Featured Today- HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION

By Alexa Bourne

A CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

Heather Winchester leads a charming life. With good friends, a beautiful flat in one of the most amazing cities in the world, and a promising future once she finishes her Ph.D., she is finally pursuing her own dreams instead of catering to everyone else’s…except she doesn’t remember any of it.

Malcolm Fraser has returned to his Highland village to forget his failings as a professional bodyguard. Believing he could just lose himself in the mundane activities of running his bed & breakfast, he finds a woman’s lifeless body by the loch instead….
Captivated by Heather as she regains her memory, Malcolm is thrown into the line of duty. As danger comes knocking on their doors, will he be strong enough to love her and keep her safe?

EXCERPT

She turned to the bedside. A man stood there dressed in dark green sweats, wih both hands clenched around the silver bedside bar. He was handsome, with light eyes, dark hair cropped close to his head, and a firm jaw. It was his hands, though. They drew her attention. Clean skin, defined knuckles, large fingers. Hands rough enough from a hard day's physical labor, and yet, she imagined, gentle enough to caress the afternoon's sufferings away.

"It's good to see you awake." He smiled. "You gave us all quite a fright."

Okay, the Scottish accent drew her attention, too. At once it both melted away some of her fears and sparked a whirlwind of questions. 

"Where am I?" Her throat scratched like sandpaper.

 "St. Catherine's Hospital."

 She swallowed hard."Where is that?"
           

"Fort William." He reached for something on the table by her bed and brought back a plastic cup with a straw. "Here."

"Thank you." The warm water coated her sore vocal cords. She handed the cup back to him.

Wait a minute. Fort William? The only Fort William she knew was in Scotland. "I don't understand. How did I get here?" Ignoring the aches in her body, she pressed palms to the sheets on each side of her and pushed herself up. The blanket fell away from her chest and a new chill surrounded her.

"What's going on?"

Her arms shook, and she collapsed back to the bed. 

"Relax." The man set his palm on her shoulder, as if to keep her flat against the mattress. The heat of his fingers seeped through her hospital gown and into her skin. "I found you unconscious on the beach in Glenhalish. I called for an ambulance, and they brought you here."

"I was in Glenhalish?"

 "Aye, on a three day tour of the Highlands. Do you not remember being there?"

"No." She squinted and studied him. No memories surfaced. "Do I know you?"

He shook his head. "Only from the beach. I'm Malcolm Fraser."

She opened her mouth and then closed it again. Her gaze drifted to her lap as tears burned in the corners of her eyes. Panic swelled in her chest and into her throat.

"What is it, lass?" he asked with such tenderness.

"Can you tell me my name?"

PURCHASE HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION

AMAZON

DECADENT PUBLISHING

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

BARNES & NOBLE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexa Bourne is a teacher by day and a romantic suspense writer by nights, weekends, and all school holidays. She also teaches online classes for writers throughout the year. She is thrilled to be writing for Decadent Publishing and 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


VISIT ALEXA ON THE WEB
Website:   www.alexabourne.com

Blog: http://alexabourne.blogspot.com

Twitter: @AlexaBourne

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexaBourne

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5818611.Alexa_Bourne

ENJOY







Excerpt from HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION ...

She turned to the bedside. A man stood there dressed in dark green sweats, with both hands clenched around the silver bedside bar. He was handsome, with light eyes, dark hair cropped close to his head, and a firm jaw. It was his hands, though. They drew her attention. Clean skin, defined knuckles, large fingers. Hands rough from a hard day’s physical labor, and yet, she imagined, gentle enough to caress the afternoon’s sufferings away.   “It’s good to see you awake.” He smiled. “You gave us all quite a fright.”   Okay, the Scottish accent drew her attention, too. At once, it both melted away some of her fears and sparked a whirlwind of questions. “Where am I?” Her throat scratched like sandpaper. “St. Catherine’s Hospital.” She swallowed hard. “Where is that?” “Fort William.” He reached for something on the table by her bed and brought back a plastic cup with a straw. “Here.” “Thank you.” The warm water coated her sore vocal cords. She handed the cup back to him. Wait a minute. Fort William? The only Fort William she knew was in Scotland. “I don’t understand. How did I get here?” Ignoring the aches in her body, she pressed both palms to the sheets on each side of her and pushed herself up. The blanket fell away from her chest and a new chill surrounded her. “What’s going on?” Her arms shook, and she collapsed back to the bed. “Relax.” The man set his palm on her shoulder, as if to keep her flat against the mattress. The heat of his fingers seeped through her hospital gown and into her skin. “I found you unconscious on the beach in Glenhalish. I called for an ambulance, and they brought you here.” “I was in Glenhalish?” “Aye, on a three day tour of the Highlands. Do you not remember being there?” “No.” She squinted and studied him. No memories surfaced. “Do I know you?” He shook his head. “Only from the beach. I’m Malcolm Fraser.” She opened her mouth and then closed it again. Her gaze drifted to her lap as tears burned in the corners of her eyes. Panic swelled in her chest and into her throat. “What is it, lass?” he asked with such tenderness.   “Can you tell me my name?” PURCHASE HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION   Decadent Publishing    Amazon   Visit Alexa on the web- http://www.alexabourne.com/Home_Page.html     *Tomorrow our SPOTLIGHT wraps up with a peek into Alexa's next release*

10 Interesting facts about the HERO and HEROINE from HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION ...

 

MALCOLM FRASER

 (the hero)

 

*He was adopted by Mary and Donald Findlay when they found him huddled behind their house in the snow. He was 6. His biological father killed his biological mother. (He kept his mother's maiden name as his last name.)

