Ally Blake's Blog, page 26

Ten years ago today...

...I was washing my hair, getting ready to head to bed as I had an early work thing on in the city the next day.
My hubby came in and told me I had to come check out the TV.  A plane had apparently flown into the World Trade Center.  I huffed and puffed and whinged that I wanted to get to bed.  Then stomped out to the lounge, figuring it was all a hoax and I'd give the news five minutes to tell me otherwise.
Several hours later I was still sitting there, perched on the edge of the chair, hair wet in its towel turban, eyes gritty from having no more tears left to cry.


I love New York city like it's a second home.  I'd been there exactly a year before 9/11 on my honeymoon.  My husband and I went back three years after and the difference was keenly felt.   My Mum, the fab woman, ran the New York Marathon a month after 9/11, for her first and only time, at the age of 53.


My heart goes out to all for whom it feels like it happened yesterday.


xXx

Out now in Australia & New Zealand...

"HEART OF THE OUTBACK"

Collection featuring WANTED: OUTBACK WIFE

"Fresh, vibrant and written with plenty of sassiness and style, Ally Blake's feel good romances are among the best in the business. " ...CataRomance

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Buy eBook (Adobe ePub)

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getting down to business...again!

OUT NOW IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND!



"BOARDROOM HOT-SHOTS"

featuring GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS

"Funny, witty and sexy, Getting Down to Business will leave the reader feeling happy and complete."

...CataRomance





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Buy paperback

Buy eBook (Adobe ePub)

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ha!

Watching 'educational' animal videos on YouTube with the kids when I found this. 53,000,000 people can't be wrong!

i'm reading...genesis alpha

I've just finished reading Rune Michaels awesome first young adult novel GENESIS ALPHA. And did I mention it was awesome?!?!?!?! She was one of my favourite ever Harlequin authors - writing under a different pen name - which is why I've been dying to read it for yonks and boy was it worth the wait. According to her blog, Genesis Alpha was chosen for the NYPL Books for the Teen Age 2008 list and won literary prizes in Belgium and France. No big shock. Ripper read.

Grab t he book here from the Book Depository for free delivery worldwide!

Follow me on Good Reads.

umm yum!!!!!

So this is the guy whose job it is to inspire me some romantic words for the next handful of months.

Think he can do it?

I have attempted to use Hugh Jackman in this way before. I mean, he is the official patron hunk of romance writers, right? But I've had no success. It's all about matching the right pic with the right hero, the right story, the right heroine... It's tricky stuff!

But this picture, for this hero... I'm getting a good feeling in me waters about this one!

that new idea glow!

So I'm itching to get started on a new book.

As per usual with me I'm flush with ideas. For me they're the easy part. I have a slew of cute meets just waiting to be written! The problem at the beginning is picking which one.

Which one will sing? Which one has legs? Which one has chemistry? Then yesterday afternoon, out of nowhere, BAM!

A heroine who makes me grin, a hero who gives me delicious chills, and a set-up to die for! The Working title - PANTS ON FIRE, seriously! - gives me all I need to lock me into the feel of the story. So now I just have to toddle off and write 50,000 words and I'm done!

Picture me squirelling away notes on random pieces of paper in between baby feeds, and cleaning up toddler feeds, and colouring in pictures of Humpty Dumpty, and changing nappies and... you get the picture.

Here's my heroine Dahlia. Boy is she about to do something to get herself into loads of trouble! Watch this space for pics of the hero. Oh...my...word!

"like" me "like" me!

It's an incredibly odd thing IMHO to actively ask a person t o "like" them. Yet here I am!

I've finally found a spare five minutes in my day to create a new Facebook Author Page which will replace the old cumbersome "friend page" so do come on over and "Like" me for fun up to date updates on my writing, my book releases and the occasional insight into the rambling chaotic life of a romance author in progress.

Like me here!

guest blogging and changing nappies!

I'm guest blogging with th e Romance Writers of Australia where I natter about all sorts of guff, like what I do in my non-writing time when not changing nappies. Turns out it's more than I thought it was!

I also give a little insight into how my latest Aussie re-release GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS - as found in BOARDROOM HOT-SHOTS collection - came to life.

Come say "hi"!

they're on their own now!

I've just said goodbye to these two gorgeous young things, watching with excitement and not a little trepidation for their futures as they wing their way to the other side of the world to land on my editor's desk.

They have b een an utter joy to know, a pleasure to write about, and I'm going to miss them like crazy.

Of course I will get a visit when revisions land with a thud ;). But until then, my sweets, bon voyage!