2014 was a pretty crazy year, and 2015 is shaping up to be even busier! I am continuing the Friends series with the release of Something Real in probably February at this stage (the pre-order is up on iBooks already for March, but if I can I'll bring that date back). Then, there's another series I'm plotting at the moment, which I'd like to release under my real name. After all these books as Ariadne, I'd quite like to get a printed book with my own name on it. Details to be revealed soon, I'm just fine-tuning the blurb, but I'm really excited about it!

Anyway, I've had a few Facebook posts to say thank you to various people, but there are so many I thought I'd add it all together in this blog post.

A big thank you to Lauren and Ethan, Rowan and Kyle, and Andrew and Maddy who let me tell their stories this year. I loved you all so much. Each and ever character is special to me, and I never thought I'd end the year telling the redemption story of a man I'd written to be so awful. Funny how life goes! <3

Thank you to Lauren McKellar, for editing my stories and beating me when I needed it. You've helped me grow as a story teller and I look forward to working with you some more. :D

Thank you to Sarah Foster, from Sprinkles on Top Studios for making such beautiful covers. You constantly surprise me and impress me, and I'd buy everything you made if I could write that fast!

Thank you to Kaylee for reading for me, and to Deborah for helping me make the final decision on which way around to put together Taking Chances. For those who don't know, there were originally two versions, one in chronological order, and the other with flashbacks. 

Thank you to The Hype PR who have helped so much the past three months with promo work, cover reveals, and the launch of Three Days. It's been a great weight off my mind to not have to worry so much about getting out there while I'm juggling publishing, working full-time and family!

And last, but most important, thank you to all the readers. To everyone who has read, reviewed, or contacted me about one of my books. I started writing again for me, but now it's equally for you. I have had amazing times in the past year, and some not so good times, but some of you have stayed with me the whole year and I appreciate you so very much. Indie authors depend on their readers, and you are the best!

So, here's to a safe and happy New Year. Roll on 2015!

Love to you all,

Ariadne

This month, I decided to take a week off to spend with my son. It was school holidays, and I figured I'd get a lot more time to work on Three Days and do a whole bunch of other stuff I wanted to do with the older books.

This has not been the case.

Instead, I ended up spending a chunk of my holiday in bed, sick. For a couple of weeks before, I'd been bothered by bronchitis, but worked through it. I was tired, but it wasn't at the point where I needed medication for it. By the Monday of my holiday, I had a chest and sinus infection and even now, nearly a week later, I am coughing and feeling like I want to hibernate for the rest of spring. 

The sun is gorgeous today, and there's a light breeze, but I'm staying inside where my hayfever can't join in the party!

What I have done is a whole lotta writing on Three Days. I loved Rowan, but a humbled Andrew starting again is actually pretty hot. Especially when you combine him with his new love interest, Maddy. Where she came from, I don't know, but she is funny as hell and goes for what she wants. At the same time, she has a sweet, sensitive side and I have to confess to a bit of a crush on her too!

Anyway, I just wanted to post to show people I was still alive and working. I fall in love with everything I write, but this one is really special. Sparks will fly, and something I never dreamed possible happened. I have deleted scenes to prove how much this story has evolved since I started it! So maybe once the books out, I'll share one of them. I was loathe to part with it, but the story went in the opposite direction and it was impossible to keep it.

Other things I am working on include: Reformatting my older books, both ebook and paperback. So the Hot for the Boss books, which includes a paperback of all four novellas, the Sultan's Bride, and After The Fall will be getting a do-over and Another Chance will be formatted to look more like Taking Chances. The paperback for Loving Rowan will also be available very soon! 

This year has been pretty full on, but I think I'll be ready for Christmas and a busy 2015!

I thought, seeing as there are times when I don't blog often, that I would share with you what my typical day is made up of.

There are times when I feel like I'm so stretched, I'll never get anything done, but I battle through. :D

Monday to Friday, I'm up at 6am. I get myself ready for work, and my two children dressed and fed, ready to go to school and day-care. I work for a telecommunications company, sometimes doing things for corporate customers, so my day job can be pretty demanding.

