How Sexy was Written…
When I saw AVON was looking for new authors to write stories with a Valentine’s Day twist, I was excited, but also a little stumped. I haven’t always had the most romantic (or awesome) experiences with Valentine’s day so I thought about what I usually do on a day so focused on lovers…think…think…
Watch a romantic movie. Eat ice cream. Sob pathetically. Maybe not in that order.
Granted, my Valentine’s Days have improved since getting married, but I still remember watching all the happy couples when I was single; holding hands, kissing, and the girls gushing over their huge bouquets of roses that cost a fortune, telling myself I didn’t care, it was a stupid holiday anyway, and who wanted to celebrate love on a day when a bunch of people got massacred?
ME. I did. I wanted the flowers and the chocolates and…EVERYTHING!
I always like to write a short summary of my stories before I start, and my character outlines. I decided that I’d take a little bit of my pessimism and bitterness and incorporate them into my story.
So now I had my heroine’s idea of Valentine’s Day; hate with a touch of envy. Why is she single on the big day? Well, there’s something about a red headed heroine that always gets me (maybe because they’re usually such a firecracker) and she just has horribly bad luck with men. She’s socially, romantically, and fashionably awkward. Ladies and Gentleman, I give you Ryan Ashton (Oh and heroines with boy’s names are ROCK STARS).
So what type of hero makes such an odd duck’s heart go thumpety thump thump thump?
Bring in the hot boss! He was hiring another photographer, and photography is the only thing that really brings Ryan out of her shell. He’s a good guy that always finishes last, and is the only one who sees all of Ryan’s excellent qualities without an ounce of make up or a trace of sex appeal. He’s tall, he’s tan, and he’s got a body to drool over. But he’s still just a regular guy, with a regular job, so I gave him a regular name: Gregg Philips.
Why haven’t these two hooked up already?
Mixed signals play a big part, but being comfortable with each other is their biggest problem. I need to shake up these two and trigger Gregg to make his move.
Every girly-girls favorite word: MAKEOVER!
Yes, I’m a total cliché when it comes to romance. I love stories of ducklings to swans, friends becoming lovers, and that one big, public moment when the hero forgets there are people watching and he declares himself and his love.
Sigh. Squeal. Repeat.
Of course no story is complete without the antagonist, Chase Crawford, the new tattoo artist in town or the Fairy Godmother (or in this case, well dressed barista) Gracie Lou McAllister. Ryan grows into herself with Gracie’s help, Gregg gets a little friendly competition for Ryan’s heart, and I got to have a lot of fun giving these two a happily ever after! I hope you enjoy The Trouble with Sexy, a part of Kiss Me: An Avon Valentine’s Day Anthology!
Pucker up on the most romantic day of the year with three debut contemporary authors and their tales of romance, seduction, and Elvis?
She’s got a hot new makeover . . . and a boss to seduce! For prim and proper Ryan Ashton, sexy has always been an elusive quality. But with a little help from a new friend, she just might snag the one man who can set her seductive side loose in Codi Gary’s The Trouble With Sexy.
Stuck in a king-size suite with a sexy man . . . What more could a girl want? But for Julie Dillon, being snowed in at an Elvis-themed Memphis hotel with Luke Pearce can’t mean anything but trouble. Too close for comfort gets close enough to taste in Cheryl Harper’s Love Me Tender.
Her best friend’s brother is shaking up her Valentine’s Day! Katie Quinn just wanted to spend the day watching Jurassic Park and eating chocolate. She certainly had no intention of running into Logan Cross—or running for her life! Suddenly caught in the crosshairs of danger, Katie and Logan must get together to find a way out in Jaclyn Hatcher’sLove, Guns, and Heart-Shaped Chocolate.
Learn more about Codi here:
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Hey Kelly,
Thanks for letting me guest blog! I’m so excited about Kiss Me’s release tomorrow I accidentally entered my own book sweepstakes…I guess I should REALLY drink my coffee before I comment, huh? 🙂 I’ll be checking in through out the day, so if you or anyone else has any questions, feel free to ask!
Thanks Again,
Codi Gary
OMG Codi, you’ve sold me! This story sounds right up my alley since friends to lovers stories are my favorite 😉 Add in the makeover, and I’m done, lol. I am such a sucker for that moment you described – suddenly the Hero sees his love interest in a whole new light and everything around him just stops as he looks at her.
Congratulations on the release, I wish you much success ♥
Alyssa,
Thank you so much! Blogging always makes me a bit nervous and thank you for the wishes. I hope it’s a hit too! 🙂
Best,
Codi Gary
Fun guest post – and yes as a single woman sometimes Valentines Day can be a bit much! Love the sound of The Trouble with Sexy. Thanks for the giveaway
Thank you so much, Maria! And good luck 🙂
Sounds and looks like a very interesting read.
Thank you so much!It was a lot of fun to write 🙂
Thank you for the interview & book excerpt, this is going to be an amazing read! Friends to lovers, especially close friends that progress always makes for such an emotional read. Thank you for the chance to win 🙂
Christy,
Awww thank you so much, I hope you like it! Friends to lovers is my personal favorite too! They make the best love stories!
Good Luck!