Ally Blake's Blog, page 18

ebook of the month :: a night with the society playboy

A NIGHT WITH THE SOCIETY PLAYBOY ::  ebook

As society playboy Caleb Gilchrist stands up as best man to his best friend he wonders if the whole world has gone mad.  Is he the only one not running off to get married and live happily ever after?

Then within the mass of frippery and finery in the wedding chapel crowd he sees Ava Halliburton.  The girl who a decade before had left him standing in a crowded airport with his heart in ashes at his feet.  A woman who it seems can make his heart race more than any before or since.  The one that got away.  The groom's sister.
If only he wasn't the only one in the room who didn't believe in happy endings...

  
4 stars Romantic Times
 
" A Night With the Society Playboy is an emotional tale. Ally Blake does a terrific job of starting in the present and weaving the past throughout the story so the readers see all aspects of the relationship."    The excerpt:
After a good long hour of photographs taken around the iconicBrighton beach huts, Caleb finally stepped out of his limo in front of the Halliburton'shouse at the upper end of Stonnington Drive. He stretched his arms overhead, let out an accompanying groan, andonce the other groomsmen, Chelsea's brother-in-law and one of Damien's cousins,had moved on through into the house, he let his gaze swing straight to thesecond floor window, third from the right.Ava's bedroom window.And between two beats of his heart he went from thirty-two-year-oldman of enviable experience to twenty again, riddled with wild hormones andunable to help watching the sway of cream and white gingham curtains flappinggently at the window, wondering if Ava was up there sleeping, studying, gettingdressed, getting undressed...Today the window was closed. No lights were on.  His mindeased.His hormones were another matter.He jogged around the side of the massive house, hoping theexercise might relieve some tension he'd carried with him from the church.The Halliburton's manicured back lawn had been overtaken by twomassive, white, brightly lit marquees.  Theydraped languidly like decadent Bedouin tents. A ten-metre gap between them left a makeshift cork dance floor openbeneath the stars.  Fat pale purple blowswere wrapped around the two hundred odd antique bronze chairs and the roundtables were heavy with white roses, crystal glasses and gleaming silvercutlery.He reminded himself not to stand directly below any of the dozenchandeliers.  He was no engineer but hecouldn't for the life of him figure out how the outrageous things wouldn'tbring the whole deal crashing down upon their heads.He took a deep breath, tucked his hands into his tuxedo trouserpockets and sauntered inside, familiarising himself with all exits, makinginstant friends with a passing waiter so he'd get first look in at the hors d'oeuvre, before making a beelinefor the nearest bar.He ordered something heavy and straight up.  The burning liquid had barely touched hislips when an all too familiar female voice from behind him said, 'CalebGilchrist, as I live and breathe.'He hadn't thought of her in days. Maybe even weeks.  Yet his glassstill clinked against his teeth as he swallowed more than was entirely sensibleon an empty stomach.'Well if it isn't little Ava Halliburton.  In the flesh,' he said as he turned, anonchalant smile already planted steadfastly upon his face.And oh what a choice of flesh.Her long dark hair hung from a centre part just as it had when shewas nineteen, and it was still oh so sexily mussed, as though she'd spent hoursrunning agitated fingers through it.  Herblue eyes were luminous in a round face that had always made her look youngerthan she was.  A naturally wide smilehovered cautiously upon her mouth and her cheeks were flushed.The champagne glass between her fingers exposed fingernails bittento the quick.  She wore a shapeless,sleeveless dark pink lace dress that stopped square below her knees.  It was off beat, slightly too big and notquite formal enough for the occasion.She hadn't changed a bit.
Buy the eBook.  Buy from iTunes.  More about the book

in conversation...part II

Just checked out the Australian Society of Authors website and it seems our 'conversation" will be held atThe Gun Shop Cafe, 53 Mollison Street, West End, Brisbane.

