Guest Blogger; Alexa Bourne

Settings: Why Should Readers Care?

I believe settings make a huge difference in the pleasure readers can get from a story. I know for myself I love trying to visualize the cities or mountains or moors the characters visit. When the author adds in details, I feel like I’m right there with the characters. I strive to do the same thing with my own writing. Each of my books is set in a place I’ve visited or lived. My goal is to paint a picture for my readers. It almost feels like it’s my responsibility to give them a chance to “see” a place they may never see in real life. 

With my new Hidden Destiny series, I set the stories in Austin, Texas. I have been here quite a while and there is so much to love. South by Southwest, Austin City Limits, University of Texas (Go Longhorns!), eclectic shops, various festivals, Tex-Mex food and a ton of other interesting places. We are the live music capital of the world. What better place to set my not-so-ordinary paranormal stories than a not-so-ordinary city?

Wake Me is the 1^st book in the Hidden Destiny series, a group of stories all revolving around Trinity Tavern, a fictional pub in the city center, and a band of friends who must learn to accept and control their paranormal abilities. I’m excited about this story, of course, but I’m really looking forward to continuing to paint that picture of Austin. With the connected series books, readers should hopefully have an accurate depiction of life in Austin and maybe, just maybe, some of them will book a vacation to our unique Texas city!

Alexa is giving THREE prizes throughout her Wake Me Blog Tour! Leave comments in any (or all!) of the tour stops and you will be in the running! So for this stop, where do you think I should set my next set of stories in & why?

The rest of the tour is here:

10/17-- http://alexabourne.com/cuan-macdougall-pub/

10/18-- http://teririggs.blogspot.com/

10/19-- http://www.justromanticsuspense.com/ 

10/20-- http://catemasters.blogspot.com/  

10/21-- http://riseoftheslush.blogspot.com/ 

10/22-- http://kathleensplacetoreflect.blogspot.com/?zx=59b737645d9b5724 

10/23-- http://decadentpublishing.blogspot.com/

10/24-- http://labellebooks.blogspot.ca  

10/25-- http://leabronsen.com/latest-news/

10/27-- http://www.apassionforromance.blogspot.com/  

10/28-- http://www.markofthestars.com/wp/ 

10/29-- http://www.lolakarns.com/  

10/30-- http://saradanielromance.blogspot.com/ 

Wake Me

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.

Social Media:

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlexaBourne

Website: www.alexabourne.com

Blog: http://alexabourne.com/cuan-macdougall-pub/

Email: alexa@alexabourne.com

Buy Links: 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Wake-Hidden-Destiny-Alexa-Bourne-ebook/dp/B00OFEP9DU/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413167147&sr=1-1

Decadent Publishing: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=995&osCsid=cilqte4j0chb5atbb1khme9a67

Blurb:

Her psychic dreams come true.

Sarah McKinley’s attempts to take her foreknowledge of crimes to the Seattle Police Department marked her as a troublemaker and were never taken seriously. Starting over in Austin, she plans never to reveal her gift, but shortly after she arrives, the dreams begin again, and the local police want to know why she has knowledge only the killer could possess.

Detective Jesse Cordell watched his mother con people with her “psychic ability” all through his childhood. He hones in on Sarah, who has means, motive, and opportunity to have murdered the victim in his current investigation. Instinct tells him she didn’t commit the crime, but she definitely knows more than she’s letting on.

Can he put aside his doubts and join forces with her, against everything he believes in, to find the real killer? Or will he do his job and put her behind bars? After all, there’s no such thing as the “psychic ability.” Or is there?

Excerpt:

The buzz around her head grew louder as more students joined the crowd. Yellow tape secured the crime scene several yards away, but limbs still stuck over the cement edge of the water fountain.

A guy in plain clothes ducked under the tape and ventured toward them. A gold shield hung from his belt. “Can anybody tell me what happened?”

“She can!” a male voice from behind called out.

Hoping to take attention off herself, Sarah joined the other students in whirling around to see who the guy meant. Several voices rushed toward the man, accosting him with different versions of the crime. Sarah floated through the sea of people, away from the crowd.

For the nine months, she’d lived in Austin, she’d never mentioned a word about her so-called psychic gift. Almost a full year had passed. She’d started to think she would be normal again.

But a brand-new dream reminded her she would always be different.

Heading toward the street, she picked up her steps. Don’t look back. You’ve done enough damage.

“Miss! Hey, wait up!”

“Damn.” She slowed her feet. No point in trying to run. She’d look guilty of something then the cops would have a reason to haul her off the school campus in cuffs.

Turning, she came face-to-face with the striking plain-clothes cop. “I’m Detective Cordell with Austin Police.” He stood at least six inches taller than she, his jet-black hair sheared in a standard cut for police. The bulk of his chest stretched the material of his short-sleeved dress shirt. With dark eyes and sexy confidence, he was all sorts of captivating. If he hadn’t been such a threat to her freedom, she might even have called him handsome. “Do you have a minute? I’d like to ask you some questions.”

There died his charm.