Meeting Mr Write: Mr Write Trilogy Book One (2 page)

“Right then, where in Thailand are you thinking?” Pippa and I look at each other, we don’t have a clue. We laugh and Saskia joins in with a giggle, I finally relax.

“Let’s take a different approach then. What kind of holiday do you want? Thailand has pretty much everything on offer. Whether you want pure relaxation, culture or wild parties, it’s all there.”

“All of the above?” Pippa asks as she smiles her genuine smile, Saskia mirrors.

“Ok, well I’d suggest that you do part of your holiday in one resort, and then spend some time in another to get a good mix. How long are you going for?”

“Three weeks.” I speak up quickly before Pippa commits us to 6 months abroad. She frowns with an over exaggerated pout and I smile. When you’ve been friends as long as we have words aren’t always necessary.

“Perfect. I spent three months in Thailand two years ago and for what you’re after, I think Krabi would be ideal. You can spend some time in Ao Nang at a great hotel, relaxing and eating delicious food. There’s a perfect mix of chilled and wild nightlife and it’s in easy reach of some great cultural tourist attractions. Then how about spending a few nights in a beach hut on long beach, Phi Phi? The island used to be the ultimate paradise resort. It has completely changed since the tsunami, but I still love it. It’s young, fun and beautiful. Long Beach is a haven from the madness of the main island area, but everything is still easily reachable by long tail boat, or you can walk it in the daytime.”

Saskia knows her stuff!

Pippa and I look at each other and squeal with excitement. For the first time I feel incredibly excited, I can’t wait to experience this amazing place with my favourite person. We smile and then nod excitedly at Saskia,

“Well then, let’s find you somewhere to stay!”

An hour after we walked into the travel agents, we were all booked up. We got a great deal because we’re going at such short notice and right at the beginning of the busy period. We go in just eight days! That’s eight short days to wax, pluck, shop and pack…I cannot wait!

Jackson

Well, I’m going to Thailand again…I really do have the best job in the world.

There are beautiful women everywhere you look, cheap beer in every bar, amazing food on every street and stunning scenery as far as the eye can see. Of all of the countries that I have been to, Thailand is definitely my favourite.

My last Thailand guide focused on the tourism, the hostels, day trips etc. but this one will be different. This one will be the real ‘Jackson James’ and not a Gold Square Publishing interpretation of who I am and what they want me to write.

I’m not complaining of course, Gold Square is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I get to travel the world, sleep with my pick of stunningly gorgeous women and make good money doing it.

My name is Jackson James, I’m twenty nine, and I’m a travel writer. I started blogging whilst I was backpacking after university. My former journalism lecturer sent the link to my blog to a friend of his at Gold Square, and they offered me an opportunity to write a backpacker’s travel guide. I had no idea back then that seven years later I’d still be doing it, but I guess as they say, the rest is history. Journalism
has always been, and still is my ultimate goal, but I’ve got it easy right now, I’m having a lot of fun...why change that?

“Hi gorgeous! Have you missed me?”

I step out of the elevator and greet Sarah, the hot but conservative receptionist at Gold Square, a little over enthusiastically given her feelings towards me. She just rolls her eyes and I smile my winning cheeky smile. She despises me!

I took her out to show her the sights of London, and the colour of my bedroom ceiling, when she moved here from Newcastle four months ago, then didn’t call her again…It was fun, but I don’t generally do repeats!

“Jackson, honey, it’s been far too long!”

The delightful Francesca Franklin steps out of her office to greet me. I use the term delightful lightly, of course. The woman can’t be more than forty five but she closely resembles Yoda in a dress. The years have not been kind to Ms Franklin, the publishing business however, has.

“Francesca. Where have you been all my life?” I tease, as I sit in the hideous green leather arm chair in front of her desk,

“Oh Jackson dear, wouldn’t you like to know?” She giggles like a teenage girl.
“So, Thailand, again... Is there really much more to say?”

I wish I could say that she was kidding, but for someone earning the almost offensive amount of money that she does, Francesca Franklin has very little interest in the world outside of London.

