Tracey Alvarez's Blog, page 7

Day 8, 9, & 10 ~ RWA Conference

Day 8 ~ In which #KiwiChickInUSA finally meets up with other Kiwi Chicks!
Lots of workshops attended this morning: Series Bible: The Savior of a Long-Running Series with Jill Shalvis and Jaci Burton, The When , Why, and How of Reinventation and Diversification with J. Kenner, Kevan Lyon, and Alix Rickloff, Maximize Your Discoverability on Amazon, Writing Great Characters with Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I also attended my first publisher book signing – couldn’t believe how many free books they were just giving away. 
Lunch was lovely with the guest speaker, Beverley Jenkins, delivering a powerful speech covering a lot of African American history that I was unaware of but found fascinating. After lunch I managed to find two other Kiwi authors – Talia Hunter http://www.taliahunter.com/and Trudi Jaye http://www.trudijayewrites.com Yay! I found my tribe! We attended some afternoon workshops together and once they were done, headed out for well deserved refreshments.

I somehow managed to miss DH and the BRIGHT BLUE Dodge parked outside the hotel (pretty sure he wasn’t there when I came out, but then I did have a rather large mojito…) but we were soon zooming off to a 70’s car show in La Mesa, about a ten minute drive out of San Diego. Some amazing cars there and one very cute bulldog in a motorbike trailer.

 

Day 9 ~ In which #KiwiChickInUSA nearly gives herself a hernia with so many free books…
The day started early–way too early–with a buffet breakfast at the hotel at 7.30. This would’ve been more palatable if I didn’t have to walk 15 minutes to get to the hotel. You can tell I’m not a morning person, right? Anyway, the breakfast was delicious and the speaker, Dr. Valerie Young who gave a helpful, but also entertaining talk about the impostor syndrome. Next I went to the Avon and Harlequin book signing, which was basically free-for-all book porn where all these amazing books were (get this) FREE. Maybe not such a huge deal to those of you who’ve been to RWA conferences before, but for this New Zealander, seeing people dragging suitcases around to fill up with books…well. It was an eye-opener. I may well exceed my luggage allowance on the flight back – but at least I can partially fill up the Dodge, ha ha. I managed to get another signed book from Kristan Higgins (truly, I was worried she was gonna get a restraining order on me, except she is SO super-nice) not to mention at the later Berkley signing when I spoke to Jill for the third time and got another signed book. Pretty sure we’re all besties now…

Then there was getting a signed book from Sylvia Day who is also super nice and laughed when I made a lame joke about how she is smaller in real life (as an ENORMOUS photo of her is on the outside of the hotel).

Part of the Kiwi contingency, including the most fabulous and nicest-NYT-bestselling-author-ever Nalini Singh (http://nalinisingh.com/) got together at lunch, with a stranger taking advantage and photo bombing us – LOVE IT. Talia and I also fan-girled briefly when we spotted La Nora power-walking toward us in a hallway, though Trudi missed her. Honestly, how can you miss romance rock-star Nora Roberts?!

With Trudi Jaye (left), Nalini Singh, me, Talia Hunter (and a random photo bomber at the back!

 

The last 2 hours of the day were taken up with THE most amazing workshop with Michael Hague. Man, this guy is AWESOME and if there are any fellow NZ authors reading this, you absolutely MUST go to the RWNZ conference this year as he’s doing a whole day Friday workshop that you will NOT want to miss. Check out details of the RWNZ conference here: http://www.romancewriters.co.nz/confe...
To finish of the evening, DH and I had dinner at TGI Fridays and I think I definitely earned the Coconut Mai Tai I ordered! 

 

Day 10 ~ In which #KiwiChickInUSA glams up for the Rita & Golden Heart’s…
Another crazy whirlwind day of workshops today. The one I learned the most in was Michael Hague’s dissection of the movie “Hitch”. The one I had the most fun in entitled ‘The Terrible Trio talk Sex’ and included the uproariously funny Elizabeth Hoyt, Alyssa Day and Kristan Higgins which had the audience in fits of laughter. Hoyt and Higgins were almost like a stand-up routine, and oh my, when Higgins got the giggles and couldn’t stop…well, that might’ve had something to do with the bottle of wine she brought with her! 

 

That evening DH and I got glammed up for the RWA’s 2016 Rita and Golden Heart Award ceremony. This is a really, big, deal, in Romancelandia, in case you didn’t know, with sequins and sparkles and even a couple of tiara’s I’m pretty sure. It’s the Oscars of the romance author’s world and it was wonderful to see my fellow Romance Writers of New Zealand author Elizabeth King score a win for the historical Golden Heart. The whooping down the back was from DH, Trudi Jaye and myself!

