romance

New (re)Releases!

/ Alex Whitehall / Leave a comment

My recent release Ties That Bind is once again available at major retailers!

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords

For Chel, Tomlin, and Mathias, life is simple but good. They share a home and a love, and despite a few conflicts of personality, are happy. Mathias runs a magic shop, where he makes magic items and potions for his customers, and Tom is his familiar, helping supply his magic. Chel, who’s not magical, works at a bookshop and makes sure dinner is on the table for his lovers.

When Mathias suddenly comes down with a mysterious illness, Chel and Tomlin seek out answers. As Mathias’s familiar, Tomlin can sense that nothing is wrong with the magical parts of him, but when a trip to the doctor’s indicates nothing is wrong with him physically either, they start to worry.

Then Mathias collapses, and the search to find the truth becomes urgent.

In more spectacular news, Sharing a Pond is now on Kindle Unlimited!

This title is much older than Ties That Bind, so I put it through a bit of revision before re-posting it. The book is pretty much exactly the one that was released before (so no need to re-buy it!) but I cleaned up a lot of clunky language, fixed some of the issues that were pointed out (that didn’t require a complete rewrite), and tweaked a few things that in retrospect didn’t work. Some of them are minor changes that create a very different feel for a scene.

(If you previously bought a copy and would like to see/read this new version, drop me an email with a screenshot of the current book and I’ll send a digital copy of the new book.)

The print will be coming shortly. There’s a lot more formatting to fiddle with, and I want to see what it looks like in hard print before I release it to the world.

Brent shows up on Corey and Shane’s doorstep in the dead of winter needing a place to stay—and hopeful his mates will provide it, and not mind he’s a frog shifter.

Being a shifter is nothing new to Corey and Shane, but neither is being mates. They’ve been together since before they first met Brent ten years ago—back when Brent was Brenda. While bringing a third into their relationship is more than a little complicated, they’re willing to try.

But change is always easier said than done, and Brent wonders if he ever really stood a chance at being happy with the men he has always loved and admired.

Announcing Re-releases

/ Alex Whitehall / Leave a comment

With the closing of Less Than Three Press, I had to decide what to do with the titles I’d had with them.

For one, it was easy. Ties That Bind released in April, and it didn’t take much thinking to want to get that out again as soon as possible. It should require minimal editing and work, and I spent some time today loading it on Amazon and on Smashwords – I’m not to the point where I can make accounts with ALL the individual vendors – so hopefully by Monday it will be back for people to buy it! (Links will be updated then.)

Sharing a Pond was a harder decision. It came out four years ago, and I’m not the same author I was then. But I LOVE that cover and I love that book, so I didn’t want it lost to the Couldn’t-Be-Bothereds. The decision was made.

I’m reading through Sharing a Pond and fixing it up a bit. Now, this isn’t a complete overhaul – all the major plot points and dramas still unfold (unless I get farther in and realize Past Me was a fool) – but I am smoothing out the language a lot, and cleaning up issues I realized in retrospect (or were kindly pointed out to me). Mostly minor actions/language that made certain characters seem a bit more like jerks than I’d intended. The story is the same, I’m just adjusting a few things with four years of knowledge under my belt.

The re-release of this title will depend on how edits go and how the publishing process goes in general (I’m going to make sure it’s available in print as well as digital).

In some ways this process is very eye-opening. The edits I’m making, while not major, are rather extensive. It really shows how I’ve improved as an author* in the past few years, and I think I’ll be prouder of having this new (nearly identical) version on shelves.

It also makes me wonder in four more years, how I’ll feel looking back at the writing I’m doing today.

* I will admit that Sharing a Pond was written while I was still recovering from a brain injury, so some of the language issues could be related to that – none of it was nonsense, but my mastery of English was no what it could have been.

Coming Soon!

/ Alex Whitehall / Leave a comment

For Chel, Tomlin, and Mathias, life is simple but good. They share a home and a love, and despite a few conflicts of personality, are happy. Mathias runs a magic shop, where he makes magic items and potions for his customers, and Tom is his familiar, helping supply his magic. Chel, who’s not magical, works at a bookshop and makes sure dinner is on the table for his lovers.

