Catching a Pixie Extras

Learn a little more about the making of Catching a Pixie, Alleigh Burrows contemporary romance novel available in e-book and print.

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Fiction mimicking reality

Chapter one in Catching a Pixie was based on a real episode. Except for the fact that I’m far, far from being 24 years old and I’m not a nutrition major, this happened nearly word for word.

I was stopped for speeding on the New York Thruway, acted stupid-nervous and the police officer was exceptionally nice. I couldn’t really see his face, so I’m not sure if he was cute… but he was young and tall.

He gave me a ticket for my Red Sox plate frame and yes, I did accuse him of being a Yankees fan. And when we were all done he confessed, “I’m a Blue Hen,” meaning he went to the a college located in my town–four hours away.

That got my wheels turning. Wouldn’t it be a meet-cute if a cop pulled over a graduate student who was attending his college and they met up again at a homecoming game? Could they make it work?

Lindsay and Matt just popped up out of nowhere and the story practically wrote itself. The only difficult part was I liked them so much I didn’t want them to have any conflict. Since that’s not going to get a book sold, I had to bounce back and forth as to how much angst they should experience. I hope you find it to be just enough.

Reality mimicking fiction

The week I submitted my manuscript to publishers, I went to my college homecoming. In a bizarre twist, the alumni lacrosse team descended upon our tailgate. One of the attendees brought a green pick-up truck.

Why is this bizarre? Take a look at this snippet from chapter 3 of Catching a Pixie.

The north field was packed with cars, but I managed to spot my brother gathered around a grill with his lacrosse teammates.

Typical guys, they were all in T-shirts and jeans, not a sweatshirt in the bunch. Meanwhile, I was still bundled up in a coat and mittens—thankfully, since the beer I was holding would have turned my fingers numb. Gabby and I waved at him before settling into a pair of blue canvas chairs a few spots over.

We’d only been there a few minutes before Gabby turned to me and said, “That guy is totally checking you out.”

I whipped around. “Where?”

Keeping her hand near her lap, she pointed across the way. “Down there. See Sean by the grill? There’s a tall guy to his left, sitting on the bed of the green pickup truck.”

I glanced over. Hmm, cute. Well built, nice smile, not bad. But also, not looking at me. “No he’s not.”

She shrugged. “Well, he was.” A minute later she nudged me again. “Linds, he is definitely checking you out.” I peeked over again and this time he was looking. Our eyes met and he flashed me a smile. Squee!