I’ll be honest. I hate when people ask me, “What inspired you to write this story?” It’s almost like asking a dog what inspired you to bark? It’s in their nature to bark, as it is mine to write or come up with stories. It’s what I do.
Inspiration strikes at the strangest of times, and it’s not just one event that inspires a story, but a multitude of events.
Sometimes my mind is dead. I feel like the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, If I only had a brain. (I’ll give you a moment to sing that little ditty in your head. Okay, moving on.)
Then other times, I can’t get the stinking thing (my brain) to shut off. I’ll see something, hear someone have a conversation, and something I see or hear will lead me down another path, then another, then another, and BOOM! Everything falls into place and a story is born.
JK Rowling thought up the idea for Harry Potter on a train ride. True story! Maybe that’s why Harry rode the Hogwarts Express to school? Who knows?
But, what I do know (and it isn’t much) is that my newest release, Text Me, was thought up on a treadmill at the gym. Text Me is a part of the Candy Hearts Romance Series with The Wild Rose Press. TWRP did a call for stories with candy hearts titles and “Text Me” began whispering in my ear so seductively, Write me. Write me. Then it started shouting, WRITE ME.
Okay, I can take a hint!
I jumped off the treadmill, jotted notes into my phone, and I’m pretty sure the water fountain at the gym inspired the whole interoffice relationship romance in Text Me. I always hear about coworkers gossiping around the water cooler, so I thought why not make it more office related? So I did, and it worked, and I liked it. I hope you do, too.
Text Me
When Erika’s ex becomes her boss less than a year after dumping her by text, she gets desperate to find a date to the corporate Valentine’s dance so he doesn’t suspect she still has feelings for him. Though not a fan of texting for the obvious reason, she doesn’t have much choice but to tap the keypad in order to gain the attention of the only viable candidate from the classified ads.
Grayson made the mistake of listening to his brother a year ago and has regretted what he did to Erika ever since. But his brother’s next suggestion just might be his salvation when he takes out an ad for a Valentine’s date…and Erika answers.
Using a pseudo name and keeping contact to text messages only, Grayson’s plans to make Erika fall back in love with him appears to be working…until the date of the dance draws near, and she pushes a meeting—face to face.
Excerpt:
Valentine’s Day.
She sank deeper into the couch. What was she going to do? She couldn’t show up alone to the company dance. Not with the chance of Grayson being there. No way.
“Maybe go to another speed dating session?” She grabbed a tissue off the coffee table and wiped the excess slime from her fingers.
“My hairdresser’s single. You want me to ask him?”
“Your hairdresser’s gay. I don’t think he’d be interested in me.”
“Really?” Megan gave her a funny stare.
“Really.” Erika snorted. “Have you not seen the picture of him and his ex-partner at his station?”
“That was his partner?” Her friend’s mouth gapped open. “I thought it was his brother.”
She shook her head. Her friend was one of the smartest people she knew, but common sense eluded the girl.
Megan popped more hearts in her mouth. “That explains so much now,” she mumbled around the candy. “No wonder my hair always looks good.”
“Yes, it does.” Erika sipped her wine.
Her friend swallowed. “Well, I’m sorry, honey. I don’t know any single guys. If I did, I’d try to date them myself.”
“That’s okay.” She sighed and slumped back onto the sofa.
“Is Grayson single?”
“I don’t know. Why are you asking?” She narrowed her gaze. “You want to date him?”
“No.” Her friend said “no” as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.
“I’m thinking about you. You wouldn’t go back out with Grayson again, would you? Please say no.” Megan’s shoulders sagged.
Go back out with Grayson. She never thought she’d be given another chance. Would she go back out with him after the way he treated her? Of course not. She deserved better, despite how wonderful he had been.
“I don’t think so. He really hurt me. I can’t give him that privilege again.”
“Good for you.” Her roommate perked up and patted her on the back. “Stay strong. You’ll find someone.”
“You’re right. I’m going to have a date for that corporate Valentine’s dance, even if I have to search the classifieds.”
“Surely, it won’t come to that.” Megan held up her glass for a toast.
Erika clinked hers with her friend’s. “Yeah, surely.”
Her roommate sat her glass down on the table and reached for more hearts.
“Here, give me one of those.”
“I love reading the little sayings.” Megan passed her a heart and tossed her dark hair behind her shoulder. “What’s yours say?”
She flipped over the candy to see the phrase. Bright pink letters stared back at her. Oh, you can’t be serious. “‘Text me’. Seriously?”
Megan burst out laughing.
“You would find that funny.” Erika popped the heart in her mouth and obliterated the little saying she had grown to hate so much.
Erin Bevan
Erin Bevan is a wife and mother of three. An avid reader, one day she decided to try her luck in writing stories of her own, and the idea paid off. She spends her days deep in the heart of Texas, fighting mosquitoes, cleaning dirty faces, and writing when the kids nap. If it’s a really good day, she even finds time to brush her hair.
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Twitter @ErinBevan
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