That's on the evening of April 20th from 6-7pm.
So come one, come all, and come with any questions about writing romance you've ever wanted to ask!

in conversation with...the australian society of authors

Calling all Brisbanites!
Where will  you be on the evening of April 20th from 6-7pm?  I'll be in conversation with the Australian Society of Authors, talking about romance.
I've been told the In Conversation series is really relaxed and informal, more of a chat between writers and writing than a "talk" which I'm so excited to hear, as it's always my number one goal when giving a talk that attendees get the most possible benefit from the event.  so if you're coming alon bring questions galore!
Here's the blurb:
Ally Blake chatsabout why our fascination with love on the page has made romantic literature a multi-billiondollar industry, with romantic fiction accounting for the highest market shareof any form of literature in the US consumer market.  Read a book, watch a movie, catch a show onTV, chances are there will be at least some kind of romance at its core.  As such, as authors, is love really all weneed?
More at the ASA website.  And watch this space closer to the date for venue details and other booking info.

my favourite...quotes about writing :: some cheeky ones

'I get a lot of letters from people.  They say "I want to be a writer.  What should I do?"  I tell them to stop writing to me and to get on with it.'  Ruth Rendell
I like to write when I feel spiteful: it's like having a good sneeze.D.H.Lawrence
Many (modern novels) have a beginning, a muddle and an end.'
Philip Larkin

'There are three rules for writing a novel.  Unfortunately no-one knows what they are.'Somerset Maugham
'A good many young writers make the mistake of enclosing a stamped self-addressed envelope, big enough to send the manuscript back in.  This is too much of a temptation for the editor.' Ring Lardner 'Outside of a dog, a man's best friend is a book. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.'Groucho Marx

I'm reading...nicola marsh

BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD  
Nicolaand I sold our first books within a couple of months of one another.  Met. Found out we lived about 20 minutes apart!  It was soooo lovely for a first time authorto find someone going through the exact same deal living so close.  
A happy coincidence I love reading her bookstoo.  They're so fast, so fluid, soharmonious, that I've always said they feel like she sat down one day and wrotefrom the first word til the last.  Andwhen I know how I piece a book together over many months, to read a story that feels that way is just such a pleasure.
Soneedless to say when she sold her first single title I was so so excited!  And now I've read the thing I'm even moreso.  The colour, light, life, va va voomin this book is constant.  Like a Bollywood movieitself!  And the food.  My god the food.  If you have a thing for Indian food, even a tiny little undernourished thing, then this book will send you over the edge.  I'd go so far as to say wear a bib when reading this book.  It's a hazard if you're reading it on an e-reader!
Witha multitude of gorgeous, vibrant, distinctive characters within a classicchick-lit framework, BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD is fun, fresh, and fabulous from thefirst word til the last.
More about the author here.  (Nic is an uber-blogger and super tweeter, so follow her for awesome writing tips and more other fun.)  Buy Busted in Bollywood here.
Next I'm reading...Melt by Natalie Anderson.  What are you reading?  Which book MUST I read this year?  Find the other books I've enjoyed in my "I'm reading..." series this year here!  Or join me at Goodreads.

ebook of the month :: secondary characters

THE MAGNATE'S INDECENT PROPOSAL Paperback ::  ebook


Secondary characters
It got a lot of mail about this book when it first came out, and so many of the readers wrote to tell me how much they loved the secondary characters.  Most especially Damien's best mate Caleb (the impossible playboy) and Chelsea's sister Kensey. 

I reckon it's because considering after their first meet, Damien and Chelsea spend something crazy like 75 pages apart - !!! - they needed to talk to their best friends about one another a lot!  And that kind of talk is fun.  Naughty fun.  Silly fun.  Honest fun.   So when our two lovebirds lock eyes on one another for the first time in an age, they're well-primed ;).