After eight hours at work, I come home to pick up my children and come home to prepare dinner for them. By the time that's all done,  I really want to relax in front of the television or go to sleep. Instead, we go through bath/shower time, put the kids to bed and then I get writing time.

I take my Macbook to work with me most days, and sometimes find a quiet spot to write during my lunch break, and during the weekends I'll alternate between housework and squeezing in a few words.

Next year, I would love to up my output and put out more books for you to read. I'm not short of ideas, and if I can, I'll find a way to get more writing time in. :D

Now, it's the weekend, and I need to get on with Three Days. I am also working on the book that will come after that too!

It's been a week since my last update, and I have been squeezing as much time as I can into writing. Three Days was going to be maybe half the size of Loving Rowan, but you know I can never judge how many words I'm actually going to write. It's currently just under 25,000 words and I have a lot more story to tell.

I'm also 15,000 words into something new, but more about that at a later date.

The weird thing about this is, for a change I know where I'm going with Three Days. My previous books, I've always had a rough idea of how things will go, but write on the fly. While I'm still creating story as I go, I know exactly how I'm going to end Three Days and it's the exciting thing of fleshing out the rest of the story that I'm doing now.

So, this might change completely. With Loving Rowan, I revised the first three chapters heavily in editing as they weren't quite right. This feels different, but is still subject to completely change. So, in it's rough unedited form, here's the first chapter of Three Days ...

--


I never meant to hurt her.

That sounds crazy when I think of what I put Rowan through. 

None of it made sense until so much later, when I sat in the prison cell, the realisation of what I’d done hitting me like a freight train. Consumed with thoughts of getting her back, I wanted to reset time, take us back to the way things used to be. Though, Charlie’s death had made that impossible.

Now, I sat in the same cell I’d inhabited these past three years, thinking about how to put things right. Memories of what I did haunted me. I still dreamed of a happier time, when Charlie, Rowan and I were three musketeers. Charlie was dead and even being friends with Rowan was so far out of my reach that nothing would ever be the same.

I looked around the walls, drab and that same uniform grey the whole damn building was painted in. These were the walls I’d stared at so many times wondering how my life had gone if I had done things differently, and it was when I closed my eyes the memories came flooding back.

Charlie, my beautiful blue eyed girl. The one who committed to love me every day of my life, the one I let down so badly. It wasn’t that I had any doubts, but seeing Rowan with another man left me on edge. I didn’t know I wanted her until I couldn’t have her.

I was stupid, immature, desperate, and I lost the two people who meant the most to me in the whole world.

Standing, I took one last look around the cell. I wouldn’t miss this place, and yet I’d learned so much about myself while sitting inside these walls. It was time to get out of here.

With all formalities aside, I made my way to the gate, pausing to look around the big, almost empty car park leading to the road. I shivered. Never coming back here again.

My parents stood either side of the car, waiting. At sight of me, Mum yelped, and ran, throwing her arms around me and hugging me tight. “Let’s go home,” she whispered.

~

Before all this, I’d had a good job, a good life. Now, I had to start again, find a way to exist with this criminal record for this crazy thing I’d done. I couldn’t imagine doing it now, the guilt overwhelming at times. To take Rowan away from her family had been cruel, but at the time, I couldn’t see past my grief and confusion.

Charlie. I still dreamed of Charlie. Our wedding day blighted by my resentment over Kyle, Rowan’s date. My bride had walked down the aisle, covered in satin and lace, and all I could see was Kyle, his arms wrapped around Rowan as if he possessed her.

From the moment she found out about Charlie and I, Rowan had disowned us, leaving our shared house and running away to start a new life of her own. Between then and the wedding, I’d been bothered by her not being around, in the early days of our lives we’d been inseparable.

Charlie had noticed how distracted I was at times, but I told her it was just nerves over the wedding. I played down my fears of losing Rowan in my life, but inside I was falling apart, torn between the two women I loved. As it turned out, I lost them both.

The car ride was long, and I remembered how Rowan used to travel in this same car all those years ago. My dad had this huge sentimental attachment to the old HQ Holden he drove, and prided himself on keeping it going for all this time. Rowan, Charlie and I would all sit together in the big backseat, Charlie and I often teasing Rowan about the way she fell asleep on every long journey. 

