Alexa Land's Blog, page 33

Happy Hour!

Just now, I wrote the very last sentence of All In, the second book in the Firsts and Forever series. And let's just say, the book ends with a bang. ;) Lawd, I need a cool drink after that one!

I'm so excited for you to read Charlie and Dante's story. It is, in the words of Cher, a different kind of love song -- meaning, their relationship is quite different than the one in Way Off Plan. But I hope you fall in love with the characters, just like many of you fell in love with Jamie and Dmitri.

And I can't wait to introduce you to Austin, a beautiful blonde with a troubled past and an uncertain future. He's such a sweet, endearing character, and his story carries the series forward.

 All In still needs to be edited, which is a time-consuming process. But I'm shooting for a Valentine's Day release date. Wish me luck!

Ok, I'm going to go celebrate the completed first draft of All In with a cocktail. Is it wrong that it's noon?

Nahhh.

And just for fun, following is my absolutely delish recipe for:

Alexa's Killer Cosmos!

2 oz. cranberry juice
1 oz. vodka
1 oz. Grand Marnier
1/2 teaspoon simple syrup
squeeze of fresh lime

Combine ingredients with ice. Stir well. Strain into a martini glass, and garnish with a strip of lime peel. Then sit back and enjoy your cocktail while reading a smokin' hot M/M romance!

xxoo

Paying It Forward

I decided to pause for a moment as I work on All In, locked away here in my Fortress of Solitude (AKA my bedroom, where I'm hiding from my 9 year old), and spread a little love.

I got such a sweet and supportive email today from a reader named Hayley (and yes, I'm verklempt all over again) that it put me in the mood to pay it forward.

So I'm giving a shout out to someone I thoroughly enjoyed reading, the brilliantly funny Dani Alexander, fellow indie M/M romance writer and author of Shattered Glass. I read this book months ago, and laughed until I cried. But it's more than funny -- to this day, the wonderfully endearing characters have stuck with me. So if you're looking for a good read, you really might want to check out Shattered Glass. And Dani -- you're a rock star!

Alright, I'm getting back to work. Yeah ok, and parenting too. Have a wonderful weekend, one and all. And maybe spread a little love while you're at it. :)

I'm Becoming Verklempt!

I'm really new to the world of writing, and can I just say, it was scary as hell to independently publish a book. I was convinced that it was either going to get ripped to shreds by super harsh reviews, or it would sell, like, two copies and then go down like the Titanic in the enormous sea of Amazon.com.  Neither of those things happened.  Ok, I'm NOT going to go all Sally Field and get all weepy and declare, "You like me! You really like me!" If I ever do that, somebody please smack me.  What I will say instead is that I have the best readers! I'm so grateful to all of you, and especially to those that have taken the time to leave positive reviews on Amazon, and to email me and tell me you enjoyed Way Off Plan. It means so much to me, you have no idea. I got this wonderful email today, and I just had to share it: "Hello, so I just had to e-mail you and be a total fan-boy over your book! I loved the idea of the cop falling for the criminal, it seemed very taboo and that was really what had me at first. But then I actually read the story! Definitely did not disappoint! It was so romantic, and cute, with just enough action in there; seriously I've re-read it at least three times already. But anyways! Anxious to read "All In" and hope to be able to pick it up soon!" Best. Email. Ever! You totally made my day. And you made me want to keep writing. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart! By the way, for those of you that have asked, I've finished writing All In, the second book in the Firsts & Forever series, and it's now in the editing phase. I hope to have it up on Amazon by the end of February. And I just may have another goodie for you in the next few weeks, so stay tuned! ;)     

Book Two in the Firsts and Forever Series

Thank you to all who've been reading and reviewing Way Off Plan, my M/M romance that debuted on Amazon.com recently. The second book in the Firsts and Forever series is entitled All In, and will be available on Amazon in January of 2013.

Here's a sneak peek at the cover:

Kinda hot, right?!

All In is a bit steamier than the first book in the series, and still features lots of humor and great characters. Like the rest of the series, this book is set in modern-day San Francisco.

This time, the story focuses on Charlie, Jamie Nolan's ex-boyfriend, a gorgeous former football player who's afraid of his own sexuality. Even though he's not really over Jamie, Charlie finds himself drawn to Dante Dombruso, the handsome, highly dangerous leader of a major mafia crime family.

Dante has made his objective clear: he intends to get Charlie into bed. And even though Charlie is scared, he's so attracted to Dante that he's willing to face his fears.

Charlie knows there's only one way to be involved with Dante. He can't date him a little, he can't trust him a little, he can't go to bed with him a little. If he's going to get involved with Dante, he has to be All In.

Welcome!

My debut M/M romance, Way Off Plan, went live on Amazon.com today. You can check it out here.

Set in modern-day San Francisco, this humorous M/M love story introduces us to Jamie Nolan and Dmitri Teplov. Here's the description that appears on Amazon:

Jamie Nolan is a young cop on his first undercover assignment, sent to investigate Dmitri Teplov, a suspected major player in the Russian mafia. Jamie knows better than to get involved with the gorgeous, charismatic nightclub owner. But right from the start, the spark of attraction between the two of them is undeniable.

Everything about Dmitri is just so unexpected. He’s sweet and kind, and has a nerdy side that Jamie finds irresistible. Can this man really be a criminal?

No matter if Dmitri is guilty or innocent, Jamie’s big Irish Catholic family of cops and his police captain are never going to accept this relationship. Dmitri’s dangerous and manipulative gangster uncle is also none too thrilled that these two are together, and wants Jamie out of the picture. On top of that, Jamie’s still reeling from a recent breakup, and Dmitri is unavailable anyway. Isn’t he?

No way should this thing between them be happening. Getting involved with Dmitri Teplov was never part of the plan. But sometimes, the best plan is the one you make up as you go along.