Countdown to Love

By Allyson R. Abbott

Romance short story
When Project Manager, fifty-nine year old Marie, realises that it's been way too long since having any kind of sexual relationship with any other than her magic wand, she knows action is needed.
Using her professional training and project management skills she sets about a new project: Countdown to Love, using the forthcoming Valentine’s Day as her deadline. As an empathiser of being lonely, she also includes her gay neighbour Richard into her project to help give his boring and quiet life a boost. Little does she know that fifty-one year old Richard also has his own project on the boards and she blithely ignores his world while focusing on her mission to find them both dates/sex/love before the deadline.
A mature woman's romance.
A Valentine Romance with a difference.

“This short story was a great little humorous read, with a big difference. It dispelled the normal love, lust and romance theory when looking for a relationship as Marie, the narrator decides at 59yrs old, she needs sex and fast. Being a professional project manager, Marie tries to use the same skills of preparation, selection, and organising that she uses on a daily basis in a no nonsense way; which contrasts well given her age and stature. She includes her single neighbour Richard into her project to help find his soulmate with promises of love and sex by Valentine’s Day. He plays along albeit unwillingly only because he has his own agenda. Humorously and contrary to her own beliefs, she has no or little people skills and Richard bears the brunt of her outspokenness and plans. Some very funny parts and easy to visualise scenes. I enjoyed the different approach and the typical English upper class characterisations of Marie”. Erin. W (UK) Book provided for review purposes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Allyson R. Abbott
• Release date: Jan 26, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310990793

Allyson R. Abbott

Being an avid reader I have often thought 'I could write that' or 'that book needed a different ending', however there have also been many more times when 'how does anybody weave such a complicated plot?' come to mind. I happily read book after book for the love of reading and the escapism it offers, without analysing the style or method; the plot and storyline were much more important and exciting. Until now. Having lifted a pen and put it to paper I have now moved all authors onto pedestals to which I bow every morning. They have my utmost admiration; it's a craft that needs plenty of patience, practice and skill. Knowing how to tell a story is so much more complicated than reading the same. I‘m not sure I will ever be able to announce confidently that I am an author; to me I will always be an apprentice learning a craft. I ‘m very lucky to have the indulgence of time and space to enable me to learn and develop my skills. Having given up full time work to accompany my partner on his bucket list travels and adventures; and never sure where we will be or when, hence my novels could be classed ‘international’ as they may have been written across a few countries. Or, while being in the USA, across different states. We travel for the love of the journey, preferring motorhomes and cars to trains and planes, allowing time to absorb the culture or differences and enabling me to write or watch the world go by while thinking up stories or plots. Being a ‘mature aging gracefully’ woman, I feel akin to the problems of aging and relationships. I spent many years on my own before finding my truly remarkable and very patient partner who I happily gave up my whole world for and have blended and embellished our experience for The Silver Years Romance Series. The story on its own was nice, but to spice it up a bit I remembered a conversation during a girl’s night with my friends. We were having a discussion about how romance and erotica books make all sex and relationships sound hot, sweaty and perfect, whereas in reality, sexual intercourse or even relationships are not that straightforward, especially as one ages. Where are the real life romance or sex books? A very good question, so I set about balancing the books, so to speak, and decided to use my age and knowledge to my advantage and write true to life or real life books. After creating the Abby and Ed characters the story line flowed quite well. After all ageing couples do have sex and fall in love so why not talk about it. I didn't mean to write a book with sex scenes, it was mostly going to be about relationships and romance, but I feel it is all relevant for the story line. I apologise to any reader who finds it embarrassing, but we all have sex (where possible) and I have tried to keep it realistic. The story has turned into a series. The Silver Years Romance Series and will follow Abby and Ed through their journey of relationship issues as they age. My mind kept getting interrupted with other ideas and plots and it would have ended up an epic if I tried to fit them all into one book, so hence The Silver Night Romance Collection; which are short stories, and The Silver Lining Romance Collection. All my stories are aimed at mature readers which is why I keep the reference to silver. After all we are the Baby Boomer generation and need to be recognised. I love the fact that no matter what our age we can use new technology to connect to the rest of the world and enhance our lives. Back in the UK I have my friends and family and with emails, phones, skype or face-time, we are never out of touch for long. Even my mother at eighty-six uses face-time to catch up with me. I have the world at my fingertips and only twenty-four hours away from anywhere. I find I get distracted easily by life outside the motorhome window and very often drop the pen and pick up the camera. It never ceases to amaze me how sunsets can look so different each day, how trees change character through the seasons and the magic of water; whether a calm lake, mad rushing rapids or a large crashing waves. Life is an education and I am a pupil, happy to enjoy the journey of learning.