Luckily, Sandhya Menon blessed us with a short story sequel, As Kismet Would Have It, and we all got to read about what happened after the last page of When Dimple Met Rishi.  We also met Sweetie from There’s Something about Sweetie before the book came out! Now, I’m happy to say, there will be ANOTHER short story about Dimple and Rishi!

There’s a New Short Story Exclusive from the When Dimple Met Rishi Universe!

Sandhya Menon announced the brand new e-novella cover and title!

I am SO thrilled to announce a brand new e-novella in the Dimpleverse, called Love at First Fight! This story features ALL the characters from the Dimpleverse–Dimple, Rishi, Ashish, Sweetie, and the newest duo, Pinky and Samir! ???
*
Love at First F… https://t.co/WcW1tMieZq pic.twitter.com/tzCJkvCuAE

— Sandhya! Menon! (@smenonbooks) April 23, 2020

Let’s quickly stop and look at this AMAZING cover!

Also that title hints to an enemies-to-lovers romance, which is definitely a personal fave and made me (and hopefully you) more excited than ever to read 10 Things I Hate about Pinky.

Mark your calendars! Love at First Fight will be available to read FOR FREE on RivetedLit.com starting June 1!

 

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I am SO thrilled to announce a brand new e-novella in the Dimpleverse, called Love at First Fight! This story features ALL the characters from the Dimpleverse–Dimple, Rishi, Ashish, Sweetie, and the newest duo, Pinky and Samir! ??? * Love at First Fight follows our Atherton gang as they navigate an escape room on Valentine’s day! Naturally, much bickering, arguing, flirting, and hijinks ensue. I had *so much* fun writing the whole gang together again and I hope you guys love it, too! ??? * The graphic has more info on how to read (register at rivetedlit.com to read for free beginning June 1st or you can buy for your e-readers starting on June 30th for $0.99–available for preorder now)! ??? * Here are a couple of other things to know: 1. You can safely read this before 10 Things I Hate about Pinky; there are no spoilers here! 2. If you’re new to the Dimpleverse, here’s the suggested reading order for the novels and e-novellas: When Dimple Met Rishi, There’s Something about Sweetie, As Kismet Would Have It (e-novella), Love at First Fight (e-novella), and 10 Things I Hate about Pinky. Happy reading! ??? * Cover by the always fabulous @sarah.creech! ??? * #bookstagram #booknerd #read #readersofinstagram #yabooks #yalit #sandhyamenon #Dimpleverse

A post shared by Sandhya Menon (@sandhyamenonbooks) on Apr 23, 2020 at 10:53am PDT

If you read Sandhya Menon’s caption, not only do we get to read about Dimple and Rishi again, but Sweetie and Ashish are back AND you’ll be able to read about how Pinky and Samir first met!

You will also be able to purchase the e-novella starting June 30th.

So what are you waiting for! Add 10 Things I Hate about Pinky to your TBR right now and if you haven’t already read As Kismet Would Have It, you can read it RIGHT NOW for free on RivetedLit.com.

The post There’s a New Short Story Exclusive from the When Dimple Met Rishi Universe! appeared first on Simon Teen.

Originally this sequence happened right after Audra triggers Vane’s Northerly and Southerly breakthroughs—and nearly loses him in the process—and drags him home all weak and pathetic. I thought Audra would be so worried about Vane that she wouldn’t be willing to leave him alone. But the whole sequence really slowed the pacing—and made it pretty hard for Vane to hide the fact that his memories were coming back. So I changed it to the way it is in the book now, with her leaving him alone so he can sleep.

*  *  *  *  *

VANE:

Audra shuffles me back to her side. “Once we get inside, I’ll lay you down in your room and see myself out. Try not to get up. Eat something. Eat a lot, actually. Your body could use a few more ties to the earth. And stay away from the wind. Close your window tight—turn off your fan. You’re too vulnerable right now.”

“Vulnerable how? Like . . . I could get swept away again if I stand too close to an AC vent?”

