Welcome, friend! Today I am chatting with author Cori Cooper about her book, Ways to Improve Bailey. This is a Romantic Comedy that I am excited to get to. Let’s welcome Cori and learn more about the book!
Get to know the author: Cori Cooper
Welcome Cori! Tell me and my readers a bit about yourself!
Hi Kriti! I just wrote a new author bio for my upcoming book release. I’ll give you that!
Cori Cooper lives in the magical Arizona Mountains, which she’s pretty convinced is the setting for all the fairy tales.
Besides writing stories and daydreaming about ridiculously poofy dresses with sparkly glass slippers, she adores hanging out with her family, playing board games as long as she doesn’t have to read the instructions, watching Jane Austen remakes unless they are too modern, baking without recipes which means frequent kitchen fails and collecting fuzzy knees socks that don’t match.
What inspired you to write this book?
I love Fairy-tale remakes, they are totally my jam. I went through a phase where I brainstormed a boatload of modern-day fairy tale remakes. Bailey is one of those, but I won’t tell you which fairy tale because I think it will be more fun to discover it for yourself as you read. 🙂
How long did it take you to write this book, from the first idea to the last edit?
About two years. I wrote it early 2021, submitted it to my publisher late 2021 and it comes out April 2023.
What makes your story unique?
I have this theory that it’s impossible to make a romcom unpredictible. I think that’s why we all love them so much, because you know people are going to end up together and it’s so squishy adorable. That makes it tricky to write one, because I do want it to stand out a little, at least. So, I’d say what makes Ways to Improve Bailey unique is Bailey. She is a super fun narrator, soooooooooo sassy. Her voice telling the story makes it fun and different.
Who would enjoy reading your book?
I write all my books so they have the potential to be fun and enjoyable for all ages. Obviously not everything I write is going to be everybody’s jam, but content-wise, anyone could read them. Bailey is early college age, so it won’t be super relatable for younger readers, they may not enjoy it all that much. Otherwise, I think anyone who loves a romcom will love the story.
What’s something you hope readers would take away from it?
The theme running through my brain while I wrote was that everybody deserves a chance to be more than what they look like and everybody has something going on that is heavy and hard. Usually -especially- the people who look like they have it all together, are the ones who need grace the most.
Do you have a favourite quote or scene in the book that you find yourself going back to?
I really love the end scene in San Diego, it’s my favorite part. I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil it! I just think it turned out so dreamy. 🙂
You have written a number of novels. How is this book different?
My other published novels, the Bake Believe trilogy, are early young adult contemporary fantasy books. Magic happens and so much teenage angst. This book is more mature, I hope, and magic-less. 🙂
What is something you have learned on your author journey so far?
Oh, there are soooooo many things! But the most important, the best nugget for a YA or MG author, is when you write from the perspective of a kid, you have to stop thinking like an adult!! I like to watch high school movies, mostly Disney originals, to infiltrate my brain with all things teen. It really helps me make that shift when I write.
What’s the best piece of advice you have received related to writing?
I don’t remember who told me this, but my favorite advice is to have my own back. To me this means I have to believe in my stories even if it seems like no one else does. I don’t give up on them, I keep going until I reach my goals. I’m pretty convinced the key to success in this industry is to never never never give up. If you never quit, you never fail.
If you could give a shout out to someone(s) who has helped in your writer journey, please feel free to mention them below!
Again, so many people, but I really want to give this shout out to Staci Olsen, my acquisitions editor at Immortal Works. Not only did she acquire my first novel and make my publishing dream come true, but she continues to encourage me and give me those valuable boosts of confidence that keep me going when I get laggy. She’s so very very awesome!
Ways to Improve Bailey
Bailey has just about had it with her brother and his stupid list of ways she needs to improve, especially when that list is the reason she’s stuck going on a date with the weirdest guy at the Froyo shop: Tanner.
But the date— and the guy, for that matter—, turn out to be very different than Bailey expected.
As Bailey and Tanner get to know each other better, Bailey is forced to face all those imperfections she’s been ignoring for years.
There’s no doubt she has what it takes to get over herself.
The question is will she do it?.
Content notes: none declared by the author.
Book Excerpt from
Ways to Improve Bailey
The bell over the door rang, signaling a new customer into Froyo. I prepared myself with a greeting, because Froyo is a place for friendly people, or whatever, and because I was super grateful for the interruption. Then, I saw who it was.
“Oh, hey, Tanner.” I tried to muster a wave, but it flopped down to my side without any real substance to keep it up.
Tanner’s eyes darted around the empty store, resting on my face for the barest second before moving on to something else. He let the corner of his mouth quiver into a smile. Or a smile-ish thing. To me, it looked more akin to the face people make when they are standing in line at the MVD.
He focused on the corner booth and made his way there, through the maze of tables and chairs, as though someone were reeling him in on a line.
“Does he come here everyday?” Marnie leaned forward to whisper. “I mean, I feel like I’m here a lot and he is always here when I am.”
I waved my hands in front of my face, used my creepiest voice, and slowed the words to build suspense. “Every single day. Like clockwork. At the stroke of two. In he walks. He sets his laptop at the corner table, turns it on, and while the computer loads he swirls a medium vanilla cup with…”
“Strawberries, please.” Tanner dropped a cup onto the scale next to me.
