Alexa Land's Blog, page 29
November 25, 2013
Good Monday Morning All
I'm happy to report that Gathering Storm is coming along wonderfully. I've made great progress on it these past few weeks, and the first draft is just days from completion. I'll let you know when I hit that milestone, and when I have a publication date in sight.
While you wait, I came across a beautiful little video about love and marriage and thought I'd share. You can find it here. Enjoy! <3
While you wait, I came across a beautiful little video about love and marriage and thought I'd share. You can find it here. Enjoy! <3
November 14, 2013
Now In Paperback
Because some of you requested it, all my four of my full-length novels are now available in paperback form. Way Off Plan and All In were already available in print, and now In Pieces and Feral are, too. In Pieces can be found here, and Feral is available here.
I don't love Amazon's print-on-demand service, because the cover price ends up quite high, and I strive to keep my books affordable. In Pieces turned out to be particularly expensive because it's long (about ninety thousand words) -- and believe me when I say, that's not profit (I will make around ninety cents per copy, just FYI). But for those of you that wanted an alternative to ebooks, now you have it.
I don't love Amazon's print-on-demand service, because the cover price ends up quite high, and I strive to keep my books affordable. In Pieces turned out to be particularly expensive because it's long (about ninety thousand words) -- and believe me when I say, that's not profit (I will make around ninety cents per copy, just FYI). But for those of you that wanted an alternative to ebooks, now you have it.
November 11, 2013
Gathering Storm Cover Reveal!
Hi all! I wanted to give you an update on the fourth book in my Firsts and Forever series, which I'm still in the process of writing. It's called Gathering Storm, and it picks up where In Pieces left off. The book is still a few weeks from publication, but here's a sneak peek at the cover I recently put together. I was thrilled to find a model incredibly close to what Hunter looks like in my mind's eye:
More soon!
Alexa xxoo
More soon!
Alexa xxoo
October 24, 2013
Bridegroom
Hi, friends. I wanted to draw your attention to a documentary airing this Sunday, October 27th, at 10 p.m. EST on OWN (Oprah's network). It will be available on Netflix the same day.It's called Bridegroom, and it's a story of loss, and of discrimination. But first and foremost, it's a story of love. It speaks profoundly to the struggles faced by our LGBT brothers and sisters. I hope you'll set your DVR, because I think this is such an important film.
Please visit GLAAD's website for more information. It includes a touching interview with Shane Bitney Crone, the young man who lost his partner, Tom Bridegroom, and had to deal not only with that tragedy, but also with the terrible aftermath. I've reprinted an excerpt of that interview below, it brought me to tears.
When asked what he hoped people would take away from this film, here's how Shane responded:
"Whether you are gay or straight, I hope you will see this movie, and appreciate that Tom and I were just two boys who fell in love. Nothing more, nothing less. It is not a film about revenge, or making people feel sorry for me--it’s simply another love story. I think it will inspire people to live their lives honestly, to fall in love deeply, and to fight for the rights of people who are being treated like second class citizens. Love is love. Loss is loss. At the end of the day we are all human and we all just want to be happy and treated equally. I want people to see that Tom and I loved each other very much, but because we weren't married, his family and the government treated me as if I was merely his roommate."
October 15, 2013
Meanwhile, back at the Laptop...
Thought I'd check in and let you know that I've been hard at work on book four in my Firsts and Forever series, which is Hunter's story (and still untitled at this point). It's coming right along, and I've been having fun watching the story evolve and find its way.
Christopher is a major supporting character in this next book, by the way. The loose ends intentionally left open at the end of In Pieces were always meant to carry over into Hunter's book. A couple of you were concerned that those questions would forever go unanswered. And to you I say, have a little faith. ;)
Ideally, I'd love to have this book out by Christmas. But every time I say something like that, my life totally implodes, and I miss my self-imposed deadline. So I should just shut up and leave it at: it will be out before you know it. :)
Ok, back to writing I go. Hugs to you!
Alexa xxoo
Christopher is a major supporting character in this next book, by the way. The loose ends intentionally left open at the end of In Pieces were always meant to carry over into Hunter's book. A couple of you were concerned that those questions would forever go unanswered. And to you I say, have a little faith. ;)
Ideally, I'd love to have this book out by Christmas. But every time I say something like that, my life totally implodes, and I miss my self-imposed deadline. So I should just shut up and leave it at: it will be out before you know it. :)
Ok, back to writing I go. Hugs to you!