I closed my eyes, unable to count the number of times I’d find her slumped over, held only by a lap belt, her head on my lap as she dozed. Sometimes, when no one was looking, I’d stroke her hair and wonder what life would bring us. The first girl I ever kissed, the first girl to make sense.

“Shit. We shouldn’t have come this way,” said Dad, waking me out of my daydream. The long, rural road took us past the place where my parents used to own a beach house, the last place I saw Rowan.

“It’s okay, Dad,” I said, gazing out the window. Remembering her screaming at me, remembering those last moments as the police came stomping in, saving her from me, her former best friend.

“I’m sorry, Andrew. I know this must be upsetting for you,” he said, pressing his foot to the accelerator as if trying to get away as quickly as possible.

“I just have to live with it,” I said. I looked up at the rear view mirror, catching his eye, seeing the sorrow in his expression. He didn’t want to make me relive what I’d done, but I would never stop, regardless of his actions.

“Sweetheart, we know you’re not a bad person. You did a bad thing,” Mum said.

I nodded. That had to be the understatement of the year, but somehow it was reassuring.

~

We went past the orchard where Rowan’s parents lived as we drew close to home. The big old white house stood high among the trees. Every place was steeped in memories of our childhood, and despite my parents trying to take care of me, I wondered how long it would be before I had to leave to stop myself drowning in those memories.

Rowan’s father was out by the boundary, and waved at Mum and Dad as we went past. At least my actions hadn’t screwed the friendship Mum and Dad had with Rowan’s parents, but I knew it had been strained for a while.

Home still looked like home when we got there. The grounds were immaculate, my mother was a stickler for the garden to be neat and tidy. The house still looked new, thanks to my father’s sometimes obsessive cleaning of it. They’d lived in this place for thirty years, and you could have sworn it had just been built.

My room was still the same as it had been when I lived here. Back before Charlie and I got together, before the mess that followed. The single bed below the window, the window I used to climb out to run down the road and see Charlie. 

In the corner were some boxes. I recognised them from my old apartment. We’d packed it up before I’d gone inside, and I’d forgotten they were there. 

I opened the first one, pulling out a photo of Charlie and I. It was one of our engagement photos, and she was beaming, the love radiating off her like the sun. There I was, gazing adoringly at her. If only things had stayed that simple.

The longer I looked, the closer I came to tears, feeling the weight of my grief overwhelm me as if it were happening all over again. I had so many regrets about the past, but none about loving Charlie.

I had to start a new life without her, and I had no idea how. All I knew was that I was alone, and I had to deal with it without flipping out again. Doing it once had cost me far too much. 

It cost me everything.

Since my last blog post, Andrew's story got a name. It's called Three Days.

Tentative release date is the 18th of December (I'm also working on another little surprise around that date, so watch this space!) and will be a 99c release to say thank you to all those who have supported me this year. Just a little Christmas present!

I'm not sure how long it will be, but I've got to 15,000 words and the story is building. For someone who I didn't like in the last book, Andrew is getting a great story as I really think there's no much to tell. The events of Loving Rowan broke him, and he has to start again minus Charlie and Rowan, so he needs to find new friends and people to support him.

Here's the blurb

When Loving Rowan ended, Andrew still had his story to tell. The story of starting his life again.

Three days …
That’s how long I was married to Charlie. Her death on our third day of marriage still haunts me, the part I played in her asthma attack will be with me forever. I loved her, but just couldn’t let go of the past.

Three days …
How long I held Rowan captive, trying to convince her that she needed to be with me. She’d turned her back on me once I chose Charlie and moved on with someone else. In my grief and stupidity, I lost any chance of her friendship.

Three days …
I’ve done prison time for what I did, and now I need to start again. I wasn't looking for any relationship, the thought of love is simply too painful. And yet, it’s been three days since I met Maddy, and already she’s brought more laughter to my life than I have had in so very long. She’s been through a lot too, so now I wonder if we can make a fresh start together.


