Annabelle woke up feeling yucky, not because she was ill, she woke with a feeling of doom, she wasn’t sure why. She hadn’t had this feeling for a while. It didn’t come along very often at the moment but when it did it was like a dark cloud, it was a feeling of being unsure. She had felt so self assured yesterday. It was like she had these amazing highs and then the lows hit her. Out of the blue, there was nothing she could do about it. It just took over. She started to doubt herself and became almost a different person. But this couldn’t be happening to her today. It was her first day on TV and she had to finish her problem letters. She had two left before it went to print.
She looked around, she couldn’t quite believe how she had got here. Only a few months ago she was in an unhappy marriage and now all of this, it is amazing how you can make things happen, how you can make changes. Francessca was so happy as well. Freddy and Annabelle had made sure she didn’t become spoiled but just felt special. Enjoying having her daddy to herself when she could. They split up the times by weeks and weekends. It was all going too well. Annabelle knew this wouldn’t last for ever. She had to get out of this negative feeling. She was so lucky, well not through luck, she had made her own luck. But she was lucky to have these opportunities now and she didn’t want to mess them up.
She had an hour before she was collected. She had been told to wear something smart and sophisticated to give a slightly different feel to the last agony aunt. She had chosen her black posh spice style leather dress. It was the item to make her feel uber confident. She had her cup of tea and then made sure she had everything she needed. She would have hair and make-up done at the studios.
So we’re on in 5 4 3 2 her heart sank on one.
“Good morning, today we have lots of new items for you as this is our new This Morning with me Phil and my new hostess Holly” As they were being introduced Annabelle sat on the side waiting for her cue to smile. The camera guy who she had found out was called Matthew whispered to her, “Don’t worry, everyone is nervous on their first day, you’ll be fine”
Annabelle was nervous and she thought back to all the people in her life that would want her to fail. She had to prove to them she was a success, this was the most important thing she had ever done. She had made it this far, nothing was going to stop her. She had a determination in her that when it was there was stronger than anything anyone could ever imagine. It was like a drug. She knew that she was going to be a success, she had to remain positive.
“And here is Annabelle our latest recruit...” As Phil introduced her Annabelle smiled and felt a wave of relief flood over her as she knew she had achieved some of her goals now. She had also achieved them by herself, not necessarily in the order some people would want to achieve them, but that was what made her unqiue. All lifes experiences had made her the way she was, she wasn’t going to change, she couldn’t she actually liked how she was.
As the camera panned away from her she had the feeling that this was only going to be the beginning of a very exciting chapter in her life. She had to remain true to herself and try and stick to what she was good at. She knew a lot about things and could get this across eloquently to everyone who watched her or read her articles. She was a true believer in everything she did. She just needed to get everyone else on the same wave length.
As the programme came to a close Annabelle felt on top of the world, she had had three callers, all asking her about things she knew. She tried not to be too opinionated but also she wanted to still feel like she was making a difference. The ratings were very positive and everyone told her she had done brilliantly. Matthew came over and told her that they were all going for lunch if she wanted to join them. This was number five, “the ask”,; she knew it was too soon for anything to happen between them, especially as she had just found out he was going through a divorce but she thought she deserved to still, be with the team. So off she went. She had no idea that over lunch she was going to meet someone else who was equally as interesting.
Monday, 15 June 2009
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
chapter five
“I love working on other peoples problems as it distracts me from my own.” No she couldn’t write that on the form, it made her sound like a nut case, a fruit case, whatever the saying was.
She was in a room with fifteen other hopefuls, some younger than her, some older. A complete mixture.
Why would you fit into our team? Because I am a party loving girl. Now she just sounded like a druggy and alcoholic. Why could she never fill in these forms properly. Now came the hard one. Her experience as a problem person, she couldn’t exactly write that she had nearly helped the producer commit suicide.
But it was too late.