“Probably not. But I’m trying to be cautious. I’ve never heard of anyone being as tempted by the wind as you were. Maybe it’s a Westerly thing. Or maybe you’ve been so wind-deprived these last ten years your body doesn’t know how to handle it. Either way, you need to stay grounded, so it’s safer to stay away from temptation.”

The only temptation I’m feeling is to run my hands along the sliver of midriff peeking from the bottom of her tank top. Now, that would motivate me to stay grounded.

I’m so distracted by the thought that I miss the next thing she says. Or I assume I did, because it can’t be what I thought I heard.

“You’ll what?” I ask.

“I’ll sneak back into your room as soon as your parents are asleep,” she repeats. “I need to stay the rest of the night with you.”

I shake my head, trying to wrap my mind around that information. The best response I can come up with is, “huh?”

“I want to make sure your consciousness doesn’t drift away in your dreams. I’m not sure if that’s possible—but with the way you reacted to your breakthroughs I’m not taking any chances.”

“So … you’re going to sleep with me?”

Audra sighs, but I can see pink coloring her cheeks. “No, you’re going to sleep and I’m going to monitor your breathing and make sure it holds steady.”

Okay, that’s … kind of creepy.

But more importantly—Audra’s going to be in my bed?????

Only good things can come from that.

*  *  *  *  *

This is where the rest of the scene picked back up, and Vane goes to his house and Audra meets his parents, and the only other change was that Audra whispered she would see him soon at the end of Vane’s chapter. Then it cut to Audra sneaking back in.

*  *  *  *  *

AUDRA:

Vane doesn’t say anything as I slip through his window—but I can feel him watching me through the darkness.

I give myself two deep breaths before I turn to face him. “You’re supposed to be sleeping.”

“Yeah, well, you kinda got me freaked out about the whole drift-away-in-my-dreams thing.”

I sigh.

His voice doesn’t sound tired at all. And having him awake makes this very . . . strange.

It feels even stranger as I move closer. My eyes adjust to the dim light, and I can see he’s turned down the covers on the side of his bed that he never sleeps on.

“Seriously?” Vane asks as I settle on his faded rug. “You’re going to sleep on the floor?”

“I’m not here to rest. I’m here to protect you.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t be comfortable.”

Sharing his bed would be anything but comfortable—especially given the way he’s staring at me. And the way I can still picture his lips as I leaned in to try and save him earlier . . .

“Just pretend I’m not here,” I tell him, planning to do the same.

“Yeah right,” he mumbles.

He rolls onto his side.

Then sighs and changes positions.

He shifts three more times before he finally settles, and I lean back against the wall, listening to the rhythm of his breathing. It’s strained and uneven, so I’m not totally surprised when he tosses again, this time throwing back the covers.

“What’s wrong?” I ask as he slides out of the bed. His knees shake slightly, but his legs hold steady.

He grabs two pillows and stumbles toward me. “I can’t sleep with you hiding in the shadows, staring at me.”

“And how does this change that?” I ask as he drops down beside me.

“I don’t know, but it feels less creepy.”

He takes one of the pillows and stuffs it behind his back. The other he holds out to me.

“I’m fine,” I tell him.

He rolls his eyes and shakes it under my nose until I finally grab it just so he’ll stop. He waits for me to stuff it behind me, and I’m stunned at how much better it feels. It’s been years since I sat somewhere soft.

Vane grins, like he knows what I’m thinking, and I want to be annoyed with him. But he’s the first person who’s given the slightest thought to my comfort in . . .

I can’t even remember.

“Thank you,” I mumble.

He shrugs. “The bed would be even softer. Just sayin’.”

“Then you are welcome to go back there any time you want.”

“Nah, I’m good right here.”

He leans back and closes his eyes and I count his breaths, relieved when they start to slow.

There’s something almost melodic about the sound—like listening to a peaceful draft where I can’t understand the words.

Like listening to a Westerly.

A few minutes more, and I can tell he’s finally asleep.

