How did you come up with the idea to use glitter bombs in your story?
Felix, one of the main characters in Head Over Feels, originally appeared as a very minor side character in my first book, Holding On to a Hero. I knew when I wrote his scene that I wanted him to have his own book someday. I’d planned for him to just have a long list of disaster dates, but then I had an idea of how to make things even more interesting. He’d go public with his dates in some way, and later his former dates would found out about it and want revenge. So I created his sister’s TV show and the story grew from there.
But I didn’t want the ex-dates’ revenge plot to be violent or destructive. And I didn’t want them to feel like super-scary stalkers. I was discussing the problem with MM author Lee Blair one evening, and I asked her to help me brainstorm ideas. She suggested the guys should connect with each other on TikTok, and then she asked me if I’d seen any glitter bomb videos. I was hooked, and the plot for Head Over Feels just unfolded in my head from there.
What’s up with the 80s music references in your book titles?
Well, if you couldn’t tell already, I love 80s music. The synthesizers, the over-production, the glam outfits, the big hair, the androgyny. Everything.
When I was writing Holding On to a Hero, one day I was listening to the 80s channel, as I tend to do frequently. Bonnie Tyler came on and it just clicked that my book had a hero in it, but the love interests weren’t holding out for him, they were trying to hold on to him. That was when I made 80s songs the theme of the series titles. In each book I have a character listening to the song the title is based on, just so there’s a connection.
Now when I listen to the 80s channel I’m always trying to see if I can twist the song titles into book titles. For the most part I write the book and when I’m ready to decide on a title I look at the list of potential titles I’ve already come up with. The right one usually just jumps out at me. But the reverse happened when I had to write a novella last year for the MM Class of 21/22 Giveaway on ProlificWorks. I couldn’t decide what story I wanted to write, so I looked at my list of titles to see if anything inspired me. As soon as I saw the title idea I’d written down after hearing Book of Love’s song I Touch Roses, I knew the story would be about a character exploring his bisexuality later in life. I still can’t say or write I Touch Hoses without laughing, though!
Coming up with a title for my holiday story was tough, though. I just could not find an 80s Christmas song that sparked a book title for me, especially because one of the characters has
some significant issues with the holidays. So after getting enormously frustrated with holiday song titles, I decided to expand my search to non-holiday songs. Tina Turner came through for me, and I ended up with What’s Santa Got to Do with It?. The companion short story will be called We Don’t Need Another Santa. I’d just gotten both covers back from the designer when Tina Turner passed away, and I’m so happy I can offer a little tribute to her this year.
I’ve got a long list of potential titles based on 80s songs, so I may have to use them for my next series too. At this point I’m not sure I’d know how to figure out what title to use for a book if it wasn’t based on a song.
Is your holiday story up next? When will it be out?
My next release is actually the short story I have in the Midnight in the Renaissance Elevator charity anthology, which will release September 1. All proceeds will benefit the Trevor Project. About 25 authors are participating, and we’re all writing stories inspired by the scary elevator at the hotel where last year’s GRL conference was held. Some of the stories, like mine, are contemporary, but others are paranormal and even horror. It’s going to be a fun mix. My story is called Stop Draggin’ My Heart Up and Down, and it features two brand new characters who are connected to my Bent Oak, Texas series and will show up as side characters in future books.
My holiday story, which I mentioned is called What’s Santa Got to Do with It?, is officially scheduled to be released in late December, but I’m hoping to have it out in November. One of the main characters is Steve, who we meet as a side character in Head Over Feels. He rescues a rabbit, which finally breaks the ice with his long-time crush. Hijinks ensue, as usual.
Next year I’m hoping to start a related series, but I will also continue to add to my Bent Oak, Texas series as well. There’s one character in particular whose story has been begging to be written for a while now. I just haven’t decided if he’ll be first or second in 2024.
Thank you so much for letting me talk about my books and my writing today! I hope you enjoyed Head Over Feels!
A luscious pet massage therapist, a gorgeous but grumpy ex-FBI agent, and glitter bombs gone deadly…
Malcolm:
I shouldn’t be jealous of my cat. I am, though. Her pet massage therapist (who knew that was even a thing?) is exactly my type. Smart, funny, and adorable with just the right amount of meat on his bones.
But a guy like that deserves more than a grouchy forty-something ex-FBI agent with a broken body and a screwed-up brain. I’m shocked when he offers a no-strings night together, though I don’t think twice before I’m all in.
I should’ve known better, because one night will never be enough. But before I can ask Felix for more, our awkward morning after turns explosive. And not in a good way
Now I just have to keep Felix alive long enough to catch the bomber. And to capture Felix’s heart.
Felix:
What would happen if everyone you’d ever dated got together and plotted against you?
For me, it’s glitter bombs. Lots and lots of glitter bombs.
Okay, maybe I deserved the first one or two. Or three. But I’ve learned from my mistakes and I’m a better person now. I definitely don’t deserve the latest bomb—this one isn’t made of glitter. Now I’m in hiding with Malcolm, the smokin’ hot older client I just had a sizzling one-night stand with.
Malcolm might be grumpy and prickly, but to me he’s also warm, caring, and romantic. My exes can’t hold a candle to him. But all that glitters is not gold. The bomber still wants me dead, and I’m pretty sure the police arrested the wrong guy.
If Malcolm and I want our HEA, we have to identify the real culprit. I just hope it all doesn’t blow up in our faces.
Head Over Feels is a low-angst MM contemporary romance. Come for the grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity (but there are two beds, sorry), hurt/comfort, and found family. Stay for the bombs (glitter and real), the 1985 Buick Riviera convertible, dreams coming true, atoning for past mistakes, game nights, a dead body, and an online date gone very, very, wrong. HEA guaranteed!