And as a by the way, Caleb - who unexpectedly came into his own for me near the end of this book - ended up with his own happy ending A NIGHT WITH THE SOCIETY PLAYBOY.
The excerpt:
Caleb glanced up at the phone Damien held by hisfingertips.  'Looks like yours.''But it ain't.''But it looks like it...'Just then the offending machine began to ring.  The two men stared at it as it blared out itspowder-puff tune.'That's not your phone,' Caleb said, deadpan.  'Give it to me.'Damienpulled it out of Caleb's reach.  'Every timeyou go anywhere near my computer I end up with porn pop-ups I have to call onothers to delete.  Every Friday for thepast two months Jimmy the IT guy has asked me if I want to join him and theother techies at the Men's Gallery.''I can'tput porn on this phone by simply answering it.' Caleb clicked his fingers, and half-believinghim Damien handed over the offending instrument.'This is Caleb,' he said after answering the phone,leaning back in his chair, and proceeding to grunt and ask sensiblequestions.  When Caleb's voice droppedand he began to have a chat, Damien kicked hard against the side of his desk.'Right, nice talking to you, Susan,' Caleb said thenhung up.  'She was returning a missedcall herself.  Didn't know whose phone itwas.  If you'd let me talk for a few moreminutes we might have figured it out between us.''Nevertheless.' 'I think it's a chick's phone,' Caleb said.'I do believe it is. Someone rang earlier looking for a Chelsea London.''Now why do I know that name?''You don't,' Damien said, knowing that Caleb wouldn'tspot the obvious.Caleb grinned. 'You bought a chick's phone.''On your recommendation.''That wasa month ago.  Times change.  I can't see the future.''I wonder what they did with my old Nokia.  Do you think it's too late to get it back?''Far too late. If they haven't melted it down they've donated it to a museum.'  Caleb's thumb began zooming over the keys atlightning speed.'You're going through her personal files?' Damienasked. 'That I am.''Good idea.'  Hemoved behind Caleb and looked over his shoulder at the bright flashing screens.'No photos of herself or her friends.  Means she has no friends or isn't the cutestthing on her block.  But we do havephotos of...'Damien's eyebrows lifted and he was sure Caleb's didthe same.  The first photo they came uponwas of a black studded dog collar.  Heshould have guessed. 'Kinky,' Caleb said.'Just your type,' Damien said.'Ha.  Ha.  Okay, moving on, in her diary we have 'lunch @ Amelie's with Kensey'.  Kensey. Sounds like the name of a fortune teller.  Ooh, maybe this Kensey knows what they'vedone with your old Nokia.'
Re-released as part of the PASSIONATE PLAYBOYS collection.   
Paperback collection.  Buy the eBook.  Buy from iTunes.  More about the book

I'm reading...Sarah Mayberry

ANYTHING FOR YOU

I don't even know where to begin in saying how much I LOOOOVED Sarah Mayberry's ANYTHING BUT YOU.  Simply, truly, deeply loved.  So much so I couldn't line it up in my list of reviews I just had to tell the world!  This was one of those books that gave me a heart ache the whole way through and left me all  dazed afterwards, wondering what I was going to do with my reading time now it was done!

Brilliant friends to lovers theme, with real, raw, wonderful heroine, gorgeous, hot, clueless man-boy hero, bittersweet affair.  Heaven!!!

BUY IT NOW!!


More about the author here.  Buy Anything For You here .
Next I'm reading...Busted in Bollywood by Nicola Marsh.  What are you reading?  Which book MUST I read this year?  Find the other books I've enjoyed in my "I'm reading..." series this year here!  Or join me at Goodreads.

my favourite...quotes about writing :: ain't that the truth

'Not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short.'Henry David Thoreau 'Writing is the hardest way of earning a living, with the possible exception of wrestling alligators.'William Saroyan
'I have never know any distress that an hour's reading did not relieve.'Baron de Montesquieu 'The writer who possesses the creative gift owns something of which he is not always master - something that at times strangely wills and works for itself.'Charlotte Bronte
'Wanting to know an author because you like his work is like wanting to know a duck because you like paté.'Margaret Atwood
'Why shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction?  Fiction, after all, has to make sense.'Mark Twain
 'Reading groups, readings, breakdowns of book sales all tell the same story: when women stop reading, the novel will be dead.'
Ian McEwan