Three Days is available now for pre-order on iBooks 

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/book/three-days/id912632096?mt=11&uo=4&at=10lvuW

I have had a great week with Loving Rowan. The book has climbed the charts and been top 100 on iBooks in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.  So a big thank you again to all those who support me and buy my work.

I've had some feedback, but always keen for more! I love Rowan's shyness, and the way she grows in confidence with the right man. :D

One thing that is worth mentioning too is that I also announced on Facebook that my next project will be Andrew's story. It will pick up after the park scene at the end of Loving Rowan and cover him starting his life again.

I didn't really like him when I was writing Loving Rowan, and I can tell you that originally the story was not going to go in the direction it ended up in. I fought what Andrew did, but he was very demanding and I had to give in.

However, I think that when you go through so much and have to deal with the depth of pain he did, that sometimes people do crazy things and act out of character.  His story will not be Loving Rowan part 2, that part of his life is over. Now he needs to find a job and work out how to live his life without the two people who meant the most to him.

So, I thought I'd share a bit of what I've written so far. It's rough as it's unedited, but you get the gist, and some will recognise the scene! By the way, I am working on something else as well, but that is going to be under wraps for a while longer. 

--

She stood, and my heart broke all over again to look at her. Out of this, I would never be able to salvage any kind of friendship. I would never have her hold my hand, hug me in comfort, pat me on the shoulder to reassure me that despite whatever screw up I’d made, I would still be okay.

The pain I felt at losing her was overwhelming, but I knew I’d suffered that loss three years ago when I’d made my choice and taken her.
 
“Get better, Andrew. Find a way to move on and be happy. You deserve that.” There was nothing in her eyes, no love, no compassion. Someone who felt so deeply, and yet now she felt nothing for me.
     
“Love you, Rowan. Always have, always will,” I said.
     
She turned and walked away, before running and leaping into Kyle’s arms. He spun her round, and the sound of their shared laughter floated through the air. What I would have given to make her laugh like that.
     
I watched as he kissed her tenderly. Everything about him screamed of the love he felt for his wife, the one woman I could never have.
     
I stayed on the bench for a while, watching as they disappeared into the distance. It was over. I’d made my peace with Rowan, but there would be no more us in any capacity, and that still tore me apart inside. So many sleepless nights inside, thinking of this moment, when she finally let me go.
    
Who was I kidding? I let go first.

Loving Rowan will start rolling out to iPads and other assorted Apple devices in the next 24 hours or so. I'll be pushing the publish button on Amazon soon, and other retailers so we can get this book live!

I really love this book as I've said before, and it has some really beautiful moments. So, I thought I'd familiarise people with the cast before it goes live, and let you know a little bit about them.

Rowan
At times painfully shy, but confident on subjects she is an expert on. Has been in love with Andrew her entire life.

Kyle
Son of Rowan's boss and in love with Rowan. Becomes friends with her and wants more.

Andrew
Rowan's best friend since practically birth. Goes through a traumatic event and realises just how much Rowan means to him. Without spoiling the story, goes to some pretty extreme lengths to show her.

Charlie
The other best childhood friend of Rowan. Polar opposite to her, but loves Rowan, even though she lets her down.

I'll just leave you with one last teaser. I posted this on my Facebook page the other day. It's from one of my favourite scenes in the book. <3

I feel like I haven't blogged for ages, but this book has been keeping me busy.

Loving Rowan came back from the editor a few days ago, so I have been going through the edits, rewriting parts and getting ready to do the final uploads everywhere.

I've loved every story I've written, and I think they get better and better. I am really in love with this one, Rowan isn't that far removed from me in a lot of ways. For most of my life I was quite shy, it was working in retail that knocked most of that out of me. :D

Loving Rowan is available for pre-order on iBooks right now. Link opens in iTunes. :)

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/book/loving-rowan/id900843612?mt=11&uo=4&at=10lvuW

I'm also really close to revealing more details on my next book, so stay tuned!

Just a quick post as tonight is crazy with a whole lot of stuff I need to get done, but here is the gorgeous cover for Loving Rowan.  Another gorgeous cover by Sprinkles On Top Studios.