Aidan Willows's Blog - Posts Tagged "jake-and-niki"
Extended Falling Sweetly Sneak Peek and Life Woes
So, this blog seems to be transforming into a Dear Diary type of situation for me... ah well...
Long story short, I posted an updated version of Falling Completely at the beginning of the month (nothing major has changed, just some typos/some grammar stuff had been corrected) and there was an extended sneak peek of Falling Sweetly.
Today, in addition to trying to get pirated copies of my book taken down from a website, I downloaded a copy of Falling Completely from Amazon, only to find it was not the copy I had uploaded. This is not the first time I've encountered this problem and for the life of me, I can't figure out what is happening.
To all the lovely people leaving reviews and who have enjoyed the book despite all the issues, a massive thank you.
In all honesty, being a first time author, I didn't expect my writing to be perfect, but I did want it to be the best it could possibly be for readers.
I am trying to sort out what went wrong, and will attempt to upload the copy again today. It will take up to 12 hours (if not more) for the newer version to go live, fingers crossed it will work and the copies on your kindles should automatically update after. (thank you to Nic from Sizzling Pages and Laura from IScream books for pointing this out to me).
If these issues have in any way affected your enjoyment of reading Falling Completely, I can only apologise profusely.
The newer copy has a slightly longer sneak peek of Falling Sweetly, so I decided to just post it here instead as a thank you to everyone who had read and reviewed the book so far...
Hugs to all,
From a very stressed and confused Aidan, who is much in need of cake and a bottle of Bourbon (and is desperately trying not to set everything on fire).
P.S.- If you happen across this blog and are planning to read Falling Completely, you may not want to read ahead, cos you know... spoilers...
2nd P.S. - It's my birthday in a couple of weeks, and I'm thinking I'm probably going to get a little merry and post a second Sneak Peek of Chapter 2...
**Please note this version is unedited and may differ in the final finished product***
Falling Sweetly - Extended Sneak Peek
Chapter 1
Annika
How is he still talking? He hasn’t stopped for the last twenty minutes.
Does he remember he’s still on a date?
Does he realise I’ve not actually spoken for the entire conversation?
He has lettuce stuck in his teeth. Should I tell him?
There’s not even any lettuce on his plate… How long has that lettuce been stuck there?
Oh crap. He just asked a question… Focus!
“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite get what you just said. Could you repeat the question?” I asked taking a sip of water, in an attempt to regroup and see if it was possible to salvage this disaster of a date.
“I said.” he paused to let out a burp that near enough shook the table “I’m not usually into bigger women, but you looked hot enough that I said ‘why the hell not’. Your rack is great by the way, are they real?” he added with a self-satisfied smirk, as his eyes hovered over the small amount of cleavage exposed by the neckline of my dress.
And I’m out. Emergency escape phone call it is.
“Would you excuse me for a moment, I have to visit the restroom.” I said with a fake smile, nearly tripping in my hurry to leave the table.
I brought up my sister’s number and dialled it as I walked to the bathroom. Maliya answered on the third ring with a laugh “Caleb! Stop it! Someone is going to see. Niki? What’s up?”
“Liya, are you two having sex in public again? You remember Sherriff Turner said that if he catches you guys again, he will have to arrest you this time.”
“Well, I’m trying to avoid jail time, but I think my boyfriend is a bit of an exhibitionist.” Liya said and I heard her trying to slap Caleb’s hands away.
“Fiancé! Get it right, baby!” Caleb called out in the background distance.
Liya huffed “Whatever. You know I hate that word. It sounds so phoney.”
I cut her off before an argument could begin between them and I would be stranded in my nightmare date all night “HEY! Sister in need here! Call me in five minutes and say the cat is ill or something.”
“Wow. Hasn’t it only been like fifteen minutes? That has to be some kind of new record. Where is he on the scale from Mildly Creepy to Serial Killer?” Liya asked as I heard loud kisses echoing in the distance.
“I would say he rates about a Complete and Utter Sleazeball on the scale.” I said with a sigh.
“Eeep. Okay, sweet sister. Help is on the way.” Liya said before hanging up as I heard Caleb tell her how beautiful she would look naked in the moonlight.
