calling all germans!

Thanks to the ever lovely Robyn Grady, I have discovered I have TWO books out in Germany this month.

First up we have UNSER GARTEN DER SEHNSUCHT which first came out as a Harlequin Romance FALLING FOR THE REBEL HEIR. Here's a bit from inside the book...

The pool house was clean. The mottled green tiles around the margins sparkled and the dozen white marble benches were spotless. Miniature palm trees in plant boxes edging the length of the room were luscious with good health. And the water in the pool shimmered dark and inviting against the black-painted concrete bottom.

A sound broke through Hud’s reverie. A soft ripple as water lapped gently against the edge of the pool. And he was hit with the sense that something was about to break the dark surface. He held his breath, squared his stance, squinted into the shadows and watched in practised silence as...

A mermaid rose from the depths.

From there everything seemed to slow; his breaths, his heartbeat, the dust floating through shards of sunlight, as the nymph waded through the water, away from him, leaving a trail of leisurely wavelets in her wake.

Water streamed over hair the colour of brandy. It ran adoringly over pale, lean, youthful arms. And as she swayed up the steps, water gripped to her willowy form as long as it could before cruel gravity claimed it back to the dark depths.
Hud felt like he ought to avert his gaze. Like he was too old, too cynical, too jaded to be allowed such a vision. But those same qualities only meant that his curiosity far outweighed his humility, and his eyes remained riveted to the back of the exquisite stranger.

Read more ~ Buy it here

And we also have SÜNDIG SÜSSE KÜSSE , a three book collection in which my story was originally released as a Modern Heat STEAMY SURRENDER. Here's another sneak peek...

Once inside, Saxon replaced his beanie for a black Bacio Bacio cap, left his leather jacket over a chair in the staff room, and tied a deep red apron around his waist, tightening the knot in front.

He tucked his hair behind his ears, decided he’d better get a hair cut before his mother saw him again, and then hastened out into the warm inviting surrounds of his home away from home to find a woman had entered his haven.

He slowed. For this was not just any woman, but a woman who deserved a second glance. And a third. And dinner and a movie and at least an attempt at a nightcap.

Blonde she was. Dirty blonde with luscious waves trailing long and unkempt down her front. Huge dark sunglasses covered half her small face. At least three gold chains hung around her slim neck, carrying oversized charms that jingled against one another as she moved through the room, giving her a kind of musical quality. And poking out from her ridiculously high-heeled bronze sandals the nails of her dainty toes were painted working-girl-red.

Read more ~ Buy it here

bargains and then some

Hubby, Boo and I went shopping today. Primarily to begin looking for furnishings and the like for new bub due in May.

Oh, that's right! I don't believe I have mentioned hereupon that I'm pregnant. Well, I am!!! We are about half way along and uber-excited. Lots of belly-rubbing and name-discussing going on my household at the mo which is all sooo lovely.

Anyhoo... Today we had a blast. Post-Christmas sale time!!! For "the bump" I bought a couple of small things for the hospital bag - some socks, a beanie, some wraps - but really, naturally, number one child hit the motherload ;).

Clothes, books, ugh boots for when she's bigger. But the best thing of all was the linen. Oh my the linen!!! I had to post this picture of the bedding I bought her for her for when she moves into her big girl bed - which she won't even go into for probably over a year from now!!! But I've seen this set before, drooled, wished, imagined. And today, massively reduced, and begging to be mine - er, Boo's - it lept into our shopping bag, by way of the hotter than hot credit card. Goooorgeous huh??????

So far my Christmas has been grand. Hope yours has too!!!

dear readers...

Wishing you all

lots of kisses under the mistletoe,

many lazy hours in which to read to your heart's content,

and the best year ever in 2009!

new "writing tips" article

As I prepared to send my latest Modern Heat hopeful "FLIRT" off to my editor, I already began wondering what the revisions might entail. And for me that's actually a happy thought.

I love revisions, in fact I find them one of the most rewarding parts of this gig. Being able to turn a finished draft into something tighter, sweeter, sexier, funnier, cleaner and altogether better, is a thrill.

In this month's Hearts Talk, the Romance Writers of Australia magazine, I had an article published entitled "Tackling Revisions, or How to Make Your Red Pen Your Best Friend".

They had first dibs but now it's up on my website if anyone of you have been very clever and finished a book - yay you! - and are wondering what to do next.

Check it out here...

going, going, gone!

Last night I sent away my nineteenth book to my lovely editor.

That moment when the story attaches to my email and I press send is like nothing else. Relief, excitement, a weight lifted. The thought that the next day I can lie on the couch and watch bad TV rather than be permanently strapped to my computer as I have been the past couple of weeks...

It was a reeeeally fun book to write. With a working title of FLIRT and these two gorgeous creatures on the left standing in as my Wynnie and Dylan I think I gave myself a pretty good head start before I even wrote a word.

On a funny side note, after spending the past few months writing the book, I changed the heroine's name on the very last day! I woke up, the new name lodged in my mind and I went for it. I wonder if I'll ever get a handle on how this writing game works ;).

Let's wait and see what my editor thinks. Wish me luck!!!

Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Awards

I've just found out that not one, but TWO of my books have been nominated in the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards! I'm flabbergasted, and so excited, and so proud to be in such illustrious company.