The reason why this blog is so short? It’s nearly midnight and I’m about to turn into one very deflated pumpkin. DH has long since crashed out beside me, and since it sounds like party central in downtown San Diego where we’re staying, it could be a long night…
What this #KiwiChickInUSA learned today: So many things that my head is exploding – I needs a vacation!
What this #KiwiChickInUSA loved most about today: Seeing self-published authors listed as finalists in the Rita’s and in some cases winning! Go Indies!
What food this #KiwiChickInUSA loved today: Salted caramel cheesecake from the Cheesecake factory.

Day 6 & 7 ~ San Diego

Day 6 ~ In which #KiwiChickInUSA takes the long way to San Diego…
Today we packed up our suitcases, which have somehow shrunk and now won’t fit everything in…and took a cruise down the Pacific Coast Highway. We stopped at The Original Pancake House for brunch at the recommendation of the friendly customs officer we met last Thursday when we arrived in the US, and true to her word, the pancakes WERE amazing.

Then another slow cruise to San Diego via the scenic route that seemed to take twice as long. Once we arrived and strolled down the pretty tree lined Aves to the Mariott where the 2016 RWA conference is held, DH and I promptly got lost trying to find the registration. It is one big-ass hotel. Eventually we did and I registered and we walked back to our accommodation and did boring things like order in dinner and shout and wave incoherently at our Miss 15 back in New Zealand who’d done something to the microphone on her laptop. Still, it was good to see our baby’s face, even if she was poking her tongue out at us.

 

Day 7 ~ In which #KiwiChickInUSA doesn’t see a SEAL but does meet two of her literary idols…
After only what felt like 2 hours sleep thanks to an air conditioning system that sounds like a jet engine filled with rocks (slight exaggeration, but I’m the kind of sleeper that has to have the door shut to keep out the sound of a kitchen clock ticking in the next room) I headed down to the hotel for a special tour around the Navy base in Coronado. Although we only got out of the bus briefly at Breaker Beach (which was a gorgeous golden sand stretch that begged for bare feet and a dip in the ocean) it was very cool to get a glimpse into the area where the Navy SEALs live, train and play. Unfortunately, we didn’t see one…unless he was in cammo gear.

Once we got back to the hotel I got to meet one of my wonderful readers for a drink and a chat. I had a wonderful time (how the hell four hours flew by so fast I’ve no idea!) and I also got the chance to chat with the lovely J. Kenner. The last must-do of the day was attending the craziness of the Literacy Signing with over 400 authors signing books in a very crowded ballroom. Now that I’ve got signed books from my two favorite authors, Jill Shalvis and Kristan Higgins, I can die happy. Well, not literally, of course. Though I just about had a coronary when saying hi to them both, but they were both sweet, gracious ladies and I am looking forward to stalking attending their workshops this week.

 

For dinner we took my reader’s suggestion of the Corvette Diner at the Liberty Station. What a blast—but so much for my intention to type up my blog while we ate, far too much going on to concentrate.

 

Day 5 ~ Last Day in L.A

Day 5 ~ In which #KiwiChickInUSA sees views of L.A up high & down low…
We finally picked up our car this morning, a gorgeous Dodge Challenger RT Plus in B5 blue. Love the dirty rumble of the V8 engine!

Of course, we had to take it for a drive, so we headed up to the Griffith Park Observatory. There are some amazing mansions on the road up there which had me wondering who exactly lived in them and what their stories are. The mind boggles. And the observatory itself—what a beautiful building and the views over L.A were just stunning. Reminder to self: Watch ‘Rebel Without a Cause again when back in New Zealand, both for the smoulderingly sexy James Dean and a glimpse of the observatory in the sixties.

Next we zipped down the hill…and got caught in rush hour traffic from the park to Santa Monica! I still found the drive fascinating, and at least the Challenger has a fantastic navigation system so I wasn’t constantly peering at my phone terrified I was going to direct DH onto the wrong freeway! We parked at the Sears parking lot in Santa Monica as DH needed to pick up a nice shirt and pants for the Rita Awards Ceremony at the RWA later this week. We traipsed around the men’s section with DH screwing up his nose at most of my shirt suggestions (“I’m not wearing that one, it has zips on the pockets!”) then decided to drive down to the Santa Monica pier—unaware that we were practically at the pier already. Eventually after driving around for fifteen minutes (every single tourist in L.A was at the pier already or trying to get to the pier in their cars) we headed back to Sears and forked over the $$ to park longer and just walked the 300 metres from the parking lot to the pier.

