When I bought this book, I didn't know what I expected. It certainly wasn't this, though.

When Angela told me she had managed to get a publishing deal for the book she wrote and I helped edit, I was ecstatic for her. She had managed to achieve her dream, after all.

But this was... Well, it was crap. Nothing like what she wrote in the first place. I felt bad for her now, money or no money. It sure feels hollow when dreams are fulfilled in seemingly the worst way possible...

It was as if someone took her story, removed all evidence of good writing, then turned it into yet another vapid teen romance book about a vampire! The characters were renamed, story aspects that made it make sense before were removed and replaced nonsense, and many dialogs were edited heavily in a way that made the characters seem more juvenile... The only part that stayed true to form was the sex scenes, bizarrely, though they lacked the previous immaculate romantic context.

"This fucking sucks" I said to myself, finishing the first few chapters while sitting in the bookstore parking lot. "I hope Angie isn't too disappointed"

When I got home, I thought about how to ask her delicately about the travesty that was her book, but it seems my brain got ahead of me before I could think it through all the way.

"Honey, why is your book trashier than a dumpster fire now"?

I probably could have worded that better.

"Excuse me?"

Yup, judging by her sudden glare, I definitely could have worded it better.

"Yeeah, what's with the vampire nonsense and the suddenly awful dialog?“

Maybe I shouldn't have doubled down but my dumbass ADHD brain was on a roll tonight

"Vampire nonsense? What? Give me that"

Luckily, that seemed to catch her attention. I quickly handed her the book before she could try to rip it out of my hands.

After a few minutes of reading, I swear I could see the veins in her face like she was some kind of cartoon character.

"It seems I have to take another look at that publishing contract."

As she spoke through a clenched jaw, her expression was simultaneously pained and enraged like someone hit a baboon with a whiffle bat as hard as they could. I backed away a bit. This wasn't good.

"Uhh...anything I can help you with?"

I was pretty lost at how to handle this and definitely did not want to be lashed out at. I tried the safe option.

"If you could make me a drink and start dinner I'd appreciate it. I have a contract to read, a lawyer to call and an angry letter to write"

"Yes ma'am! Happy to help! Ummm... Good luck with that?“

She rubbed her temples and sighed loudly.

"...just shut up and get me that drink before you dig yourself a hole"

"Okay!"

I smiled at her as cheerfully as possible And that was that. I stifled my private chuckle as she groaned at me again.

I really do hope she gets this works out. I forsee a looong week ahead of me.