Here’s something fun: Author Diane Vallere, has written a new book, Lover Come Hack, that includes major inspiration from Retro Renovation. To help launch the book, she is hosting a giveaway of a reproduction 1962 Barbie Dream House (also inspired by our story) and invites Retro Renovation readers too. No purchase is necessary. Read an excerpt of the book below, then find out how to enter.
Excerpt from LOVER COME HACK, #6 in the Madison Night Mad for Mod Mystery Series by Diane Vallere
I pulled away from his embrace and looked at him. With Johnny Cash’s looks and Joey Ramone’s wardrobe, Hudson put off a bad boy vibe that kept a lot of people from getting to know him. Circumstances in his past had categorized him as that bad boy and, after being judged by the court of local opinion, he’d worn it as a protective barrier. But Hudson was one of the kindest men I’d ever known. The night he confided in me about his past was the night I knew my life would be changed forever.
“Let’s go inside,” I said.
Hudson tapped the outside of his black jeans and Rocky came running. I led the three of us up the concrete steps, through the screen door and the solarium, and into my kitchen. Hudson hadn’t seen the house since I’d torn out the original kitchen. I replaced the old countertops with an uninstalled (formerly built-in) yellow tile kitchen counter that I’d acquired from a now-demolished cafeteria in Casa Linda Plaza and replaced the outlived (possibly original) tan and ivory rolled linoleum floor with new yellow Abet laminate in Sunny Day. (I told you those six months had been productive.) Big Chill appliances—my one concession to new over true vintage—in Buttercup Yellow, whitewashed cabinets, and the original hardware rounded out the overall transformation. All completed with a white iron pendant lamp with lemon yellow and celery green three-inch metal daisies mounted to the frame. If I had to decide between the two men in life by which one would fit in a newly renovated yellow kitchen with daisies hanging overhead, I might as well choose single life.
[Pam here: Ooooooh, can you spot the error in the excerpt? I did. Post your guess in a comment here (don’t read others’ comments first) – note, this is NOT the contest, just me being RR-detail-guru.]
How to ENTER THE CONTEST:
Enter to win a 1962 Barbie Dream House! First discovered right here on Retro Renovation, this reissue of a classic mid-mod house is Madison Night Approved.
- Enter here >click>> Lover Come Hack, by Diane Vallere <<click. (You can also read chapter one of the book.)
- IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS: Type RETRO RENOVATION in the field that asks for a preorder confirmation number — Diane is is opening this giveaway to Retro Renovation readers with no purchase necessary.
- DEADLINE: Enter by 11:59 p.m. Nov. 1.
- 10 winners will also receive a set of Madison Night paint swatches inspired by the book, and ALL entrants will receive “Midnight Ice,” the prequel novella ebook when the contest ends. Good luck!
BRIEF INTRO TO THE BOOK/SERIES:
Madison Night is an interior decorator who specializes in mid-century modern design. She modeled her life after Doris Day and studies the actress’s movies to train her eye for authentic details. Through previous books in the series, she has renovated an atomic kitchen, restored a pink bathroom, dismantled a glass-block partition, designed a strip mall using vintage shop exteriors from a landfill, and inherited a pajama factory. In LOVER COME HACK, she’s entered a design competition and is renovating an apartment building. Oh, and like any self-respecting amateur sleuth, she solves crimes on the side.
FROM THE BACK COVER:
Retro Reboot! After a falling out with a friend flips interior decorator Madison Night’s world inside out, she’s determined to revamp her life. Jane Strong, fellow mid-century modern enthusiast, encourages Madison’s entry in an upcoming design competition, but their rift makes collaboration no longer an option. When Jane is found dead, Madison tops the suspect list. And when anonymous computer hackings interfere with both the investigation and the competition, Jane’s murder no longer seems random. With a mess of a love life, an angry client, and a looming deadline on her contest entry, Madison turns to an unlikely ally to decode a motive before a crash becomes imminent.
ABOUT DIANE:
After two decades working for a top luxury retailer, Diane Vallere traded fashion accessories for accessories to murder. She is a national bestselling author and a past president of Sisters in Crime. She started her own detective agency at age ten and has maintained a passion for shoes, clues, and clothes ever since.
Thank you Diane, for letting me know about this contest so that I could share it. And, how cool, of course, to see the blog inspiring an altogether different creative endeavor!