Alexa xxoo
October 1, 2013
I'm honored :)
A few months ago, I found out that a reader had nominated one of my books, Feral, for a Rainbow Award. Today, I learned that my book is a finalist in the paranormal romance category! They even sent me the nifty graphic below. How cool is that?!
Feral was the very first m/m romance I ever wrote, and after I completed it, I let it sit on my computer for several months. I just wasn't sure it would catch on, and I didn't publish it until Way Off Plan and All In had found an audience. Feral went on to become the first of my books to hit number one in gay fiction on Amazon.
The moral of the story? Go ahead and take a chance. You never know where it might lead you! :)
Feral was the very first m/m romance I ever wrote, and after I completed it, I let it sit on my computer for several months. I just wasn't sure it would catch on, and I didn't publish it until Way Off Plan and All In had found an audience. Feral went on to become the first of my books to hit number one in gay fiction on Amazon.
The moral of the story? Go ahead and take a chance. You never know where it might lead you! :)
September 27, 2013
Hunted Now Available!
I'm so happy to announce that Hunted, the second novella in The Tinder Chronicles, is now available on Amazon. You can find it here. I hope you like it. :)
September 22, 2013
Hunted Out Friday!
The second Tinder novella is getting its final polish, with an anticipated publication date on Amazon of Friday, September 27th. To celebrate its release, I've put the first installment of The Tinder Chronicles on sale. You can find it here.
Thank you to my readers that have taken the time to email me and let me know you're looking forward to more Tinder! It's so very appreciated!
Below is a little teaser. It's the first page of Hunted. Enjoy.:)
Stop being such a wuss and pull the goddamn trigger!I sighted down the length of the homemade crossbow in my hands and lined up my shot. I had to adjust the angle slightly, because the slim wooden stake it fired would be smashing through glass before it reached its target. And again, I hesitated. Come on, what the hell are you waiting for? I chided myself. He’s a damn vampire. Not only that, he’s a damn vampire that can walk in daylight. Just shoot him already!The vampire in question was named Nikolai. And the thing that was stopping me from reducing him to a snack for dust mites was the cute little human at his side. Nate. During a recent prolonged hostage situation, Nate and I had become friends (I had been the hostage. And no, I wasn’t totally bonkers and suffering from a raging case of Stockholm syndrome, but thanks for assuming that). Nate and Nikolai now incorrectly believed they’d been erased from my memory. They thought they were safe from me. So there they were, in the kitchen of their tiny light blue cottage, cleaning up together after dinner. They did this every night, always with the curtains wide open. They were such creatures of habit, which made Nikolai an incredibly easy mark. I was sprawled out on my belly, on the hillside directly across the street from their house. Since the breeze was blowing my scent away from them, the vamp didn’t know I was here. That was kind of stupid, though. I mean, scent or no scent, I wasn’t exactly invisible in the dark. Not to a vampire. Oh my God, just end him! I’d been out here for about an hour, and parts of me were going numb. Plus, I was pretty sure some ants had found their way up the right leg of my jeans, and it itched like crazy. It was so stupid that I was stalling like this. I shifted slightly, lined up my shot…and failed to pull the trigger. I was going soft. That’s all there was to it. The fact that I’d let a hundred perfect shots go by proved it. What difference did it make that he was married to a human, and that I happened to like that human? The bloodsucker was dangerous, more so than most because of the incredibly rare daylight talisman in his possession. It was completely irresponsible of me not to dust him. And for the love of God, now the vamp was standing directly in front of the window, reaching up to put something on a shelf above it. It was like he wanted to be shot. I sighted down the crossbow. Again. And I didn’t pull the trigger. Again. I sighed dramatically and whacked my forehead against the dry grass a few times. When I looked up, the vampire was smiling at Nate, saying something to him as he grabbed a set of keys and stepped out the front door.
Thank you to my readers that have taken the time to email me and let me know you're looking forward to more Tinder! It's so very appreciated!