I study his face, searching for any sign of his dreams overtaking him. But his expression is calm. His eyelids fluttering softly. His lips slightly parted, the corner of one side almost tilted with a smile.

I catch myself staring and drag my eyes away, wondering what’s wrong with me. It must be the heat in the air.

Vane’s not touching me, but even his closeness feels electric. Maybe it’s the darkness. Maybe it’s just me. But it’s a strange, almost irresistible energy.

I will resist, though. I’m here for one reason and one reason only. To keep Vane safe.

Seven days left.

*  *  *  *  *

This scene between Vane and Audra used to be toward the middle of the book, right after the scene where she takes Vane to the wind farm and teaches him how to build pipeline tornadoes. In the original draft, their conversation shifted from Vane celebrating his new skill to Audra revealing that if he doesn’t start learning faster, she’ll have to make the Ultimate Sacrifice and give up her life to save him during the battle, just like her father had done years before. Vane was clearly unhappy with that news, and reacted in the scene that followed.

I cut it because I realized during revision that I needed Vane to learn that information much earlier. Knowing Audra’s planning to sacrifice herself is what finally makes him take his training seriously, and I needed him to do that from day one. So I moved the reveal to the point where it is in the book now, on their first morning training together, right before Vane decides to swallow his fears and let Audra trigger his other breakthroughs. Sadly, that meant this moment had to go, since they didn’t know each other well enough at that point to lean on each other this way. But now you can read it here!

*  *  *  *  *

Vane has never been this quiet.

I tell myself to enjoy the small break from his incessant complaining. But each silent second seems to add a chill to the sweltering night.

I lean closer, ready to remind him how to land, but Vane is already pulling away. And the second our feet touch the sandy ground he stomps off toward his house, vanishing into the darkness.

I could let him go, but…

“Vane.”

The sound of crunching palm leaves is his only reply.

I reach up to rub my aching temples.

Unweaving my braid would ease some of the pressure, but I need the reminder of my role—now more than ever.

“Actually, I’m not letting you off that easy,” Vane shouts as he stalks back toward me. “If you think I want you throw your life away for me—”

“It’s not for you, Vane. It’s for me.”

“So, what—you want to die?”

Yes.

Even as I think the word, I know I don’t mean it.

I don’t want to die.

But I deserve to.

And I owe it to my father—and my people—to finish the job he would have, had it not been for my foolish mistakes.

“What aren’t you telling me?” Vane asks, moving close enough that I can see him through the dim moonlight. “There has to be something. I’ve never seen anyone punish themselves the way you do.”

I look away.

I should tell him now, toss my sins out into night and finally clear the air between us.

But I can’t.

I want to believe it’s because I still need Vane to trust me. But the truth is far more selfish.

“It’s not punishment,” I say, knowing the anger in my voice gives me away. I take a deep breath and try again. “It isn’t death—not like how you think of it. I’ll just be returning to the sky. Going back to where I belong.”

“You belong here.”

I shake my head as Vane steps closer.

“I mean it,” he says grabbing my shoulders and waiting for me to look at him. “And if you don’t want me to throw us both in my car and drive us the heck out of here, I need you to promise me something.”

“We can’t outrun this storm, Vane.”

“Promise me anyway,” he insists. “Promise me that no matter what happens, you won’t give up.”

“I …”

If he’d worded it any other way I would have had to lie. But he’s given me an option I can accept.

“I promise,” I whisper.

I will fight until my final breath.

And then I will leave this earth far behind.

Vane frowns, and for a second I worry that he’s realized his mistake. But all he does is pull me closer, wrapping his arms around me.

The guilt from his touch burns so hot it makes my eyes water.

Still, I can’t pull away.

I lean on Vane Weston as much as he leans on me.

And together we find the strength to face the coming day.

The post Let the Sky Fall Deleted Scenes appeared first on Simon Teen.

You can download the entire packet here or click on the individual images below to download the specific ones you want!

Do you love them? Plan to use them for Valentine’s Day (or Galentine’s Day)? let us know in the comments!