“Oh Francesca, you know me…too much to say, too few pages!”

I wink with a grin and Francesca blushes. I know that she finds me utterly charming, women usually do. My way with the ladies is something that I have fine-tuned, and it’s gotten me into a very many beds over the years. “This one will be different Frankie. The real Thailand, you know, off the beaten track.”

“Well Mr James, I know you’ll deliver…” She sucks the air in through her tobacco stained teeth, in what I think is her attempt at seduction, “…You always do!”  I stand to leave, “Oh Jackson, here.”  She hands me a book from her desk drawer, “Some bedtime reading. Maybe it’ll teach you a thing or two!” And with a wink and a cackle that would terrify small children, she waves her hand to dismiss me from her office.

I shudder as I step into the elevator to leave. She wants me, bad…I shudder again!

Once in the elevator, I push the button for ground and glance at the book in my hands, ‘Bridge over Troubled Water’ by Rosie Alvez. Oh Jesus, a romance novel!

Believe me Franklin, there’s nothing in here that I don’t already know.
 Lost in the blurb on the back of the book, I almost flatten the poor woman switching places with me on the ground floor,

“God sorry sweetheart, I was in a world of my own!”
 I hold up my hands in apology,

She glances towards me and half smiles, “No probs.”

Wow! Red hair, green eyes…she’s gorgeous, and the way that her eyes just widened, I can tell that she likes what she sees too. I turn and enjoy another look directly into those emerald eyes as the doors close. It’s been a while since I’ve had a red head, maybe I’ll drop by Gold Square more often.

In the cab back to my apartment I look once more at the pitiful piece of writing in my hands. I don’t need to read it, I already know the story. Girl meets boy, boy messes up, girl forgives boy and they live happily ever after. I open the front cover.

For my Michael,

My one, my only, my everything.

The classic soft arsed dedication. This is so far ticking all the boxes of a truly shitty book. I turn the page.

About the Author

Rosie Alvez was born Rosetta Penelope Alvez on 25
th
March 1986, in Córdoba, Spain. Rosie is the only daughter of Joaquin and Bernadette Alvez and younger sister to Rafael.  The family relocated in 1991 to Buxton, Derbyshire, where they still own a successful tapas bar.

Alvez excelled in creative writing during her formative years, and went on to study for a degree in English Language & Communication with Journalism, at the University of Hertfordshire, graduating with first class honours in 2008.

Alvez’s book of short stories titled, ‘Love and Something Similar,’ was first published in 2007 whilst she was still at university. Her first novel, ‘50 Minute Romance,’ catapulted her to the top of Amazon’s 100 best new literary talents poll in 2009.

Alvez’s mix of humour, sex and good old-fashioned romance have made her one of the most highly rated young writers published today.

Alvez lives in central London with her accountant fiancé, Michael English.

More books by Rosie Alvez –

·                     
Love and Something Similar

·
                    
50 Minute Romance

·
                    
As We Know It

·
                    
Mail Order Husband

·
                    
Live and Let Love

I’m intrigued, she’s only twenty six. I know what and who I was doing at twenty six, and trust me it wasn’t all hearts and flowers. Maybe this will be worth a read after all.

***

Rosie

“Great work out today girls. Have a great time and I’ll see you when you’re back. We’ll work off those post-holiday pounds!”

Freddy takes a sip from his water bottle, as Pip and I stretch out our hamstrings. Freddy is mine and Pip’s personal trainer, he works for my brother’s boyfriend Matthew, so we get ridiculous mates rates, and he’s worth every penny.

Pippa and I always work out together, mostly because I don’t have the confidence to go alone, but also because Pippa can’t get through a workout without flirting with anyone within a 2 metre radius. I need to keep her in check.

“Thanks Fred, not hitting the showers with us?” Pippa smiles her
‘I would eat you alive’
smile.

Freddy laughs but smiles back just as confidently, “Not today Pip, maybe one day, if you’re lucky!”

“Oi slagbag…Are you finished?” That gets her attention.

