Ally Blake's Blog, page 29

i heart presents

Today I'm over at the fun and fabulous I (Heart) Presents blog chatting about office romances as my latest US release THE ROGUE WEDDING GUEST is just that!

It's a funny kind of conundrum in that the very idea of having a fling with any of the bosses I've worked for would be unthinkable. Especially since most of them, while lovely, were women ;). ut I just loooove reading - and writing for that matter! - office romances.

For a bit of fun over there I've told a little of the tale about how my husband and I first met. So come over to I (Heart) Presents and say "hi"!

book ~ blog ~ buy

happy birthday baby girl

Today's your birthday, baby girl!

You love to sing - Incy Wincy is a particular favourite, right alongside disco hit Le Freak. Clearly your tastes are nice and varied ;). You are an excellent dancer - your bum dance is a classic. And such a pint-sized comedian I've never known. Problem with that is I can't keep a straight face when I'm attempting to chastise you for being the cheek you are. You love your big sister and little brother with a vengeance. In fact I'm not sure your baby brother loves me more than he adores you!

I hope you had a special day today. The expression on your face and the long drawn out "woooow" for every present you opened was so you.

Butterfly kisses and running cuddles,
Mummy
xXx

uK re-release #2!

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY! is my second re-release in the UK this month. The three book collection contains my MEANT-TO-BE MOTHER as well as "Accidentally Pregnant, Conveniently Wed" by Sharon Kendrick and "Claiming His Pregnant Wife" by Kim Lawrence!

MEANT-TO-BE MOTHER was written after my husband and I took a holiday in Far North Queensland and what I remember most about writing the book was struggling not to try to put in every single beautiful place we visited. With the tropical rainforests, waterfalls, white sandy beaches and of course the Great Barrier Reef, it's truly such a gorgeous part of the world.

Read more about the book at my website, or better yet, grab a copy today. The Book Depository has free delivery worldwide.

UK re-release # 1

Out this month i n the UK is the first of two re-releases as part of great triple collections.

First up is the PASSIONATE PLAYBOYS collection. I mean how ridiculously gorgeous is that cover? Humona humona!

My contribution is THE MAGNATE'S INDECENT PROPOSAL which is probably my most loved book to date. The number of letter and emails and kind reviewed for this book was overwhelming to say the least.

It was a Waldenbooks bestseller, a Romantic Times top pick (after which it went onto win the Reviewers' Choice award for Best Harlequin Presents of 2008), the Cataromance Reviewers' Choice winner that same year and rated a Desert Island Keeper at All About Romance.

And just to top it off my good friend Nicola Marsh has a wonderfully bright sexy story inside as well. Such a treat!

book ~ blog ~ buy

Meet Brunswick Street

THE ROGUE WEDDING GUEST (or THE WEDDING DATE as it was known in Australia, New Zealand and the UK) is out now across North America!

Check back on previous posts to get a gander at the hunky hero Bradley. And the fabaulous heroine Hannah.

Here I want to introduce you to the palce where the book opens - Brunswick Street, one of my favourite places in Melbourne. It's a long flat strip of cafes, restaurants, funky shops and the bohemian residents. The perfect place for a TV producer and his gang to hang out, surrounded by all that noise, and hustle and bustle, and culture and inspiration! Here are some pics of that iconic street that inspired me.

Read an excerpt , or better yet grab a copy of the book to find out how!

out now across north america!

THE ROGUE WEDDING GUEST (otherwise known as THE WEDDING DATE in the Uk, Australia & New Zealand) is out today across North America! Look for this cover wherever Harlequin Presents Extra novels are found.

Check out the book page on my website for reviews, an excerpt and where to buy the book. And keep up to date on my blog to find out more about the hero, the heroine and fabulous locations in the book!


SHOP
Paperback
eBook

pillow talk ~ doing it all

For this week's PILLOW TALK, I'm answering Desere of Facebook who asked:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

"How do you fit in the writing (and eating M & M's ) and all the other everyday life things?"

I compartmentalise. For me there's no other way.