When Mathias suddenly comes down with a mysterious illness, Chel and Tomlin seek out answers. As Mathias’s familiar, Tomlin can sense that nothing is wrong with the magical parts of him, but when a trip to the doctor’s indicates nothing is wrong with him physically either, they start to worry.

Then Mathias collapses, and the search to find the truth becomes urgent.

Coming April 24!

Keep an eye out for dates and stops on my blog tour.

New Release: Hard Truths!

/ Alex Whitehall / Leave a comment

Hard Truths is now available for download at Riptide Publishing and all major vendors: Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple.

He can’t have the family he wants, but he may get the love he deserves.

Isaac didn’t expect to find love at his family’s Christmas dinner, but that was before he met his sister’s new fake boyfriend. Tall, muscular, and tattooed, Logan is what Isaac would love in a partner—and also everything his parents would hate in one. Not that they know Isaac’s gay.

That doesn’t stop him from dating Logan—unbeknownst to his parents, and with his sister’s approval after she fake dumps him. The pair dive into a whirlwind romance of motorcycle rides, cheesy puns, and hot sex. They meet each other’s friends and fill their time with happiness and laughter. It’s all perfect.

Until Isaac suggests they move in together, and Logan asks Isaac to come out to his parents. Isaac wants to, but he’s scared; he doesn’t want to lose his family. Unfortunately, he can’t see that his real family has been right beside him all along.

 

+ meet-awkward (like meet-cute but with family present)
+ nerdy biker w/ tats
+ more puns than you can shake a dick at
+ emotional struggles
+ sexy shower scene
+ What is family, anyway?

 

Coming Soon: Hard Truths!

/ Alex Whitehall / Leave a comment

I’m excited to announce that Hard Truths is now available for preorder on the publisher’s website!

He can’t have the family he wants, but he may get the love he deserves.

Isaac didn’t expect to find love at his family’s Christmas dinner, but that was before he met his sister’s new fake boyfriend. Tall, muscular, and tattooed, Logan is what Isaac would love in a partner—and also everything his parents would hate in one. Not that they know Isaac’s gay.

That doesn’t stop him from dating Logan—unbeknownst to his parents, and with his sister’s approval after she fake dumps him. The pair dive into a whirlwind romance of motorcycle rides, cheesy puns, and hot sex. They meet each other’s friends and fill their time with happiness and laughter. It’s all perfect.

Until Isaac suggests they move in together, and Logan asks Isaac to come out to his parents. Isaac wants to, but he’s scared; he doesn’t want to lose his family. Unfortunately, he can’t see that his real family has been right beside him all along.

This story is extremely important to me, not just because I love the characters so much (and boy, do I!), but because while my issues aren’t nearly as dire as Isaac’s, there are a lot of similarities in the questions I ask myself and the mentalities I have to overcome. That said, this isn’t all doom and gloom! This book is also filled with my sense of humor (I apologize in advance 😉 and some fun sexy times. It also looks at some of the problems that arise in relationships, that might not be high drama but can still put the lovers on shaky ground. I hope it will feel real and honest and touching to all who read it.

A book release!

/ Alex Whitehall / Leave a comment

If you haven’t heard, Magic Runs Deep is now out in the world! It’s a fantasy with some sweet romance, hurt/comfort, plus mages, bear shifters, and war!

For the last five years, Veier has been chained to a king’s throne in his bear form. When a neighboring kingdom overthrows the crown, Veier’s imprisonment ends, but true freedom is not so easily earned. With blood on his hands, he needs someone with patience, strength, and trust to help him become the person he was before and prove to the invaders that he isn’t the monstrous king’s loyal pet.

Elrid, the invading king’s brother and a powerful mage, is everything Veier despises. He’s also the only thing between Veier and execution, because he thinks he can help Veier change from an aggressive bear shifter into a reasonable man. While the pair have a rough start, with long talks and mutual leaps of faith, they begin to care for each other.

