A year ago, that wasn’t me. Five days a week, I was schlepping off to my job, sitting in a dull gray cubicle, staring at a screen, writing computer code. I had a shitty uncomfortable chair, a boss who needed a throat punch, and a bunch of coworkers who were stuck in just as deep a rut as I was.
But in my spare time, I was writing a science fiction novel. I spent hours doing research, taking notes, drawing sketches. I would work late into the night, plodding away, word after word. The book kept getting longer, but I figured I would deal with that when I started revisions. Or maybe make it a trilogy. I certainly had enough material. More often than not, the sun would be staining the sky with color, and my eyes dry and gritty, before I’d finally fall into bed for a couple hours.
Only to get up and go to my shitty job.
To be fair, the sleep deprivation was probably not helping my attitude toward work.
I’d wanted to be a novelist ever since I was a kid. I almost majored in English, but my dad, ever a practical man, talked me into getting a computer science degree in case the writing thing didn’t work out. The problem is, that practical degree led to a practical career, which led to the soul-sucking existence I was wallowing in.
I didn’t see a way out. My job sucked. I was divorced, after a very brief and tumultuous marriage. My relationship status was basically I love women but I’m not interested in commitment. All I had was my writing.
But as much as I enjoyed the process, I knew deep down that it was more of a hobby than a career, at least the way I was doing it. Even if the finished product—if I ever finished it—turned out to be the best sci-fi epic ever written, it would take a stroke of luck to get it published and make enough money to quit my job. And considering I’d been working on it for years already, with no end in sight, it didn’t seem like I was going to write my way to a better life.
Until my sister, Kendra, said something that altered the course of my life forever.
Keep reading Book Boyfriend
Afterword
Dear reader,
I don’t know about you, but this was the book I needed.
I wrote this book at the tail end of 2020, and we all know how that year went. Jumping into this sweet, fun, sexy romcom was everything I needed. Writing it was nothing short of delightful.
Behind the scenes confession. If you’ve read Faking Ms. Right (don’t worry, no spoilers if you haven’t), you might remember Sophie appearing at the end of the book. But she wasn’t an original member of the Dirty Martini Running Club. So what happened there?
After I started writing Faking Ms. Right, I had this idea for a book with an “oops, we woke up married in Vegas” premise. The concept fit right in with the Dirty Martini world and I really, really wanted to write it. But it wasn’t Hazel’s story. And it wasn’t Nora’s.
Which was why I decided to introduce Sophie.
I knew that adding a friend to the group might be a little risky. Would readers look forward to her story? Or would it seem like she came out of nowhere? We do get to know her better in Hazel’s book, Falling for My Enemy. But would that be enough?
Regardless of how this book is ultimately received, I have zero regrets about bringing Sophie into the mix. This book was 100% worth it. Sophie’s hot mess express will always have a special place in my heart. And Cox? Where do I even begin with him?
Finding Cox’s voice took me some time. There were other concepts that got bounced around until I finally found him. And it was all in that Southern drawl. My husband looked at me over breakfast one day and said, “What if he sounds like Matthew McConaughey?” That was all it took. Everything about Cox suddenly clicked.
And I’ll totally admit I was listening to Matthew McConaughey’s book Greenlights (highly recommend, by the way) while I was writing this book, so I really had his voice in my head.
But Cox is his own man and I loved being in his head. He’s driven, successful, and cares deeply about the people around him. And when he falls, he falls hard. That’s my catnip, right there. I love it, every single time.
I hope you enjoyed Marrying Mr. Wrong and it brought you some happiness, maybe even when you needed it most. And in answer to your next two questions, yes Nora is getting a book, and yes, so is her brother Jensen. I have plans for both of them that you won’t want to miss.
Happy reading,
CK
Acknowledgments
Thank you to everyone who joined me on Sophie’s hot mess express!
Susan, thank you for jumping in and doing an excellent job editing this book, even though it made you hate me. #sorrynotsorry
And Erma, thank you again for helping find those last pesky typos and making sure Sophie didn’t go out without her panties again.
Kari, thank you for yet another adorable cover.
Nikki and Alex, thank you for being great brainstorming buddies and helping me work out the kinks. And that one suggestion (you know what I mean) turned out great, don’t you think? (*fans self)
To David for being your usual wonderful, supportive self and doing everything you do to take care of us.
And last but never, ever least, to all my readers for your love and support. I hope this was the romcom you needed right now.
Also by Claire Kingsley
For a full and up-to-date listing of Claire Kingsley books visit www.clairekingsleybooks.com
Dirty Martini Running Club
Sexy, fun stand-alone romantic comedies with huge… hearts.
Everly Dalton’s Dating Disasters
Faking Ms. Right
Falling for My Enemy
Marrying Mr. Wrong
The Bailey Brothers
Steamy, small-town family series. Five unruly brothers. Epic pranks. A quirky, feuding town. Big HEAs. (Best read in order)
Protecting You: Series Origin Story
Fighting For Us
Unraveling Him
Rushing In
More Bailey Brothers coming soon!
The Miles Family
Sexy, sweet, funny, and heartfelt family series. Messy family. Epic bromance. Super romantic. (Best read in order)
Broken Miles
Forbidden Miles
Reckless Miles
Hidden Miles
Gaining Miles: A Miles Family Novella
Bluewater Billionaires
Hot, stand-alone romantic comedies. Lady billionaire BFFs and the badass heroes who love them.
The Mogul and the Muscle
A billionaire and her bodyguard hot romantic comedy.
The Price of Scandal, Wild Open Hearts, and Crazy for Loving You
More Bluewater Billionaire shared-world stand-alone romantic comedies by Lucy Score, Kathryn Nolan, and Pippa Grant
Bootleg Springs
by Claire Kingsley and Lucy Score
Hot and hilarious small-town romcom series with a dash of mystery and suspense. (Best read in order)
Whiskey Chaser
Sidecar Crush
Moonshine Kiss
Bourbon Bliss
Gin Fling
Highball Rush
Book Boyfriends
Hot, stand-alone romcoms that will make you laugh and make you swoon.
Book Boyfriend
Cocky Roommate