Thursday, January 9, 2014

Guest Post with Jackie Ashenden!



WELCOME BACK TO THE BLOG, JACKIE! :)


Jackie has been writing fiction since she was eleven years old. Mild mannered fantasy/SF/pseudo-literary writer by day, obsessive romance writer by night, she used to balance her writing with the more serious job of librarianship until a chance meeting with another romance writer prompted her to throw off the shackles of her day job and devote herself to the true love of her heart – writing romance. She particularly likes to write emotional stories with alpha heroes who've just got the world to their liking only to have it blown wide apart by their kick-ass heroines. 



She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband. 


Where to Find Jackie:


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Insider's Guide to New Zealand – Top Five Things To Do In Auckland



When I was starting out as a newbie writer, I was told that setting your book in New Zealand was a mistake since American audiences didn't – apparently – like reading about such a strange and weird place. I have no idea where this idea came from. So because I am a contrary and ornery creature, I thought, 'screw that' and set my books right here in Auckland.

And guess what? Turns out that American audiences DO like reading about different places because I've had people commenting on how much they liked the New Zealand setting and how they wanted more of it.

Never let it be said I don't give my readers what they want… J

In the spirit of more, here's my top five list of things to do if you should ever visit Auckland.

1. Visit Princes Wharf on the waterfront. Auckland's harbor is spectacular. There's a beautiful view of Rangitoto (one of the volcanoes but don't worry it's dormant), the surrounding islands, and the harbor bridge. Have a glass of wine in one of the restaurants and watch the super-yachts and passenger ships come in. On a nice day it's a lovely way to spend some time.

2.  Go up the Sky Tower, the tallest freestanding building in the Southern Hemisphere. The view is amazing and if you're really insane, you can even bungy jump off the side of it. Me, I'll be eating in the new Sugar Club restaurant that's just opened up. I'll wave to you as you plummet past the window, hoping for your sake that the cord doesn't break.

3. If you're into nature then visiting Auckland's west coast beaches is a must. There's native bush on the hills (plenty of hiking) and big waves if you want to surf. Karekare beach, where the movie The Piano was filmed, even has black sand. Just don't go walking on it in bare feet on a hot day, especially if your skin is important to you. Think walking on hot coals…

4.  Want to shop? Sip lattes and pretend you don't have a job to go to?  Then Ponsonby Road is for you. Lots of shops full of clothes from NZ designers, shoes, jewelry, and home-wares. Restaurants for Africa. Dress code – anything. As long as it's black. A lapdog in a bag is also an advantage. ;-)

5. And since this is all about Talking Dirty with the Boss, no top five list would be complete without a reference to the Civic Theatre where I set the bachelor auction. Yes, it's an actual movie theatre with genuine art deco architecture and I still remember being taking to movies there as a kid and watching the ceiling that's studded with tiny lights and looks like a night sky. J


So whaddya reckon? Auckland sounds like a place you'd want to visit?  

~Jackie Ashenden


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Talking Dirty with the Boss by Jackie Ashenden
Publisher: Entangled: Indulgence (December 9, 2013) 
Series: Talking Dirty, 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance


Marisa Clair wants to get her artist dreams back on track after a life detour. That means no partying, no shopping…and definitely no men to distract her. Should be easy, but there’s something about her hot and exceedingly uptight boss and she can't seem to stop herself from ruffling Mr. Tall, Dark and Irritating.

Financial consultant Luke McNamara lives his life strictly by schedule – his OCD simply won't allow him to do anything else. And the very last thing he needs is a sassy blonde putting lipstick on his collar and messing with his routine. She annoys the hell out of him so why can’t he stop thinking about the color of her panties…and how free he feels when he’s with her?


Marisa and Luke’s plans to steer clear of one another are shot to hell after a hot office encounter. Now the two of them will have to learn to get along as they face a much more permanent reminder of their lack of self-control – a pregnancy.




Where to Buy*:
More Info:


Reviews:
Talking Dirty with the CEO, #1 (TBQ -- GR mini review)
Talking Dirty with the Player, #2 (TBQ) 



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Thanks for stopping by today, Jackie! And yes, I very much want to visit Auckland . . . will I find my own Caleb or Luke? If so, I'm grabbing the next plane out of here! I don't know who told you we don't like reading about new places, but trust me -- we do! 

Damn, that's a sexy cover! I can't wait to read Luke's book; I so loved Caleb's book (see link for my review above)! And if you want to learn more about Jackie, check out the interview I did with her last September!

So, dear readers, do you want to visit Auckland now? Do you like reading romances set in different places, different countries? Do you have a favorite place to read about? Or visit?





Enjoy!


Until Next Time,


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  *TBQ's Book Palace is a member of both the Amazon and Barnes and Nobles affiliates program. By using the links provided to buy products from either website, I receive a very small percentage of the order. To read my full disclosure on the matter, please see this post!

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