The Story Behind My Upcoming Book!!
I’m releasing a book this summer! *cue confetti*
Keep reading for the story behind it plus ALL THE DETAILS.
Enjoy!
The Story Behind the Story
Back in May of 2020 (you know, in the midst of quarantine craziness), through discussions with some writer friends, I had an idea. I'm not even sure what the discussion was about, but the idea wouldn't let me go.
One day, I woke up with the story writing itself. This happens to me from time to time, where I'll wake up in the morning and the scene is literally writing itself in my head. And it's usually compelling enough that I have to jump out of bed and write it down.
So that's what I did!
Over the next 11 days, I wrote the first draft of this book. I had a ton of stuff I felt piling on me at the time, and I needed an escape. This book was that for me. I've added a little more angst since then, to the tune of another 10,000 words, to make the story make sense, but this book was exactly what I needed at the time. Writing is my therapy, after all. (Like, seriously. I write my fiction similarly to how people journal.)
Want to know what the idea was?
I wondered how my characters from the Codex series got together. Not Kayla and Grady, of course, because they get together during the first book, but Mandy and Justin had been together for 3 years when we met them in The Secret of the Codex.
Yup. This book's about Mandy and Justin.
More importantly, it's the story of how they got together in the first place. And LET ME TELL YOU. These two are amazing.
Last year, for Valentine's Day, I did a video about tropes in my WIP at the time, The Prophecy of the Codex. I talk about not knowing Mandy and Justin's trope, so a few months later, I figured it out! (Here's the video if you're curious.)
Here are a few facts about it:
✨ It's a steamy, open door romance with strong language (intended for mature readers 18+)
✨ It's set 3 years before the Codex series starts at UCF (yep, there are college vibes — they are grad students, after all)
✨ There aren't any superpowers (because, you know, that's not part of their story yet 😉)
✨ It's got friends to lovers, fake relationship, unrequited love, and forced proximity vibes
✨ It's basically a rom-com with SO MUCH BANTER (it was so fun to write)
✨ You get to see some of the characters from the Codex series (is it possible to fangirl about your own book??)
✨ You meet characters that aren't in the Codex series (yet, maybe? 😏)
✨ You get to see Mandy and Justin both come into themselves a little, and it's sweet (though maybe I'm biased)
Plus, I learned that I'm basically Justin. 😂 But honestly, he was the one character of the Four in the Codex series that I didn't quite understand and that would get on my nerves a little from time to time. I mean, why was he always cracking jokes and making light of everything?
Well, I discovered why. And although that part's not quite like me (well, maybe not all the time...), the reasons he acts like that shows up in this book (and book 3 of the series, The Fall of the Codex, which I'm planning to release later this year), and yep. I'm basically him. So there's that.
I recently revealed the title and release date to the world, so I wanted to share it here as well! Enjoy!
Title: Honestly Always You
Release Date: August 24th, 2021
The cover is scheduled to be revealed next week, and pre-orders will be up then, too, so be sure to stay tuned!
Synopsis
College student Mandy Carlson has everything she’s ever wanted: a handsome, successful boyfriend, solid future plans, and a possible marriage proposal in the near future. But when her plans are abruptly derailed, the wise-cracking Justin Stanford is there to make her smile. He even suggests they pretend to date so she can sort out her feelings in peace, and she agrees on one condition: They promise to always be honest with each other.
Justin has had his eye on Mandy since freshman year. When she needs a friend, he steps in and does the honorable thing, but he can’t help but think their easy conversation and flirty banter is hinting at something deeper between them. He just worries he can’t keep his promise while keeping his true feelings for her a secret.
As Mandy recovers from her life-changing graduation weekend, she realizes the feelings she’s been faking for Justin might be real. But can she figure out how to let him in without getting burned again?
This fake relationship, friends to lovers, unrequited love steamy romance with rom-com vibes is intended for mature readers 18+. This story takes place three years before the events in the Codex series.
A Little Content Note
This book is a departure from the Codex series, for sure. It's got strong language, on-page sex, and it's in a completely different genre. But I've been loving romance books so much lately, I felt it was time to write one. I plan on writing in both genres (and probably more) going forward. If romance isn't for you, that's totally fine! I will still be writing books in the Codex series to finish that story out (and probably similar books in the future) because I love it so much. I just love to stretch my author wings a little!
If you're curious about why I started writing romance in the first place, I wrote a blog post about it! I haven't finished the book it's referencing, though I do plan to at some point! Honestly Always You just made more sense to release first.
Before It Releases…
If you haven't read the Codex series yet and want to meet Mandy and Justin and some more of the characters in Honestly Always You (Ahem, Grady), grab your copy of The Secret of the Codex! Just click here. There's definitely a romantic subplot, so you won't be disappointed if romance is your thing. 😊
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That’s it! Stay tuned for all the fun things like the cover reveal, pre-orders, and TONS OF BOOK TEASERS. (It’s kinda my thing.) (Remember, you can sign up here: https://www.melissafrey.com/sign-up — and you’ll get the first three chapters of my debut novel, The Secret of the Codex, as a thank you!)
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<3 Melissa
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