My special guest today is Tracy Cooper-Posey who writes for several publishers including Ellora’s Cave. As you’ll see below, she was born in Australia (I don’t hold that against her…really!!) and she recently won an award at RomantiCon 2009 for “Most Erotic Use of A Chocolate Chip Cookie” in her release, Ningaloo Nights. I don’t know about you, but that definitely made me curious! Over to Tracy…
Kiwis v’s Aussies
I’ve been looking forward to doing this blog for about a month, now. I’m hoping Shelley won’t mind me indulging in a little cultural cliché. For years there has supposedly been this cultural rivalry between Australians and New Zealanders.
I live in Canada these days, and it’s interesting, sometimes, when people notice my accent, and can’t quite pin it down. They wrinkle their foreheads and very delicately say “Australian? Or…New Zealander?” and they wince, waiting for the explosion of indignation to follow.
Never fails to make me smile.
Well, Shelley is from New Zealand, and I’m Australian. And I’m guesting on her blog.
I couldn’t resist using this as the topic, especially as the reason I’m here today is because the book I’m touring, Ningaloo Nights, is set in Australia, and is part of the new Ellora’s Cave themed series, Going Down Under.
I thought I’d even things up a bit, by pointing out that New Zealand can more than hold its own weight when it comes to things cultural these days, which is why I don’t hit the roof over being mistaken for one, even temporarily. After all, it was a New Zealander, Peter Jackson, who conceived, produced and directed the Lord of the Rings movie, which sits at the top of my list of ultimate movies, movie adaptations, and favourite books of all time (oh, the book was written by J.R.R. Tolkein, I should point out!), and Aragorn is in the top five of my favourite heroes of all time.
I have the extended DVD set and every Christmas I sit down with whichever of my grown children will sit still long enough to watch all fifteen or so hours of the movie plus special features. I never fail to come away from viewing the movie inspired to write my best, and to take on the world.
If a little country like New Zealand (sorry Shelley – but I’m talking about geographical square footage and financial reserves now) can produce such an astonishing achievment like Lord of the Rings, none of us has any excuses to do anything less than knock ourselves out and give it our best.
Besides, you look at the natural scenery in that movie — the mountains, rivers, trees and so forth — and get blown away by just how beautiful New Zealand is.
Yeah, New Zealand can hold its own against Australia any day. So when people mistake me as a Kiwi, that’s why I smile.
And I guess I’d better talk a bit about my book, too, huh?
Here’s the blurb:
New York cop Sherry Abandonato cashes in her savings and dashes to Ningaloo in remote north-west Western Australia to find her sister who disappeared ten days ago.
The only one with the skill to guide her to Derremawan is Mason Hayward, once an official guide, and still with a reputation for getting people out of trouble, but now the town’s bad man.
In a searing afternoon of unexpected passion, Mason strikes a bargain: He’ll get her to Derremawan, if she agrees to go there with him unconditionally, on his terms, and his conditions. Sherry is astonished to find herself agreeing to the insane bargain, and worse, responding positively to the idea of three days of Mason Hayward dictating terms out under the Australian sun…
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October 18th, 2009 at 9:51 am · Link
Hi Shelley & Tracy :)
Thank you for having Tracy Cooper-Posey here today & thanks to Tracy for sharing.
I love the LOTR too. I love the beauty of New Zealand shown therein & in some of my favorite fantasy series. (The latest is Legend of the Seeker).
:)
Thanks again,
RKCharron
xoxo
October 18th, 2009 at 11:13 am · Link
Tracy – it’s awesome having you here today. I love the sound of your new release.
I have to say that our scenery is gorgeous and the movie/TV productions usually showcase this in their work.
And did you know that Brits recently voted the New Zealand accent as the one they most liked outside of Britain? Evidently they find it sexy.
October 18th, 2009 at 11:48 am · Link
Great blog! NZ and Australia are both gorgeous countries.
Tracy, I was instantly intrigued by your award at RomantiCon! ;) Your book sounds terrific!
October 18th, 2009 at 4:17 pm · Link
Although I’ve never been to New Zealand I ahve seen lots of pictures and it looks so beautiful there. There’s also the accent :)
October 18th, 2009 at 6:15 pm · Link
As an Australian fan of New Zealand, I couldn’t agree more about the scenery and achievements of our antipodean cousins across the Tasman, but I’m one with Peter Allen’s song about calling Australia home. (New Zealand comes a close second).
Does your heroine get out to the reefs and swim with the whale sharks?
It’s a great area and my stamping ground for more years than I care to count.
Good luck with your book.
Amy
October 18th, 2009 at 8:43 pm · Link
I am very intrigued by your book. I love stories of Australia and New Zealand. Thank you for being here today.
October 19th, 2009 at 6:08 am · Link
Hi Amy: No, I’m afraid that Mason and Sherry never actually get to the reef in Ningaloo Nights. The story takes place mostly in the back areas north of Coral Bay and Ningaloo itself, heading up into the gulf territory. I remember that country myself, back when I was a teenager.
But there is references to the reef…I can’t say more without adding spoilers!
Tracy
October 19th, 2009 at 6:12 am · Link
That doesn’t surprise me a bit, Shelley, about the accent. It’s instantly recognizable to me, it’s so distinct.