I gave Marnie a knowing look as I reached for the long handled spoon resting in the container of strawberries. I scooped one spoonful on top of his plain vanilla yogurt and with my other hand, pushed the button to turn on the scale.
“Ten ounces on the dot.” I said. “That will be…”
Tanner set a ten dollar bill on the counter and scooted it toward me. “Keep the change.” He said as he took his cup. His total was always the same. I don’t know how he did it, but every day he swirled precisely ten ounces, which rang up to exactly five dollars.
Then he gave me a five dollar tip.
That’s the only reason I put up with his weirdness.
I exchanged the ten for a five and then closed the cash register drawer with a slam. Tanner jumped slightly, but didn’t look at me. Instead he chose a spoon and a napkin, then made his way back to the corner table and his beloved screen.
I shook my head as I stuffed the five dollar bill into the sad, empty tip jar.
Marnie let out a slow breath, “wow.”
“Right?” I reached for a rag to wipe the counter, even though nothing had spilled. I only did it so I could tell Keith the truth when he asked me later if I’d cleaned up between customers.
He was such a nagger.
“So, does Tanner just sit there, like that, every day?” Marnie asked. Her neck was craned to a strange angle as she tried to stare at Tanner without being obvious about it.
I nodded, “every single day, for hours and hours. I have to keep rotating the chairs at that table so his booty doesn’t mold into the plastic.”
Marnie covered her mouth to muffle the giggles, but she didn’t need to. The frozen yogurt machine could have unplugged itself from the wall and started salsa dancing across the tile in a bright pink bikini and Tanner wouldn’t have budged. Once he got in the zone, of whatever it was he did over there all day, he was like a piece of furniture. In fact, I think I accidentally dusted him a few times.
It wasn’t a big deal, he probably needed a good dusting.
“I wonder what his story is.” Marnie leaned forward on her elbows, eyes dancing.
“His what, now?”
“His story!” Marnie wiggled closer to me. “Everyone has one. Do you think he might be an underworld spy?”
I opened my mouth, but stopped myself just in time. I often had to do that. I always forgot that Marnie didn’t have a sarcastic streak, like, at all. She literally meant everything she said. So, in all seriousness, she sat there imagining Tanner in a James Bond suit dangling from a helicopter.
“He looks lonely. Do you think he’s lonely? I’m going to match him. What goes with strawberries?”
I didn’t even want to know. The thought of someone hooking up with Tanner really did make me want to do some yakking, but not the kind Keith was talking about.
I scrubbed at a black mark on the corner of the counter. I was really giving it my all when I realized it was a scratch, not a stain.
“Whatever,” I mumbled and tossed the rag into the sink. There had to be a subject I could distract Marnie with that didn’t have to do with Todd or Tanner. With this honesty thing hanging over my head, I needed a neutral topic. I’d scar Marnie for life if I told her I thought Tanner was a badly dressed, routine obsessed, freaky screen addict.
Apparently Marnie and I couldn’t talk about anything except candy and swimming without me needing to tell lies. Anything that required my opinion was totally off limits.
Tanner scooted his chair, making it screech obnoxiously in the silent room. “Sorry,” he said, absently.
I assumed he was talking to his computer screen, since that’s what his eyes were glued to.
“I wonder why he comes here all the time?” Marnie murmured.
“No idea.” Also – didn’t care.
“Hmmm,” Marnie turned to me with bright eyes. “What do you like on your frozen yogurt?”
Oh no.
Nononononononononono. She was so not about to match me with Tanner! I’d never been so insulted in my entire life and I lived with a brother who lived to insult me. He had a neon green list on his bedroom wall of things I needed to change. It was even titled ‘Ways to Improve Bailey.’
I only wish I was joking.
Marnie appraised Tanner discreetly for a couple seconds. “He’s cute,” she offered.
“Sure he is, Marnie. The two of us can get married in the shire and raise our family on the trek to Mordor.”
“What?” Marnie’s face went blank.
I lowered my voice even more and leaned forward, “don’t you think he looks like a Hobbit?”
“He’s not short, or fat, and I’ve never seen a Hobbit with a beard,” she said, after much deliberation.
I waved her words away with my hand. “Look at his hair, it’s all curly and longish. He’s, like, Frodo’s twin.”
Marnie shifted in her chair, “I don’t know, maybe.”
I let the subject drop. It’s not necessary to convince someone of something when you already know you’re right. “Doesn’t matter, even if he looked like Zac Efron under all that facial hair, it’s still not happening.”
Marnie’s face drooped, “okay, not Tanner, but someone else. I really think you need someone.”
“Whatever, Marnie, I go out all the time.”
“Just on lunch and dinner dates. You need something dependable, a relationship.”
“Hey, aren’t you going to be late for work?” I stuck my watch in her face and tapped it with my finger.
“Oh! I better run.” Marnie pulled the strap of her purse up on her shoulder. “But, before I go, I need you to tell me what you like on your frozen yogurt.”
“If you don’t leave right now, you’re going to be really late.” I wiggled my watch to make it look more urgent.
“Okay,” she sighed.
Interested?
Thank you for hanging out with us today. Find Ways to Improve Bailey on Goodreads. Connect with Cori on Instagram, BookBub, her website, Facebook and Amazon.
If you are an indie author and would like to do a book excerpt, check out my work with me page for details. Check out other book excerpts here.
Cover Photo on Unsplash
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