Please welcome Gilian to my blog today as she talks about the locations behind her newest release. Be sure to enter the giveaway below!
Guest Post
The locations used in my novels are a huge part of the story and I consider them non human characters. The major locations I used all have a special meaning to me.
Since moving to the United States in 1998, I lived in New York, Los Angeles and now Albuquerque. I have been blessed to have lived in 3 completely different cities with such rich tapestry of cultures.
Los Angeles.
The Grove 
The Grove is located at the corner of Fairfax and 3rd Avenue. Back in the day before The Grove was cool (before Access Hollywood and Modern Family started filming there) I used to spend all my time there. I didn’t have a car or job and I lived a block away, The Grove was my hang-out spot for entertainment and keeping my anxiety in tact. I spent many hours people watching, browsing the shops or at Barnes and Noble. I remember spending Christmas-eve admiring the decorations, and watching the water from the fountain dance to Christmas carols. The Grove made being broke in LA suck less, and will always have a very special place in my heart. http://www.thegrovela.com. Photos courtesy The Grove LA.
Westwood Village
The Grove is located at the corner of Fairfax and 3rd Avenue. Back in the day before The Grove was cool (before Access Hollywood and Modern Family started filming there) I used to spend all my time there. I didn’t have a car or job and I lived a block away, The Grove was my hang-out spot for entertainment and keeping my anxiety in tact. I spent many hours people watching, browsing the shops or at Barnes and Noble. I remember spending Christmas-eve admiring the decorations, and watching the water from the fountain dance to Christmas carols. The Grove made being broke in LA suck less, and will always have a very special place in my heart. http://www.thegrovela.com. Photos courtesy The Grove LA.
The village of Westwood is located between Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. It is a college town and the home of UCLA. Don’t go looking for Westwood Academy in Westwood village California because there is none. The Westwood Academy mentioned in the books is actually located in Albuquerque (kinda), more on that later. I fell in love with Westwood Village because of its quaint shops, cafés, and rich architecture. I used to go there to movie screenings and to browse around. By then I had a job but still no car. I use to ride the bus on Wilshire Blvd, from West Hollywood to Westwood Village to Santa Monica on my way to and from work. I used to spend 2 hours in traffic in Westwood Village alone! http://www.westwoodblvd.com/. Photos courtesy SeeingStars.com, Wikimedia Holmby Hills
Holmby Hills is a neighborhood in the district of Westwood in western Los Angeles. It is bordered by the city of Beverly Hills on the east, Wilshire Boulevard on the south, Westwood on the west, and Bel Air on the north. (Wiki) My fascination with Holmby Hills started because my idol, the late, great Aaron Spelling lived there. I drove through Holmby Hills (with friends, I still didn’t have a car) a few times on our way to the coast. I remember seeing these amazing mansions and long driveways lined with huge palm trees. One of the reasons I used Holmby Hills in the series is because it is not as known as Beverly Hills, Hollywood or Malibu, yet it packs a mean punch by way of decadence. Photo courtesy: BusinessInsider.com Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque Academy aka Westwood Academy
Albuquerque Academy is located at 6400 Wyoming Blvd NE. Less than a mile from my home. I fell in love with Albuquerque Academy while scouting for locations to add to my media package (when the book was actually a television series), and was blown away by the grounds and the academic opportunities at the school. The grounds are open to the public outside of school hours and I frequently go there to hike or run/walk their trails. Yep they have a few hiking trails located on the premises. I usually do the 3 mile trail, which is a mixture of hills and rough terrain. I can’t begin to tell you how beautiful the campus grounds are. There are sculptures around the campus, Mediterranean architecture, beautiful arches and tree line walkways connect the buildings. The school houses students from grades 6 – 12. I don’t know if they have marble floors, state-of-the-art facilities and gourmet lunches as mentioned in my books, that was my imagination running rampant, but wouldn't to be cool if it was really like that?Photos courtesy http://www.nmlocations.com/
Banovic Siblings – Friends & Liars
College boy Kevin Banovic’s casual affair with Savi DaCosta suited him perfectly. Things change when he finds out that Savi is his mom’s high school bestie. When Kevin tries to end their affair, Savi blackmails him. After Kevin rescues Savi’s stepdaughter, L’Wren, from her abusive boyfriend, he can’t stop thinking about her. He must find a way to handle Savi, protect L’Wren, and keep his sanity.Bad girl Adriana Banovic is pleased with herself for getting her nemesis expelled from Westwood Academy. As feelings between her and her latest victim Haze Lyndon escalate, an unexpected rival discovers her secret and threatens to expose her. With emotions on the line, will her new rival beat her at her own game or end up another casualty of Adriana’s wrath?
Zax Banovic has it all. Tall and handsome, he’s an academic genius, with a killer smile and a heart of gold. When his best friend gets into trouble, he feels responsible and covers for him. But his best friend is not as honorable and has other plans for Zax.
The Banovic Siblings learn that blackmail is a gift that keeps on giving. This is the second book in the Family Portrait novel series.
If you like shows like the original Melrose Place, Beverly Hills 90210 and Nashville, where the guys and girls are hot and the schemes are hotter, you will like The Banovic Siblings.
Purchase from Amazon.
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