Highlands at Dawn by Aliyah Burke

About Aliyah Burke

Aliyah Burke is an avid reader and is never far from pen and paper (or the computer). She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached here. She can also be found on Facebook or Twitter: @AliyahBurke96. And Pinterest.

She is married to a career military man. They are owned by three Borzoi, and a DSH cat. She spends her days sharing time between work, writing, and dog training.


This is book two in the Astral Guardians series.

Things aren’t always what they seem…

Billy Kwan has been sent to Scotland to look into some unusual activity caused by one of Them. What he discovers is not only another artifact, but his mate, and his entire reason for being there has changed. Now, protecting her takes top priority.

Malmuirie ‘Mal’ Gordon is a surgeon, and used to stressful situations, however, when she meets Billy it’s unlike anything she’s experienced before. Together, they might just be able to remain alive long enough to make it back to Oregon and start their life together.

Reader Advisory: This book is best read in sequence as part of a series.

Like the sound of Highlands at Dawn? Buy it here.

How do you connect with your characters? Do you fill out character sheets to figure out more about your hero and heroine, along with secondary characters? Do you interview them?

Me?

I learn about them as the story unfolds. I learn their fears, joys, hopes, and dreams as the words flow (hopefully) from me to the computer. I’m not a writer who knows everything about my characters before I begin the story. I love the discovery and to me I feel closer to them. I am there to experience firsthand the fear or thrill and their gut reaction to a scene, so it’s raw and true, as opposed to being expected and planned in advance.

To me, it’s always a blessing to watch them develop and grow as the story progresses. To see a rich, arrogant playboy learn to care about those who’d never before meant anything to him. Alternatively, a woman steps out of her comfort zone because for the first time, her journey has allowed her to grow and discover the confidence she’d needed before. Those are just two examples.

That is what I love to experience.

My characters don’t always fit the stereotype, and honestly, I prefer that. So a reader will be like, wait…most wouldn’t react that way, or they know they wouldn’t. If everyone were the same with the same reactions, the world would be an extremely boring place, in my opinion.

My characters in Highlands at Dawn, the main ones, have their own battles to overcome. No, not telling, you have to read the story. J There are fears to face and defeat. Beliefs to be changed. Billy has to learn about how his life seems to one who isn’t a Guardian. Mal swiftly discovers she may be further out of her league than she first believed and has to discover she’s strong enough to face it. Both must overall; reevaluate their relationship and belief about one another.

Thanks for allowing me to be here today.

Happy reading,

~Aliyah Burke
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