“Annabelle Neam”
Oh god, the moment she had been dreading, she started to go red before she had even entered the studio, her face boiling with embarrasement, they were about to find out she was a fraud, a phoney.
“OK all we want you to do, is be yourself. Don’t worry and just relax, forget we’re even here.”
How could she forget all these strangers and cameras and lights on her. Right, I can do this, just imagine you are a presenter, act the part, you have done it your whole life, you can do it now!
And that is what she did. She became another character, almost removed from herself. She had to pretend to be offering someone some advice about their daughter, well she could do that based on her own experiences. Then had had to talk about divorce, again not an issue. Everyone seemed very impressed with her, she even surprised herself.
After she had finished her turn she was allowed a short break, she stood behind the scenes, watching everyone else. Then she spotted him, he was tallish had dark hair and wore a gorgeous blue shirt. He had blue eyes a perfect mix. He was in charge of the camera. Annabelle casually walked over to where he was working, she had an instinct as every woman did as to whether someone found you attractive:
First came “The look” –did they look at you and smile.
BINGO
Second: “The movement”- did they playfully do something in front of you, letting you know that they know that you know they are they!
BINGO
Thirdly;”The touch”- this was the harder of the three, it meant touching something they were doing i.e. camera equipment or even the side of their arm in a playful or inquisitive way.
BINGO
All three happened, he was interested. Then came the hard work background information, as she started to think up a question she got summoned over to the group of auditionees again.
Susan appeared and spoke quietly to a researcher, “We will be in contact within the day”
As Annabelle was about to leave, Susan stopped her and spoke quietly but reassuringly in her ear “Can you hold on please.”
As the others left Annabelle felt a tinge of excitement, she realised no-one else had been called back. This could be her moment, the moment when she was allowed to be opinionated, she was in her element.
“We were very impressed and would like you to start tomorrow please, you will be able to continue your writing as this gives you more power and integrity behind you. You will be needed only twice a week to start with. We have chosen you because of your honesty, don’t let me down.”
Susan left and Annabelle couldn’t contain her excitement, she let out a squeal. Could life get any better! The camera guy came over and did number four, “So we will be seeing a lot more of each other then!” The final thing the personal line, the intimacy. BINGO
She was in a room with fifteen other hopefuls, some younger than her, some older. A complete mixture.
Why would you fit into our team? Because I am a party loving girl. Now she just sounded like a druggy and alcoholic. Why could she never fill in these forms properly. Now came the hard one. Her experience as a problem person, she couldn’t exactly write that she had nearly helped the producer commit suicide.
But it was too late.
“Annabelle Neam”
Oh god, the moment she had been dreading, she started to go red before she had even entered the studio, her face boiling with embarrasement, they were about to find out she was a fraud, a phoney.
“OK all we want you to do, is be yourself. Don’t worry and just relax, forget we’re even here.”
How could she forget all these strangers and cameras and lights on her. Right, I can do this, just imagine you are a presenter, act the part, you have done it your whole life, you can do it now!
And that is what she did. She became another character, almost removed from herself. She had to pretend to be offering someone some advice about their daughter, well she could do that based on her own experiences. Then had had to talk about divorce, again not an issue. Everyone seemed very impressed with her, she even surprised herself.
After she had finished her turn she was allowed a short break, she stood behind the scenes, watching everyone else. Then she spotted him, he was tallish had dark hair and wore a gorgeous blue shirt. He had blue eyes a perfect mix. He was in charge of the camera. Annabelle casually walked over to where he was working, she had an instinct as every woman did as to whether someone found you attractive:
First came “The look” –did they look at you and smile.
BINGO
Second: “The movement”- did they playfully do something in front of you, letting you know that they know that you know they are they!
BINGO
Thirdly;”The touch”- this was the harder of the three, it meant touching something they were doing i.e. camera equipment or even the side of their arm in a playful or inquisitive way.
