Ask the Author: Alexis Hall
Answered Questions (91)
Alexis Hall
Thank you so much for your interest - I do re-release them semi-regularly in my newsletter. And I do have a longer-term to make them all into an anthology but that sorta depends on writing a few more stories for it.
Alexis Hall
Thank you so much for your kind words about my work. I ... I am always really nervous about claiming inspiration because I'm worried it looks like I'm trying to put myself on the same level as writers who are, frankly, better than me.
Alexis Hall
Oh thank you so much for your kind words about Ruin. I've never found a satisfactory way to release it because of the length but I do sometimes give it away free with my newsletter. I think when--in 86 gazillion years - I complete the full anthology of stories I can release the whole thing at that point.
Alexis Hall
Oh gosh, thank you so much for the kind words - I'm not sure what happened about this anthology, or if I even own the rights to the story. I will check, and if I do, try to re-release it somehow! I ... err ... I'd kind of forgotten about it.
Alexis Hall
Oh yikes, sorry to be rubbish ... but I'm not sure? I think that's down the publisher. I will ask though!
Alexis Hall
Well ... never say never?
I'd obviously really like to pick up Spires again at some point, but I haven't been able to find the right publisher for the series. Of course, I've got the option of self-publishing but I'm pretty committed at the moment so taking on an extra project probably isn't the best idea :)
I'd obviously really like to pick up Spires again at some point, but I haven't been able to find the right publisher for the series. Of course, I've got the option of self-publishing but I'm pretty committed at the moment so taking on an extra project probably isn't the best idea :)
Alexis Hall
Yes it is :) (assuming you mean male/male, rather than mass market).
Alexis Hall
Again, sorry for the slow response - I missed these questions. And thank you so much for the kind words.
For release in 2020, I've got the third book of the Kate Kane, Fire & Water, series coming in Feb (I think Feb?) and my romcom Boyfriend Material in ... July? (sorry I'm terrible about remembering my own release dates). And I'm hoping to release Kate IV, Smoke & Ashes, in Sept/October time.
For release in 2020, I've got the third book of the Kate Kane, Fire & Water, series coming in Feb (I think Feb?) and my romcom Boyfriend Material in ... July? (sorry I'm terrible about remembering my own release dates). And I'm hoping to release Kate IV, Smoke & Ashes, in Sept/October time.
Alexis Hall
Eeek, sorry for the slow response to your question and thank you so much for getting in touch.
In terms of audio-releases, I don't have much control over this, as audio rights to books tend to get sold to publishers along with the grab-bag of other rights you sell them at the point of contracting a book.
Usually publishers will sell those rights (yay), and audiobook production companies tend to prefer to do a simultaneous audio-release with the written book ... but sometimes it doesn't happen for whatever reason.
Since I own the rights to Pansies, the audio release is definitely definitely coming (February I think).
I'm afraid I don't know about Boyfriend Material because the publisher hasn't spoken to me about an audio-edition.
In terms of audio-releases, I don't have much control over this, as audio rights to books tend to get sold to publishers along with the grab-bag of other rights you sell them at the point of contracting a book.
Usually publishers will sell those rights (yay), and audiobook production companies tend to prefer to do a simultaneous audio-release with the written book ... but sometimes it doesn't happen for whatever reason.
Since I own the rights to Pansies, the audio release is definitely definitely coming (February I think).
I'm afraid I don't know about Boyfriend Material because the publisher hasn't spoken to me about an audio-edition.
Alexis Hall
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed The Affair of the Mysterious Letter. I did devise it as a standalone and so I'm afraid there aren't plans for a sequel at the moment but ... well ... I'd love to write one and never say never :)
Alexis Hall
Oh gosh, I'm so sorry I missed this question! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed Looking for Group.
I have, actually, poked my nose into Wow Classic because I couldn't resist - it's not a total nostalgia trip for me because I never actually played vanilla WoW, but it's charming my socks off.
It's also just got a really nice atmosphere to it because everyone who is playing Classic WoW *really* wants to be playing Classic WoW :)
I have, actually, poked my nose into Wow Classic because I couldn't resist - it's not a total nostalgia trip for me because I never actually played vanilla WoW, but it's charming my socks off.
It's also just got a really nice atmosphere to it because everyone who is playing Classic WoW *really* wants to be playing Classic WoW :)
Alexis Hall
Aww, I'm so happy you like Toby :) I don't have any plans to write a sequel to For Real, I'm afraid. I feel I left the characters in a good place. Assuming I ever find something to do with Dom's book there's a small glimpse of them in that, but it's only set a year or so into the future. They still seem very happy though :)
Alexis Hall
Thank you so much - I'm delighted to hear you enjoyed the series.
I'm afraid only three books were contracted with the publisher so I'm not sure what the future of that world will be, though of course I'd love to revisit it. I think Nathaniel, Bellerose, Ellery and George all have stories in them - and I could even spend more time with Ardy and Caspian. I think I left them in a good place but I'd like to see them navigating all that've learned, and building a life together. It's not necessary, I don't think, but it'd be nice :)
I'm afraid only three books were contracted with the publisher so I'm not sure what the future of that world will be, though of course I'd love to revisit it. I think Nathaniel, Bellerose, Ellery and George all have stories in them - and I could even spend more time with Ardy and Caspian. I think I left them in a good place but I'd like to see them navigating all that've learned, and building a life together. It's not necessary, I don't think, but it'd be nice :)
Alexis Hall
Oh gosh thank you :) I don't like to get in readers' readers about how to interpret my books - since anything is valid if it means something to you.