First up, nominated for Best Harlequin Presents for 2008 is THE MAGNATE'S INDECENT PROPOSAL. It was a Waldenbooks Bestseller and an RT top pick. Here's what they had to say at the time. "Ally Blake's The Magnate's Indecent Proposal starts with an amusing premise and quickly moves into an entertaining love-at-first-sight tale. It's full of humor, witty dialogue, a hero to die for and a heroine that's his match in every way. "

It is still available on Amazon.

And up for Best Harlequin Romance is HIRED: THE BOSS'S BRIDE which is out right now in Australia and New Zealand! RT gave it four and a half stars as well and said: "Ally Blake's Hired: The Boss's Bride is as breezy, sexy and warm hearted as its remarkable heroine, and its hero is pretty special too."

As I mentioned it's out now in Australia and New Zealand, and is still available online in North America and the UK.

Here's the full list of nominees in each category:

Best Harlequin Presents

THE MAGNATE'S INDECENT PROPOSAL Ally Blake (Sep.)

BRIDE OF DESIRE Sara Craven (Dec.)

BOUGHT: THE GREEK'S INNOCENT VIRGIN Sarah Morgan (Aug.)

ACCIDENTAL MISTRESS Susan Napier (May)

BEDDED BY THE GREEK BILLIONAIRE Kate Walker (Nov.)

Best Harlequin Romance

THE BOSS'S UNCONVENTIONAL ASSISTANT Jennie Adams (Aug.)

HIRED: THE BOSS'S BRIDE Ally Blake (Oct.)

HER BABY, HIS PROPOSAL Teresa Carpenter (Jun.)

THE SHEIKH'S UNSUITABLE BRIDE Liz Fielding (Jan.)

THE HEIR'S CONVENIENT WIFE Myrna Mackenzie (May)

hired: the boss's bride

Out now in Australia and New Zealand, Sweet Romance, HIRED: THE BOSS'S BRIDE. Here's a taste you won't find anywhere else! Unless you've bought the book ;).

Veronica looked up in surprise to find Mitch standing before her. He was backlit by the streetlamps above. All dark hair, dark suit and dark eyes. And old-fashioned gentlemanly manners. Her heart gave a sudden, treacherous thumpety thump in her chest.

‘I haven’t had a man open a car door for me since my dad,’ she blurted.

‘I’m sorry to hear that.’

‘Not as sorry as I am to say it.’ Her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks as she looked down at the cracked concrete and alighted from the car, knees together like her just as equally old-fashioned mum had taught her.

‘Thank-you,’ she said, her voice low and husky.

‘My pleasure.’

He leant across and closed the car door behind her. She was soon enclosed in a cloud of his scent. It was clean, crisp, expensive. And so very him. A glutton for punishment she breathed in through her nose and closed her eyes.
When she opened them again she realised just how close they stood. Suddenly not knowing what to do with her hands Veronica rubbed them down her arms. The night was mild enough, but still her skin felt kind of tingly. And the world around them strangely quiet. Too quiet.

‘Don’t you think my apartment building looks rather pretty in the moonlight?’ she said.

He paused, for the briefest moment, then said. ‘It certainly does.’

Though she couldn’t see his eyes, she knew they’d never once left her.

For more about the book go to my website, or head on over to eHarlequin.com.au

a night with the society playboy

Here's a sneak peek at a later scene from my current Sexy Sensation release, A NIGHT WITH THE SOCIETY PLAYBOY, out now in Australia and New Zealand...

The slow beat of the music was seductive. But Caleb still fought against giving into the undermining scent and softness assailing him.

As was her nature Ava led. Or at least she tried to.

As was his nature Caleb couldn’t let her. Mentally cursing himself as he did it, he slid his arm far enough around her that she was pressed bodily against him.

After an excruciating minute spent trying his best to keep his steadily building desire spilling over into anything slipperier than just dancing, Ava tipped her head back and looked into his eyes.

‘Hi,’ she said.

‘Hello again,’ he returned.

‘This is nice.’

Nice? She thought the vertical foreplay they were so casually indulging in was nice? He thought it was pretty much akin to madness!

‘We could do this downstairs you know,’ he suggested. ‘Where there is an actual dance floor just for this precise purpose. Under the stars you were so taken with earlier.’

Ava screwed up her nose. ‘I hate dancing in public. I have two left feet.’

True Caleb hadn’t been paying all that much notice of her feet until that point, what with all of her other parts vying for his attention.

His voice was a good note lower when he said, ‘You’re not doing a bad job of it right now.’

Ava snuggled closer until all of her soft bits curved all too neatly against his hard bits and he had to grit his teeth to stop from throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her to the bed and ravaging her senseless.

‘Neither are you,’ she said brightly, oblivious to the volcano building inside of him. ‘Have you had lessons?’

‘Dance lessons?’ Caleb cringed. There he was feeling like Valentino and she saw Fred Astaire. ‘Ah no. I was born with unparalleled natural grace.’

‘Were you now?’ Her smile was sultry as all get out and Caleb was almost undone.

‘Just shut up and dance will you.’

For more about the book, check out my website, or go to eHarlequin.com.au

out now down under!

A quick heads up that I have two, yes TWO, brand new books out in December across Australia and New Zealand!!!

A NIGHT WITH THE SOCIETY PLAYBOY is a Sexy Sensation release, and HIRED: THE BOSS'S BRIDE is a Sweet Romance.

For a double whammy Ally Blake reading bonanza, you can grab both books today from your nearest favourite bookstore or online from eHarlequin.