Hi Everyone,
It’s hard to imagine that Christmas is over for another year and we’re already 7 days into 2017. I’ve been away for a couple of weeks with my husband, Ian and stepdaughter, Olivia on a fabulous road trip in California, Nevada and Arizona. We spent most of the time in California and highlights of the trip included visiting Universal Studios and having an eye-opening tour of the back lot as well as going on some incredible rides (although, it was the busiest day of the year for the park so it was extremely crowded!). We did a fabulous tour of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Bel Air and Santa Monica, before driving east to the desert near Palm Springs, where we played golf on an extremely difficult course called the PGA West Stadium in La Quinta. It was probably the hardest course I’ve ever played but I’m looking forward to watching the professionals make it seem easy on television in a couple of weeks time when the Career Builder Challenge is played there.
We saw a few funny sights – this one of moving day in Palm Springs had us laughing out loud. The front end of the car looks like it’s about to collapse!
While Olivia stayed in LA for a few days, Ian and I drove through the desert via Joshua Tree National Park to Las Vegas – which is actually much smaller than I had imagined but still extremely sparkly at night. My favourite thing there was the amazing fountains in front of the Bellagio Hotel. The Joshua trees were incredible – and I was surprised to see many more thousands of them on the way to the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
We went to Las Vegas mainly because we were going to do a helicopter tour from there to the Grand Canyon but unfortunately the weather wasn’t playing nicely and it was too foggy to fly (we tried twice), so instead we drove to Arizona via Hoover Dam to the West Rim of the canyon. It was certainly the biggest highlight of the trip and a sight I will never forget. It was also a little terrifying that there are no safety barriers at the area we went to and I have to say I felt sick when I saw how close to the edge some intrepid visitors went to get a photo. I was a complete wuss and stayed well back (it’s almost 2 kilometres to the bottom and about 12 people fall over every year!) but we got some spectacular pictures anyway. The West Rim area is run by people from the Hualapai Tribe. ‘Hualapai’ (pronounced Wal-lah-pie) means ‘People of the Tall Pines’. It was great to get a glimpse into their culture and traditions and there were some excellent examples of traditional housing on the reservation site.
That afternoon we drove all the way back to Indian Wells (near Palm Springs). The sunset was spectacular. Much of the architecture in the Palm Springs area is called Mid-Century Modern and was built in the 1950s and 1960s. Most of the houses have drought resistant plants in the garden like cacti and yukkas to cut down on the need for watering. Lots of the houses have flat rooves too with white pebbles on them – I suppose that’s to reflect the heat – although it was really cold at this time of year.
We spent the last few days on the coast near Newport Beach and I discovered another fascinating place called Crystal Cove. It’s a little enclave of old wooden holiday houses that had been built right on the ocean since the 1930s. They were constructed without any building permits or plans, on land owned by a generous man called James Irvine who used to let people camp there and then over time they built their beach houses. The first shacks were constructed after a boat was wrecked off the beach and the timber floated ashore. Mr Irvine’s descendents gave the land to the government and it is now Crystal Cove State Park (like a National Park in Australia). The houses have been owned by the government since 2005 and are slowly being restored for people to rent for vacations. Over the years lots of films were made there including Treasure Island in 1918 and Beaches in 1988.
It was fun exploring the area of Huntington Beach (where the television series Bay Watch was filmed) and heading up the coast to Long Island (where we saw the Queen Mary, which is now a hotel and the setting for a short story I wrote a couple of years ago, called Josephine). We explored Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica too. I love the piers which jut out into the ocean. I don’t love the oil industry which dominates huge swathes of the coast. You can be at a beautiful beach one minute and the next you’re passing a vast oil well and petroleum plant. I had no idea that it would be like that.
We arrived home this morning – tired but very grateful to have had such a wonderful holiday together. Now it’s time to start working again. My new series is beckoning, I have an edit to do for Clementine Rose and the Wedding Wobbles and then I think Alice-Miranda might just venture to Hollywood too. In the meantime we’ll be launching Alice-Miranda Holds the Key – make sure to have a look at the garden party information on the events page (and please put your name on the wait list for Sydney as I’m hopeful there will be some more spots open up).
All the very best for a wonderful New Year and I hope to see you somewhere soon,
Jacqueline
Dear Jacqueline Harvey
Looks like you have had a wonderful trip. By hearing all this it makes me want to go there. I love hearing all your trips. It felt like I went with you. By the way your stepdaughter Olivia is beautiful!
Dear Anshika,
I love travelling to different places and this was a really special trip to be able to share it with Olivia – and we think she’s lovely too (she looks a lot like her dad in a girly way!).
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Dear Jacqueline,
I totally agree with Anshika Yadav on everything she said.
Merry Christmas and a Happy new year.
Dear Jacqueline,
Sounds lovely hope you had an awesome holiday. Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Your books are so great that I only asked for Alice Miranda and cleamintine rose books for Christmas. I got the Alice maranda diary and 3 alice Miranda books. I love the activities in it I did them all straight after I opened my presents. I really want to meet you some time.
Dear Lucy,
Yes we did have a wonderful trip. I’m back to work today. That’s great you received some books for Christmas. I hope that you’re enjoying them. Perhaps I will meet you at one of the garden parties if you live close by to where they are happening otherwise somewhere else during the year.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Dear Jacqueline, Sounds awesome! I wish I was there with you. I’ve read the first Alice-Miranda book”Alice-Miranda at school” and it was great! Best wishes for 2017. Merry Christmas and happy new year! Love, Estelle Courtney.
