have done anything about it.”
“Maybe not, but I would’ve
tried.” Grace closed her eyes while the brush moved against her scalp. When he
skimmed his fingers along the skin of her neck, a shiver ran along her spine.
He pulled her strands over her shoulders and gathered it together. “What are
you doing?”
“I’m braiding it for you.”
“How did you know what I wanted?”
“You’ve had it braided most of
the days I’ve been with you.” He chuckled, the sound releasing warmth within
her. “Besides, you’re not as difficult to read as you wish you were.”
She tensed. “What do you mean?”
“You want everyone to see this
tough, determined, no-nonsense woman, but I know better. You have a gentle
side, too. One you hate to share for some reason.”
She gritted her teeth. He stopped
braiding to massage her shoulders, his thumbs gently kneading out a layer of
tension from her neck. “Relax. It’s just me, your partner. I won’t spill your
secret.”
“Promise?” His hands stopped, and
the silence in the room unnerved her. She held her breath.
When he leaned forward, a wisp of
breath tickled her skin. “Absolutely.”
She had spent so much time that
day making sure to hold up the wall she’d built around herself, but he’d found
her anyway. The thought frightened her and…felt refreshing. Why? Because a
large part of her wanted to be the woman he spoke of.
* Did you
have any special rhythm or quirks while writing this?
I used the same music to write
it. When I first started, I scanned Celtic music on youtube.com until I found
Adrian von Ziegler (http://youtu.be/jiwuQ6UHMQg). It fit
perfectly as I wrote through each draft of the book.
* Is this a
stand-alone book or is it part of a series?
If so, we want to hear about it and what’s next in the series. If not a series, what comes next to be
released?
Chasing
Gold is part of Decadent Publishing’s Beyond Fairytales series, but it stands
alone. I honestly thought about writing another fairy tale, but I don’t think I
can capture the excitement, beauty and…specialness of Chasing Gold. And I’m not
really sure I’d want to try.
******
Chasing Gold
Alexa Bourne
A Beyond
Fairytales Adventure
Suspense, Contemporary Scottish Romance
24,656 words, heat level 3
Grace McKay spends most of her time
alone trying to convince the world she’s strong enough and smart enough to
become one of the best treasure hunters. According to the media, though, all
she’s managed to prove is she’s a
frigid, narrow-minded woman who doesn’t have a chance to succeed in her current
hunt.
Simon
Andrews is tired of being a glorified secretary for his family’s treasure
hunting business. As the youngest
brother, he’s never had the chance to prove himself in the field, where his
true interests lie.
When Grace’s
uncle hires Simon on a whim to assist her with the search for an ancient family
heirloom, he comes up against a woman determined to accomplish her goal without
his—or anyone’s—help. But Simon, although captivated by her passion for her
quest and her beauty, will not relinquish his chance to prove both to the
client and his brothers that he has the family gift for finding valuables where
others have failed.
Grace,
frigid? Simon is sure the media met the wrong woman. He’s in danger of bursting
into flames every time they are alone together. As they get closer to finding
the heirloom, though, their growing passion for one another may distract them
from the very real danger that threatens their lives and their possible future
together. Whatever that might mean.
Excerpt:
After sipping her tea, she picked up
another piece of pastry. Midway to her mouth, she stopped. A tall, thin man,
glasses clinging to the end of his nose, strode through the doorway and scanned
the room. A loose-fitting, faded T-shirt covered his chest, and khaki shorts
hung on his hips. Kind of thin and bony for her liking, although the soft shade
of ginger hair with a hint of blond in it grabbed her attention. It reminded
her of her favorite movie star. Both hands were inside his pockets.
With a crooked grin, he walked
straight up to her table. “Grace McKay?”
“Yes. Can I help you?”
He held out his long fingers. “I’m
Simon Andrews.” He waited as if his name was supposed to mean something.
She didn’t shake his hand. “What can
I do for you, Mr. Andrews?”
He lowered his arm. “Your uncle said
you’d be helping me on my expedition here.” From his New England accent, he
could only be American.
Uncle Thomas sent him? Of all the crappy things he’d done, this had to be the
worst. Did he not believe in her enough to allow her to handle the job? She
stood, gathering her papers. “My uncle was wrong. I don’t need any help with my
expedition. Good-bye.” She shifted around him and started for the lobby.
Studying her paperwork in her own room would suit her better.
“Ms. McKay, wait.” He grabbed her
arm.
She froze. Every muscle tensed.
“I realize you want to help in the
search, but your uncle hired me to—”
She tugged herself free. “I know what
he hired you for, but I’m telling you, you’re fired.” As she stalked across the
pub, many pairs of eyes stared at her, some wide in question, some narrowed.
Who cared? She hadn’t done anything wrong.
“That’s not your call, sweetheart,”
he said.
She jerked to a stop just inside the
door and spun around, gritting her teeth. Andrews stood waiting, as cocky as
could be, with his hands on his hips.
“First, I am not your sweetheart.
Second, I don’t need a partner.”
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 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! Find out more
about her and her books on her website, www.alexabourne.com.
******
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comment)
nice interview
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com