Do the Voices in my Head Bother You?

With: Alexia Adams

Congratulations to "Shanon R.", the winner of Alexia's giveaway. Thank you to all who participated!

I have children. Lots of children. So more than once I’ve been woken by the words, “Mommy, I wet my bed…” or “Mommy, I don’t feel good,” (quickly followed by heaving noises). But prior to becoming a writer I’d never been woken by a voice in my ear saying, “Write my story next. I deserve love, too.” But that’s what happened after I finished Played by the Billionaire. Helen Winston, a secondary character in that story woke me one morning demanding that I write a romance for her. His Billion-Dollar Dilemma was conceived.

Helen presented some challenges to write, which is why at first I didn’t think to write a follow-on story starring her. In Played by the Billionaire, she was a frumpy-dressed, mild-mannered woman who had a massive crush on Liam, the hero in the original story. However when Liam met Lorelei that avenue of romance came to a crashing halt. How could I change Helen into a heroine who would catch the eye of a billionaire Indulgence hero? I had to provide a catalyst that would propel Helen out of her comfort zone and make her take on the world—more specifically, the hero’s portion of the world. 

I knew Helen was a sweet soul who put others before herself, so that provided the spark. I made the hero threaten not only her job but her colleagues and friends livelihoods. Enter Simon, corporate pirate, about to destroy the company Helen works for. As chief design engineer she takes on the task of convincing him that keeping the company intact will be more profitable than slicing and dicing it. To do so, she has to transform from a geeky engineer to intriguing ingénue. Yup, Simon’s about to meet his match. However it’s Helen’s secret that really draws them together. And thus a romance is born. Here’s how the final story played out:

Never judge a geek by her cover...

Simon Lamont is an ice-cold corporate pirate. He buys companies, strips them of their assets, and moves on. With money. Lots and lots of money. But when he arrives in San Francisco to acquire a floundering company and is accosted by a cute engineer with fire in her eyes, it takes all Simon has to maintain his legendary cool. 

Helen Winston has mastered hiding behind geeky clothes and an obsessive dedication to her job. So what’s with her desire for the arrogant—and sexy as sin—Simon Lamont? He may have only been wearing a towel when they met, but he’s planning to destroy her company, and Helen will do whatever it takes to change his mind. If that means becoming the sexy woman Simon didn't know he wanted, so be it. If only she wasn’t about to walk into her own trap...

I’ve now gotten used to my characters talking to me. It’s when I talk back that my husband starts to worry. But if it turns into a great romance story, then it’s all good in the end as far as I’m concerned. Do the characters in any of the books you read ever invade your head?

Giveaway:
I will be gifting a $5 Amazon gift card to one random commenter. 

HIS BILLION DOLLAR DILEMMA

Never judge a geek by her cover...

Simon Lamont is an ice-cold corporate pirate. He buys companies, strips them of their assets, and moves on. With money. Lots and lots of money. But when he arrives in San Francisco to acquire a floundering company and is accosted by a cute engineer with fire in her eyes, it takes all Simon has to maintain his legendary cool. 

Helen Winston has mastered hiding behind geeky clothes and an obsessive dedication to her job. So what’s with her desire for the arrogant—and sexy as sin—Simon Lamont? He may have only been wearing a towel when they met, but he’s planning to destroy her company, and Helen will do whatever it takes to change his mind. If that means becoming the sexy woman Simon didn't know he wanted, so be it. If only she wasn’t about to walk into her own trap...

Available from April 14 at all online book retailers, including:

Entangled  | Amazon US | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Alexia Adams Author Info:
Alexia once traveled the world, meeting new people, experiencing new sights and tastes. She’s lived in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, England, and France, as well as spent time in Panama and Russia. When life demanded that she stay rooted in one place, she took to vicarious voyages through the characters she created in her romance novels. Her stories reflect her love of travel and feature locations as diverse as the wind-swept prairies of Canada to hot and humid cities in Asia. To discover other books written by Alexia or read her blog on inspirational destinations, Journey to Love at http://Alexia-Adams.com and sign up for her newsletter to keep up-to-date with new books and adventures.

Social Media Links:
Website: http://alexia-adams.com/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexiaAdamsAuthor 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlexiaAdamsAuth
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/alexiaadamsauth/ 
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7068526.Alexia_Adams?from_search=true 
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Alexia-Adams/e/B00CNIDYN2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1 

Books:
His Billion Dollar Dilemma (a Guide to Love novel): 
Miss Guided (a Guide to Love novella):  
Played by the Billionaire (a Guide to Love novel):  
An Inconvenient Love:  
An Inconvenient Desire 
Singapore Fling: 

Giveaway ends 11:59pm EST April 17th. Please supply your email in the post. You may use spaces or full text for security. (ex. jsmith at gmail dot com) If you do not wish to supply your email, or have trouble posting, please email maureen@JustContemporaryRomance.com with a subject title of JCR GIVEAWAY to be entered in the current giveaway.