The 'exhausting' chaos of online dating comes to life in a recently published novel.

Love, Lust & WTF?!! tells the story of a lady named Daisy who's been a widow for a couple of years and she's thinking of dating again.

The author, Nikki Sitch, says the book describes the up-and-down crazy roller coaster of online dating.

"Basically, most of the book is talking about the whole craziness that is online dating these days. It's the excitement of it, and the disappointments, and the frustration of it, and the boredom of answering the same questions over and over and over again. And just kind of stubbing her toe in her experiences of just really trying to find that match and just having a heck of a time trying to do it. Running into people who are kind of a little bit crazy, and people who are trying to scam her out of money, and all sorts of fun stuff."

Having experienced the ups and downs of online dating herself, she said there was no shortage of inspiration.

"It's fiction obviously, so none of the stories in here are my stories. But you know, I have a number of girlfriends and guy friends who are single, and so everything pretty much in here was inspired by something that happened."

She's been single for about three years and was sharing her experiences in online dating with some of her girlfriends one day when one of them suggested she write a blog.

"I thought, 'Nope, there is no way that I'm putting any of my personal details out there on the internet. There is no way.'"

That's when her friend suggested doing a fiction novel instead.

Sitch had never really wanted to write a book and figured she didn't have time.

"But I'm one of these people that once I get an idea in my head, I just kind of go with it. So all of a sudden it started to become a very appealing idea.

"I started writing, and I couldn't believe how quickly the words just kind of flew onto the page. And I absolutely loved writing about my fictional characters' experiences."

Outside of writing, she has lots to keep her busy.

She is a mother of two boys ages 8 and 18, a land negotiator with an energy transition company, and a volunteer swim coach and swimmer.

"I squeeze in writing when I can. I never actually thought I would write a book. It wasn't anything that was on my to-do list, but it was just kind of a cool thing that developed over a bit of time, the idea anyways. And it's just something that I absolutely love now. It's become a huge passion for me."

Though she's been living in Calgary since July of last year, she previously lived in Okotoks for about four and a half years after moving there with her ex-husband and two children.

She still has friends in town and comes out quite a bit as she finds it a neat place to shop and hang out.

The book was published in December 2021, and she will be in Okotoks for a book signing just two days before Valentine's.

It's at Yooneek Books on McRae St. on Saturday, Feb. 12, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In her romantic comedy, she hopes readers will also gain some enlightening takeaways.

"I want them to laugh. I want them to laugh at the ridiculousness that is online dating. And quite honestly, I also want to educate people a bit."

She says she wants to enlighten people on what's going on these days in the world of dating, and also bust open the doors when it comes to being judgmental and help people see that there's another way to look at things.

"There's a few issues that I tackle as well. I try to do it in a lighthearted way... A lot of times women kind of get pigeonholed into certain areas where they're supposed to be a certain way, and men do as well. And I wanted to kind of bring light to that and have people enjoy this very lighthearted story but have some underlying things where people could learn a little bit."

 

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