The post To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before Valentines appeared first on Simon Teen.

To set the stage: in We are the Ants, Henry Denton has spent years being periodically abducted by aliens. Then the aliens give him an ultimatum: The world will end in 144 days, and all Henry has to do to stop it is push a big red button. (How’s THAT for a premise?  If you haven’t read this yet, you want to now right?!)

Now, in Shaun David Hutchinson’s new short story, What We Pretend to Be, fans can glimpse some of the impossible decisions other characters have faced at the hands of the aliens, and even see Henry’s very first abduction . . .

Read on and let us know what you think in the comments!

The post Read WHAT WE PRETEND TO BE, A New We Are The Ants Short Story appeared first on Simon Teen.

*  *  *  *  *

This dream/flashback used to come before Vane’s other memory of Audra and the snow, but I cut it because I felt like it slowed everything down, without adding enough to the story. Let the Storm Break isn’t really about Vane’s past or family, which made this information feel out of place:

Some are recent: Audra leaning in. Telling me she loves me before she…

I shove those memories away, focusing on the ones that mean so much more.

My mom and dad—my real mom and dad.

Almost everything I know about them was stolen and hidden and then given back to me in such a messy jumble I haven’t even known where to start when it comes to sorting them out. But the warmth guides me, connecting pieces here and there.

My dad’s face appears, happy and smiling and begging me to trust him as we stand on the edge of a cliff. I can’t see myself, so I don’t know how old I am. But I feel young and afraid as he takes my hand and leans us over, showing me the ground far below. I want to run—but he holds me too tight and before I can stop him he pulls us over the edge. I thrash and scream, but then I realize I’m not falling and open my eyes and find us hovering on a breeze.

A cool, calm breeze that tangles around us and lifts us higher.

“This is your heritage,” he tells me. “Your mother doesn’t want me to show you. She wants to protect you, thinks she can shield you from the fate so many others of us have faced. And I … I don’t know. I want you to be safe. But you have to know who you are.”

He hisses something I don’t understand—or, I didn’t then. I do now. He’s commanding the west wind. Ordering it to lift us higher.

And it does.

We soar so high the ground turns to nothing more than smudges of green and blue. I scream as I hold onto my dad, trying to trust him, trying to understand how this is real.

He tightens his grip on my hand.

“I had to show you this, Vane. I needed you to see the world the way only we can see it. Because I need you to understand our responsibility to protect this heritage. This power—this gift the westerly winds share with us. It’s more important than anything. Even our own lives.”

*  *  *  *  *

This moment used to happen right after the big Haboob-fight in Death Valley, as Vane, Audra, and Gus made their way back to the desert. I thought it might be good to let them be a little silly, to sort of lighten the mood after all the dark things that had just happened. But I realized as soon as I wrote it that it was TOO silly for where they all were at emotionally. So even though I loved letting Vane and Audra have a “cute” moment, I cut it and wrote the moments you now see in the book:

I pull her closer so I can get a better look at her wound, but the longer I stare at the red, bloody gash, the more my head spins and shadows rim my vision.

I will make Raiden pay for this.

Whenever I can.

As soon as I can.

“Hey,” she whispers, brushing her hand across my cheek. “It’s okay, I’ve had way worse in my training.”

Maybe—but that doesn’t make me feel any better.

I’m done letting her get hurt because of me.

I wipe the dried blood away, tracing my fingers gently along the edge of the wound.

She jumps.

“Sorry, does that hurt?”

“No,” she mumbles, her cheeks flushing red. “It … tickles.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

The Great and Stoic Audra is … Ticklish?

“You really shouldn’t have told me that,” I tell her as I pull her even closer and tickle her other hip, making her twist and grab my hands.

“Stop!” she tells me, giving me her I am serious look—which only makes me more determined.

“Stop what?” I twist my hands free and tickle her again, earning myself a shriek for my efforts—which sounds so ridiculous coming from Audra I can’t help cracking up.