I didn’t think the moon was actually visible in the sky tonight, but I had to applaud his tactics.
My sister and her fiancé Caleb hadn’t always had the most straightforward relationship, due in large part to Liya’s issues. But looking at them now, my heart melted a little at how sweet they were together. Though, I refrained from sharing this opinion with my sister as it usually resulted in something being thrown at me.
Liya hadn’t had the easiest of lives and neither had Caleb, if any two people had deserved a chance at happiness it was them.
Seeing my sister having the courage to work through her own issues persuaded me to do the same, hence the reason I was currently on Disastrous Date No. 3.
I paused to stare at my reflection in the mirror. Oval face, button nose, creamy light brown skin, wide, almond shaped light brown eyes, black hair cut to a long bob.
I resisted the urge to check under my side fringe, and make sure that there was no sign on my forehead that said “Now available for dates! Only freaky losers need apply.”
It has to be me. I’m like a beacon in the dark for all creepy, weirdos, drawing them to me from far and wide…
I sighed again when I realised that hiding out in the bathroom would be too pathetic, even for me, and geared myself up for returning to Weirdo No. 3.
He smiled sleazily as he saw me wind my way through the tables back to where we were seated by the window. I gave him a small, very fake smile as I sat back opposite him.
“This place is pretty fancy, don’t often do fancy for first dates. You seem kinda worth it though.” he rubbed the thinning spot at the back of his head “I’m thinking after we split the bill, we should head back to mine for dessert?” he said waggling his eyebrows.
Good God, no. Hurry up, Liya. Call my damn phone.
I stared at him blankly and shook my head. “Uhm. No, I don’t think so. I’ve got to be at work early tomorrow.” I picked up my fork and pushed around the insipid leaves on my plate.
I’m sure I had more grilled chicken than this on my salad… Oh my God. Weirdo No. 3 stole chicken from my plate while I was gone…
He frowned at my refusal and was about to respond, when my phone started to ring. Thank the heavens.
“Sorry, it’s my sister. I need to get this.” I said in an over exaggeratedly apologetic tone. I tapped on the green button flashing on the screen of the phone. “Hello?”
“So, I’m thinking you make the worst decisions when it comes to choosing your dates. It may be time for an intervention.” Liya’s amused voice said.
I let out a small gasp “What’s wrong with Shadow?”
“No. Seriously. First, it was the wannabe drug dealer with the face tattoos, and then it was the taxidermist with all the stuffed, dead animals in his house, who looked like he wouldn’t have minded adding a stuffed, dead Niki to his collection.” Liya said bluntly.
I let out an ever bigger gasp “Oh no, poor baby. I can’t believe he’s been sick for that long. I hope he doesn’t throw up all over you. I’m going to come home now to take him to the vet.”
Liya chuckled. “Be careful when you drive home, make sure that winner you’re on a date with doesn’t follow you. See you soon, little bug.”
I hung up and glanced over at the man whose name I couldn’t remember.
“I’m so sorry… Todd?”
“Tad.” he said looking put out.
“Right. Tad. Sorry. I have to go. My cat is ill. Thanks for an… interesting dinner.” I said as I threw down some bills to cover my meal.
He frowned again “We should finish up this date properly sometime. Let me give you my address.”
“Oh. No. That’s okay. Thanks anyway.” I blurted as I turned so quickly, I almost knocked over a waiter carrying a large tray of food.
“Sorry.” I said breathlessly to the annoyed waiter, before I power-walked over to the coat check and thrust my ticket at the attendant.
She smiled kindly “Did you have a pleasant meal here at Canatta's?” she asked, as she handed me my coat.
Not really. The chicken was dry, the miserly portion of salad didn’t have enough dressing on it and what little dressing it did have, wasn’t seasoned at all. The tomatoes were unripe and I’m pretty sure they forgot to put the avocado and cucumber on my plate, unless my chicken thief of a date ate that too…
“Sure.” I lied, as I pulled on my coat hurriedly. “Everything was great.”
