Aloha to Codi Gary and THINGS GOOD GIRLS DON'T DO

I enjoy interviewing authors- it gives me the opportunity to discover things in common.  And I have something in common with my second guest today, Codi Gary.  She is celebrating the release of her full length book THINGS GOOD GIRLS DON'T DO in print and ecopy formats:


Good girls don't steal.
Good girls don't visit sex shops.
Good girls don't have one-night stands.

For Katie Conners, being a good girl just isn't worth it anymore. It used to mean getting the life she always wanted. But that was before she got dumped and her ex got engaged to his rebound. So, after a bad day and one too many mojitos, Katie starts making a list of things a girl like her would never do, not in a million years . . .

As a tattoo artist with a monster motorcycle, Chase Trepasso isn't the kind of guy you bring home to mom and dad.

And when he finds Katie's list in a bar, he's more than happy to help her check off a few items. Especially the ones on the naughtier side . . .

Katie's more than tempted by Chase's offer, as long as they keep things uncomplicated. But as they spend more time together, she may just wind up breaking the most important rule of all: Good girlsdon't fall in love with bad boys.

Kim:  We are nosy here at SOS Aloha. Tell us about where you live - what is your favorite sight, sound, and smell? 

Codi:  Hey, I am used to nosy! My mom has to know everything and asks more questions that a SVU Detective! Well let's see, I live in a tiny town in Southern Idaho outside of Twin Falls. At any time it can smell like a thunderstorm (airy, wet, humid, awesomeness), cows (especially on hot breezy days), and on really bad days, cat food (from the factory.) Luckily, my family and I live a little ways outside town, so the cat food smell doesn't usually get to us. It's quiet here, except right after the Fourth of July, when everyone is letting off their leftover fireworks and I can see rolling hills, flat farmlands, and mountains in the distance.

Kim:  Your home is a busy place with toddlers, neurotic cats, lovable dogs, and an outdoorsy husband. How do you fit writing romance into your schedule? Do you have a special ritual to write romance? 

Codi:  Um....no. There's no formula...no method to the madness that is my head or my life. It's basically, okay, my daughter has fallen asleep, I'll turn on a show for my son, pray no hair balls are hocked up, and write for as long as I can. I do most of my writing at night before my hubs makes me come to bed and on Sundays at my favorite coffee shop.

Kim:  From you are bio, you are a lover of all things Whedon, John Hughes movies, and country music. I love JH movies - what is your most favorite movie? And line? 

Codi:  Ohhhhhh!!!!! I love talking about JH! So, my absolute favorite is Some Kind of Wonderful (probably his least appreciated). I love the friends to lovers trope and Watts and Keith have great chemistry! My favorite line :-) "You break his heart: I break your face!" Hell yeah Watts!

Kim:  Who or what helped you transition from reading romance to writing romance? 

Codi:  I have always loved reading since I was three. It was an amazing escape, and I could sit forever with my books on tape and never leave my room. When I had a rough time in life, romance novels (which I started when I was 12/13) gave me this amazing outlet to this world of happily ever afters and love triumphs over all. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case in real life. I knew I had wanted to write books since I was eleven and I knew from that first Alien Abduction romance novel I wanted to write them. When life and the real world got in my way, I put my dreams on hold until one day I found myself in a new state, far away from friends and family, with no car, in the middle of winter and two small children. I was almost thirty, and I hadn't accomplished my dream. So I sat down and wrote. I wrote until six months later I typed The End and thought it was a masterpiece (it wasn't). Although, the novel that came out of those months of solitude will never be published, it gave me the town of Rock Canyon and all of it's characters. So I guess, the short answer is having less outside distractions? Besides my kids who were 3 and 15 months at the time. :-)

Kim:  What would you like readers to take away from reading THINGS GOOD GIRLS DON'T DO? 

Codi:  I would love for them to have a squeal worthy, happy feeling when they finish, because that was what I took from writing it. I tend to be a very bubbly, joking person, but there's also the side of me that cries at sad commercials, and I want people to grow attached to the characters I created with little bits of myself. And that no matter how flawed or how many mistakes we make, someone out there is going to love us in spite of that, unconditionally and forever.

Kim:  What's next for Codi Gary? 

Codi:  Besides eagerly awaiting my release?  :-) I am currently working on another Valentine's Day submission that I am really excited about, and the next Rock Canyon Romance is in with my editor for approval.

Mahalo, Codi, for this fun interview!   To learn more about Codi and her books, check out her website at codigarysbooks.com.  

How about you ... what's your favorite John Hughes movie?   Check out this link for a complete list of his creative efforts. 

My favorite is TRAINS, PLANES, AND AUTOMOBILES.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City