Author of A Little Buzzed, Alys Murray
Alys Murray's new spicy rom-com book, A Little Buzzed follows Scout Porter, the head engineer at a women-led sex toy startup building an app-enabled vibrator. Sound familiar? When our CEO and co-founder Anna Lee and lead software engineer Maggie first heard about the premise, they were texting in all caps. We had to get Alys on the blog. Anna sat down with her to talk about writing spicy scenes, researching the sex tech industry, and why pleasure is political.
Anna: Okay, I have to ask my most eager question right out of the gate: Scout Porter is a sex toy engineer at a women-led startup called BuzzCorp, building an app-enabled vibrator called The Fantasy. I'm a sex toy engineer at a women-led startup called Lioness, building a smart vibrator. When my lead software engineer Maggie and I first heard about your book, we lost it. We were dying of excitement. How did you land on this premise, and what inspired you to set a romance in the sex tech world?
Alys: Oh, I love that! Believe it or not, I was actually an anonymous sex toy reviewer for an online outlet for a while, which is what got me interested in the industry in the first place! Coming from writing TV movies where the characters aren’t allowed to have a glass of wine or kiss more than once, I was fascinated by workplaces where sex, pleasure, and autonomy are at the forefront, and had been wanting to write something on the spicier side, so I thought the industry would make a fun backdrop for a rom-com. I have also really enjoyed the way that the industry is moving towards more inclusive, thoughtful, and innovative design, which made it not only a fun place to set a romance, but a warm and cozy one, too! In a time when it feels like sex positivity is on the cultural downswing and misogyny is on the upswing, a sex toy industry romance felt like exactly what we all needed right now!
Anna: When you sit down to write a spicy scene, what does that process actually look like? Do you light a candle, put on a playlist, drink wine at 2pm? Or is it more clinical, like, “Tuesday: write the chapter 12 sex scene”? Can you give us a little sneak peek into what your favorite spicy scene to write was?
Alys: I wish I could use sex scenes as an excuse to drink wine at 2pm, but alas, then I think I would be drinking wine anywhere from 3-7 days a week and that simply doesn’t feel sustainable as a business practice! Truthfully, writing sex scenes is one of the best parts of the job. For a romance writer, it’s such a great opportunity to explore character, deepen intimacy, and have a hell of a lot of fun while doing it. But while it’s the best part of the job, it’s also just another part of the job: just a girl, sitting in front of her laptop, trying to write words that people are going to want to read someday! It’s all about intention and want – what are the two characters trying to get out of this physical encounter, and how can I spice that up!
As for favorite scenes, there are two that were particularly fun to write. One is a scene where the romantic hero designs a sex toy program for the heroine, and the other is where the hero confides that he wants to try pegging for the first time, and the heroine happily obliges. What I love about these moments is that they both show the depths of the characters’ feelings for and trust in each other…and they were both incredibly hot to get to write!
Anna: One thing that struck me reading this book is how grounded it is in real details. You reference actual brands like Bellesa, Lovehoney, and the iconic Magic Wand, and you even drop the stat that the scientific median sex length is 5.4 minutes. What was your process for researching the sex toy industry? And now that you’ve done all this digging, what’s something about this industry that surprised you or that you think more people should know?
Alys: After my time as a sex toy reviewer, I dove head first into getting all the books I could about the sex toy industry’s history, engaging with influencers and developers in the space, listening to lectures and attending conferences, etc. My sex toy education was very thorough, and I hope it came through in the book! I think my favorite conversations were with H.R. representatives at sex toy companies. They always had the best stories!
Anna: I saw you once wrote on your Instagram, “pleasure is political”, which is something we deeply believe at Lioness too. Beyond the steam and the laughs, is there something deeper you hope readers take away from Scout's journey?
Post from Alys Murray's Instagram (@alysmurraybooks)
Alys: I hope that folks who read A Little Buzzed walk away feeling empowered, not just in the bedroom, but in all aspects of our lives. We have the power, every day, to take risks, to take charge, to be better, to do better, and to demand better – and we must! We deserve it!
Anna: To close us out, is there anything else you want to share, whether it's about A Little Buzzed, what you're working on next, or just something on your mind?
Alys: I’m currently working on a book that we’re pitching as “A modern day Cyrano de Bergerac with OnlyFans stars,” which has been great fun! It actually opens with the characters using a Lioness-style smart vibrator, so readers should be on the lookout for that if they want a perfect bookish pairing for their favorite toy!
---
A huge thank you to Alys Murray and the team at Penguin Random House for making this Q&A happen! A Little Buzzedis out now and available wherever you buy books. If you love romance, spice, nerdiness, and sex toys, this one's for you.