Oh, it’s me again. I got 3 Alice-Miranda books for Xmas, l just finished the first book tonight I’m starting the second. I loved the first book “Alice-Miranda at School.” Could you send me a copy of the fourth book “Alice-Miranda at Sea.”? Thanks Love Estelle Courtney❤️❤️
Hi Estelle,
As much as I would love to be able to send free books to everyone I simply can’t as I have to pay for them too (and the postage). As it is, I probably send close to $150 worth of books and postage as prizes each month for the competitions on the website. You need to join up for the newsletter and then enter the competitions and you might just win a book or two.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Thanks Estelle – it was lots of fun. I hope you get to do lots of travelling one day too. It’s one of my favourite things in the world.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Dear Jacqueline Harvey
I have just discovered about this blog. At the moment I am reading Alice Miranda in China it is so good. I love the photos you have put up they are so cool they make me want to go there. I got Alice Miranda in China from Father Christmas.
Thanks Julia – I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the books. I love to travel and we got some great photos on this last trip.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Dear Jacqueline
That’s awesome I wish I could have been there. I hope you had a wonderful time. I love ❤️ your books and I can’t wait until Alice Miranda holds the key comes out.
Dear Jacqueline. You got to go to Hollywood my sister went there this year she said she will take me there next time she goes.Are you writing any other
Alice Miranda books at the moment? And if you are in looking forward for more Alice Miranda books.From Lilly
Hi Lilly,
I’m about to start writing Alice-Miranda in Hollywood after I finish the draft for the first book in my new series (which I will tell you more about soon). I am writing at least another 3 Alice-Miranda books and probably more.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline
Thanks so much for your reply I can’t wait to read your new book called Alice Miranda holds the key when it comes out.
Dear Jacqueline Harvey, I am sure u enjoyed ur trip very much, even I want to got america, its one of my favorite countries. I can’t wait to read alice miranda holds the key and clementine rose and wedding wobbles. Will sophie come back from paris in the next book?
From ur biggest fan lara
Hi Lara,
Yes there is a lovely surprise with Sophie in the next Clemmie book. I hope that you will love it as much as I’ve loved writing it.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
All your photos look really good and my favourite is the one that had Universal Studios. I have always wanted to go there. Can you come to Perth to do events I’m sure there are lots of girls here who love you, whenever I go to the library most of the Jacqueline Harvey book are gone!
Hi Joanna,
Thanks for your lovely words and yes, I am coming to Perth! I’m doing the Perth International Arts Festival on the 26th February and there is a whole day of public events. Check on the events page for more details.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Dear Jacqueline
This is a question what is Alice Miranda favourite thing to do that’s not horse riding?And what was it like in California?
Hi Lilly,
She likes reading a lot. And she enjoys playing outside and making up games with her friends and going to her treehouse when she’s home from school.
California was really interesting. There was a lot more industry along the coastline near LA than I thought there would be. There are a lot of oil wells and refineries – that was a surprise. I don’t think the beaches are anywhere near as lovely as Australia – at least not the ones within 50 km of LA. Monterey which is much further north is beautiful and we visited a place called Crystal Cove near Newport which is south are both pretty but I still think Australian beaches are the best.
I really liked the desert out near Palm Springs – the colours were amazing.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
hi, how are you? hope you are well. how did you get expired to righting books. did you read lots of books when you were a child.
Hi Kobie,
I’m very well thank you – how are you? I was inspired to write because I was a teacher for a long time and I used to write for the kids in my class and I thought wouldn’t it be great to write for a bigger audience. I was a very keen reader as a child.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Dear Jacqueline Harvey
I hope you have a fun and exiting journey in California with your family. This is also a question, is there a new Alice Miranda book coming out this year? I Love your books!
Alice-Miranda Holds the Key is out 1 February but available early for the people who come to the garden party. Clementine Rose and the Wedding Wobbles is out 1 April and Alice-Miranda in Hollywood will be 1 September and I’m really hoping that Kensy and Max will be released 1 October.
Hope you enjoy them all.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
hope you have a fun holiday with Ian and Olivia.
We had a great time thanks Ellie. Hope you had a lovely Christmas and New Year too.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline Harvey,
When did you write your very first book?
I really enjoy reading your books i am so exited to read Alice Miranda holds the key.
Hi Julia,
I wrote my first published book way back in 2003. I wrote some other stories before that but they didn’t get published and looking back, that’s probably a good thing! I started Alice-Miranda in 2010 but I’ve been a full-time writer for just over 4 years now.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hi Mrs Harvey,
I’m Jemima! I’ve had a bugging question about one of your Alice-Miranda books I’ve been eager to find out…
I’ve been re-reading Alice-Miranda in China and was wondering why Jacinta acted so weird and shy not talking to Lucas even though he classified her as his best friend other than Sep?
Thanks!
Hi Jemima,
I think Jacinta is just starting to go through some changes and she was worried that maybe Lucas was only pretending to like her. Sometimes kids can feel unsettled and I think that was her problem. She was second guessing everything and feeling out of sorts and then behaving strangely which only made it worse. She just needed reassurance that everything was fine between them.
Best wishes,
Jacqueline
Hi Mrs Harvey,
Thanks for the explanation. I get it now. It sort of sounds like Jacinta is getting older in a sense, getting more mature with mixed feelings about Lucas. Hearing from the author of the book always makes it clearer to understand!
Thankyou!
Jemima