Author's note / please read

633 8 2
                                        

Hello everyone!

Before you dive into the story, I'd like to share a few quick disclaimers to set the right expectations:

Fiction & Creative Liberty:
This is a work of fiction. I have intentionally changed certain details for the sake of the plot, including character ages and some technical aspects. I am aware that these things may not align with reality, but these modifications were necessary to tell the story I had in mind.

A Personal Project: I am not a professional writer, and English is not my first language. I apologize in advance for any mistakes or awkward phrasing—I'm doing my best to bring the idea in my head to life!

Structure & Focus: This idea came to me and I started by writing a chapter that, just so you understand, is the one you'll read later on, where the protagonists are at the Olympics. From that chapter, I continued writing all the way to the ending I had in mind.

Only afterwards, I start thinking about what came before. I wanted to give real depth and meaning to their friendship, and to do that, I needed to write everything that happened prior to the original starting point I had envisioned.

For this reason, the beginning might feel a bit rushed and probably less polished. It wasn't the part of the story I was most interested in writing—I added it mainly to give more weight and significance to what you'll read later.

Unfortunately, I didn't have many ideas for the prequel. Still, I hope I've done a good job and that what I've written comes across clearly.

Only the Leads: I want to focus entirely on the two main characters. You won't find much about their parents, side friends, or "behind-the-scenes" drama. It's always and only about them. If you are looking for a complex plot with a large cast of characters, this might not be the story for you.


For those coming from my previous story, you should know that I actually started writing this one first. Then, while I was jotting down ideas, new ones came to me, and since this story was already quite messy—given that I wasn't used to writing and didn't really plan to publish it—I set it aside to focus on the other one.

After finishing "Center Ice", I came back to this story with a head full of "what ifs" I wanted to explore. So, some parts might feel similar, if not the same, as my first story. I had similar ideas, but for two different stories. My mind is only one, after all—but I tried to write them both.

Thank you so much to anyone who decides to give this a read. Enjoy!

COLD ICE, BLEEDING HEARTS | Ilia MalininStories to obsess over. Discover now