Hi
I think I can help with this, I can outline within 24 hours if necessary. Here is a sample from an inspirational, romantic short story although I am confident with most genres -
A wise man told me not so long ago that the true meaning of life will reveal itself at those 'not so together' moments. Those moments when self-doubt has taken charge but perseverence smacks the little sucker in its face in the name of pride. I know them well, but this isn't one of them. I take no credit for perseverence, I was so close to giving up after Ryan died and never will forgive myself for losing it in front of Mikey and Fern all those months. They were way too small to lose their father. So, to make things better, make us better, I returned to work. Things seemed to be OK. I say that loosely because OK now, is so much different to OK then. It was during this OK moment that Jane entered my life. With a pop and a bang (followed by a few obscenities). She was our new line manager extraordinaire and was determined to shake things up a lot. She had a lot to prove. She had a lot of everything.
“Jess you've got a spare minute I'm sure. Bring in my file on Astons, their tariff needs reviewing today. While you're at it I'll have a tea, gives you a purpose”, she said, picking up her phone presumably to dial her fiancé whom she pestered quite regularly.
I'd heard Jane was great at acting like manager of the year, but from what I'd witnessed in the past week, she delegated most of her workload. I took the tea into her office, bowing as I placed it on the desk amid the piles of documents and used tissue, next to the open bottle of nail polish remover. She covered the mouthpiece, her voice hushed.
“Very funny. Get on the phone. We have seventeen customers waiting and your appraisal is this fucking week”, she said before returning to her phonecall. The woman had no class.
I sat down at my desk, taking a gulp of my cold latte. I needed the day to pass quickly and Jane was already determined to make that difficult. All I could think of was the kids and checking they were ok.
“How's Mikey?”, Dave Tran asked over the desk. He was a good guy, reliable and completely overlooked, with a unique sense of style that I couldn't resist admiring. His desk was strewn with doodles, he was the most phenomenal artist I'd ever met. What I couldn't figure out is why he didn't do anything with the pictures he drew, they were outstanding. Or why he was single. The man smelled of Issy Miyake and fresh man-shower.
“He's ok, thanks Dave. I called the childminder half an hour ago she's got the both of them snuggled up watching Percy Jackson”. I smiled, to appease him mainly, and I think he noticed.
“Ignore her... she's a horrible cow love...did it to Kelsey before you came back and made the poor girl ill. Just keep your head down and work hard like you always do...She'll move on to someone else eventually. If it's me she'll be meeting her match, I can't wait to get out of this place”
Dave's words bothered me, but not until later in the evening when the kids were sleeping. I'd worked at Utilitron for seven years, proven myself daily for a very long time. Jane had been manager for around five months and in the week since my return had me jumping hoops for her approval, while praising the rest of my team for the smallest achievement. The fact that Dave noticed it seemed to validate my own feelings.
My babies had been asleep for less than an hour when I received my first call.
“Jess, I'm so sorry to bother you but I really need your advice”
“I should start charging for this Eva, you're lucky I love you. Let me put the kettle on, what's up?”
“That guy, the producer that you spoke to, did he reply? I really need a new one, I cannot work with Justin. It's as though he will only finish things if I sleep with him. And you know he makes my skin crawl. I need a professional and fast, I need to finish this album and I really don't mind travelling”
“Bless you. I did ask him, he said he'd be happy to charge you mate's rates if you're happy to travel. Do you want me to arrange it? You'll love him, he's a character and so fucking talented”
“Please do Jess, anytime in May, thankyou so much... I wish you'd consider being my manager, just the thought of the shit you'd get done makes me salivate. You know everyone! Sort it out lav”, she said with a giggle. I smiled, it was nice to hear the worry lift from her voice. I was proud I caused it, but I could never commit to something like that. It just wasn't reliable financially. I could only do what I could around the kids and work. Still, it felt nice to make her smile, she was a great friend and still is.
We discussed hooking her up with a friend of mine who could design her album cover and she asked me how I'd been lately. Without Ryan. She didn't say it but it was in her voice.