When we were last in Santa Monica we had our two kids in tow and it was near the end of October. Big difference in tourist population this evening—while in October the pier was still busy, this evening it was packed. We had dinner at Bubba Gumps (first time in all our road trips that we’ve ever eaten there) and then strolled down the pier to the very end. It was a beautiful summer’s evening with a pretty sunset hovering over the rolling surf and a perfect end to our time in the City of Angels.

What this Kiwi Chick loved most about today: Seeing how happy my DH is with our new car. This man has supported my writing from the very beginning, way back when soon after we were dating he presented me with an old clunker of a computer which I thought was just the, best, thing, ever. He is my unfailing cheerleader and biggest fan, and I’m so blessed to have such wonderful readers who have also supported me by buying my books over the last 2.5 years—I so appreciate each and every one of you in helping to make my darling’s dream come true!
Things this Kiwi Chick learned today: That the Dollar Store is just as dangerous, if not more so, as Walmart. But I discovered a cool little self-portrait button to help me take better selfies…not that it appears to stop the DH and I being caught with derp-ish expressions.
What food this Kiwi Chick loved today: Fresh, sweet and juicy peaches, nectarines and strawberries. Yum!
 

Day 4 ~ Los Angeles

Day 4 ~ In which #KiwiChickInUSA rubs shoulders with the rich and famous…kinda
Even though I swore I never would, today DH and I took a trip to Hollywood Blvd and visited Madam Tussaud’s. I was both creeped out, fascinated by the work involved and at times, interested in how tall/little/thin/different the wax figures were to my perception of them via movies/TV, and weirdly excited. While my emotional brain was squeeing, “OMG, it’s Hugh-freaking-Jackman” the bigger, cynical half of my brain was rolling it’s eyes and saying, “Puh-lease, it’s a giant candle in clothes.” Whatever my preconceptions, we spent a fun hour posing with the figures. And let me add, I discovered just how sucktastic I am at taking selfies, LOL. I’m obviously not going to post every single photo we took here, just a few of my favorites. A couple that made me kind of sad were Robin Williams and Patrick Swayze – Robin was my favorite comedian of all time and Patrick, well, let’s just say nobody puts Baby in a corner and leave it at that.

 

 

We then stepped out onto Hollywood Blvd into absolute chaos. The sidewalk was packed, you could barely see the stars you were walking on, and the TLC Chinese Theatre was swarming with people. We weren’t really worries as we have been there before, so we continued to wander (if one can wander when surrounded by masses of sweating humanity) up/down the Blvd. Did I mention I have a cynical side of my brain? Saw a guy panhandling who claimed to be an ex-veteran, complete with a fixed miserable expression that didn’t change the whole 3-4 minutes we were waiting at the lights – and seriously, the dude was good looking enough to be an actor, designer stubble and all. Don’t get me wrong, I have a heart for anyone suffering and who has fallen on hard times, but this guy had my fake-dar bleeping… (Maybe it was the camera crew filming right next to him, and him staring off into the middle distance pretending he didn’t notice because he was soooo downhearted.)

One unexpectedly bad decision of the day was to try and drive up to the Griffith Observatory. Unknown to us there was a huge concert going on that evening and we drove right into the narrow, windy road leading up there. A friendly police officer let us know what was going on, so we turned around eventually and headed back out of town to the hotel for the night.
What this Kiwi Chick loved most about today: The craziness of Hollywood Blvd.
Things this Kiwi Chick learned today: That where there are traffic cones and dudes directing traffic, it probably means drive the other way if you don’t want to be stuck for an hour…
What food this Kiwi Chick loved today: Enormous slice of New York style pizza on Hollywood Blvd.

Day 3 ~ Los Angeles

Day 3 ~ In which #KiwiChickInUSA goes to her first baseball game

Starting the day off at a little diner called Mandy’s Family Restaurant, real old school stuff with seats at the counter and lots of choices of all-day breakfast that have bacon in them. All good. Which is why I ordered a bacon and avocado omelette (in case you’re interested!), which was tasty but no way could I finish the whole plate.

 

Next was more driving and looking at cars—actually, my DH looked at cars and dealt with salespeople, I read Jill Shalvis’s latest book. A much more enjoyable experience, I can assure you. Did I mention I’m a huge Jill Shalvis fan and hoping I get to say hello to her at the RWA conference without keeling over and dissolving into a puddle of nervous giggles.