But the Ardy books have always had a fairytale vibe, a bit of Cinderella, and a bit of Bluebeard, as you note - and Caspian's "places" have also been a running theme. I always knew I wanted one of Caspian's final love acts to take Ardy somewhere personal, since C uses non-personalised spaces both as a kind of self-punishment and also to keep Ardy at a distance. And I thought it worked well as a reversal of the Bluebeard trope you mention, as well as contrasting ... cough ... strongly against another book of similar structure where the kinky hero's most personal place is his sex dungeon. And obviously it's fine for your sex dungeon to be your most personal place, but that wouldn't have been right for this book, and things I wanted to explore in it.
Plus, more prosaically I wanted to show Caspian truly understood how to make Ardy happy: that One Hyde Park or his cold penthouse wasn't the right place for Ardy. That he needed somewhere he could call home.
AND my inner imp of the perverse was really into the idea of having a billionaire hero living with his bf in a small-ish (though let's be very clear still insanely expensive) house in Notting Hill :)
But the Ardy books have always had a fairytale vibe, a bit of Cinderella, and a bit of Bluebeard, as you note - and Caspian's "places" have also been a running theme. I always knew I wanted one of Caspian's final love acts to take Ardy somewhere personal, since C uses non-personalised spaces both as a kind of self-punishment and also to keep Ardy at a distance. And I thought it worked well as a reversal of the Bluebeard trope you mention, as well as contrasting ... cough ... strongly against another book of similar structure where the kinky hero's most personal place is his sex dungeon. And obviously it's fine for your sex dungeon to be your most personal place, but that wouldn't have been right for this book, and things I wanted to explore in it.
Plus, more prosaically I wanted to show Caspian truly understood how to make Ardy happy: that One Hyde Park or his cold penthouse wasn't the right place for Ardy. That he needed somewhere he could call home.
AND my inner imp of the perverse was really into the idea of having a billionaire hero living with his bf in a small-ish (though let's be very clear still insanely expensive) house in Notting Hill :)
Alexis Hall
Thank you so much for the congratulations - I hope you enjoy Ardy's story :)
I know this probably sounds a weird ... but I sort of don't really think about books beyond the end of the narrative. I feel at that the point the story belongs to everyone, not just the writer. So my answer to those questions would be as valid yours.
I guess ... hmm. I'm not sure if they'd ever go back to Cambridge. I think they both might have too many bad memories of their time there, and while sometimes you want to over-write bad things with good ones, sometimes you just want to leave that shit in the past. And Ash is as self-conscious about his books as I am about mine (although I have much less self-loathing about writing genre than he does!) so if he did dedicate a book to Darian it would be in an oblique way that nobody would recognise (except Darian, of course).
I know this probably sounds a weird ... but I sort of don't really think about books beyond the end of the narrative. I feel at that the point the story belongs to everyone, not just the writer. So my answer to those questions would be as valid yours.
I guess ... hmm. I'm not sure if they'd ever go back to Cambridge. I think they both might have too many bad memories of their time there, and while sometimes you want to over-write bad things with good ones, sometimes you just want to leave that shit in the past. And Ash is as self-conscious about his books as I am about mine (although I have much less self-loathing about writing genre than he does!) so if he did dedicate a book to Darian it would be in an oblique way that nobody would recognise (except Darian, of course).
Alexis Hall
Thank you so much - this is so lovely of you <3
I feel sort of a bit bad I kept you up til 3 in the morning, but it's also a really wonderful compliment so thank you again :)
I feel sort of a bit bad I kept you up til 3 in the morning, but it's also a really wonderful compliment so thank you again :)
Alexis Hall
I'm so sorry but I don't think there's any way to make this private - I think GR displays all questions and their answers :( But thank you so much for your kind words about my writing - both fictional and otherwise. I would not be nearly as coherent in any tongue that was not my native one, so I have nothing but admiration for your command of multiple languages <3
Alexis Hall
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed For Real, and that it spoke to you. Sorry to be horribly unhelpful, but I try to avoid making definite statements about what parts of my books are drawn directly from life. I think most writing is a combination of sympathy, empathy and experience, and experience itself is so wildly subjective that I’m uncomfortable with the idea that just because someone can claim a particular set of experiences that means their perception of those experiences is somehow ‘realer’ or should not be interrogated. For example, I know for a fact that some people consider Laurie’s thoughts on the BDSM scene inauthentic for the exact same reasons you find them the opposite :)
Alexis Hall
Thank you so much for your kind words about I&V. I think the reason the physical editions are so insanely over-priced right now is because they're being used to money launder ... well they probably are, but I think it's because they're a few hold over copies of the previous edition and the new e-version isn't available yet. I don't know if Carina do PoD but I think they do?
Alexis Hall
Thank you so much for the kind words - I'm thrilled to hear you enjoyed GLITTERLAND. There's a mini sort of extra / epilogue called Aftermath included in the back of the book, but that's about as far as I've gone in re-visiting the characters. I know it's a bit unusual for romance but, in general, I tend not to go back to characters once their book is finished: I sort of feel like I've left things where it felt right to leave them, if that makes sense. Wow, that's a lot of nebulous feeling :)
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