Anniversary Shenaigans: Author Visit + Giveaway - Alexa Land


Alexa Land dropped by the stable today and she brought a surprise guest with her.  Can you guess who????


She's the Queen of Shenanigans, Defender of Gay Homosexuals, everyone's favorite grandma, Nana!!!!!


Ah, Nana Dombruso, heart and soul of the Firsts and Forever Series! She means well, and she loves her ‘gay homosexual’ boys more than anything. But things don’t always go as planned for Nana, especially during her cable TV cooking show. In this classic scene from Against the Wall, Nana makes a wedding cake for an impromptu Valentine’s Day wedding:

Bless your heart.  Nana, how do you get yourself into these situations?


“Ah, there are our grooms!” she exclaimed when she spotted Skye and Dare. “Come join us, boys, we’re about to make your wedding cake! We didn’t know what flavor you wanted, so we went with all of them! Jessie, you ready?” He smiled and nodded. “Alright kiddo, start stacking!”
Jessie and Nana worked as a team, lifting a series of twelve-inch-round Valentine’s Day-pink cakes and stacking them on top of each other as Nana explained, “Bakers charge a premium for wedding cakes, but it’s just a question of stacking, people! It’s so easy, anyone can do it! Now, I didn’t have a chance to custom order anything, so I just went with what they had at the bakery. Normally, you maybe want to use cakes of different sizes, but this’ll work. Once you finish building your cake tower, pipe on some frosting, slap on some fresh flowers and you’ve got yourself a wedding cake!”
“How big are we going, Nana?” Jessie asked as they piled on cake after cake.
“Big as you want!”
“This is pretty big,” Jessie said, looking up at the cake tower.
“We should cap it off with this fancy princess cake as a nice finishing touch.” Nana said, climbing up on a stepstool and hoisting up a rounded dome cake covered with pink marzipan. It was slightly wider than the cakes below it, and as soon as it was in place, Jessie stepped back, blinked at what they’d made, and said, “Oops.” Then he started laughing. Chance had his camera around his neck and started snapping photos as he chuckled delightedly.
“Oh shit,” Nana exclaimed as I doubled over with laughter, “we accidentally made a giant weenie dongle.” Shea was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down his face.
The huge cake dong started listing to the right and Nana grabbed hold of it with both hands. “Fuck a duck, Jessie, we forgot a key step! We needed to keep it stiff!” He was laughing so hard by this point that he had to lean against the kitchen counter to remain upright.
“It is really important to keep it stiff,” he managed.
“You were supposed to insert your wood! How could we forget that?” Nana told him. The fact that she was gesturing with her chin toward some thin wooden dowels was lost on her assistant, who was struggling to breathe.
The cake was leaning even further by now and she ended up hugging it and trying to heave it upright. Jessie collapsed on the kitchen floor, howling with laughter, and a chuckling Skye and Dare jumped in to try to lend a hand. They both hesitated though, unsure where exactly to grab the frosting-covered phallus.
“This is awesome,” Trevor said as he panned the camera across the scene before him, a huge smile on his face. Joshie wandered in just then, paperback in hand. He took one look at the chaos, shook his head, and left the room again.
Meanwhile, Nana teetered on the stepstool, trying to wrestle the cock cake into an upright position with both arms wrapped around it. “It looks like she’s trying to jerk it off,” Chance murmured as he chuckled and kept snapping photos.
“Quick Skye, hand me that thing on the counter,” Nana exclaimed.
She probably meant the dowel, but Skye grabbed a pastry bag filled with white icing and said, “This?” as he held the bag up to her.
Nana grabbed it without looking and reached for the top of the cake. She squeezed the bag too hard though as she lost her footing, sending a jet of white icing shooting toward the ceiling. It arced up and over, splattering the grooms. I laughed so hard that my sides hurt. Dare caught her easily as Nana fell off the stool.
“Well, that was a satisfying climax,” Shea quipped, still chuckling as he wiped tears from his eyes.

*****
Nana and her bestie.  Such fashionistas!


I’m hosting a Nana-inspired giveaway! To enter the contest, comment on this post and tell me what you’d like to see Nana do next, either in the kitchen or in general. One winner drawn at random will receive a $25 Amazon gift card. Be sure to leave a way to contact you in your comment, if you’re the lucky winner!

*****
About Alexa
Alexa Land is an independent author of gay fiction and romance. Her character-driven books include the best-selling Firsts and Forever Series, set in present-day San Francisco, which is currently at twelve volumes and counting. Who I Used to Be was published in August and is the most recent book in the series. Next up is Worlds Away, Sawyer and Alastair’s story, which should be out by the end of the year.

You can find Alexa Land:


On twitter: @AlexaLandWrites






Make sure to leave a comment below to be entered for a chance to win $25 Amazon gift card. Name to be drawn randomly.

Be sure to leave your email, Twitter handle or Goodreads profile link by no later than Midnight EST November 27th, so we can contact you. If there is no response within 48 hrs, another winner will be chosen. Good luck!



Don't miss entering in our month long unicorn giveaway here!