Elizabeth from Texas says
What an honor that my pink kitchen inspired the fictional yellow remodel! (Yellow is actually about the only color Refrigerator I don’t own lol). I absolutely cannot wait to read the book!!! I never have sent in photos of that 1965 house I named “Diamond Crest”, but finally our 1963 house “Sky Crest” should be ready in s couple of months!!! Hugs from Texas!
DJ Sparkles says
Your kitchen is gorgeous, Elizabeth! I can’t wait to see any and all pictures you send in!
Also, love the house names! I need to name my house something besides “Work In Progress”. 😉
Elizabeth from Texas says
Lol Diamond Crest got named that because it had diamond shaped windows in the door sidepanel (and who doesn’t love diamonds??). I guess I got Crest from Falcon Crest???? I don’t know. Then Sky Crest got named that because the architects also designed the gorgeous 1960 Austin airport (now gone except for the iconic traffic control tower). You should definitely name your house something mid-mod-a-rific!! Haha!
Diane Vallere says
Elizabeth, I so absolutely loved your kitchen that I had to pay it homage in the book! (And the Abet linoleum error was fixed for final printing.) Thank you for sharing the photos to begin with!
Maria says
Laminate flooring? That seems like a glaring error to me. But also not sure about what’s happening with the tile counters.
Wendellyn Plummer says
My guess was the light fixture and I know, wrong. I thought maybe the light fixture was from the early 70’s, not the early 60’s. Remember those “flower power” days? My bedroom was flower power top to bottom! I had hot pink walls, a bedroom suite painted black and psychedelic flowers everywhere! I still wish I had the “Flower Power” trash can! LOL
DJ Sparkles says
I so loved Flower Power!!! Love, flowers, and fun- it was a powerful statement wrapped up in bright colors and fun designs. We need to bring it back!
Judy says
Yay! Cannot wait for the new book!
Thank you for the great giveaway the chance to win the “fabu” Barbie Dream House!
Marcia says
“I replaced the old countertops with an uninstalled (formerly built-in) yellow tile kitchen counter”
This phrase strikes me as wrong. To me “uninstalled” means it was never installed. Yes, you “uninstall” software from a computer, but it’s not saved – it’s gone. You don’t “uninstall” an old sink, or a door, or windows; you remove them and/or replace them.
Pam Kueber says
Hi Marcia,
Not the answer I was looking for — but I agree with your point! I am sure Diane will see this comment and review her manuscript accordingly.
DJ Sparkles says
I agree with Marcia. I quickly glanced at the excerpt and had to stop and read that sentence twice because it was so confusing!
Try: “I replaced the old countertops with yellow tile I had saved from a former reno.”
Or if you want to evoke some tile emotion (and we know MCM tiles have emotion): “The yellow tile countertops seemed like they were smiling at me, happy to have a home again after being pulled from a tear-down in Cleveland. ”
What a fun series- I can’t wait to start reading!
Ky says
My guess is the use of a counter top laminate as flooring to replace the linoleum. Should have used Azrock VCT in Lemonade, Sunny, or Saffron laid in a quarter-turn pattern!
Pam Kueber says
Bingo! You are the first to guess correctly!
Judy says
Ky should receive the special “Retro Renovation Inspector Award”! I’m a longtime, avid, lover and reader of your blog and I can honestly say, I NEVER EVER could have “out-slethued” her on this one! Congrats, Inspector Ky!
CarolK says
I knew there was something weird about the flooring part, but I didn’t get that the passage was talking about laminate countertops. I was thinking laminate flooring which is NOT mid-century. I personally would love to install linoleum in our reno’d kitchen, but my husband doesn’t like it
Diane vallere says
Good job, Ky!
Barbara says
MISTAKE?? Concession?? Maybe should say, confession!!
Pam Kueber says
Identifying the error in her excerpt may truly be a test for a super-RR-reader. I saw it immediately 😉 but that’s me, 12 years all about the details!
Carolyn says
No guess for me but I DO have that kitchen table in yellow…maybe I shouldn’t have said that. She’s a sleuth, what if she comes and finds my table?!
Marcia says
That’s gotta be the old Highland Park Cafeteria in Dallas the tile countertop came from. Casa Linda was a classic mid-mod shopping center.
https://dallas.eater.com/2015/1/28/7928617/highland-park-cafeteria-dallas-old-school-food-photos
KStacey says
I shop at the Albertsons next door to the Casa Linda HPC, and the Elliot’s Hardware right there as well… and have never been inside. Crazy what a small world it is.
linda h says
Oh, good, another Madison Night book!