Can someone pls help me find a story

[WhenItRains]

Hello everyone, I hope this is the right place to post this. I remember reading a story here about a year ago, about a guy whose best (female) friend died in a car accident, leaving a husband and two kids behind. The guy goes over to help the husband with kids and eventually they fall in love. Unfortunately, I don't remember the author or the story title If anyone can help me find it, I'd appreciate it a lot!

[Reader1810]

@WhenItRains Are the main characters in this story British? I remember reading a story that sounds like what you’re describing. The best friend had long blonde hair and had a sister in the story I read. I also remember the blonde was thought to have been having an affair, but it turned out she was planning a surprise birthday party - for her hubby. Also the two kids were both girls. 

 

Oh, and the reason she was thought to have been having an affair, was because her not so nice sister tricked the blonde into thinking she’d had a one night stand when she was drunk, which she subsequently “confessed” to her husband. 

 

Does any any of this sound familiar? I’m trying to recall the name of the story, but it hasn’t come to me yet. If/when I do, I’ll post it here. 

[Timothy M.]

You're thinking of a story by @lomax61  I think it got taken down, because he wanted to publish it.  

[Reader1810]

13 minutes ago, Timothy M. said:

You're thinking of a story by @lomax61  I think it got taken down, because he wanted to publish it.  

I was thinking it was his story, but couldn’t find anything about it anywhere. I had thought it was gone for publishing, but I had hoped to find a post about it, so I’d know if I was on the right track. 

 

Edited June 24, 2018 by Reader1810

[lomax61]

Hi there, @WhenItRains,

 

My sincere apologies. The story was called Second Half when I workshopped it here at GA. When I sent it to the publisher (DSP) they asked for me to remove it from this site. They also asked me to rework a lot of the story to take the 'darker' elements out, but it's still essentially the same.

 

The good news is that it's out on 7 August 2018 as "The Missing Ingredient" published by Dreamspinner Press under my pen name Brian Lancaster.

 

Link to DSP Site

[lomax61]

Thanks as always @Timothy M. and @Reader1810 for pointing me in the right direction.

[Timothy M.]

3 minutes ago, lomax61 said:

They also asked me to rework a lot of the story to take the 'darker' elements out, but it's still essentially the same.

 

  Publishers are weird. I can't recall any 'dark' elements in that story.

[lomax61]

1 minute ago, Timothy M. said:

 

  Publishers are weird. I can't recall any 'dark' elements in that story.

I felt that way, too.

But several elements were highlighted which, in my view, water down the plot a little, but makes for an easier read.

[Timothy M.]

Just now, lomax61 said:

I felt that way, too.

But several elements were highlighted which, in my view, water down the plot a little, but makes for an easier read.

 

Can you give us examples ? Don't worry about spoilers, since the first two posts took care of that.

[Reader1810]

11 minutes ago, Timothy M. said:

 

  Publishers are weird. I can't recall any 'dark' elements in that story.

Me neither.  

[Reader1810]

3 minutes ago, Timothy M. said:

 

Can you give us examples ? Don't worry about spoilers, since the first two posts took care of that.

Oops?   Sorry, not sorry... 😛 

[lomax61]

42 minutes ago, Timothy M. said:

 

Can you give us examples ? Don't worry about spoilers, since the first two posts took care of that.

Sure. The following elements were either toned down or removed:

Cut the scene at the beginning in the church (where Tom warns off Marcus); make far less likely the possibility of an affair by the late wife with the man in the car; remove the character of the sister Christine completely; soften the scene in the hospital where Tom's daughter had been taken. 

The plot line is fundamentally the same, but the story does not have the same deep emotional arc as before. Funny, because when I had my first novel, Uninvited Guest, published by them, the editorial process was far less intrusive. 

Having said that, I'm very happy with the final product.

Edited June 24, 2018 by lomax61

[Timothy M.]

Interesting how they wanted you to remove the evil sister. I bet that's because one of the target audiences are women, and they might react badly to the idea. I hope those publishers never encounter @Rigby Taylor's stories or they may choke on their lattées.

[WhenItRains]

@Reader1810 @lomax61 @Timothy M. Thank you everyone for your help, that was exactly the story I was thinking about! I remember reading it and it being one of my absolute favorite stories here, very emotional and just amazingly written. 

Funny enough, I thought it was called the Second Half, but when I searched and couldn't find it, I began to doubt my memory 😆 

I honestly don't see the need for any of those so-called 'dark' elements to be changed, but I guess I'll reserve judgment until I read the story again. 

Thank you all once again!

[Timothy M.]

You're welcome @WhenItRains . Glad to be of help.  

 

Thinking more about the parts removed I can actually see how it makes sense. The whole infidelity and evil sister plot was actually a bit of a red-herring, tension-raising distraction from the main plot which was about Marcus trying to deal with his attraction to the man his best friend had married.  I think I shall have to buy the book and compare it with my memory of Second Half.

[Kitt]

Perhaps the focus group they are targeting is the teen into early adult group? 

 

I didn't find any of the content you mentioned objectionable, but then, it takes a lot to offend me!  August 7 huh? A new book to go on the shelf next to Sasha and Mann's!

[Reader1810]

@WhenItRains You’re welcome.  

 

As for the August 7 release date, shall I pre-order or shall I wait? Decisions, decisions...

[mitchelll]

On 6/24/2018 at 4:08 AM, Timothy M. said:

You're welcome @WhenItRains . Glad to be of help.  

 

Thinking more about the parts removed I can actually see how it makes sense. The whole infidelity and evil sister plot was actually a bit of a red-herring, tension-raising distraction from the main plot which was about Marcus trying to deal with his attraction to the man his best friend had married.  I think I shall have to buy the book and compare it with my memory of Second Half.

I do see some of the suggestions;  like I see how the possible infidelity doesn’t really advance the plot (though I personally found it intriguing back story), but I felt the sister in law actually presented a believable impediment.

 

this does explain why I am disappointed with a lot of the m\m romance I read on kindle unlimited.  They’re usually pleasant enough, but I often find them too sparse and simplistic. I mean amateur writing can suffer from too much unnecessary filler, and I think a great editor can do amazing things, but editing can go too far.

 

i don’t recall title or author, but I read one book with a great premise.  American lower class guy goes to Oxford; meets upper class Brit.  They end up engaged, but Brit’s parents force him to end it or be disinherited (they don’t love gay thing, but class difference is big issue.). This is all back story;  action begins eight years since break up.  American is still living in UK and event planner for posh firm;  he ends up coordinating Brit’s best friend’s wedding.  Brit is now independently (and fabulously) wealthy, but reclusive, financial trader.

 

Problem is there is no real conflict once American decides (fairly early on) to try again, and his back story, which should be really intriguing ( why did he want to go to university in UK? as son of plumber with 4 or 5kids, how did he achieve it? Why did he stay in UK?  How did he become a party planner, much less the most sought after one in London?) is never explored. I wonder it the original story was stripped of some “unnecessary” items to make it easier to read.

Edited June 29, 2018 by mitchelll

[Kitt]

Lol being a fan of both David Eddings and Robert Jordan, "easy to read" has never been on my list of what a book must be.