64 comments:

  1. Thank you for hosting Nana and me! :) Happy Anniversary!

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    1. We're always happy to have Nana (and Alexa) @ BMBR! ;D

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  2. Let's see...

    Nana had already arranged weddings, built her own cooking show & went to a gay bar which is really hilarious for someone like her (plus the fact that she indeed keeps on calling the not-so-stright characters as gay homosexuals. LMAO!) The first thing that came to my mind was a birthday bash followed by the idea of a flash mob. So, why not a FLASH MOB including her & a bunch of strippers doing a birthday surprise for one of the characters?

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    1. I like that idea! Thanks for playing along, James, and good luck in the drawing! :)

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  3. Ashley Wooward-KensingerNovember 20, 2016 at 12:35 PM

    Oh Nana!!! She is definitely a one of a kind character that I've never seen the likes of in any other book I've ever read! Honestly im not sure what I would like her to do next. She is epic and never disappoints in her shenanigans. Maybe run for Mayor. Stage another cockstock. Or protest of epic proportions against anti LGBTQ groups. Anything that Nana does will be amazing, no doubt!

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    1. All great ideas! Good luck in the drawing, Ashley! :)

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  4. Nana should host a charity event for LGBTQ youth and have her boys dress in drag and do a show.

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    1. She really should! Good luck in the drawing, Dena! :)

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  5. Oh, I'm not sure what Nana should do next. Maybe do something with or for the shelter. Or make a float for a gay pride parade. You can do a lot with that.
    parsley.randf@gmail.com
    Sheila

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    1. Funnily enough Sheila, in the book I'm writing now, Nana is actually opening a shelter for LGBT homeless kids, so your suggestion is dead-on. :) Good luck in the drawing!

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  6. I haven't read all of Nana's antics yet, vut I think staging protests against anti-LGBTQ laws and charity events for LGBTQ youth organizations would be fantastic.
    Jczlapin@gmail.com

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    1. That's all perfect for Nana, Jen! :) Good luck in the drawing!

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  7. Oh my! I want a Nana like that! Too funny (: I think Nana should do a charity event where she either joins in or ask people to knit something for the lgbtq community, such as clothes, decor , or even a stuff animal of some kind. Then try and auction it off to raise money for charity. I think if joined in or even asked people would join. You can't say no to Nana!

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  8. Oh my gosh, I would love for Nana to corner a local leader about his hateful anti gay rhetoric nnd provide him an education. But in her big hearted way that would make him considers seeing a different view point. hdmartin88@yahoo.com

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    1. I keep fantasizing about her doing that with a a few real life political figures, LOL! :) Good luck in the drawing, Heather!

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  9. We all love nana happy anniversary hun xx

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  10. I think Nana should organize Coming Out Day and have as much houses as possible decorated in Rainbow flags and such.
    Tankie44@gmail com

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    1. That would be glorious! :) Good luck in the drawing, Tan!

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  11. I think the boys should take her to a benefit drag show for the shelter...where she'll discover that one of the performers is dressed like her (perhaps as GRINDma Nana?) and doing a whole routine in her honor! Then she gets invited onstage, where they either get really sappy (maybe "I Got You Babe"?) or faux-catty as they try to one-up each other to the audience's delight...

    --Trix, vitajex(at)aol(Dot)com

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    1. LOL! Great idea! :) Good luck in the drawing, Trix!

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  12. Argh! I love Nana! I have yet to read the latest two books in the series but that's just because my TBR is so long! But they're not too far from the top! I love the series and Nana is freaking hilarious! Love her.
    I think I'd love her to get an endorsement from an agency or an invite or something and visit a new city or goes on tour with her entourage of nanas and ends up holding a parade or having a cross-country tour with more and more people joining in that gets out of control and the agency loves her but is floundering along in her wake. Lol
    or maybe something to do with the current political happenings in America. Maybe have certain figures be guests on her show and have her question and embarrass them with her brilliance. Would love that ;)
    Can't wait to see what she does next! And re-read the series! :D
    -------
    Liz (e.marshall@ymail.com)

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  13. I like the benefit drag show idea that a few others have mentioned. Also, protesting would fit right in with current events.

    jen(dot)f(at)mac(dot)com

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    1. In my WIP, Nana takes on a local politician, which is a stand-in for the current national political situation. I think we all need to live vicariously through her right now! :) Good luck in the drawing, Jen!

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  14. Although I haven't read all the books, I like all the ideas so far, like the charity event for LGBTQ yough and the opening of shelters. Any way to help is the best, in my opinion. =)
    serena91291@gmail.com

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    1. I like those ideas, too! :) Good luck in the drawing, Serena!

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  15. Oooh, this is a hoot!! I couldn't think up what else Nana could do (it seems I'm not creative in shenanigans and stuff). But I would love to hear ...read, more! You know what I mean. :)
    Thank you for this awesome post.
    puspitorinid AT yahoo DOT com

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    1. More Nana is on the way in my work in progress! :) Good luck in the drawing, Dee!

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  16. She needs to go to a Trump protest!!! Can you imagine?!