“Perfect.” the attendant grinned widely at me “We hope to see you here again!”
Don’t hold your breath, lady. That won’t be happening anytime soon.
“Sure. Bye.” I rushed out the door, looking back to see my date eyeing up a waitress, as he finished the rest of my salad. I snorted. At least he’s not wasteful.
I found my keys and hurried over to the new small green car I’d bought a couple of months ago and started the drive back home thinking about how much my life had changed in the last year.
If someone had told me a year and a half ago that I would be running my own bakery and living a different country, I would have told that person that drugs are very, very bad, and that they should probably stop taking whatever they were on, before it permanently altered their mental state.
My sister and I were born in London to two loving, parents who were both brilliant doctors. Our lives were pretty much idyllic, until my mother had passed away in a car crash and our father a week later from a stroke. I was fourteen and my sister, Maliya, had been eighteen. She dropped out of college, got a job and applied for custody of me.
Growing up, I had always had a close relationship to my sister, a fact that had never changed over the years, so when I had made the slightly impetuous decision to quit my job and move countries to run our grandaunt’s bakery, she had decided to come with me.
Our grandaunt, Aunt Trudy, was a bad-tempered, coarse, cranky, straight-talking old lady but I had loved her dearly. She had passed away four months ago and I still missed her.
Prior to the move to Starling Falls, I had only met her once ten years ago when she had come to England for our parent’s funerals, and after I had kept in touch a couple of times a year through brief phone calls.
Early last year, she had broken a hip and after running the bakery for over fifty years she had made the heart-breaking decision to sell it, as she simply couldn’t manage running the business anymore. During one of the phone calls I had heard in her voice, how upset she was at having to sell her pride and joy.
Baking had always been a passion of mine. After finishing secondary school, I had enrolled in Pastry School, and after graduating I had managed to get a highly sought after job in a stylish, trendy bakery in Chelsea, working under the tutelage of an amazing pastry chef named Paulette St. Pierre. It had been a job I had loved, but the unchanging role had grown stale (no baking pun intended) over the years, and I found my passion for baking began to waver.
My offer to run the bakery had been instantaneous; it had slipped out of my mouth before I had even thought about it.
Liya had thought I’d gone mad when I told her, but it was one of the best decisions I had ever made. When Aunt Trudy passed away she had left me her house and she had left both me and Liya the bakery.
Thus two lonely girls from London had wound up in the small town of Starling Falls. I had rediscovered my love of baking and my sister had found the love of her life. My sister had been even more reluctant than I had been with letting people in, so the fact that she was now in a relationship was a pleasant surprise.
Liya and Caleb had met on the day the bakery reopened. He had pushed a child out of the way of an oncoming car and been hit. When he had fallen, he had hit his head on the road and developed a concussion. Liya, who is a nurse, ran out to help him. In his semi-conscious state he had kissed her.
Long story short; he pursued her, she turned him down. He kept on pursuing her, and she finally admitted her feelings for him. They had gotten together officially just before Thanksgiving, but early in the New Year, Caleb had gotten hurt on his job as a firefighter.
My sister had some emotional hang-ups about the people she loved always leaving her, so she had freaked out and stupidly broken up with him. A month later after Aunt Trudy’s funeral, Liya had been given a letter, written by Aunt Trudy, that had finally made her see sense.
Apparently, life-changing letters were Aunt Trudy’s speciality.
Four months later and Liya and Caleb were blissfully engaged, and I couldn't have been happier for them. However, seeing them so in love had made me realise that I wanted that for myself too.
Aunt Trudy’s letter had hit the nail on the head. I had always been a shy child, but it had grown worse as I had gotten older, especially after my parent’s death. Due to this shyness, the few dates I had been on while living in London had never led anywhere. I would withdraw into myself as soon as I met someone. No one apart from Liya ever really knew me.
After reading Aunt Trudy’s letter, I knew I needed to make a change if I wanted to find love. So I had signed up to an online dating website, though with each man I had met, it had seemed like an increasingly horrible idea.
I was still cautiously optimistic that the perfect guy was out there. However, after the last couple of dates, I was beginning to think crazy cat and fish lady was the only future I had left in store.