“I’m coming, I’m coming…steam?” Pippa winks and turns to head towards the changing rooms,

“Yeah ok, why not!” I follow as Pippa wiggles her way out of the gym.  If I had an arse like hers, I’d do the same!

I love the steam room after a workout. I like to sit quietly and breathe in the aromatherapy oils. Pippa however, doesn’t know what quiet means.

“Oh Rosie, I’m so happy that you have writer’s block!” She stops briefly as she realises how that sounds. “I mean, I love you, and of course I want you to have another best-freaking-seller…But I really need this holiday, and so do you!”

I know she’s right but I am nervous, I mean, its Thailand! I have no idea what to expect. The closest I’ve got to eating Thai food is Walker’s Thai Sweet Chilli crisps.

“Do you think they’ll understand English?” I ask nervously,

“Rosie its 2012, I’m sure they’ll understand enough, and besides, you’ve got your pocket book. Surely that will prepare you for any eventuality!” I can’t see her face clearly through the steam, but the sarcasm in her voice translates loud and clear.

“I like to be prepared!” I declare, almost defensively, “Besides, I don’t want to get stuck while you’re off shagging the world and his mate, do I?”

“Oh you bitch! For your information, his mate can’t make it!”

She always knows how to make me laugh. It will be a great holiday I’m certain of that; I just need to learn to relax.

Philippa Carvalho is beautiful. She is twenty-six, five foot ten and size ten, with perfect curves, long legs and equally long black hair. We’ve been best friends since we were four years old. She was scouted for a model agency at fifteen and booked just enough jobs to save the money to buy some expensive photography equipment. As soon as she had enough and had finished college, she made a huge scene of declaring that she preferred to be behind the camera, rather than in front of it.

She has a weakness for shoes, champagne and blondes. Well, men in general actually. I can’t say that I approve of her extreme promiscuity, but I don’t judge her for it either. She’s always careful and like she says,
“It’s a lifestyle choice!”
 Besides, it has certainly played a part in my success. My sex life is decidedly less exciting than hers and I’m certainly less confident, so her stories have made for some interesting inspiration!

If there’s one thing Pippa does well its, well, sex, but if there’s another…it’s shopping!

“Rosie, you cannot wear the clothes that you bought for your honeymoon on a girly holiday!  They’ll remind you of dick face and it’s not like you’re broke so get your cards out you tart, we’re going shopping!”

“Yes yes yes, you better buy that! You look so hot Ro!”

“Hmm, I feel a bit…exposed?” I bite my lip nervously while examining my reflection in the floor length mirror.

“Rosetta! You’re wearing a bikini! Would you rather a wet suit?”

Pippa laughs and leaves me while she goes to load up her second shopping basket. I envy her self-confidence. She doesn’t need to try anything on. She has a great figure and knows exactly what suits.

After five hours of looking at playsuits, bikinis and maxi dresses, my feet hate me and I am starving. There is only one guaranteed way to pull Carvalho away from Selfridges, and that’s Nandos.

“Mmmmm, I love chicken, I love chicken!”

Pippa is doing her ‘
I love chicken dance.’
She’s so adorable!

My version of Pippa is fun, free and childlike, but put a model in front of her at a shoot and she is terrifyingly organised. She exudes power and authority. I love that I get this version.

“Good distraction sugar pie, but you’re not getting away with it that easy. We have tanning oil to buy for me, and factor one hundred and twenty for you Ginge!”

“I’ll have you know, you aren’t the only one who turns into a brown bear in the sun! Don’t let the hair fool you!” I flick my ginger mane over my shoulder dramatically,

“Speaking of hair, we need to get you waxed! We don’t want your ginger bush scaring off all the lovely boys!” Pip smiles her butter wouldn’t melt grin.

I laugh and throw my napkin at her face while she giggles hysterically. “You can pay for this. I’m saving for a wax!” I wink.

“Love you Rosie, thanks for this!” She pays cash and links my arm as we head out of the restaurant.

“Back at you babe!”