    @kmisevich

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    1. I'm introducing a fictitious local politician in my WIP, inspired by current politics. :) Good luck in the drawing, Kim!

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  17. I think Nana could host a bar b q.
    debby236 at gmail dot com

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    1. She'd like that. :) Good luck in the drawing, Debby!

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  18. I couldn't think of anything that Nana could do since I'm not a very "hoot" person. But I think Kim's idea is good, maybe go to a Trump protest would be awesome? amie_07(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. I like the protest idea, too. :) Good luck in the drawing, Ami!

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  19. Love Nana! I think all of us wish we had one like her of our very own. I look forward to her antics as much as each new couple. You've grown a beautiful family. I was reading the books in this series back to back when I found the picture above on Pinterest. My first thought was "Nana!" LOL Everything I have thought of for her next adventures have been mentioned already. Drag Queens, Benefits, a shelter... And especially taking on a hateful politician, one mirroring current events. Can't wait for the next in the series!
    flutterfli01 (at) yahoo (dot) com

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    1. Flutterfli, thank you so much for this message! I'm so happy that you've been enjoying Nana and the series! :) Good luck in the drawing!

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  20. Nana at a BINGO game...with BINGO edging! ;)

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    1. BAHAHAHA! I need to work that into a book! :) Good luck in the drawing, Paige!

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  21. Nana is such a fun character, I love reading her in the stories. She's a tad outrageous but it all comes from the heart and she means well.

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    1. I'm glad you're enjoying Nana, H.B. :) Good luck in the drawing!

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  22. LOL! I love Nana. Whatever she does or gets involved into, I will read. She's great!
    susanaperez7140(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. I'm glad you're enjoying her, Susana! She's a lot of fun to write! :) Good luck in the drawing!

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  23. God I love Nana so much. Could you imagine the trouble she could get into on a ski trip?! Nana and snow sculptures... ummmm what could go wrong??
    Aislinn_wolfsong (at) yahoo (dot)com

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    1. Nana on a ski trip is a great idea! I can just imagine the shenanigans! :) Good luck in the drawing, Aislinn!

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  24. Where Nana's concerned, the possibilities are endless! Personally, I'd love to see Nana run for public office. How satisfying (and fun) would it be to see Nana debate a homophobic opponent!
    syltim(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. That would be fun! :) Good luck in the drawing, Cylver!

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  25. I love Nana and always look forward to reading about her in your books! I'd like to see a showdown between Nana and her posse against some drag queens. Or Nana spreading the love to shelter dogs and cats in an adoption or fostering event. But whatever she does next, I'm sure it will be great fun!

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    1. Great ideas! :) Good luck in the drawing, Cecille!

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  26. I don't really have any ideas for what Nana will do next, everything she does keeps me laughing! Thanks for the fun...
    dancer2234@gmail.com

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    1. I'm glad to hear she makes you laugh, Chris! :) Good luck in the drawing!

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  27. I love Nana so much, she's amazing! I'd love for her to go to one of those food and wine festivals and let all those fancy chefs know how to really cook! <3
    jenndonald00(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. LOL I love that idea! I could just see her turning the festival upside down! :) Good luck in the drawing, Jenn!

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  28. I've been hearing a lot lately about Cards Against Humanity so maybe Nana could teach her friends how to play? I dunno, I'm not very creative either & so far everyone else has had really awesome ideas for Nana.
    legacylandlisa(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Oh man, that'd be hilarious! When I played it, I had to be the one to explain all the dirty terms to my friends, LOL! I'd love to see Dante trying to explain some of that stuff to his grandmother. :) Good luck in the drawing, Lisa!

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  29. I want Nana to go on a TV show like Tosh.0 She could probably run circles around a host that was trying to make her look silly with her often diabolical wit and manipulation.

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    1. I can totally see that! :) Good luck in the drawing, Alicia!

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  30. This was so funny! I have several of the books in the series but just haven't gotten around to reading yet. Now I must know more about Nana. I'm not really sure what shenanigans she's already gotten into, but it'd be fun to see her on the The Ellen Show. She might just steal this show. :)

    waxapplelover (at) gmail (dot) com

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  31. Nana and her bestie should discover cart racing and then set up a charity event for homeless boys using there new hobby of cart racing.

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  32. I would love to see Nana help with a diversity lesson with say kindergarteners or a sexaul diversity college level class or as a dance chaperone for the greats...Nana reminds me of the love my Oma showered us with. sativatimothy(at)gmail (dot)com

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  33. I love the shelter and the drag queen ideas already suggested--great way to incorporate new characters that Nana can take under her wings. I really enjoy this series. Thank you! dena dot jones13 at yahoo dot com

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  34. Thanks to everyone participating and for the wonderful Nana ideas!

    This giveaway is officially over and the winner has been contacted!

    Thanks for visiting BMBR (be sure to enter all of the other giveaways!!!)

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  35. I just love Nana! I think she should get in a feud with a homophobic TV chef (either local or national) and have a cook-off with appropriate shenanigans as well as a lesson in tolerance Nana style. dana dot armstrong at gmail dot com.

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