We made it to the Dodgers Stadium through a crush of traffic on the I5 and found our way to the entrance where a very helpful police officer told us how to get to our seats. We were completely clueless, and no doubt gawking at this huge, frantically busy stadium like country bumpkins. And the blue…blue shirts, blue caps, and even a few with dyed blue hair. Wow. Lucky I convinced DH that he really shouldn’t wear the San Diego Padres cap he’d picked up at Walmart yesterday…Of course we had to try the Dodgers Dog and some garlic fries, but I have to be honest, they really weren’t the greatest. The atmosphere—and the seats we got—more than made up for it. Luckily, for the majority of the 3 hours we weren’t sitting in the sun and we had a blast jumping up for the Mexican Wave that seemed to go on forever and joining in with the ‘Let’s go Dod-gers’ chant. Turns out American’s are even more passionate about their baseball than we New Zealanders are about our rugby. After the game (the Dodger’s won 4-3) we stayed for a while watching the Top Gun movie showing on the huge stadium screens. We were going to go sit on the field, but got told by a security guard we weren’t allowed, so we decided to head home. Then we made a rookie mistake and left from a different entrance than the one we came in through. Yup, we got a little disorientated and ended up walking what felt like FOR MILES trying to find where we left the car. Eventually, we came across it and headed home through crazy traffic and downtown L.A lights. We picked up some Chinese for dinner in front of Fear The Walking Dead and the fortune cookie prediction was perfect for us: Life is full of wonder…explore what’s around you.

Amen, friends. Amen.

I’ve always wanted to meet a CHiP – yes, I watched the program as a kid! :)

By this point we were very lost, but the ladies we asked to take our photos were so sweet and helpful!

 

 

What this Kiwi Chick loved most about today: Listening to The Star Spangled Banner being beautifully sung before the game.

Things this Kiwi Chick learned today: That the big jar of white stuff on a diner’s table is sugar, not powdered creamer…

What food this Kiwi Chick loved today: Chinese food from the restaurant next to the hotel – VEGETABLES!

Day 1 & 2 Los Angeles

Day 1. In which #KiwiChickInUSA is sleep deprived and snarky. 
After an uneventful flight from NZ to Fiji, with a five hour layover in Nadi where I managed to get some words on my WIP down, we finally boarded our 10 hour flight to L.A. As usual I tried, and failed to fall asleep. In fact I think I was lucky to even dose, so by the time we were approaching LAX I was like a mama bear when someone steals her morning coffee along with her favourite cub. Waiting in long lines to clear customs was not fun, but a lovely border security lady who *sorry* was simply the nicest person I’ve ever encountered at a US airport took some of the sting out of the one hour wait. The heat was a shock to the system as we stepped out of the frantic LAX and collected the Jeep Cherokee rental—along with Bon Jovi blasting out of the rental car building’s speakers. Awesome but quite surreal – we have definitely arrived in the USA!
Back to reality after being trapped in a long hot drive on the I105 down to a dealer to check out a Dodge Challenger we’re looking at buying. So here’s the deal. DH has been e-mailing a salesman back and forth, negating a price and the salesmen KNEW we were coming in this afternoon from NZ to look at the car. What did we find when DH and I climbed into this car – a brand new car, btw…carpets hadn’t been vacuumed and were covered in dirt, there was traces of mud on the interior door, and from where I was sitting in the backseat, scuff marks on the back of both the passenger and driver’s seat. New, my ass. If that wasn’t bad enough, the salesman (not the one in contact with DH over e-mail) kept making excuses and saying things like ‘that’ll buff right out’. Uh huh.
He kept wanting us to fill out paperwork when we hadn’t even decided whether to buy this vehicle, and while in the showroom, he followed us around, keeping a good two-foot distance from us the whole time. I expected him to rugby tackle us if we made any move to leave…only he didn’t know what rugby was. The last straw was when he hovered over us while insisting we have a coffee, and then *twice* turned and spat into a rubbish bin. I think I threw up in my mouth a little, and I definitely didn’t enjoy that coffee. We’re staying in a hotel in Hawthorne, which reminded me of many that are featured in the TV series ‘Supernatural’. Maybe I’ll stop at the local market and stock up on salt…and I’m signing off after 20 something hours without sleep.
What this Kiwi Chick loved most about today: Arriving safely in the USA! Whoop whoop!
What this Kiwi Chick learned today: That I get snarky (at least on the inside) when dealing with insincerity and lack of professionalism.
 