When I had my first daughter, and was writing from home full-time, I hit a point where when I was playing with her, I'd feel guilty for not writing more. And when I was writing with her on a play mat at my feet I'd feel guilty for not being with her 100%.

I made the decision then to block out time for one or the other. During the day, I'm a mum. Full-stop. In the evenings (when the kdis are asleep - ha!) or days when my husband's home I take time to write. Most often away from home - at local cafes or my local library - as my mother ear can never fully close to the kids no matter how hard I try.

As for eating M&Ms? Well, I can do that with three kids on my lap, both hands on the keyboard ;). No guilt at all!

Any writing related questions - or notices on where I can get M&Ms at a bulk discount - email, tweet, Facebook, or comment and I'll give you my take on the next Pillow Talk.

I'm reading... Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang

Here in Aus we don't get Chelsea Handler's show on regular telly, but I've seen her interviewed a handful of times and found her refreshingly blunt. And stark. And surprising. And funny. And rude. So, when I saw her NYT Bestselling book at the library I snapped it up.

It's a page-turner that'll make you blush at the very least! But she's a great writer. Quick, snappy, smart, fresh, fun. Real.

Buy the book

Chelsea Handler's website

doppelganger

I'm starting to dress like my current heroine!

Mind you she's several inches shorter than me, half my size, ten years my junior and has lived in Europe the past few years, yet there I was, sitting at the simple little café at my local shops in a fur-collared jacket, a frilled top, cropped herringbone pants, and knee high boots as I tapped away on my laptop. Me, a girl who ususally spends her days in ugh boots and track pants and is lucky to see the right end of a hairbrush.

You know what? It helped the writing. All that jazz made me walk taller – literally! (My boots had killer heels) Made me feel like I was walking in her shoes – literally! (She designs high heels ;)) And put me deeper inside of her head.

But what if my next heroine is a clown? Or a Liza Minnelli impersonator? Or a fire fighter...? Hmm, not sure if this new working method should become a habit ;).

pillow talk ~ pacing

As the next in my series of PILLOW TALK posts, reader Jill has asked about pacing. She says: I'm always trying to find that balance of weaving in back story and setting the scene w/out dragging the story down. I tend to write really lean first drafts, but then my next draft comes out overstuffed! Your stories are always nicely paced. Emotional and w/a definite "feel" w/out being slow. How do you know when you've got it right? Gut instinct? Practice? Do you think it's better to err on one side or the other? Sorry for the long question! Long question? You're a girl after my own heart! Though I tend to write long from the outset. My 50,000 words books are always sent to my poor editor at closer to 65,000 then have to be pared back. (THE WEDDING DATE - out in North America next month as THE ROGUE WEDDING GUEST - clocked in at 66,254 first draft!) Boy do I wish I was one of those authors who always writes short!!! The overwriting and massive amount of editing makes for A LOT of extra work. But you know what? For me I believe writing long helps create layered and lucious stories. And once I have the story as rich and juicy as I can, all that slashing and burning can only make for the leanest cleanest way for the story to be told which - hopefully! - makes for a faster read. Some PACING TIPS: (many of which I struggle to follow!) 1. Start in the middle of the action 2. Keep backstory to a minimum, and tease the reader with it through the story rather than giving into "info dumps" which always bring stories to a grinding halt 3. Use conversation rather than exposition whenever you can as it's far meatier for the reader, and with all that white space on the page reads faster! 4. Keep scenes short - watch how movies do it 5. Read large blocks out loud to see where you can simplify sentences (not something I'm known for!) 6. Don't say something three times if you can say it once 7. Try writing without editing - the scenes I write without stopping to find the right word, are often the ones I edit the least 7. And yes, gut instinct and practice sure help! I hope that gives you a little taste of how I do it, Jill! And if anyone else out there in Blogland has any other craft questions, behind the book questions, questions about how to type with one hand while shovelling down M&Ms with the other please comment hereupon or send me a note to ally@allyblake.com with "PILLOW TALK" in the header.