When a struggling Broadway talent agent reluctantly agrees to represent a male stripper, she finds out there's more to her new client than oiled abs.
Season 1 of Strip in the City
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Today might be the worst day of my life. I just lost my biggest c...
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Hi everyone! 👋
Welcome to my very first writer reveal! These sporadically placed chapters will provide insight into my creative process behind this book.
If you're the kind of reader who wants a front-row seat inside my brain (I apologize in advance for all the cursing going on in there), then these reveals are perfect for you.
Some of them will be free, some will cost a few coins, but all will be as informative as they are entertaining.
If Dance Around It is the first book you've read by me, then welcome! This book takes place in the same universe as some of my other books (Sailing West, Riding South, and Bound South) but you do not need to have read them to understand this one.
So, I figured I'd kick things off with three fun facts about Dance Around It.
Fun Fact #1 I initially envisioned this story as a Christmas novella, and it was going to be called Blowing North.
And yes, I knew there was a pun there. I cackled about it with my writing friends for a long time. 😚
In this novella, I was going to write about West Tenney coming home from Christmas break at the Naval Academy, and *spoiler alert* still very heartbroken over Stella. As I was conceptualizing the story, I realized it just wasn't what I wanted to write. I wanted to give West a fun, happy story. So, there will be minimal pining over Stella in this book, as it takes place nine years after the events of Sailing West.
I hope all my #TeamWest fans will come over to #Mest or... #Marest or... #Weren lol. Maren + West's ship name still needs some work. Any ideas?
Fun Fact #2 When I was looking for a name for my new lead character, I was very aware that I have a "type" when it comes to girl names.
Amanda Cora Stella Leona Camilla
That's a whole lotta A endings. So, I wanted to pick something different. To me, Maren sounds like a girl who gets shit done and still has time to get her nails filled in, you know?
According to Wikipedia (which I know is a terrible way to establish credibility, but whatever) Maren is the Danish version of Marina, which I found rather cute. Especially since West spent a lot of time at a yacht club growing up and sailing boats from a marina. Maybe she can help him sail a new kind of career 😉
Fun Fact #3 I really wanted to write a book using the "worst day ever" trope as well as the "we can't fall in love because we work together" trope.
I think these two tropes really speak to the adult romance experience. It's really hard trying to establish yourself as a young professional while also wanting to find love.
I met my husband at work, and I remember experiencing this same conundrum.
Also, we've all had those days. You know which ones I'm talking about. The days when nothing seems to go right and all you want to do is run home, eat a pint of ice cream, and pet your cat. Unless that's just me 👀.
Even though Maren is a young professional and she certainly could have faced the embarrassment and taken a cab home in her see-through dress (which is a call back to the water spot on Stella's white shirt in Sailing West 😉) how sweet is it for someone to show her a little kindness on such a bad day?
Well, that's all I've got for today's writer reveal! Next week I'll be "revealing" my inspiration behind the Oiled Olive (which you'll read more about 🤣🫦).
It's quite funny, in my completely unbiased opinion.
Until next time, AJ
P.S. Here is a picture of the theater district that I took in July of 2022 on a trip to New York! I got to see Moulin Rogue and it was amazing!
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