Day 2 In which #KiwiChickInUSA meets a former marine & sees her teen idol.
Today was all about finding a car to do this road tripping thing in. My DH is a writer in his own right (member of the respected NZ Motoring Writers’ Guild) and is writing a book about driving a car around the US and then bringing it home to NZ – so research trip, right?! If you’re nosy, check out his FB page here: https://www.facebook.com/usa2nz/
After starting the day right with coffee and breakfast at a local Denny’s, we hit the road south to look at cars. I tell you, this Kiwi Chick is not used to the summer temperatures yet! Thank goodness the rental we’re driving has air-conditioning. Next stop, another car dealer, but this time we had a very cool salesman with a southern accent. I nearly shoved all our money at him just because he was polite, friendly and genuine – oh, and being an ex-marine kinda helped too, ha ha. Of course I had to restrain myself from peppering him with 101 questions, because, man in uniform, ladies!

Today we saw a lot of this…

 

Did I mention it is HOT here? Even in the mid-eighties the temperature is still much warmer than Wellington summers. So with SPF 50 sun lotion on, DH and I hit the I5 toward Irvine Meadows Amphitheater where we’re seeing Bryan Adams perform. Not to fan-girl too much, but OMG, he was my ultimate favorite as a teenager. I had his posters on my wall and recorded his songs off the radio before I could afford to buy his album on tape. Yes, I am that old. And boy, did we get a surprise at how good our seats were – I could’ve almost thrown my knickers onto the stage and hit him. Though I didn’t. I’m all about restraint and not getting arrested. It was an amazing concert and now I get why some of my writer friends are into writing rock stars! He had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand, and the sound of the whole amphitheater singing the opening verse of ‘Heaven’…gave me chills (and maybe my eyes got a little nostalgically damp also).

DH and I pre-awesomeness.

 

 

What this Kiwi Chick loved most about today: Bryan Adams making me sing and dance and laugh and cry like no one was watching – all the feels.
What this Kiwi Chick learned today: Vending machines don’t like $20 notes. That it is categorically impossible to walk into Walmart for 1-2 items and not come out with three bags full of stuff.
What food this Kiwi Chick loved today: (Because a lot of y’all e-mailed to recommend restaurants – many thanks) A turkey and avocado sandwich from Togo’s – one of the nicest I’ve ever had.
And now this Kiwi Chick (who is still wide awake at 12.28am – curse you jet lag!) better try to get some sleep.
 
 

Kissing The Bride Release Day!

 Shaye and Del have to be one of my favorite Due South couples and I had so much fun writing their wedding story. I hope you enjoy it!

 

Kissing The Bride

Kissing The Bride (Due South Book #7.5)
Contemporary Romance
72 pages

 

The countdown is on to the Wedding of the Year, New Zealand!
It’s seven days until Shaye Harland and Del Westlake finally tie the knot—and it’ll be the most awesomesauce wedding Stewart Island has ever seen if Shaye has anything to do with it. Her All Things Nuptial journal has the big day planned to perfection, but not everything runs like clockwork. While marrying the man of her dreams beats chocolate as an Easter treat, a few mini-catastrophes like Boris the obstinate sea lion threaten to ruin their special day.
WARNING: If you’re new to the Due South world, this fun and sexy short story of Del & Shaye’s wedding isn’t the book to start with. Lots of favorite characters join in the wedding craziness—and if you haven’t read the earlier Due South books it’ll just be crazy-confusing.
 

Available from these retailers:

 

 

 

 A bzzzzzt from outside the dressing room sounded as someone opened the shop door. Rapid footsteps followed and then a soft tap on her door. “Shaye?”
Pressing her lips together to keep any stray giggle from escaping, she slid along the back wall so the opening door would hide her from view.
“Del, get in here before I tear something. I need you,” she said, totally winning an Oscar for her acting skills.
The door cracked open wide enough for someone to squeeze through. Del, protecting her privacy from the rest of the boutique, bless him, slid inside and shut the door. Shaye had a momentary stab of guilt at his rumpled hair and obviously thrown on, inside-out tee shirt.
“Hey.” He held up a palm, most likely trying to figure out what the Spanx emergency was when she was very obviously not strangled by a misbehaving bodysuit. “You’re not stuck in the Spanx?”
Awww, her darling sucker had really fallen for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, deserved a reward.
“I kinda lied,” Shaye said.
The soft squeak of footsteps tiptoed past—MacKenna, going to lock the front door and turn the open sign to “Back in 5 minutes”. Or twenty minutes, give or take a few.
“But I wasn’t lying about needing you.” Shaye’s gaze skimmed down Del’s broad shoulders to his worn-soft jeans clinging to his leanly muscled thighs, and the denim cupping the package between them. Nope, totally telling the whole truth, nothing but the truth there. “Lock the door.”
The confusion on Del’s face evaporated beneath the smoky heat of his glance as he took in the silky fabric of her robe…and the jut of her nipples poking against it. Legs suddenly weak, she leaned against the dressing room’s back wall and tried to slow her choppy breathing.
Reaching behind him, Del flicked the door lock. “What have you got going on under that robe, cup-cake?”
The soft muzak being piped through the boutique abruptly finished, then a new song started. Del froze, his gaze darting to the speaker high up on the dressing room wall as Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” flowed out. His lips twitched then parted in a grin hot enough to melt the synthetic lace panties she wore under her robe.
“MacKenna?” he asked.
“Yep.” Shaye giggled. “But that’s the only part of the plan that’s hers.”
“Oh, there’s a plan?” He moved to brace his palms either side of her shoulders, trapping her against his big, warm body. “Of course, with you, there’s always a plan.”
Copyright © 2016 by Tracey Alvarez.

