Love After Life

Leave out the daughter, the gay couple, the cupcake, and all the poor, poor me junk. Leave the dad in, let him drown and tell his story. That was the only story line I found of interest - or to be different from all the standard fiction being written. How many books have you read that have "your" daughter as a character? How many books have you read that have "your" father as a character? Write the new story. You have some skill. Your grammar is good. Your word usage is fixable. Learn to tell the right story.