Copyright © 2016 by Aidan Willows
End of Sneak Peek
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Long story short, I posted an updated version of Falling Completely at the beginning of the month (nothing major has changed, just some typos/some grammar stuff had been corrected) and there was an extended sneak peek of Falling Sweetly.
Today, in addition to trying to get pirated copies of my book taken down from a website, I downloaded a copy of Falling Completely from Amazon, only to find it was not the copy I had uploaded. This is not the first time I've encountered this problem and for the life of me, I can't figure out what is happening.
To all the lovely people leaving reviews and who have enjoyed the book despite all the issues, a massive thank you.
In all honesty, being a first time author, I didn't expect my writing to be perfect, but I did want it to be the best it could possibly be for readers.
I am trying to sort out what went wrong, and will attempt to upload the copy again today. It will take up to 12 hours (if not more) for the newer version to go live, fingers crossed it will work and the copies on your kindles should automatically update after. (thank you to Nic from Sizzling Pages and Laura from IScream books for pointing this out to me).
If these issues have in any way affected your enjoyment of reading Falling Completely, I can only apologise profusely.
The newer copy has a slightly longer sneak peek of Falling Sweetly, so I decided to just post it here instead as a thank you to everyone who had read and reviewed the book so far...
Hugs to all,
From a very stressed and confused Aidan, who is much in need of cake and a bottle of Bourbon (and is desperately trying not to set everything on fire).
P.S.- If you happen across this blog and are planning to read Falling Completely, you may not want to read ahead, cos you know... spoilers...
2nd P.S. - It's my birthday in a couple of weeks, and I'm thinking I'm probably going to get a little merry and post a second Sneak Peek of Chapter 2...
**Please note this version is unedited and may differ in the final finished product***
Falling Sweetly - Extended Sneak Peek
Chapter 1
Annika
How is he still talking? He hasn’t stopped for the last twenty minutes.
Does he remember he’s still on a date?
Does he realise I’ve not actually spoken for the entire conversation?
He has lettuce stuck in his teeth. Should I tell him?
There’s not even any lettuce on his plate… How long has that lettuce been stuck there?
Oh crap. He just asked a question… Focus!
“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite get what you just said. Could you repeat the question?” I asked taking a sip of water, in an attempt to regroup and see if it was possible to salvage this disaster of a date.
“I said.” he paused to let out a burp that near enough shook the table “I’m not usually into bigger women, but you looked hot enough that I said ‘why the hell not’. Your rack is great by the way, are they real?” he added with a self-satisfied smirk, as his eyes hovered over the small amount of cleavage exposed by the neckline of my dress.
And I’m out. Emergency escape phone call it is.
“Would you excuse me for a moment, I have to visit the restroom.” I said with a fake smile, nearly tripping in my hurry to leave the table.
I brought up my sister’s number and dialled it as I walked to the bathroom. Maliya answered on the third ring with a laugh “Caleb! Stop it! Someone is going to see. Niki? What’s up?”
“Liya, are you two having sex in public again? You remember Sherriff Turner said that if he catches you guys again, he will have to arrest you this time.”
“Well, I’m trying to avoid jail time, but I think my boyfriend is a bit of an exhibitionist.” Liya said and I heard her trying to slap Caleb’s hands away.
“Fiancé! Get it right, baby!” Caleb called out in the background distance.
Liya huffed “Whatever. You know I hate that word. It sounds so phoney.”
I cut her off before an argument could begin between them and I would be stranded in my nightmare date all night “HEY! Sister in need here! Call me in five minutes and say the cat is ill or something.”
“Wow. Hasn’t it only been like fifteen minutes? That has to be some kind of new record. Where is he on the scale from Mildly Creepy to Serial Killer?” Liya asked as I heard loud kisses echoing in the distance.
“I would say he rates about a Complete and Utter Sleazeball on the scale.” I said with a sigh.
“Eeep. Okay, sweet sister. Help is on the way.” Liya said before hanging up as I heard Caleb tell her how beautiful she would look naked in the moonlight.
