Shay Davis - A Cute Love Story That Starts in Vegas and Ends in Marriage

Shay released her debut novel in July of 2020 and now published six books, and one audiobook, under her erotic alias, Eva Sherie. Shay's biggest accomplishment, to date, is ranking number one on the Amazon Bestseller charts for her release of The Marriage Contract. As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about The Marriage Contract.

Please give us a short introduction to what The Marriage Contract is about.

The Marriage Contract is supposed to be a fun, sexy read. It’s about a girl who is a little uptight and self-conscious. But with her birthday approaching, Alexa plans a wild trip to Vegas. Soul is an MLB player needing to clean up his image so that contract negotiations can go his way. He plans, I guess what some would consider, a one last party trip. The two meet and things start to get a little dicey.

What inspired you to write about a couple who come together in the unlikeliest of ways?

I had been planning to do a story with Vegas as the backdrop. So as soon as I knew I was writing a Valentine’s day story, I pulled my previous notes out. Once my fingers started moving over the keyboard, I got inspired about some of the traditional things that go on in Vegas, and to play on jokes surrounding Rom-Com movies. Soul and Alexa’s entire situation was inspired by the need to bring something fun and sexy to my readers… something that would make them go, this could happen to me.

Tell us more about Alexa. What makes her tick?

Alexa is a woman who likes routine. Stability is important to her. Alexa is comfortable in her life as an accountant, her nice condo in the city, and fancy car. But a tiny part of her wishes she’d live a little more.

Alexa and Soul are very different from each other. What makes them such a great match?

The cliche saying, opposites attract, is perfect in Alexa and Soul’s relationship. Alexa desires to loosen the reins on her very organized life, and Soul needs someone to balance out his wild side. They both quickly learn from one another as they get the opportunity to view the world from the other’s vantage point. Also, what good girl doesn’t like a bad boy and vice versa?!

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

Debating! LOL. I guess it’s not much of a secret since I’m a paralegal, but I love a good debate. And even if I’m wrong, I can finesse the hell out of the way I word an argument. Oftentimes, I leave people confused, not even knowing exactly what it was that they were arguing. It’s fun!

Do any of your characters ever take off on their own tangent, refusing to do what you had planned for them?

All the time! I just finished a series titled, Just Wanna Be Loved and Just Wanna Be Loved Too. It’s a non-traditional love story that touches on mental health and self-worth. The main character, Kira, absolutely took her own path. I probably went off track from three different outlines. She had her own story to tell and by some point in my writing process, I stopped trying to make her do what I wanted, and let her lead me.

What did you have the most fun with when writing this story?

Now, I love writing sexy love scenes, so that will always be fun. But I also had so much fun with the little hints of comedy in this story. Sometimes their character would say something in my head, and as I typed, I would literally laugh out loud.

This is your debut novel, what has the experience been like, so far?

The Marriage Contract is my sixth published book. My author journey began in July of 2020, and since then, I’ve been writing during every free moment I have. The stories so far have just been flowing. So far, becoming a published author has been such a great experience. Also, the fact that I have received so much love and support from the readers, it just solidifies that this is what I’m supposed to be doing.

If you could meet up with any famous persons, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you discuss?

I can only pick one?! That’s tough! There are so many people I would want to meet. However, at this moment… I would have to say Michelle Obama. I absolutely love her. I listened to her memoir on Audible and she is the epitome of a classy, kick-ass woman. I would want to discuss her struggles and rise to success as a Black woman. Growing up in the inner-city streets of Philadelphia, I feel like there’s so much I could take away from a conversation with Mrs. Obama. She’s lived the struggle; she understands what it’s like to fight and fight and fight some more to reach goals people said were impossible. I would simply want to be in the presence of such an iconic woman, serving so much Black Girl Magic and giving women who look like me hope!

Tell us more about the cover and how it came about.

So, I actually created the cover for The Marriage Contract myself. Another one of my hidden talents is dabbling in graphics. I’ve been studying and teaching myself a lot of things. I also sometimes seek the knowledge of my sixteen-year-old son, who knows so much about graphics and design.

With regard to this particular cover, I didn’t want there to be any people on it. I wanted it to be a little mysterious as to what the book was about. People see a cover, and oftentimes make up a story in their mind before reading the book. I wanted the readers’ quick assessment to not be limited by stock photo models. I also knew I wanted to use a bold script that could be layered well. So, after countless attempts, I finally got a finished product that I was very happy with.

What is your favorite scene in the book?

I typed and deleted my response to this question at least six times! LOL! I don’t think I can choose! But I will say that I love the banter between Alexa and Soul, and I absolutely love every intimate scene between them. It was as if they lost themselves in one another, taking what they needed, but also replenishing the other by freely giving just as much as they took. Overall, their love just transitioned seamlessly, and it makes me love every page of the book.

Do you have any interesting writing habits? What is an average writing day like for you?

I normally have 90s R&B playing in the background, or I’ll have the T.V. on with something I’ve already seen, so I don’t need to look up at the screen. I just really dislike the silence. An average day of writing consists of, maybe typing a little while I’m at work, coming home and typing a little more before putting my youngest son down for bed, and then finally diving in for a few hours. When I get into a really good groove, I usually write from about 8p-midnight, with my 90s R&B playing or Gilmore Girls on the T.V. as background noise. It’s hard though to keep a consistent writing schedule as I work full time, I’m a wife and a mother to a sixteen-year-old and three-year-old.

What are you working on right now?

So, in addition to writing Romance under Shay Davis, I also go by Eva Sherie, where I pen erotica. I am currently working on an erotic novella titled, Wild Thoughts, Wilder Nights. This book can be read as a standalone; however, the main character, Jameela, was introduced in Held in Contempt: An Erotic Novella.

I am also working on a spin-off to my Christmas release, A Dash of Christmas Magic. The new book is titled, Love After, and follows Melanie Long, the sister to Malachi Long (main character in A Dash of Christmas Magic) as she navigates finding love again after a tough divorce.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

I am on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Also, readers can find everything they need from eBooks, Paperbacks, Bio, and social media links on my website at https://shaydavispens.com. To Make it even easier, with one click, everything you need to know about Shay Davis can be found here: http://bit.ly/ShayDavisAtYourFingertips.