Brainstorm Bonanza!
And my 25 year high school reunion
Once again, this email is too long, so let’s start with some quick book news!
A Lot Like Adiós is $4.99 in ebook!
These bisexual former besties haven’t spoken since the time they got hot and heavy right before Gabe left for college. So when a work project reunites them over a decade later, forget slow burn—this is an immediate inferno. And when they get caught by their families (in what is one of the best scenes I’ve ever written), they simply have no choice but to pretend that they’re dating. Except Gabe is still planning to leave Michelle again. Cue the inconvenient emotions and extremely nerdy grand gesture!
Upcoming Events
I’m doing fewer events this year but I do have some coming up in NYC this summer, such as…
B&N Union Square’s Festival of Authors
Saturday, July 25th
33 East 17th Street
Romance Authors Session: 1pm-2pm
Local Romance Authors Session with TJ Alexander, Tashie Bhuiyan, Kat Cho, Alexis Daria, Zakiya N. Jamal, Timothy Janovsky, Steven Salvatore, and A. T. Qureshi.
Read Solstice Dream for free!
The official start of summer is right around the corner and I have a free Summer Solstice story! It’s a short, sweet, and delightfully cozy romance between a witch who hosts kids’ parties and the single dad who lives next door.
Signed Books
I recently stopped by The Ripped Bodice in Brooklyn to sign copies of the Primas of Power books and Take the Lead. If you want a personalized copy, you can order here. I go there once a quarter to sign.
What I’m Working On:
It’s been a brainstorming bonanza over here!
Brainstorming new ideas is my favorite thing to do. Revisions are where the magic happens, and some deep, dark part of me adores the grueling hyperfocus of drafting, but developing an idea from scratch is the most fun part of writing for me. And I’ve gotten to do a lot of that over the past couple weeks while I wait for edits on Secret Project.
When I brainstorm, my mind races down multiple pathways, seeking and discarding ideas, mashing them together into precarious combinations the way my child plays with Mega Blocks, and seeing what kinds of scenarios and solutions I can come up with. It’s fun and low stakes, and feels the most like playtime out of all the other parts of the writing process.
I don’t know what will happen with all of the ideas and outlines I’m generating. (Which is why I don’t discuss them early!) But there’s something to be said for reconnecting with the fun of writing. Or reading, or drawing, or puzzles, or cooking—whatever creative pursuit you engage in. There’s joy in finding the part of the process that’s most fun and indulging in it. It’s summer! It’s time to play!
What I’m Reading:
Craft books!
Don’t Call It Art by Austin Kleon
Kleon starts off by saying he never went to art school. Now, I did go to art school. Twice! In fact, earlier this month I went to my 25 year high school reunion, and let me tell you, it was a trip being back in the building, which HAS NOT CHANGED AT ALL. (NYC public schools, am I right?)
But it was a reminder of a time when I did art for hours every single day, both at school and at home, and everyone around me was engaging in their creative crafts as well. It was also wild to be with a group of people who are all the same age, from the same place, and went through this same formative experience together.
In my books, Gina and Natasha (in Take the Lead and Dance with Me) were dance majors at a high school based on mine, and in the Primas of Power lore, Jasmine from You Had Me at Hola went there as a drama major. Maybe they all attended at the same time and knew each other?!
None of this has anything to do with Kleon’s book, but I’m only on page 16. That said, I’ve read all of his others and enjoyed them, and I’m looking forward to this one too.
The Butter Blurbs Master Class and 7 Figure Fiction by T. Taylor
I’ve been working on my blurb-writing skills every day while reading The Butter Blurbs Master Class by Theodora Taylor.
(The “blurb” is the back cover copy of a book. Confusing, because the quotes from other authors praising your book are also called blurbs!)
At first, it was kind of frustrating. It’s surprisingly hard to answer questions like, “What makes your book good?” and “Why will readers like it?” in a concise and pithy way. But the more I worked at it, the easier it got. (Funny how that happens!) It’s actually been fun having the space to devote to learning and practicing a new skill. And it’s helped me zero in on the “buttery” (aka delicious and compelling) elements in three of my WIPs (works in progress).