However, the closer Veier gets to his freedom, the closer he is to losing Elrid. He must find balance in his heart and his life if he wishes to truly claim the freedom he’s been given — and the man he loves.

As the Snow Falls: holidays and depression

/ Alex Whitehall / Leave a comment

As the Snow Falls comes out today!

Be sure to check out Boy Meets Boy Reviews for an exclusive excerpt from As the Snow Falls and for the chance to win a digital copy of A Christmas for Oscar.

You can find As the Snow Falls at NineStar Press, Amazon, B&N, and Kobo!

Christmas is fast approaching and Kade’s parents have abandoned him for the holiday. Thankfully his best friend, Byron, invites him to spend the holidtays with him and his family. That night, in the dim glow of the Christmas tree’s lights, Byron and Kade share a kiss, but Byron backs off before it can go further.
Can Kade stand up for what he wants and convince Byron he’s not so easily broken, or will he need a Christmas miracle to bring them together?

I love holiday stories, because they fill me with joy and put me in the spirit of giving and joy, which is perfect for the season. However, as people with depression know, the holidays can also be a difficult time.* If your depression is triggered by loss of sunlight, it’s literally the darkest time of the year. If you struggle to be social, then your time and energy are demanded. For those who have a hard time doing their daily stuff now have a whole bunch of other things dumped on their plate.

But in some ways the holidays are great for depression. They force you to get out and about, they surround you with good cheer (…angry shoppers aside:), and there’s a sense of magic, wonder, and love as you gather with friends and family. It makes you feel the love, feel how many people care about you. None of that fixes depression, but in some cases it can help balance out the hardships that the season heaps on.

This story isn’t about Kade’s depression, but because Kade has depression, it influences his character and how Byron interacts with him (for better and worse). This isn’t a story about how finding the right man can cure you of depression–because that doesn’t happen. Rather, it’s a story about how having friends and loved ones around can help. How having someone there can maybe stop you from slipping into a depressive mood. And also how they have the most power in hurting you.

I’ll warn that this isn’t a perfect representation of depression. Because there is none. Everyone’s experience is different, and this is just the story of these two young men and their journey from friendship to lovers on a snowy Christmas Day.

I hope you enjoy it.


* Everyone’s experience with depression is different and I’m talking in general terms and with my own experiences here, not as hard and fast law.

Finding love and lies

/ Alex Whitehall / 7 Comments

Love is an interesting thing. You fall in love, you fall out of love, you can be in love and you can just love. Friends, family, partners, foods, pets, and a good massage. Oh, and sleeping in on the weekend.

I read plenty about love. About lonely men finding love, men having their pick of lovers, and men in rocky relationships. Know what I love about romance novels? They almost always have a happy ending. Life sucks enough, I don’t need my novels to tear me up without slapping on a band-aid (with possibly a shot of morphine).
Know what I hate about romance novels? They almost always have a happy ending. The loser, the loner, the outcast, the misanthrope, and the jerk (if they are the lead character) will find love, whether it’s for now or forever. The other lead character is willing to push boundaries, figure out what’s going on inside the main character’s head and do whatever it takes to get that person to open up and flourish, and in the end love.
I’m pretty sure real life doesn’t go that way.
Most people, myself included, tend to be selfish. Not in a greedy way, but nature makes us tend to worry about ourselves and how A, B, Y, and Z relate to us. Self preservation. I’m honestly amazed people get together at all. I’m single, so I obviously haven’t figured it out yet, but lots of people do get together, fall in love, and have lots of sex (and sometimes babies).
So people, these selfish little beings that are worried about Me, somehow step outside of themselves to see another person. And while doing so, they fall in love, potentially creating more outside creatures that they will love, potentially more than themselves. True, they reap all sorts of benefits like being loved in return, sex, dual incomes, someone else to wash the dishes, and companionship.
Still, it’s pretty amazing. And I hope everyone who is in love treasures how great it is. And I’d love to hear how you fell in love with your significant other (or you can complain about being single, like me).
*I realize the beginning of this post doesn’t completely correlate to the end of this post, but I hope you’ll follow where my cold-infested brain was going.