BINGO
All three happened, he was interested. Then came the hard work background information, as she started to think up a question she got summoned over to the group of auditionees again.
Susan appeared and spoke quietly to a researcher, “We will be in contact within the day”
As Annabelle was about to leave, Susan stopped her and spoke quietly but reassuringly in her ear “Can you hold on please.”
As the others left Annabelle felt a tinge of excitement, she realised no-one else had been called back. This could be her moment, the moment when she was allowed to be opinionated, she was in her element.
“We were very impressed and would like you to start tomorrow please, you will be able to continue your writing as this gives you more power and integrity behind you. You will be needed only twice a week to start with. We have chosen you because of your honesty, don’t let me down.”
Susan left and Annabelle couldn’t contain her excitement, she let out a squeal. Could life get any better! The camera guy came over and did number four, “So we will be seeing a lot more of each other then!” The final thing the personal line, the intimacy. BINGO
chapter four
The next morning Annabelle was woken with another headache, she really must stop this unintentional drinking. Emma had left in the early hours of the morning and she remembered trying to do some work. Never mind, she had today, she would settle down to it now. The kitchen didn’t look too bad considering the carnage they created last night. The tarot cards sat on the side still with the empty wine glasses. She turned on her netbook and prayed there were no more letters for her to respond to. She had enough to do.
As she made herself a cup of tea, she opened her inbox and there was an urgent email flashing up before her: it read:
Dear Annabelle,
I was very shocked by your curt reply to my letter, My initial reaction was to call your editor, however having slept on it, I fear you may be right so I think it is my fault and so will be saying goodbye to my sad and sorry life and doing what I should have done along time ago.
Goodbye.
Annabelle didn’t quite know what to think, what was this crazed woman talking about, what reply. She looked through her sent items and there it was. OH GOD! She can’t be held responsible for this woman killing herself. She quickly searched through the letters and found an address on email, they kept these for responses. She ran upstairs and got herself dressed as quickly as she could. This woman only lived a few miles from her in Surrey. She would be there in no time. She checked when the email had been sent. 4am this morning, oh god what if she was too late. This wasn’t meant to happen, oh god, this was the death card, this was her payback for her bad behaviour all this time.
“I’m sorry I’ll be a better person I promise, i’ll be a kinder person I promise” She started saying this to herself as she got in her car. She knew where Walton on Thames was, it wasn’t far.
“Bloody rush hour traffic, I am never going to get there.”
Two hours later and finally Annabelle reached the village, she asked an elderly couple the way and got pointed in the right direction. She was so nervous, what if she found a dead body, what if she was too late, it didn’t bare thinking about.
She ran up to the door and was about to barge it down with brute force, she hadn’t thought of knocking first, when it opened and out came a woman about 40 with a suitcase.
“I’m looking for Susan” Annabelle spoke out of breath.
“Thats me,”
“Oh thank god, thank god” she puffed as she sat on the stone step, “I thought you were a gonner”
“ Well I nearly was....I”
“Don’t do it, I didn’t mean what I said, it isn’t worth it.”
“Well I was only going to do it for a few weeks, whilst I calmed down.”
“I’m sorry, do what” Annabelle spoke in a slightly more controlled manner.
“Go away and consider my options.”
“Oh,” Annabelle started laughing, she realised she was still in her pyjama bottoms, she hadn’t brushed her hair and she must look like a mad woman.
“I’m sorry who are you” Susan spoke slowly as if Annabelle was rather slow.
“I’m Annabelle, the one who sent you the advice.”Annabelle spoke rather sheepishly.
“Oh, so why are you here at my house?”
“I thought you were going to kill yourself, from your email, I wanted to say don’t do it, and my tarot cards said you would and..”
Annabelle realised how foolish she sounded now. Now it was Susans turn to laugh.
“Actually, I thought your advice was rather apt, no-one has ever been truthful with me before, everyone is always walking on eggshells, you were the first one to stand up to me. Friends don’t feel they can and colleagues definitely don’t feel they should or I might fire them.” She spoke with a slight smile.