Below is a little teaser. It's the first page of Hunted. Enjoy.:)
Stop being such a wuss and pull the goddamn trigger!I sighted down the length of the homemade crossbow in my hands and lined up my shot. I had to adjust the angle slightly, because the slim wooden stake it fired would be smashing through glass before it reached its target. And again, I hesitated. Come on, what the hell are you waiting for? I chided myself. He’s a damn vampire. Not only that, he’s a damn vampire that can walk in daylight. Just shoot him already!The vampire in question was named Nikolai. And the thing that was stopping me from reducing him to a snack for dust mites was the cute little human at his side. Nate. During a recent prolonged hostage situation, Nate and I had become friends (I had been the hostage. And no, I wasn’t totally bonkers and suffering from a raging case of Stockholm syndrome, but thanks for assuming that). Nate and Nikolai now incorrectly believed they’d been erased from my memory. They thought they were safe from me. So there they were, in the kitchen of their tiny light blue cottage, cleaning up together after dinner. They did this every night, always with the curtains wide open. They were such creatures of habit, which made Nikolai an incredibly easy mark. I was sprawled out on my belly, on the hillside directly across the street from their house. Since the breeze was blowing my scent away from them, the vamp didn’t know I was here. That was kind of stupid, though. I mean, scent or no scent, I wasn’t exactly invisible in the dark. Not to a vampire. Oh my God, just end him! I’d been out here for about an hour, and parts of me were going numb. Plus, I was pretty sure some ants had found their way up the right leg of my jeans, and it itched like crazy. It was so stupid that I was stalling like this. I shifted slightly, lined up my shot…and failed to pull the trigger. I was going soft. That’s all there was to it. The fact that I’d let a hundred perfect shots go by proved it. What difference did it make that he was married to a human, and that I happened to like that human? The bloodsucker was dangerous, more so than most because of the incredibly rare daylight talisman in his possession. It was completely irresponsible of me not to dust him. And for the love of God, now the vamp was standing directly in front of the window, reaching up to put something on a shelf above it. It was like he wanted to be shot. I sighted down the crossbow. Again. And I didn’t pull the trigger. Again. I sighed dramatically and whacked my forehead against the dry grass a few times. When I looked up, the vampire was smiling at Nate, saying something to him as he grabbed a set of keys and stepped out the front door.
September 16, 2013
Yep...
You're still waiting. And I'm still editing. The second Tinder book is coming along...just not quickly. Below is a link to something lovely, to distract you while you wait. :)
You've probably already heard of Steve Grand. But in case you haven't, you're in for a treat. Here's the video for his song All American Boy -- enjoy!
You've probably already heard of Steve Grand. But in case you haven't, you're in for a treat. Here's the video for his song All American Boy -- enjoy!
August 29, 2013
Hunted: Book Two Of The Tinder Chronicles
For those of you that have been eagerly awaiting the next installment of The Tinder Chronicles (all six of you, heh!), good news: I've just finished writing it, and am now moving into editing. I should have it to you in about a week.
I decided to use the same main cover image for all the books in this ongoing serial:
I don't know if that's a brilliant idea, or a really stupid one!
Here's a random fun fact about that cover, by the way: I knew I wanted to include a wooden stake, but couldn't find a stock photo I liked. So, I actually went out in my back yard and whittled a stake out of a 2x2 (with the help of my kiddo, which I think makes me a pretty interesting mom, hahaha!) and then stained and distressed it to make it look old. Viola -- a vampire hunter's best friend! Sometimes it's fun to be me. :)
Ok, I'm going to get back to work. But just a reminder before I go: be sure to follow the link in my last blog post to watch a truly exceptional short film about young love. It's one of the most moving things I've seen in a while.
xxoo
I decided to use the same main cover image for all the books in this ongoing serial:
I don't know if that's a brilliant idea, or a really stupid one! Here's a random fun fact about that cover, by the way: I knew I wanted to include a wooden stake, but couldn't find a stock photo I liked. So, I actually went out in my back yard and whittled a stake out of a 2x2 (with the help of my kiddo, which I think makes me a pretty interesting mom, hahaha!) and then stained and distressed it to make it look old. Viola -- a vampire hunter's best friend! Sometimes it's fun to be me. :)
Ok, I'm going to get back to work. But just a reminder before I go: be sure to follow the link in my last blog post to watch a truly exceptional short film about young love. It's one of the most moving things I've seen in a while.
xxoo