“Seriously, stop,” Gus chimes in, and the weariness in his voice makes us both turn to face him.

“It’s been … kind of a bad day,” he says quietly. “I can’t handle three hours trapped in a tiny bubble with the happy couple tickling each other.”

My cheeks turn hot, partially because I can’t believe Gus knows. But mostly because I’m pretty much winning the prize for worst friend in the world right now.

*  *  *  *  *

I’m actually not sure where this scene went (terrible, I know! Bad Shannon!). When I was first drafting the book, I had Vane struggle a lot more with still wanting a normal life, and had tons of little moments like this, where he’s slowly starting to understand that a normal life isn’t possible. But I realized I wasn’t being true to his character—that his worries about Audra’s safety would take precedence over thoughts like this. So I took most of them out, leaving just a few scattered sentences here and there:

I haven’t really been letting myself think about the fact that there’s going to be like, a war. Probably because part of me has been hoping that once Audra gets back we’ll sneak away somewhere no one can find us and spend the rest of our days flying from town to town, only stopping when we need to eat. Or want to find a soft bed…

But can I really abandon all of these people who are counting on me?

Leave my friends and family unprotected?

Let Raiden wipe out the rest of the Gales?

And do I really want to live the rest of my life on the run?
I … don’t think I do.

But am I really planning to try and lead this army to victory?

I’m not a soldier, and a few weeks of training isn’t going to change that.

Wow, how did my life get so freaking complicated?

A few weeks ago, the biggest decision I had to make was if I wanted to apply to a four-year college and move away straight out of high school, or kill a couple years at College of the Desert before deciding where I want to go.

That’s a whole lot better than having to decide the fate of an entire race.

*  *  *  *  *

If you’ve read Let the Storm Break, then certain elements of this scene might seem familiar, since similar moments do happen in the book. But they’re broken up and rearranged, because I realized after I wrote this scene that some of the things they’re talking about needed to come up sooner, and some of them needed to wait. I’d just had so many huge things happen, it took me a little while to figure out the best way to let the characters process everything, and this moment wasn’t quite true to what they were all dealing with:

Almost home.

Almost back to the safety of the Gales, where …

… a crapload of problems are waiting for us.

I turn to Gus, who looks pretty scary with his bare, bulging muscles covered in the Stormers’ blood.

I reach out and squeeze his shoulder, careful not to touch any of the sticky red. “If you need to talk … ”

He nods, but doesn’t say anything.

I glance at Audra and she’s watching me, biting her lower lip—which I know means she’s worried, but looks so incredibly sexy I want to pull her close and wrap my arms around her and—

Gus clears his throat, like he knows exactly what I’m thinking.

“How long have you been bonded?” he asks quietly.

I consider lying, but there’s really no point. “Right before she left. Like, within hours.”

I say the last part loud, wanting to make sure Audra hears it.

Does she know how brutal that was? How many times I wondered if she left because I was a horrible kisser, or something?

Gus lets out an I’m-way-too-tired-to-deal-with-this sigh. “And I’m guessing you don’t want the Gales to know.”

“Actually,” I say, turning to Audra and hoping she won’t hate me for this, “I think we should just get it out in the open, so they can get used to it and move on.”

I can see the worry in her eyes, and I’m sure it’s there in mine, too.

But it’s time to stop hiding.

Well… almost time.

“I think we should wait until morning, though,” I add. “You know, so we have some time to recover from everything.”

Gus snorts, and I expect him to call me out for just trying to get some time alone with Audra—which I totally am. I want one night before I have to face the wrath of my mom and the Gales and Solana…

Ugh, that’s going to suck.

But then I watch Gus scratch dried blood off his cheek and realize what an idiot I’m being.

He’s never going to recover from this.

“Gus—are you sure you don’t want to—“

“Don’t,” he interrupts. “Not yet.”

I nod.

We drift in silence the rest of the way.

The post Exclusive Content from Shannon Messenger’s Let the Storm Break appeared first on Simon Teen.