The holiday season is in full swing, and Toni is making the most of it. On December 3rd, she was part of a multi-author holiday signing at the Barnes & Noble in West Chester, Ohio, along with Lori Foster. Toni signed stacks of books, and there should still be some left in the store if anyone in the area is looking for a signed copy (Toni’s books make great stocking stuffers!). For other stores that might still have signed copies available from the Fall…in Love book tour, check out Toni’s events page.

After the signing, Toni made it out to the Cincinnati Zoo’s Festival of Lights (pictured below). Between enjoying the light displays, animals, and general atmosphere, Toni managed to snap a picture of the reindeer Sophie saw in Holly Lane. You can keep up with Toni’s other winter adventures on her Facebook page.

Of course, the biggest adventure of the season has been having her first Christmas book! Holly Lane released October 25th and has already gone back for a second printing. Christmas has always been a special holiday for Toni, and she’s thrilled to be able to share some of her favorite holiday traditions along with another heartwarming Destiny tale. Holly Lane contains a Christmas cookie recipe that has been in her family for generations, and this and other recipes from the Destiny series are also available on Toni’s web site. Her site has also recently been updated with all-new lists of the songs used in her books – including some of her holiday favorites from Holly Lane – as playlists from Amazon.

2011 has been a banner year for Toni and the Destiny series – a USA Today review, Doubleday Bookclub feature, National Reader’s Choice Award, FIRST Magazine mention, and book tour, to name just a few of the highlights – so it’s hard to believe it’s already drawing to a close. But 2012 is set to bring more great things, including the release of Destiny book five, Willow Springs (July), which will bring long-awaited romance into Amy’s life.

Toni sends huge thanks to her readers for all their support this year and sends all best wishes to everyone for a delightful holiday season and a wonderful new year!

Thanks to everyone who came out to support Toni for the Fall…in Love Book Tour. Toni was thrilled to be able to celebrate the release of Holly Lane by meeting so many wonderful readers and having some really fun adventures with fellow tour authors Kerrylyn Sparks and Beverly Jenkins. You can read more about the tour on Toni’s Facebook page or check out photos in either her Facebook photo album or as part of the slideshow on her events page.

Toni is also excited to share that she’s mentioned in Robyn Carr’s newest Virgin River book, Bring Me Home for Christmas, as a favorite author of the book’s heroine. What a fun honor! Bring Me Home for Christmas recently hit the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List, so huge congratulations to Robyn for her achievement and many thanks for the shout out! If you haven’t checked out Robyn’s wonderful Virgin River series, you should.

Toni was recently interviewed on camera by Morgan of RT Book Reviews. Check out the video interview for more information on  Toni’s writing background, Holly Lane, the Destiny series, and what’s coming next summer in Destiny Book 5, Willow Springs.

Finally, thanks to everyone who participated in the 12 Days of Holly Lane by joining in the fun on Toni’s Facebook page or sending an entry for the sweepstakes. We’re excited to announce that Sue P. is the winner of a set of signed Destiny books plus a Holly Lane T-shirt. Plus we drew two additional winners to receive a signed copy of Holly Lane: Debbie H. and Melanie A. Congrats and hope you enjoy the books! Thanks to everyone else who’s supported Toni and contributed to a successful release for Holly Lane!

Holly Lane is now in stores! The much-anticipated fourth book in the Destiny series and follow-up to One Reckless Summer, Sugar Creek, and Whisper Falls releases today. Sue Ann Simpkins is working hard to rebuild her life and find some holiday spirit. A weekend away from Destiny in a cabin on nearby Bear Lake seems like the perfect Christmas gift to herself—until her ex’s best friend, Adam Becker, shows up at the door, claiming the cabin is his! And if that’s not trouble enough, how had she never noticed how gorgeous he was? So far there are six books slated to take place in Destiny, and now is the perfect time to get caught up on the series. Start now with the excerpt for Holly Lane.

Holly Lane is available at numerous booksellers and retail outlets, including Amazon (both as a paperback and on Kindle), Barnes & Noble (paperback and Nookbook) and Book Depository, which offers free worldwide shipping.  Don’t see it at your local store? Be sure to ask someone to help you find or order it.

Reviewers are loving Holly Lane so far! Publisher’s Weekly wrote, “Blake balances cinematic imagery (a live reindeer in the backyard) with silliness (Adam in a reindeer suit inviting Sue Ann to play “reindeer games”) while tugging on readers’ heartstrings like a virtuoso harpist.” Romantic Times gave it 4 stars and said, “Blake does it again with a Christmas tale that will make your spirit joyful. It’s a compelling read with a little depth. The realistic characters make the story a treat and the small-town feel creates an intimate reading experience. You’ll be glad you took another trip to Destiny.” Read more of the early praise for Holly Lane.

Don’t forget to explore ToniBlake.com for extra tidbits about the book. Enjoy recipes from the books, character profiles, and places of interest on the Destiny Series pages, and keep checking back for news on the fifth book in the Destiny series, Willow Springs, due out July 2012.

As part of the release celebration for Holly Lane, Toni will be a part of Avon’s Fall…in Love Book Tour next week along with authors Kerrelyn Sparks and Beverly Jenkins. If you’re in the Houston, TX, Cleveland, OH, Cincinnati, OH, or Lansing, MI, area, Toni hopes you’ll stop by at one of the following events to say hello:

Dinner With the Authors
Tuesday, October 25, 2011, 7:00 PM
Victor’s Casa Garcia
Fry Road
Houston, TX
Visit Katybooks.com for more information, call 281-578-7770 for tickets.

Booksigning
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
7:00PM
Brook Park Branch Library
6155 Engle Rd.
Cleveland, OH 44142

Booksigning
Thursday, October 27, 2011
7:00PM
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
9455 Civic Centre Blvd
West Chester, OH 45069

Booksigning
Sunday, October 30, 2011
3:00PM
Schuler Books & Music
2820 Towne Centre Blvd
Lansing, MI 48912