Okay...

... so its another week already! Scary or what?! I'm still wading through the wip and refuse to bore you with how its going.
Instead I'm just going to tell you to come back tomorrow to get the first clue in the Modern Heat Valentine's Day TREASURE HUNT!!!! Yep, every other day or so you need to go to one of the MH author's blogs/websites to pick up the answer to a very simple question and at the end of the month you win LOTS of FABULOUS books... so easy and so much fun.
Go to
Sensational Romance now to get the full low down and come back to me tomorrow... COOL!!!

Is it Thursday already?

Really?

I just don't know where this week has gone. So, things are on the up - I'm back into the WIP - I find the 20-35k stage SO hard but am clawing my way through it...word by word....
I came up with two ideas that had been percolating for a while and fleshed them a little and then woke at 5 this morning with a 'visitation' - 2 fully formed (well, sorta) characters having this big conversation (that turned into a bit of a row). So I spent the next hour listening and watching and hitting the rewind button a few times. Spent the rest of the day shattered with bits on autoplay... but wow, how cool is that?! I love it how these people just arrive in my head every now and then for me to get to know and write about...
(Or am I just officially nuts??!!!)

The ALLY BLAKE way of doing things...

OK so I've hit the doldrums on the WIP, slowly, slowly crawling thru the mud and panic that it's never going to come right. (Fear is a hideous thing).
SO, I've decided I need a breather before getting really disciplined and thought I'd try a version of the Ally Blake methodology. Now most writers will tell you they work on only one wip at a time - that way they keep their head in the story, understand their characters etc. Flitting from one to another means it takes time to get back into the mindspace of each....
Ally does something different. When she hits a rough patch on the WIP she goes to the next one in line and blats on that for a bit - its fresh, fun and exciting! Revitialised and enjoying writing again, she's ready to go back and tackle the tough nut. I'm not about to start my next one, but am toying about with proposals for the next two or three - just to get the juices going again and have some wild 'what if' scenarios to have fun with. We'll see if it works huh??!!

Meanwhile, look what's coming:

MORE ON THAT SOON!

Dreamboat Boss Number 3

- for my eHarl buddies....

Cool news...

...ok so first up:
Bought: One Night, One Marriage will be out in the UK in September - and probably in Oz/NZ a couple of months after that. US tbc.

Next, I'm chatting this week on the eHarlequin community site about the perils (and pleasures!) of 'Falling for the Boss' - come on over and join the fun - I have a piccie of a "Dreamboat Boss" every day for you to swoooooooon over! ;)

Finally, I'm thrilled to say All Night with the Boss made it into the Waldenbooks bestsellers list this week - thanks so much to all you in the US/Canada who bought it - I hope you enjoy it!

Gorgeous Heroes!

First up = a big congratulations to Mona Hassan who was the lucky winner in our New Year books competition - books by me, Kate Hewitt, Christina Hollis, India Grey and Lynne Marshall will be winging their way to you shortly!
Thanks to everyone who entered... and yes, as always, there'll be another chance to win sometime soon so keep popping back! :)

Romance Junkies have reviewed "All Night with the Boss" and given it a 4.5!!!

"ALL NIGHT WITH THE BOSS is a fun, sexy read that will test your every emotion and leave the reader feeling completely satisfied. As much as I understood Lissa’s reluctance, I was rooting for Rory all the way, he was the perfect hero to the end. ALL NIGHT WITH THE BOSS is Natalie Anderson’s debut novel, and if this is just a taste of what she has to offer, then romance readers are in for a real treat."

You can read the whole review here!

Meanwhile, eHarlequin has a totally revamped community forum (it is SO cool) and it a wonderful place for readers, authors and gonnabe writers to meet and interact. Many readers post reviews of the books they're reading for their 100,000 book challenge anmd yes, there are a couple of reviews of ANWTB - and as with the Romance Junkies review, a common theme seems to be how much the reader likes Rory (the hero)- as Bonsal says:

"I like it when a hero really is a good guy rather than a jerk until the end. Rory is an especially likeable hero in my opinion."

- thank you Bonsal and I'm so chuffed you enjoyed the book :)

I like a hero who has a sense of humour, who appreciates a woman who can give as good as she gets and who has the strength to go for what he wants. Rory is no pushover - he's willing to do whatever necessary to get what he wants!
Alpha heroes can still be witty and charming, if you ask me those kind are the most dangerous of all! Because when they go into full Alpha mode - hell, watch out!
In the book that was just accepted the hero, Blake, starts off as a great guy - incredibly sexy, funny and very confident. He's out for a good time and to give that girl a good time - perfect hot young hero stuff! ;) But when something happens to threaten something he holds incredibly dear, then sorry honey, the party's over. He'll do whatever it takes to ensure his treasure is protected. If there's an obstacle, he'll move it, and no way will he let her obstruct him!!!
The Alpha male is wonderful - he just needs strong, valid motivation... then he can be tough and masterful and determined to be in control (ha! the guy's deluding himself). But I do think a sexy sense of humour is still possible and in infact, the absolute icing :)

So, what type of hero does it for you?!

Happy Days!

TWO people living in North America emailed me today to say they saw All Night with the Boss on the shelves and bought it! :) How cool is that???!!!! Thanks guys - now I know I have at least 2 NA sales ;) I really hope you enjoy it and thanks so much for buying it! So exciting to think of it out there.

I also had some other lovely news today in that my ed emailed to say that they've accepted my fifth book. It's to be called:

BOUGHT: ONE NIGHT, ONE MARRIAGE

- I don't know when its going to be out yet but of course I'll let you know when I do!!!

Next up... competition winner announcement!

Crazy times - as usual...

...so it's the school holidays and there's no school, no kindy and all the kids are home and needing entertaining. And I'm quarter of the way through a draft that needs to be done asap (so I can FIX it) and basically, it's just all busy (as usual).
Sorry to be boring (again).

Watch this sapce for finding out the winner of the New Year competition AND for exciting news coming sooooooooooon!!!!!

New Year Resolutions

.. I'm still working on them actually - haven't had the time to really think on it the last couple of days! Instead I've been trying to get inside the head of my new hero - he's gorgeous, he's funny and I'm trying to figure out why he doesn't want more than a laugh (and a quick roll) with my ultra-glam heroine...
He's just not the tortured sort - so I might have to put him in the rack and thumbscrew.

Meanwhile the 2008 New Year competition has CLOSED - we're in the process of compiling entries ready for the draw. Thanks so much to all of you who entered and good luck!

Back to the resolutions... I'm thinking its going to be just one biggie somehow centered around time management and balance and enjoying everything.. or something. How about you lot - you 'do' resolutions?

Old Faves...

.. is what I'm talking about over at the
Pink Heart Society today - pop on over and tell me you agree that the old covers are truly gorgeous!



You can win a copy of Bedded by Arrangement too!!!