Friday, February 6, 2015

Interview Stop on the RETURN OF THE BAD GIRL by Codi Gary Print Tour + #Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the RETURN OF THE BAD GIRL by Codi Gary Print Tour! Yes, it's now in PRINT! I’m so excited today because Codi is here with me to talk about all kinds of things and her Rock Canyon Romance series. If you haven’t read any of this series, and especially her latest, RETURN OF THE BAD GIRL, you must do so as soon as possible. Codi creates the most amazing and incredibly realistic characters ever to grace the pages of a book. If Rock Canyon were real, I’d want to move there. Feel free to check out my review of this fabulous romance by clicking HERE. Now on to the fun and be sure to check out the giveaway at the end.

So without further fanfare, please join me in welcoming Codi Gary, author of RETURN OF THE BAD GIRL, to Unwrapping Romance … 

Amy: Welcome Codi, it's an absolute delight to have you with us today, and I'd like to thank you for taking time out of your busy day to join us.  

Codi: I am so happy to be here, Amy, and thanks for having me! *gives Amy a big hug*

Amy: *Big Hug Back* It’s a delight to have you here, Codi. You already know I’m a huge fan of the Rock Canyon Romance, but perhaps you'd like to tell us a little bit about yourself for those who don't know you yet.

Codi: Sure. Hello, my name is Codi Gary and I'm addicted to TV, peanut butter and maple syrup on my waffles, and getting the mail...I like mail...
No, I'm kidding, although I do like all those things. I am a Northern California original who relocated to Southern Idaho, and I adore it here. I always lived in small towns, so when my husband took a job here three and a half years ago, I didn't have any trouble adjusting. I am a mother of two adorable human children and nine fuzzy ones, and I worked as a Veterinary Assistant for six and a half years in a cat only hospital. Am I rambling yet? :-)

Amy: Not rambling and the more you want to share, the better. Here at Unwrapping Romance, authors are rock stars! Which is why I can get kind of nosy. LOL! I'm always interested in what lures someone to be a writer. What, or who, inspired you and why did you choose romance?

Codi: As the youngest of seven kids and with a seven year age gap between my closest sibling and I, I spent a lot of time playing by myself. I used to spend hours making up tales about ants that were my pets, and lava filled pits of doom, but when I watched cartoons or listened to my books on tape, the ones with a touch of romance were always my favorites. When I was eleven, I told everyone who would listen that I was going to be an author someday, and when I stole my first romance novel off my aunt's bookshelf, I knew exactly what I wanted to write. My stories evolved from R.L. Stine type horror/suspense with a touch of romance, to handsome rakes and princes kidnapping their brides. I put my dream on hold and got into one adventure after another, working and falling in love, but I never stopped reading and loving romance.

Amy: I suspect our love of romance share similar beginnings and remains a lifelong crush. Imagination is a good friend and a great gift. Something you have in abundance as is evident in the fabulous town you’ve conjured in Rock Canyon. You've just published your fourth installment in the Rock Canyon Romance series, RETURN OF THE BAD GIRL. Your characters are true to life, their problems and their emotions touch readers because they're real. What inspired you to create Rock Canyon, and where do your character inspirations come from?

Codi: Aw, thank you, Amy! I appreciate that. Like I said before, I've always loved small town life, and I actually fell in love with the idea of Idaho after reading Rachel Gibson's THE TROUBLE WITH VALENTINE’S DAY years ago. After that, I devoured everything else she ever wrote, so when my husband and I were narrowing down where to move, Montana and Idaho were at the top of our lists. One night we were driving to Buhl, Idaho to visit some new friends. I remember passing through Filer, and then while taking the long way through Buhl (which isn't long at all) I got this idea in my head about what the town looked like, and when Rock Canyon came to me for the name, I wasn't thinking of a catchy series title. I just took in the scenery around us, and Googled to make sure there wasn't a real Rock Canyon. I wish there was a better story behind it.

Amy: Inspiration comes where it comes. I think that’s a great story. J

Codi: As far as my characters, all of them have bits and pieces of me in them. I can't help that. But I didn't want them to be perfect people who make mistakes, because that's not real life. We all have phobias, personality and physical flaws, and pasts we're trying to overcome. My characters can and will make major blunders and bad judgment calls, they will over react and they will make even me crazy, but don't we all do that? (And for those of you that never do, then that's awesome.) I have made a lot of mistakes and wanted to kick my own butt too many times, but I still think I'm a good person. My characters aren't really good or bad, that's not what the stories are about. It's more about how we let other people's judgments determine who we are, and it is sometimes worse when you're surrounded by people who have known you...well...since you were in diapers. But that we are still deserving of the kind of love that lasts...as rare as it can sometimes be.