 

 

(Open Internationally)
 
Prize includes:
~ New Zealand Paua Shell Wine Glass Charms
~ Pack of 3 notebooks (your own All Things Nuptial notebooks?) with assorted New Zealand theme print covers
~ New Zealand Kiwifruit Milk chocolates
~ Slice of Heaven New Zealand print apron
~ Hand-crafted Due South ‘cupcake’ earrings
~ Hand crafted Ready To Burn beaded bookmark
~ Signed copy of READY TO BURN (Due South #3) paperback so you can read Shaye & Del’s story.
~ Author magnet.
~ Author bookmark.

 

To Enter: Just click on the below Rafflecopter giveaway links below.
To qualify for the bonus 5 entries, you’ll need to purchase KISSING THE BRIDE and answer this question in the space provided in the rafflecopter. The question is: What is the last 4-word sentence at the end of Chapter 6? 
* Prizes are not exchangeable for cash or anything else.
* All due care will be made in ensuring the prize arrives at the winner’s address, but I am unable to refund prize value in any way should it not arrive due to postal disaster. Winner must provide their address BEFORE July 4th if they want their prize sent before I leave for a month’s vacation on July 7th.
* Entries close on July 1st, and the winner will receive a direct e-mail from me shortly after – so please ensure my e-mail address is added to your safe/contacts list. If I haven’t had a reply from the winner in 48 hours, I will redraw a new winner.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal – Kissing The Bride!

I’m so excited about this fun addition to the Due South books! It started out as a short story idea thanks to a Beta reader who was VERY keen to see Shaye & Del get married, and somehow it surpassed short-story length into a short novella! But I still love it, and it was SO much fun to write. Take a look at the beautiful cover that Kellie from Book Cover By Design made. Do you like it? Let me know in the comments.

 

Kissing The Bride (Due South Book #7.5)
Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 24th 2016

 

 

 

The countdown is on to the Wedding of the Year, New Zealand!
It’s seven days until Shaye Harland and Del Westlake finally tie the knot—and it’ll be the most awesomesauce wedding Stewart Island has ever seen if Shaye has anything to do with it. Her All Things Nuptial journal has the big day planned to perfection, but not everything runs like clockwork. While marrying the man of her dreams beats chocolate as an Easter treat, a few mini-catastrophes like Boris the obstinate sea lion threaten to ruin their special day.
WARNING: If you’re new to the Due South world, this fun and sexy short story of Del & Shaye’s wedding isn’t the book to start with. Lots of favorite characters join in the wedding craziness—and if you haven’t read the earlier Due South books it’ll just be crazy-confusing.

 

You can pre-order Kissing The Bride from iBooks!
Release Date June 24th, 2016.

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Drawing Me In Release Day!

Kia ora, hello to you from Aotearoa, New Zealand!
Happy book birthday to Drawing Me In!
This is the longest–and hardest–Due South book I’ve written to date. Both Harley and Bree are complex characters with a lot of baggage to work out (haven’t we all got baggage?!) before they could be freed up to forgive themselves and each other and find their HEA. I was emotionally exhausted by the end of it.
Early reviewers have been saying things like: “emotional roller-coaster ride”, “heart-wrenching, funny & romantic”, “funny, poignant, shocking and aw-shucks romantic.” 
If you’ve read a few of my books, you may have noticed there are connecting themes of the importance of family, community, friendship, forgiveness, second chances, and redemption. As an author I am especially drawn to the second chances trope, because I truly believe a life lived with an unforgiving heart feeds only bitterness into it which eventually will destroy our joy. And we as humans are so perfectly un-perfect. We screw up and often hurt the ones we love the most. And is there a way to come back from that and salvage the relationship? Sometimes. Sometimes not. But either way, not forgiving the person who hurt you only damages yourself. I’ve seen it in action in my own life. And in DRAWING ME IN both Bree and Harley have hurt each other in ways that they initially think are insurmountable. But that’s the thing with love. It can move mountains and heal old wounds…if you let it.
I thought you might like to see a few photos of Stewart Island and all its wild, natural beauty. Doesn’t it make you want to pack up and move there? It does for me – though I don’t think my family would appreciate not having lightning fast wi-fi!
I hope you love Drawing Me In as much as I do. And I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you, my wonderful readers who have supported me so faithfully throughout the last 2-and-a-half years, for your e-mails and messages. They mean more to me than I could possibly fit in this blog post.

