Ally Blake's Blog, page 36

going, going...gone!

It is such a lovely feeling sending off a completed book to one's editor. And last night I had that feeling when I finished my latest Modern Heat THE LONG WEEKEND!

All those hours hunched over the computer, the pulling of the hair when the right word wouldn't come, the times when your characters just don't want to do as they're told, and those times when the words flowed like hot honey...all worth it.

Email, attach and...SEND! There's such relief. Done! So tonight I can sit back and relax...

did she love it?

Yes she did!

As an adendum to yesterday's post about Toddler Girl's first foray to the movies, she looooved it! Mind you if it had been anything other than Toy Story 3 I'd bet a pantry full of chocolate she wouldn't have lasted 2 minutes. But according to hubby she was mesmerised.

And lucky for the rest of the cinema she commentated the entire way through. If they didn't know which character was Woody, she let them know. If they didn't realise, a new character had arrived on the scene, she...

off to the movies

My baby - now 2 and a half - is off to her first movie today.

The girl is crazy about Woody. And Buzz. And the rest of the Toy Story gang. So she and her Daddy have headed off to see Toy Story 3. I fully expected them to be home within half an hour, but an hour and a half has passed with no sign of them.

I'm bouncing on my chair, so eager to hear what she thought! Did she chatter the whole time? Did she sit still? Did she watch, amazed, with eyes open wide, and a smile spread across her face?

An...

blush inducing review

A big thanks to the lovely, and discerning ;), Nicola Marsh who wrote a gorgeous review of my latest book MILLIONAIRE DAD'S SOS at eHarlequin .

She said: Loved this! Ally Blake has penned a poignant, heartwarming, very real story, with an interesting setting of a rainforest Wellness retreat. Your heart will bleed for Meg Kelly, the feisty heroine, and you'll want to be her when you meet Zach Jones, the scrumptious hero. M&B Romance at its best.

Awww, ta Nic! My cheeks are pink.

If that's sold...

the process & mixing it up

Busy busy, writing writing. And love love loving this book!

I write long. Infamously long and always have to cut back, but when my current book, fondly known by me as THE LONG WEEKEND hit 65,000 words way before it was even finished I knew something had to be done.

So I went back to the beginning and started completely afresh. Same characters, same story, just getting to the point ever so slightly differently and wayyyy quicker. I've never worked this way before but it's working a treat.

It's...

travel to france from your armchair

While I sit here writing a book in beautiful crisp Melbourne this month, I have three, yes THREE books out in beautiful France!

Including a reprint of my very first book, THE WEDDING WISH in a three book collection. That's a real thrill seeing Holly and Jacob getting a showing again. They hold such a special place in my heart.

So here are the titles, links to stuff about the original stories in English, and links to where you can buy the books online.

Irresistibles Patrons
Un Patron Amoureaux

desert island keeper

I just got the nicest email!

Turns out some terribly clever ;) reader picked up my THE MAGNATE'S INDECENT PROPOSAL at the library of late and loved it to bits. So much so so made it a Desert Island Keeper at the fabulous All About Romance website.

She said, "You can attribute most of the book's success to the writing, which makes it one of the wittiest stories I have read in a long time. Ms. Blake's prose is a revelation. She lets the characters speak for themselves – no telling here, thank...

life as I know it

Our house is well and truly on the market right now so we are living out of baskets, ready to throw soap pumps, floor mats, and baby bibs into the car at a moment's notice in case anyone wants to come trek through our place. All this in the hopes they will think regular people can really live that sparsely!!! It's exhausting and exciting and I'm very glad it will all be over in a little under 3 weeks when the auction hammer falls.


Naturally, only to add to the drama that is my life, while all ...

cover art

Was wandering the shops yesterday afternoon as a bunch of strangers traipsed through my open house and thought I needed a new book to read, so naturally I headed to the Harlequin Mills and Boon aisle! And what did I see there? My latest book!

Even if I do say so myself I think the Australian cover of my latest Sweet Romance MILLIONAIRE DAD'S SOS is rather gorgeous. Especially as the hero and heroine are absolutely spot on!

See my hero, the beautiful Zach, is dark and mysterious and keeps his ...

great flicks!

[image error] I've seen a host of great flicks of late, borrowed from friends and watched in snippets while kidlets are asleep or scoffing vegemite sandwiches. Here's my quick reviews:

The Blind Side. Real, nuanced, moving, brilliantly non-schmaltzy considering the subject mater is sooo heart-warming. Sandra Bullock is BRILLIANT. Tough, subtle, likeable. Lovd it to bits. And so - shock! - did hubby.

Moon. Hubby and I stuck it in the DVD player one night to see what it was about and simply didn't turn it...