I didn’t think the moon was actually visible in the sky tonight, but I had to applaud his tactics.
My sister and her fiancé Caleb hadn’t always had the most straightforward relationship, due in large part to Liya’s issues. But looking at them now, my heart melted a little at how sweet they were together. Though, I refrained from sharing this opinion with my sister as it usually resulted in something being thrown at me.
Liya hadn’t had the easiest of lives and neither had Caleb, if any two people had deserved a chance at happiness it was them.
Seeing my sister having the courage to work through her own issues persuaded me to do the same, hence the reason I was currently on Disastrous Date No. 3.
I paused to stare at my reflection in the mirror. Oval face, button nose, creamy light brown skin, wide, almond shaped light brown eyes, black hair cut to a long bob.
I resisted the urge to check under my side fringe, and make sure that there was no sign on my forehead that said “Now available for dates! Only freaky losers need apply.”
It has to be me. I’m like a beacon in the dark for all creepy, weirdos, drawing them to me from far and wide…
I sighed again when I realised that hiding out in the bathroom would be too pathetic, even for me, and geared myself up for returning to Weirdo No. 3.
He smiled sleazily as he saw me wind my way through the tables back to where we were seated by the window. I gave him a small, very fake smile as I sat back opposite him.
“This place is pretty fancy, don’t often do fancy for first dates. You seem kinda worth it though.” he rubbed the thinning spot at the back of his head “I’m thinking after we split the bill, we should head back to mine for dessert?” he said waggling his eyebrows.
Good God, no. Hurry up, Liya. Call my damn phone.
I stared at him blankly and shook my head. “Uhm. No, I don’t think so. I’ve got to be at work early tomorrow.” I picked up my fork and pushed around the insipid leaves on my plate.
I’m sure I had more grilled chicken than this on my salad… Oh my God. Weirdo No. 3 stole chicken from my plate while I was gone…
He frowned at my refusal and was about to respond, when my phone started to ring. Thank the heavens.
“Sorry, it’s my sister. I need to get this.” I said in an over exaggeratedly apologetic tone. I tapped on the green button flashing on the screen of the phone. “Hello?”
“So, I’m thinking you make the worst decisions when it comes to choosing your dates. It may be time for an intervention.” Liya’s amused voice said.
I let out a small gasp “What’s wrong with Shadow?”
“No. Seriously. First, it was the wannabe drug dealer with the face tattoos, and then it was the taxidermist with all the stuffed, dead animals in his house, who looked like he wouldn’t have minded adding a stuffed, dead Niki to his collection.” Liya said bluntly.
I let out an ever bigger gasp “Oh no, poor baby. I can’t believe he’s been sick for that long. I hope he doesn’t throw up all over you. I’m going to come home now to take him to the vet.”
Liya chuckled. “Be careful when you drive home, make sure that winner you’re on a date with doesn’t follow you. See you soon, little bug.”
I hung up and glanced over at the man whose name I couldn’t remember.
“I’m so sorry… Todd?”
“Tad.” he said looking put out.
“Right. Tad. Sorry. I have to go. My cat is ill. Thanks for an… interesting dinner.” I said as I threw down some bills to cover my meal.
He frowned again “We should finish up this date properly sometime. Let me give you my address.”
“Oh. No. That’s okay. Thanks anyway.” I blurted as I turned so quickly, I almost knocked over a waiter carrying a large tray of food.
“Sorry.” I said breathlessly to the annoyed waiter, before I power-walked over to the coat check and thrust my ticket at the attendant.
She smiled kindly “Did you have a pleasant meal here at Canatta's?” she asked, as she handed me my coat.
Not really. The chicken was dry, the miserly portion of salad didn’t have enough dressing on it and what little dressing it did have, wasn’t seasoned at all. The tomatoes were unripe and I’m pretty sure they forgot to put the avocado and cucumber on my plate, unless my chicken thief of a date ate that too…
“Sure.” I lied, as I pulled on my coat hurriedly. “Everything was great.”
“Perfect.” the attendant grinned widely at me “We hope to see you here again!”
Don’t hold your breath, lady. That won’t be happening anytime soon.