Annabelle suddenly became intrigued, who was this woman that could fire people if they disagreed with her.
“I’m a producer on TV. I have my own show, I am always working and don’t have much time for my family so maybe it was my fault this happened and so now i need some time out.”
“What show do you work on?”
“It’s this morning, we have been so busy recently looking for a new presenter, I have let everything else slip in my personal life.”
“I know,” Annabelle stammered “I am just about to apply for the job, Ferns job.”
“ Oh, I see, well we have actually filled it with Holly Willougby, the young pretty one, sorry.”
Oh well thought Annabelle at least that was a job off her list, no show reel needed now.
“Well I am sorry to have bothered you, I’ll let you go” Annabelle started to make her way back to the car
When Susan suddenly shouted after her.
“We are looking for a new problem lady though, maybe you could apply for that”
And that was all Annabelle needed, she took all the details and rushed home to prepare for her audition the next day.
As she made herself a cup of tea, she opened her inbox and there was an urgent email flashing up before her: it read:
Dear Annabelle,
I was very shocked by your curt reply to my letter, My initial reaction was to call your editor, however having slept on it, I fear you may be right so I think it is my fault and so will be saying goodbye to my sad and sorry life and doing what I should have done along time ago.
Goodbye.
Annabelle didn’t quite know what to think, what was this crazed woman talking about, what reply. She looked through her sent items and there it was. OH GOD! She can’t be held responsible for this woman killing herself. She quickly searched through the letters and found an address on email, they kept these for responses. She ran upstairs and got herself dressed as quickly as she could. This woman only lived a few miles from her in Surrey. She would be there in no time. She checked when the email had been sent. 4am this morning, oh god what if she was too late. This wasn’t meant to happen, oh god, this was the death card, this was her payback for her bad behaviour all this time.
“I’m sorry I’ll be a better person I promise, i’ll be a kinder person I promise” She started saying this to herself as she got in her car. She knew where Walton on Thames was, it wasn’t far.
“Bloody rush hour traffic, I am never going to get there.”
Two hours later and finally Annabelle reached the village, she asked an elderly couple the way and got pointed in the right direction. She was so nervous, what if she found a dead body, what if she was too late, it didn’t bare thinking about.
She ran up to the door and was about to barge it down with brute force, she hadn’t thought of knocking first, when it opened and out came a woman about 40 with a suitcase.
“I’m looking for Susan” Annabelle spoke out of breath.
“Thats me,”
“Oh thank god, thank god” she puffed as she sat on the stone step, “I thought you were a gonner”
“ Well I nearly was....I”
“Don’t do it, I didn’t mean what I said, it isn’t worth it.”
“Well I was only going to do it for a few weeks, whilst I calmed down.”
“I’m sorry, do what” Annabelle spoke in a slightly more controlled manner.
“Go away and consider my options.”
“Oh,” Annabelle started laughing, she realised she was still in her pyjama bottoms, she hadn’t brushed her hair and she must look like a mad woman.
“I’m sorry who are you” Susan spoke slowly as if Annabelle was rather slow.
“I’m Annabelle, the one who sent you the advice.”Annabelle spoke rather sheepishly.
“Oh, so why are you here at my house?”
“I thought you were going to kill yourself, from your email, I wanted to say don’t do it, and my tarot cards said you would and..”
Annabelle realised how foolish she sounded now. Now it was Susans turn to laugh.
“Actually, I thought your advice was rather apt, no-one has ever been truthful with me before, everyone is always walking on eggshells, you were the first one to stand up to me. Friends don’t feel they can and colleagues definitely don’t feel they should or I might fire them.” She spoke with a slight smile.
Annabelle suddenly became intrigued, who was this woman that could fire people if they disagreed with her.