*He met his best friend and IPN colleague, Ian MacKenzie, in school shortly after he moved to the Findlay's home.

*Ian actually recruited Malcolm to work in the International Protective Network.

*He was engaged to be married once. The woman called off the wedding when she found out about his violent childood and because she was afraid he'd turn into his abusive father.

*His adoptive father taught him to use running as a way to deal with his anger and his feelings. He's run ever since no matter which country he's in.

*He listens to alternative music when he runs.

 

 

HEATHER WINCHESTER

(the heroine)

 

*Her favorite movie is Indiana Jones-Raiders of the Lost Ark

*She grew up in Cooperstown, New York

*She's an only child whose parents were killed by a drunk driver. She was raised by her mother's sister.

*The Kierlain House, Malcolm's bed and breakfast, was created after I stayed in the Glenfinnan House Hotel (www.glenfinnanhouse.com) in Glenfinnan, Scotland.

 

Purchase HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION:

 

DECADENT PUBLISHING

 

AMAZON

 

Visit Alexa on the web- http://www.alexabourne.com/

 

 

*Check back with us tomorrow to read an Excerpt from HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION*

Meet the Author ~ Alexa Bourne

I was born in Rhode Island and I'm pretty sure I had a pencil in my hand straight out of the womb. I've been writing stories for as long as I can remember. Did I finish all of them? Nah. There always seemed to be a better story to share.

When I was in 6th grade, my all-time favorite TV show debuted, The A-Team. I was hooked on the suspense with only a few episodes. Sometime in the next two years I wrote my first 100+ page story, which turned out to be A-Team fan fiction. I had a blast putting that story together. Mr. Cannell went on to bring me several more suspense-filled shows through the years that followed and I got hooked on them all.

During my last two years of high school, every book I read outside of required school reading was on the Vietnam War. I specifically focused on stories that shared the soldiers' experiences. During this time, I also continued writing stories, more fan fiction for all the shows I watched. (I was the walking TV guide back then.)

College took my parents' money and my sanity. I made good friends, studied hard and decided on a major: English Literature. During this time I interned with the New England Patriots and met my best friend who went on to nag...er, I mean encourage me to pursue publication. I wrote my first romance, although at the time I didn't realize it was a romance, called Breaking Free and it was about a football player and a singer. (It's been long buried under the floorboards, only to be brought out when I want to remind myself how far I've come!)

This is also the time I read Diana Gabaldon's Outlander and my fate was sealed. I LOVED everything about this book and when I finished it, I decided I wanted to create characters that affected my readers the way Jamie and Claire affected me. With my own cheering section led by my best friend, I set out to learn all I could about crafting an intriguing story. In 1999, I joined Romance Writers of America and set out to fulfill my destiny!

As a member of RWA, I began learning so much about writing and the writing life. At the same time, I entered graduate school and learned all I could about being an effective teacher. In 2001, I received my Master's in Education. In 2003, I won my first writing contest and decided to approach my writing as my 2nd job. I happily pursued publication until my dream came true eight years later. I received my first contract in December 2011.

In the years between my first submission and my 1^st book hitting the cyber shelves, I saw many writer friends give up for a variety of reasons. I went through several critique partnerships (until I got the AMAZING CPs I have now!). I've had tons of people tell me they would've given up if they'd been writing as long as I had without receiving a contract. But you know what? I'm a storyteller. It's what I do. It's who I am. I can't give it up because even on my worst writing day, it's still the best job I could ever have.

Visit Alexa on the web- http://www.alexabourne.com/Home_Page.html

*Join us tomorrow with some interesting facts about Her Highland Champion*

HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION by Alexa Bourne ...

 

 

 

A Decadent Honor Guard story….

Heather Winchester leads a charming life. With good friends, a beautiful flat in one of the most amazing cities in the world, and a promising future once she finishes her Ph.D, she is finally pursuing her own dreams instead of catering to everyone else’s…except she doesn’t remember any of it.

Malcolm Fraser has returned to his Highland village to forget his failings as a professional bodyguard. Believing he could just lose himself in the mundane activities of running his bed & breakfast, he finds a woman’s lifeless body by the loch instead….

Captivated by Heather as she regains her memory, Malcolm is thrown into the line of duty. As danger comes knocking on their door, will he be strong enough to love her and keep her safe?

 

Purchase HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION~

 

Decadent Publishing

 

Amazon

 

Visit Alexa on the web- http://www.alexabourne.com/

 

*Join us tomorrow when we get to KNOW the Author*