Amy: Wow, that’s exactly what we get in Rock Canyon and I think that’s why this town seems so real. I’ve been able to relate to each of your characters on some level and now it makes sense why. I could be friends with all of your main characters and a few of the secondary ones too.
Is this the last of the series or can we expect more from Rock Canyon? Maybe an HEA for Ellie Willis? Do you see yourself ever writing something other than contemporary romance?

Codi: Oh, no, Amy! :-) I've still got more RC in me...it all depends on if the readers want more. I have a happily ever after for Ellie, AND Miss Know It All *grins*. I would love to try my hand at historical, NA, YA, and erotic romance but for right now, I've got two other contemporary series bouncing around in my brain that demand attention before I branch out.

Amy: Fabulous and I know I still want more Rock Canyon Romance. So glad we will learn who Miss Know It All is eventually. Cool!
By the way, my darling readers, the next book in the series is Callie and Everett’s and you get a teaser for it at the end of RETURN OF THE BAD GIRL.

Codi, if you're like every other writer, you're also a prolific reader. Who are your favorite authors and have any inspired your writing?

Codi: Well, I already said RG, but I'm a HUGE fan of JQ, Eloisa James, Caroline Brown, Johanna Lindsey, Lynn Kurland, LKH, Bertrice Small, Nora Hess, Elizabeth Lowell, Linda Howard, Lorraine Heath, Julie Garwood, Christina Dodd, and Catherine Coulter (in no particular order). Over the last year or so, I've been on a serious NA and Erotic kick, and love getting recommendations from readers too. :-)

Amy: Great list of favorite authors. Many are on my list as well and I think they’re all inspiring.
My last question for you is also my personal favorite. If you could be ANY character in ANY book, not necessarily your own - who would it be and why? 

Codi: Wow, that is...wait, no, I already know. Penelope Featherton from ROMANCING MR. BRIDGERTON by Julia Quinn. Colin will forever be my ultimate book boyfriend.

Amy: True love, indeed, and book boyfriends are always faithful. LOL!
Codi, thank you so very much for joining us today, and for sharing RETURN OF THE BAD GIRL with us. Congratulations on this amazing series, and I'm sure my readers are as excited as I am to read more from Rock Canyon. 

Codi: Amy, thanks again and thanks everyone, for stopping by to say hi!
Oh, and on top of RETURN OF THE BAD GIRL releasing in print, February is also my Bookiversary, and we are celebrating the re-release of the novella that started it all, THE TROUBLE WITH SEXY on February 10th. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and be sure to sign up for my newsletter on my website because we're having 30 days of giveaways going on now!
Thank you so much, and I am so honored that you like my books. I appreciate all the love and want to crush you in a serious bear hug when I see you!

Amy: Absolutely, Codi, and I LOVE your books. Congratulations on your Bookiversary and the re-release of THE TROUBLE WITH SEXY. One of these days, I’m going to be in the same room with all of my darling authors and it will be a major hug fest, I'm sure. xox

If you’d like to learn more about Codi and her amazing books, feel free to visit her website, sign up for her newsletter, and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, tsu, Tumblr, Instagram, and Goodreads. She’d love it!

Happy Reading Everyone!
Be sure to come back for THE TROUBLE WITH SEXY by Codi Gary Tasty Virtual Book Tour, February 9th through February 27th – my stop is on February 18th, and I’ll have a promo & excerpt for you.  

Buy Links for RETURN OF THE BAD GIRL by Codi Gary:


TOURWIDE GIVEAWAY

Bad girls don't forgive.

Bad girls don't forget.
Bad girls don't fall in love.

Caroline Willis may be known for causing trouble, but she is NOT about to become homeless. So when she learns that her perfect apartment has been double-booked—to a dangerously hot bad boy—Caroline's bad-girl reputation comes out in full force. He may be sexy as sin, but she's not afraid of him … or his panty-melting smile.

Rock Canyon's got room for only one bad attitude—and Gabe Moriarty was here first. Still, starting over means playing it smart, so while sharing his new apartment is less than ideal, it's worth getting his dream business off the ground. Not to mention that it means shacking up with a sexy wild child. Caroline may be giving him the cold shoulder, but Gabe always was good at starting fires …

Caroline vows to keep things professional with Gabe, but as close quarters begin to ignite the sizzling chemistry between them, she's left wondering: Bad boy plus bad girl equals nothing but trouble … right?


   

3 comments:

CrystalBee said...

Great interview, Amy!

Amy Valentini said...

Thanks Crystal! Codi is a fabulous guest. xox

Hiten Vyas said...

Hi Amy and Codi,

This was a wonderful interview. It's amazing how inspiration for our books and titles can come when we least expect it. Thank you.