“I’m a producer on TV. I have my own show, I am always working and don’t have much time for my family so maybe it was my fault this happened and so now i need some time out.”
“What show do you work on?”
“It’s this morning, we have been so busy recently looking for a new presenter, I have let everything else slip in my personal life.”
“I know,” Annabelle stammered “I am just about to apply for the job, Ferns job.”
“ Oh, I see, well we have actually filled it with Holly Willougby, the young pretty one, sorry.”
Oh well thought Annabelle at least that was a job off her list, no show reel needed now.
“Well I am sorry to have bothered you, I’ll let you go” Annabelle started to make her way back to the car
When Susan suddenly shouted after her.
“We are looking for a new problem lady though, maybe you could apply for that”
And that was all Annabelle needed, she took all the details and rushed home to prepare for her audition the next day.
Friday, 29 May 2009
phase 2 chapter 3
Annabelle hadn’t expected to be singing “Defying gravity, just you and I defying gravity and you can’t pull me down” at the top of her voice that night at 12pm along the Kings road after she had been chucked out of The Crown. She had had a wonderful time, meeting everyone and telling them she was a hugely successful journalist working undercover for some high profile magazine. It was the next morning she remembered all of this information. She reached up in the bathroom cabinet looking for her alka seltzer, damn she had run out, typical, she hadn’t drunk for months so hadn’t bought any new packs but now when she needed some, it wasn’t there.
She remembered why she didn’t drink, it meant she spent the entire day wanting it to be over so she could start the next one. What a waste, she hated wasting days. One of Annabelles philosophys was enjoying life in the here and now, she wasn’t enjoying being here and now at all.
She popped the TV on and wrapped herself in her duvet. This morning was on, good old Phil and fern, they always cheered her up. Even when she had been pregnant she had watched them, so much so that when Francessca came out and was a tiny baby she would turn towards the TV whenever she heard the theme tune.
As Annabelle dozed on and off in front of the TV she sat up right when heard there was a competition to find a new presenter to replace fern. They were looking for someone friendly..tick, bubbly... tick, genuine....tick and someone that was interested in everything...tick. Please write in to......She grabbed a pen and paper and wrote down the address, she could do this with her eyes shut. This was perfect, a writer and presenter, now that sounded good.
So you had to send in a show reel, she had heard of these, they were video clips of you doing your stuff. She would get Emma her best friend over to help her. Surely it couldn’t be too hard, she was a natural.
Emma and Annabelle had such a fun afternoon, first they discussed what they had been up to. As they hadn’t seen each other for a couple of weeks. Then they discussed life in general and then in more detail, which is when Emma suggested they try the tarot cards again. Annabelle hadn’t used these for a while.
“Well I don’t know whether I should.” Said Annabelle cautiously
“Oh go on, we haven’t done them for ages, you can ask them anything.”
The cards did always make Annabelle feel good, they gave her inspiration and made her have more self belief when her cards had been read.
“Oh alright,” she said giving in. “What shall I ask them?”
“How about something to do with your job, the new one”
So Emma started to lay them out, the usual ones came up showing her money and wealth, the death one which Emma always hid, then the on showing her that she was holding too many things in one hand and then finally the one she dreaded, the one showing love. She just didn’t have the time for this. She couldn’t be bothered with another male in a chapter of her life.
“Wait” Emma said. “It doesn’t mean necessarily with a man, it doesn’t mean now, it could be a love for your job, no hold on, it is a love in your job, maybe you are going to meet someone in your new job.”
“Oh great, I haven’t even got it yet and probably won’t but you are telling me I am going to fall in love, this is not what I need.” But Annabelle always became intrigued by the cards and started imagining herself with Phil from This morning, or maybe it was another presenter, maybe she was going to have her own show. The doorbell rang in brought her back into reality. It was the postman, he had some letters from the problem page, from people that didn’t have the internet. She suddenly remembered what she was actually supposed to be doing.
“Right, showreel will have to wait I need to get on with my work.”
