1st Place Winner in the Romance Category of the Romance Reads 2024

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Bio: Still_just_me is a Wattpad Creator and Originals writer. She writes stories where imperfect characters are perfect together and slow burns turn into dumpster fires. HEA always. She has stories featured 18 times around Wattpad among them are Romance, Creators, ChickLit, Humor, and New Adult. She has successfully written several serial stories including I Hate Football Players and Brody's Girl.

Story title: Premise/Blurb: Losing the love of my life taught me that inactions have consequences. My new bookkeeping job teaches me that numbers don't lie, but people do.

Sharing yoga with others is my refuge from the darkness pulling me to stay home. A ginormous pro football player barging into my classes isn't in my rehab plan. Worse, it's the cocky jerk who treats me like I'm too insignificant to remember. If only I could say the same. Sam Pearson is Houston's golden, champion-winning quarterback. He's arrogant, rude, and reckless. His agent, my brother, thinks I can rehabilitate his injured shoulder and spiraling ego to achieve a long-term contract. I think Sam needs a reality smack in his handsome face.I should hate his rebellious distractions, but I can't stop challenging him out of his comfort zone. After losing most of myself along with my other half, Sam's woken me up inside. He challenges me, irritatingly, which is exciting and scary. He's dangerously close to cracking open my closed-off heart, revealing the secrets holding me back. And yet, he might also be the second chance at love I thought I didn't deserve.

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What inspired you to write this book?

Years ago, I worked part-time teaching yoga. My boss volunteered at a local military hospital teaching yoga to injured and honorably discharged soldiers using yoga therapy and meditation to cope with post-traumatic stress. She brought me to experience one of her classes, which was humbling beyond words.

So, I wanted a new, standalone sports romance story which seems at first like enemies-to-lovers, which it is, but there's a deeper mental health aspect.

What was the inspiration behind the main character and their love interest?

Texas spitfire meets golden retriever! Sports romance/football romance is one of my favorite genres. I wanted a relationship dynamic where they already knew each other--Amilia's brother is Sam's agent--but misconceptions led them to interact like enemies. Amelia's sharp words are like barbed wire protecting her heart, broken from a trauma that's almost impossible to move on from, and he's a pro quarterback who isn't the arrogant, self-centered jerk she thinks he is.

What sparked your interest in writing, and how did you end up writing on Wattpad?

Reading, to answer both questions. I stumbled on Wattpad as a reader and was so inspired by the possibility that anyone can write and share their creativity!

Do you have a favorite scene in your story? If so, what makes it special to you?

Yes, when Amelia asks Sam to cut her hair. She hasn't cut her hair since her trauma happened. As a story device, her hair symbolizes her compiling guilt weighing her down. To her, hair caries memories, so cutting it was like losing them. It's a quiet but pivotal moment - when she's ready to move forward, Sam's right there, catching her when she falls, and she accepts his support, which is a lot for her character. They don't need fame, money, or frills, just each other.

How do you create and develop your characters? Do you base them on real people, or are they entirely fictional?

Entirely fictional personalities, but I try to create realistically flawed characters with have strong reasons for acting and behaving like they do. Most of my stories are dual-pov, where I try to give both characters a development arc that intertwines with their relationship's journey.

Do you have any favorite romance authors, on or off Wattpad, who inspired you to write romance stories? Feel free to name up to three people and some of your favorite stories they authored.

Yes, but there are too many to mention! My Kindle is stuffed with about every sports romance and contemporary story I can fit. On Wattpad, I'm in awe of so many writers. Elaine Waters' (Ancientt) direct, unapologetic writing has me impatiently waiting for the next chapter in The Alpha's Rejection, Ice by engelix is one of my favorite hockey romance series still on Wattpad, and LJRae0328's Imperfect Fit the ChickLit category winner is a fun story I enjoy rereading.