 

 

 

 

A wild, windswept beach on Stewart Island…

Beautiful, unspoiled beaches on Stewart Island…

 

Muddy inspiration for a scene in Drawing Me In… read the free excerpt below for a teaser of sexy, muddy, fun to come. ;-)

 

 Drawing Me In (Due South #7)

 

 

 

Drawing Me In (Due South Book #7)
Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 330 pages

 

Passion won’t hold them together when past fears threaten to tear them apart.
She’s drawn by his wild spirit…
Bree Findlow’s ordered world slides into chaos when the man who broke her heart arrives back in their small New Zealand home-town. But with years of avoidance tactics under her belt, she figures ignoring the sexy-as-sin artist whose touch colors her red hot, is a practical solution. Until her mother arrives with an announcement jeopardizing Bree’s livelihood, and her sister also shows up…along with the nine-year-old secret Bree has kept hidden from everyone. Especially the father of that secret.
He’s drawn by her quiet strength…
Harley Komeke is back in Oban to rest, regroup and hopefully re-find his missing muse. He also isn’t against rediscovering every inch of the icy-cool treat, Bree Findlow—after falling under her spell in what felt like a lifetime ago at Art College. His pursuit takes an unexpected turn when, hello, insta-fatherhood. Reeling from shock, Harley knows he should despise the woman who allowed her sister to informally adopt their son, but he can’t. Because Bree, more than anyone, understands that with his past, he never, ever wanted to risk having a wife and family.
They’re drawn to each other over and over…
Like the formidable tides that surge around Stewart Island, Bree and Harley can’t resist the heat generated between them. Push and pull, kiss and retreat, touch after breathless touch—until a moment’s recklessness has consequences neither can brush aside.

 

 

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 He turned to find Bree three paces behind him with her hiking boots planted firmly on the still-solid path, her hands fisted on her hips and an oh, hell no expression on her face. Something else he’d always admired about her…the woman’s mind was wicked sharp, stitching together the picture of swimsuit plus art supplies plus mud in an instant.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” she said. “You want me to frolic around in that?”
Harley shrugged out of the backpack and placed it by a tree—careful to keep it away from the beginning bogginess. “Frolicking’s optional. In you hop.”
“It’s disgusting.”
“It’s mud. Totally organic. Women pay a small fortune to get that stuff slapped on their skin in a spa.” He withdrew a small, collapsible stool from the backpack and opened it. Parked his ass on it and leaned on the tree trunk. “And Hineahuone was created from mud. I need to see you covered in it to get any further with this painting. Be my Hineahuone, Bree.”
She continued to stare at him without moving an inch, as if horns had erupted from his forehead, and a forked tail had slithered out of his shorts. Removing his sketchpad from the backpack, Harley drew his mouth up into a smirk, trying to communicate a challenge with every insolent movement.
“You think I won’t?” She lifted her hands to the top button of her shirt. Unbuttoned it. “That I’ll pitch a fit about getting muddy and tell you to go to hell?”
He rolled a shoulder and flicked open the pad to a blank page. Three more buttons popped open, revealing a leopard-print bra—the animal print he’d been dreaming about for months—and her breasts, pale and beautiful, spilling over the top of the cups. So there were some good things about a woman carrying your baby. He shoved the thought aside, concentrated on the taut outline of her nipple under the fabric.
“You’re always telling me to go to hell in one way or another,” he said mildly. “But you know it’s in your best interests to get dirty for me.”
Bree flicked open the last button of the shirt and peeled it off her shoulders. She threw it at him, and he caught it with one hand. Then, bending over and giving him an eyeful of cleavage that sent his system into overdrive, she unlaced her boots and peeled off her socks.
She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow when she caught him staring. “You better not be thinking this is a striptease.”
“I’m about to stuff some notes into your bikini top.” Pretty sure he was drooling, Harley slid a hand into his bag to retrieve a pencil. He rummaged around without taking his eyes off her.
“I told you, I don’t own a bikini.”
She unzipped her shorts and shimmied out of them, leaving her in just her bra and damn—she’d left on the bike shorts instead of switching them for a tiny bikini bottom. Bree tossed him her shorts, and he caught those too, stuffing them along with her shirt into his backpack.
Mouth set in a determined line, she walked to the edge of the mud, her bare feet sinking into the earth. She took a giant step forward, and her foot disappeared with a loud sucking noise into the mud. Thick, dark brown, watery, goopy mud that rose past her ankles as she put her full weight on that leg.
“Ugh. It’s freezing.”
Upper lip curling away from her teeth, she hunched her shoulders but moved her left leg to join her right. “And really, really gross.”
Harley held his breath. One false move, one comment in the wrong tone of voice and she’d flee. She glanced back over her shoulder at him, and he prayed the sketchpad braced on his lap would hide his harder-than-the-surrounding-tree-trunks cock.
Was he enjoying the show? Hell, yeah. Would he get a face full of stinking black mud and lose his Hineahuone if she read it on his face? Hell yeah again.
“Sorry.”
“No, you’re not.” Bree grimaced and sank to her knees.
She cupped a palm full of mud in both hands. With a sigh, she swiped her hands down her thighs, leaving behind thick smears of mud.
Yeah, he wasn’t the slightest bit sorry.
He must’ve made an involuntary sound, a groan crushed out of a body in the throes of all-consuming lust, because she froze mid-transference of mud to stomach. Her lips curved, just the tiniest dimple in the corner. But enough to know she’d spotted something obvious that Harley had missed.
Bree was the one in control here, not him.