7 Figure Fiction: How to Use Universal Fantasy to SELL Your Books to ANYONE is a reread, but it’s been nearly five years so it was time to revisit.
Romance!
I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend by Jessica Cage
This was very funny and perfect for fans of Kimberly Lemming’s Mead Mishaps series. Great in audio! (I also enjoyed Jessica Cage’s Ink and Magic podcast interview.)
The Anaconda Downstairs by Amy Award
And I’m continuing the Cocky Kingmans series. Currently on the 4th book!
Short romance stories
I’m specifically seeking out shorter works as study assignments for 7 Figure Fiction.
Never Have I Ever by Izzy Ravas
I’m halfway through this spicy MMF Christmas novella where the heroine gets with her best friend’s DAD and her other best friend’s older brother. ¡Qué escándalo!
Breaking the Bully by Jessa Kane
Not my usual trope but it was recommended for a Universal Fantasy exercise, and I could definitely see how those fantasies played out in the story, with a satisfying payoff.
Solstice Dream and All I Want for Nochebuena by…me!
I reread Solstice Dream for the first time in years and I was actually surprised by how cozy it was. That’s not a word I typically use to describe my own writing, but since it’s what I’m going for in Secret Project, it’s nice to know I’m capable of pulling it off!
My other intentionally cozy story is All I Want for Nochebuena in the Amor Actually anthology. I even write “Stay cozy!” on the story’s half-title sheet when I sign print copies. So I reread that one as well. I’ll admit I was almost too embarrassed to read it! At the time I wrote it, I felt like it was so spicy. But looking at it now, it’s actually less spicy than I remembered, and way more sweet. I guess I’ve written much hotter things since then! 😅
What I’m Watching:
Schmigadoon! on Broadway
Falon Ballard put it well in her newsletter: “This show has an identity—it knows exactly what it is and how it wants to make the audience feel…” I’ll add that Schmigadoon commits to the bit.
This musical embraces the ridiculous with intentionality, and includes some masterful moments of timing. The audience was locked in and laughing constantly. Betsy, played by McKenzie Kurtz, was an absolute scene stealer. (Check her out in “Corn Puddin’” below.) Isabelle McCalla shines as Emma, the schoolteacher, especially in the Act 2 opener, “With All of Your Heart.” (I love a big tap number!) Alex Brightman’s line delivery as the straight man Josh (originally played by Keegan-Michael Key in the TV show) was top notch, and it’s obvious why Ana Gasteyer received a Tony nom for her role. Also? These dancers are working hard. All I could think while watching was, “Give them alllll a Tony Award!” And then it won for Best Musical!
Masters of the Universe
I want to preface this by saying that I am exactly the target audience for this film. I’m a huge She-Ra fan. (As I draft this email, I’m currently drinking tea out of a version of this mug.) And I’ve watched a fair number of He-Man iterations over the years, including the original cartoon in the 80s.
That said, I kept my expectations low and went to the He-Man movie hoping for dumb fun and to see a himbo swing a big sword around. (No pun intended.) And it absolutely delivered on those fronts!
But this was one of those cases where it feels like the actors are all in different movies. Luckily, Nicholas Galitzine (Adam/He-Man) and Idris Elba (Duncan/Man-At-Arms) are firmly in this movie. They played their roles perfectly, and between them, they very nearly manage to carry the whole thing.
Still, it was fun and flashy, and I snort-laughed multiple times. It also made me want to revisit the animated series from 2021, Masters of the Universe: Revelation.
And if you, like me, are in your forties and remember the OG cartoon fondly, this “How did it get made?” oral history of the 1987 movie was interesting and includes a lot of details about the development of the toy line. (This article reminded me of the book MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, which offers a fascinating in-depth analysis of the Marvel movies and shows, which also have a deep origin in toy manufacturing.)
ANYWAY, that’s probably way more than you ever wanted to hear from me on the subject of He-Man (and trust me, I was reigning it in), so I’ll stop there.
Once again, this ended up being a lot longer than planned (and I even deleted a bunch of stuff!) so I leave you with a quick farewell.
All the best,
Alexis