Warnings: PTSD symptoms, bomb explosion, off-page murder, recount of dog euthanasia
Amazon | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads
Bix is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card with this tour:
I was still furious at Jaime’s holier-than-thou attitude about pet massage therapy. Where did he get off thinking he could judge me? At least I’d be helping animals and their owners. He built skyscrapers for rich jerks.
If I winced a little thinking my ex-dates would have a very similar opinion about me if they found out I’d held them up for the world to laugh at, well, that was no one’s business but my own.
Crap.
Anger and guilt were fighting in my gut as I clomped up the stairs and down the hall, turning the corner to reach my apartment. A small box sat in front of my door. Usually the apartment complex sent an email when I had a package delivered, but maybe one of my neighbors had picked it up by mistake.
I checked, and it was addressed to me. Someone is thinking about you was plastered across the outside of the box on colorful tape.
Could it be from my grandma? Sometimes she sent cookies. I’d been planning to spend the rest of the night on the couch with a bottle of cheap vodka, but cookies would be a welcome addition to help drown my feelings. The night was looking up at last.
After dumping my wallet and keys on the kitchen counter, I rooted around in my junk drawer for a pair of shears to open the package with. Inside the outer box was another box tied with curly multicolored ribbon. Thinking of you, said the sticker on the lid.
Smiling, I lifted out the smaller box and tugged on the ribbon.
The box burst open. I flinched back and yelled as a shower of glitter exploded all over the kitchen. And me.
“Ugh!” I spat into the sink to get the glitter out of my mouth. I tried to wipe my face on my sleeve, but my shirt was covered in it too. Luckily I hadn’t gotten any in my eyes, but it was crusted on my eyelids and in my beard.
I swiped at my head to get it out of my hair. The glitter rained down on the counter. Silver glitter. Gold glitter. Red, blue, green glitter.
It covered the counter and the kitchen floor. I didn’t have to look to know it had spread over the opposite side of the counter onto the living room carpet.
Freaking fantastic.
I brushed my hands together to get the worst of it off, then I studied the remains of the box. A spring had powered the little explosion. I found a notecard underneath the glitter and pulled it out. One side of the card showed a drawing of a tree and proclaimed, Our glitter is non-toxic and biodegradable! On the other side someone had handwritten, This is the least you deserve.
It wasn’t signed.
I flashed to my ex-dates. Surely not. I mean, what were the odds they would’ve seen Felicia in the City, much less recognized themselves.
Shaking my head, I set about washing the glitter off my hands, cleaning as much as I could from the counter and the floor, then running my ancient vacuum cleaner over the living room carpet.
I couldn’t think of anyone I’d aggravated recently. Except Jaime, of course. Not to mention his boyfriend. But the timing wasn’t right. I snorted to myself. If anyone deserved a glitter bomb, it was Jaime.
The kitchen was as clean as it was going to get, at least tonight. I went into the bathroom and stood in the tub to take my clothes off. Biodegradable meant it could go down the drain, right? Showering was a relief. The glitter had been starting to itch.
After putting on a t-shirt and pajama pants, I flopped down on the couch. I was exhausted but too wired to sleep yet. Groaning, I heaved myself up again and trudged to the kitchen. After pouring myself a generous vodka with a hint of tonic, I shuffled back to the couch and sank into the cushions.
With the kitchen light on, the carpet sparkled from embedded glitter. The vacuum hadn’t done much to get it out.
I slugged back about a third of my vodka tonic, then I picked up
my phone to text Cal.
Me: My date was cheating on his boyfriend. And when I got home someone had sent me a glitter bomb.
Little dots appeared almost immediately, so I sipped my drink somewhat more sedately while I waited.
Cal: WTF, man? I hope u gave ur friend Cole shit about it. Do u know who sent the glitter bomb?
Me: I did and no, no idea. The note said “This is the least you deserve”
Cal: I hate to bring this up again, but how about those guys u dated who ended up on Felicia in the City?
Me: Marcie changed their names, and the show’s set in a different town
Cal: Well, I didn’t have anything to do last night, so I binged the first season. How many guys have model train tracks throughout their entire house and can’t sleep without it running? And how many guys show photos of their ex to their date and cry about him?
Well, fuck. Trent, the train guy, would definitely recognize himself. Or his friends would. And if you saw the episode with the guy crying over photos of his ex—who was very much alive, mind you—you might remember the appetizer in question was calamari. Something Marcie had kept consistent with my real date, since she liked how I’d described it as crying in the calamari. I hadn’t considered it might be a clue for Xavier to recognize himself on the show.
And none of the guys would have a hard time figuring out it was me who told their stories.
Me: Crap, you might be right
Cal: Well whichever of those guys did it, hopefully sending the glitter bomb got it out of their system
Me: I hope so
I rubbed my chest, frowning. Maybe letting Marcie pay me to use the stories from my dates hadn’t been the nicest thing I could’ve done.
Crap.
When Bix Barrow got an idea for her first book, it ended up turning into her second — and thus the first two stories in the Bent Oak, Texas series emerged. An aspiring author for most of her life, it took a foray into the MM romance genre to spark the steamy scenes and blazing banter Bix now weaves into her novels. Accompanying her on her writing exploits are her two dogs and multitude of cats (seven at last count). An avid traveler, Bix has started to view her expeditions as interviews for her future home. Born and raised in Texas, she is eager to move somewhere with fewer politicians, hurricanes and flooding. Connect with Bix at www.bixbarrow.com
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