 

Copyright © 2016 by Tracey Alvarez.

 

 

If you haven’t read Harley’s twin brother Ford’s book – you should! A fiesty, fun heroine and a reluctant bachelor brought together by a meddling Octogenarian matchmaker. Pick up a copy before you dive into Drawing Me In.

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(Open Internationally)
 
Prize includes:
~ New Zealand pohutukawa tree motif tote bag.
~ New Zealand Paua tea towel (not sure what you’d call it overseas. Used to dry dishes if you’re so inclined…). You’ll see why ‘paua’ when you read Drawing Me In!
~ New Zealand Rotorua Mud hand cream (don’t worry, it’s a lot nicer than it sounds and feels lovely to apply!) You’ll see why ‘mud’ if you read the above excerpt!
~ New Zealand Rotorua Mud Facepack and Soap giftset.
~ Hand-crafted pacifica design pendant.
~ ‘Wheku’ keychain crafted from New Zealand ancient swamp Kauri. You’ll see why after reading Drawing Me In!
~ Signed copy of PLAYING FOR FUN (Due South #6) paperback so you can read Harley’s twin brother’s story.
~ Author magnet.
~ Author bookmark.
Prize doesn’t include: Kevin & Alfie as pictured with the VERY tempting pendant. 

To Enter: Just click on the below Rafflecopter giveaway links below.
To qualify for the bonus 5 entries, you’ll need to purchase DRAWING ME IN and answer this question in the space provided in the rafflecopter. The question is: What is the last 5-word sentence at the end of Chapter 20? 
* Prizes are not exchangeable for cash or anything else.
* All due care will be made in ensuring the prize arrives at the winner’s address, but I am unable to refund prize value in any way should it not arrive due to postal disaster.
* Entries close on May 30, and the winner will receive a direct e-mail from me shortly after – so please ensure my e-mail address is added to your safe/contacts list. If I haven’t had a reply from the winner in 48 hours, I will redraw a new winner.

 

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Watch Out USA – Here Come The Alvarezs

July 2016. One month, 8,000kms. Can’t wait.

That’s right, DH and I are road-tripping in July and we absolutely can’t wait!

 

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We’re starting off with 5 nights in L.A, then driving down to San Diego for my first Romance Writers of America conference. I confess to being a little lot nervous about attending the conference as ‘Wallflower’ is my middle name when crowds are concerned. I love chatting with people one on one, but a crowd? Oy vey. Anyway, I’m looking forward to all the workshops and stalking meeting some of my favorite authors. Once the conference is done and dusted, we will be hitting the road east.

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And our next stop is here:

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That’s right! We’re going to Vegas baby. Spoiler: It’s research for part of Joe and MacKenna’s book, SAYING I DO (Due South Book #8). And who doesn’t want to research a Vegas road trip and possible wedding?

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After Vegas we’re visiting family in Phoenix, cruising through Texas, partying in New Orleans and eventually ending up in Atlanta, Georgia to hopefully take not one, but two The Walking Dead tours. Yeah, baby! And if I see this guy on the road?

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I may never come back to New Zealand.
I’ll be posting regular blogs of my adventures here with links on Facebook & Twitter, I hope you’ll come along for the ride.