“Sure. Bye.” I rushed out the door, looking back to see my date eyeing up a waitress, as he finished the rest of my salad. I snorted. At least he’s not wasteful.
I found my keys and hurried over to the new small green car I’d bought a couple of months ago and started the drive back home thinking about how much my life had changed in the last year.
If someone had told me a year and a half ago that I would be running my own bakery and living a different country, I would have told that person that drugs are very, very bad, and that they should probably stop taking whatever they were on, before it permanently altered their mental state.
My sister and I were born in London to two loving, parents who were both brilliant doctors. Our lives were pretty much idyllic, until my mother had passed away in a car crash and our father a week later from a stroke. I was fourteen and my sister, Maliya, had been eighteen. She dropped out of college, got a job and applied for custody of me.
Growing up, I had always had a close relationship to my sister, a fact that had never changed over the years, so when I had made the slightly impetuous decision to quit my job and move countries to run our grandaunt’s bakery, she had decided to come with me.
Our grandaunt, Aunt Trudy, was a bad-tempered, coarse, cranky, straight-talking old lady but I had loved her dearly. She had passed away four months ago and I still missed her.
Prior to the move to Starling Falls, I had only met her once ten years ago when she had come to England for our parent’s funerals, and after I had kept in touch a couple of times a year through brief phone calls.
Early last year, she had broken a hip and after running the bakery for over fifty years she had made the heart-breaking decision to sell it, as she simply couldn’t manage running the business anymore. During one of the phone calls I had heard in her voice, how upset she was at having to sell her pride and joy.
Baking had always been a passion of mine. After finishing secondary school, I had enrolled in Pastry School, and after graduating I had managed to get a highly sought after job in a stylish, trendy bakery in Chelsea, working under the tutelage of an amazing pastry chef named Paulette St. Pierre. It had been a job I had loved, but the unchanging role had grown stale (no baking pun intended) over the years, and I found my passion for baking began to waver.
My offer to run the bakery had been instantaneous; it had slipped out of my mouth before I had even thought about it.
Liya had thought I’d gone mad when I told her, but it was one of the best decisions I had ever made. When Aunt Trudy passed away she had left me her house and she had left both me and Liya the bakery.
Thus two lonely girls from London had wound up in the small town of Starling Falls. I had rediscovered my love of baking and my sister had found the love of her life. My sister had been even more reluctant than I had been with letting people in, so the fact that she was now in a relationship was a pleasant surprise.
Liya and Caleb had met on the day the bakery reopened. He had pushed a child out of the way of an oncoming car and been hit. When he had fallen, he had hit his head on the road and developed a concussion. Liya, who is a nurse, ran out to help him. In his semi-conscious state he had kissed her.
Long story short; he pursued her, she turned him down. He kept on pursuing her, and she finally admitted her feelings for him. They had gotten together officially just before Thanksgiving, but early in the New Year, Caleb had gotten hurt on his job as a firefighter.
My sister had some emotional hang-ups about the people she loved always leaving her, so she had freaked out and stupidly broken up with him. A month later after Aunt Trudy’s funeral, Liya had been given a letter, written by Aunt Trudy, that had finally made her see sense.
Apparently, life-changing letters were Aunt Trudy’s speciality.
Four months later and Liya and Caleb were blissfully engaged, and I couldn't have been happier for them. However, seeing them so in love had made me realise that I wanted that for myself too.
Aunt Trudy’s letter had hit the nail on the head. I had always been a shy child, but it had grown worse as I had gotten older, especially after my parent’s death. Due to this shyness, the few dates I had been on while living in London had never led anywhere. I would withdraw into myself as soon as I met someone. No one apart from Liya ever really knew me.
After reading Aunt Trudy’s letter, I knew I needed to make a change if I wanted to find love. So I had signed up to an online dating website, though with each man I had met, it had seemed like an increasingly horrible idea.
I was still cautiously optimistic that the perfect guy was out there. However, after the last couple of dates, I was beginning to think crazy cat and fish lady was the only future I had left in store.
Copyright © 2016 by Aidan Willows
End of Sneak Peek
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