'Times are bad. Children no longer obey their parents and everyone is writing a book.'Cicero, circa 43 BC

I'm reading...mj scott

SHADOW KIN


I'veknown MJ Scott for years.  A fellowMelbournite we'd meet up at writers' conferences, and even bumped into oneanother at the shops on occasion!  Shefinalled in so many unpublished writers comps it was only a matter of timebefore some lucky publisher grabbed her.
SHADOW KIN is the first novel in the Half-Light City series, and it's a ripper!  I've been struggling with how to describethis book in a way that does it justice. I read it in a gulp, which shows how much I loved it.  Why?   Fora start there was such clarity and surety and in the writing.  I felt like I was in good hands.  It's a story of a woman, a wraith, who haslived a life of darkness, and servitude, bound to a Blood (a vampire) in a mostunsavoury way, and yet the flavor is so beautifully light.  Tenuous. Diaphanous.  Like the wholebalance of the heroine's journey could fracture at any second.  The setting, against a steam punk background,is complimentary yet subtle.   The badguys comfortingly recognizable yet unique. The hero and heroine both inventive yet true.
SHADOWKIN is great adventure of a story, with beautiful nuance and light and shade (true, but also hee hee if you've read thebook) with at its centre a romance with heart and hurt and wariness anddesperation and hope.  It's a story thatwill grab you by the shirtfront and tug you through the Half-Light City.
Thankgoodness the second book of the series, BLOOD KIN is out in a few months.  Can't come soon enough for me!!!!

More about the author here.  Buy Shadow Kin here.   Pre-order Blood Kin here.Next I'm reading...Busted in Bollywood by Nicola Marsh.  What are you reading?  Which book MUST I read this year?  Find the other books I've enjoyed in my "I'm reading..." series this year here!  Or join me at Goodreads.

ebook of the month :: writing by colour

THE MAGNATE'S INDECENT PROPOSAL Paperback ::  ebook


Writing by colour
Italked last week about how my heroine was all wrong when I first startedwriting this book.  The vision in my headas I wrote was very red.  Red lips, redlingerie, red velvet.  Like chocolatecovered strawberries, hot, sexy, decadent. Here's the collage I was using while writing.
 Yet it wasn't working.
SoI took down the collage, stripped away the heroine, and started afresh.  Let a new heroine appear on the page.  And suddenly the book took on a whole newcolour.  I didn't realize it at the time,but when reading the book I get such a sense of yellow it's like looking atsummer.
Chelseamakes Damien think of sunshine.  She'sblonde.  He drives a yellow AustinHealy.  The book ends in the Yarravalley, surrounded by hills covered in yellow grape vines, over which a brightyellow hot air balloon floats across the sun-drenched sky.  And again, none of this was on purpose.  It just happened.
Itend not to question where this inspiration stuff comes from in case it stopscoming!

The excerpt:
 Then heand Chelsea were alone, hidden from view of the rest of the restaurant by theangle of their table, a large potted Ficus and the clever lighting.  Theirbooth was cramped.  But intimate.  Low candlelight flickering from an alcove onthe rendered wall above shot waves of gold through Chelsea's hair, and createdshadows beneath her lashes, her nose, and full lower lip.Simply looking at her he felt anything but unaffected. A waiter with an eyebrow ring and three more throughhis nose came back with their wine.  Damiendid the whole sniff, sip, thumbs up before they were each poured a healthyglass and the bottle was left in an icebox nearby.Chelsea fussed with her dress, her hair, the placementof the napkin in front of her and said, 'There is something I've been meaningto ask you.'Damien leant his elbow on the table and his chin onhis palm.  'This should be good.' Her hands fluttered to her lap, but she gave himdirect eye contact.  All golden light andsunshine and radiant energy.  He couldhave snuffed out the candle and his senses would have told him exactly whereshe sat.
Re-released as part of the PASSIONATE PLAYBOYS collection.   
Paperback collection.  Buy the eBook.  Buy from iTunes.  More about the book