I can't thank you all enough for coming on this journey with me. I still remember the excitement of getting my very first comment like it was yesterday. I paced around the room, thrilled that someone out in the world was reading and relating to my work!
In this story, I wanted to explore the difference between infatuation and genuine love. When I started writing this a decade ago (hah!), I always knew Madison and Daniel would end up together, and I knew they wouldn't find the straightest path forward. But even I was surprised by just how messy things got!
The true fallout of Madison, Daniel, and Oliver's love triangle is beyond the scope of this book. And as I wrote the final chapters, I realized I want to tell that story.
I'm excited to present a draft excerpt from that upcoming work, tentatively titled "Eclipsed":
As we eat, Daniel's best man—a guy with a fluffy, icy blond mop of hair—taps his champagne flute with a knife to call for everyone's attention.
"Hey! Hi, can I get everyone to quiet down for a sec?" His voice cracks with nervous energy as the chattering dies down. "For those who don't know me, I'm Johnny—Daniel's Best Man today." He clears his throat, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. There's an awkward pause where it seems he's lost his train of thought. But then he rallies, flashing a grin. "I'm supposed to give some profound speech about Dee and how much he means to all of us. But I'm not the one who's good at words."
Johnny's eyes flit over to a man seated at a nearby table. The man is pale and lean, with a militant buzz cut and a face sculpted like a marble statue. I study his striking profile, drinking in those chiseled cheekbones and icy blue eyes.
Johnny takes a deep breath and continues his speech. "I'll never forget the night Daniel met Madison, especially because that's when I met my Princess," he says, nodding toward Ellie, who sits next to Madison at the head table. Ellie's fiery red hair is gathered in a loose bun near her neck. Her marigold Maid of Honor dress is a custom piece she designed and sewed herself because like Madison, Ellie is extraordinarily talented.
The speech meanders on, but my mind drifts as I become engrossed in buzz cut's reactions. While his lips quirk into an occasional polite smile, there's a profound melancholy weighing down his expression.
Finally, Johnny wraps it up with a sheepish grin and a raised glass. "To Daniel and Madison—two of my nearest and dearest. Thanks for showing me what love and friendship mean."
Buzz cut's jaw tightens, those haunted eyes fixed on his glass as he takes a small sip of his champagne. Maybe I'm just projecting, but I swear he looks at least a bit miserable. There's a quiet anguish simmering behind that emotionless mask he wears, and I study the planes of his face for any crack that will give me a better peek behind it. Maybe I'm not the only one who feels a bit off, even surrounded by all this happiness.
I finally force myself to turn away from this beautiful stranger before he notices and throw my attention back to the tastiest meal I've had in years.
"Eclipsed" will follow the story of Victoria Bradford, Madison's older cousin, who meets a rather changed Oliver Rose. I don't plan to take ten years to finish this one, so I hope you'll join me for the rest of the story! You can also find me on Inkitt.
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A Slip of the Hand
רומנטיקהMadison has always been drawn to the haunting melodies and darkly poetic lyrics of Oliver Rose and The Thorns. Their music was her refuge during the tumultuous years of her adolescence, providing solace and understanding when it felt like nothing el...