“How about I help you, two heads are better than one.”
So after a few bottles of wine and four hours later this is what Annabelle had achieved:
Dear Desperate Susan,
You need to work out why your husband was having an affair, was it because you are ugly, or was it because you have smelly feet, or was it because you are no longer good in bed, whatever the reason you are better off without him, you shouldn’t have got married in the first place, so I suggest you get on with your life.
Love Annabelle
P.S Harsh but true!
As Annabelle and Emma giggled uncontrollably about this response, Annabelle had no idea that she had actually hit reply. Before she had time to realise what she had done, the reply began winging it was across the internet world to the other end, the sender, namely desperate Susan.
She remembered why she didn’t drink, it meant she spent the entire day wanting it to be over so she could start the next one. What a waste, she hated wasting days. One of Annabelles philosophys was enjoying life in the here and now, she wasn’t enjoying being here and now at all.
She popped the TV on and wrapped herself in her duvet. This morning was on, good old Phil and fern, they always cheered her up. Even when she had been pregnant she had watched them, so much so that when Francessca came out and was a tiny baby she would turn towards the TV whenever she heard the theme tune.
As Annabelle dozed on and off in front of the TV she sat up right when heard there was a competition to find a new presenter to replace fern. They were looking for someone friendly..tick, bubbly... tick, genuine....tick and someone that was interested in everything...tick. Please write in to......She grabbed a pen and paper and wrote down the address, she could do this with her eyes shut. This was perfect, a writer and presenter, now that sounded good.
So you had to send in a show reel, she had heard of these, they were video clips of you doing your stuff. She would get Emma her best friend over to help her. Surely it couldn’t be too hard, she was a natural.
Emma and Annabelle had such a fun afternoon, first they discussed what they had been up to. As they hadn’t seen each other for a couple of weeks. Then they discussed life in general and then in more detail, which is when Emma suggested they try the tarot cards again. Annabelle hadn’t used these for a while.
“Well I don’t know whether I should.” Said Annabelle cautiously
“Oh go on, we haven’t done them for ages, you can ask them anything.”
The cards did always make Annabelle feel good, they gave her inspiration and made her have more self belief when her cards had been read.
“Oh alright,” she said giving in. “What shall I ask them?”
“How about something to do with your job, the new one”
So Emma started to lay them out, the usual ones came up showing her money and wealth, the death one which Emma always hid, then the on showing her that she was holding too many things in one hand and then finally the one she dreaded, the one showing love. She just didn’t have the time for this. She couldn’t be bothered with another male in a chapter of her life.
“Wait” Emma said. “It doesn’t mean necessarily with a man, it doesn’t mean now, it could be a love for your job, no hold on, it is a love in your job, maybe you are going to meet someone in your new job.”
“Oh great, I haven’t even got it yet and probably won’t but you are telling me I am going to fall in love, this is not what I need.” But Annabelle always became intrigued by the cards and started imagining herself with Phil from This morning, or maybe it was another presenter, maybe she was going to have her own show. The doorbell rang in brought her back into reality. It was the postman, he had some letters from the problem page, from people that didn’t have the internet. She suddenly remembered what she was actually supposed to be doing.
“Right, showreel will have to wait I need to get on with my work.”
“How about I help you, two heads are better than one.”
So after a few bottles of wine and four hours later this is what Annabelle had achieved:
Dear Desperate Susan,
You need to work out why your husband was having an affair, was it because you are ugly, or was it because you have smelly feet, or was it because you are no longer good in bed, whatever the reason you are better off without him, you shouldn’t have got married in the first place, so I suggest you get on with your life.
Love Annabelle
P.S Harsh but true!
As Annabelle and Emma giggled uncontrollably about this response, Annabelle had no idea that she had actually hit reply. Before she had time to realise what she had done, the reply began winging it was across the internet world to the other end, the sender, namely desperate Susan.
phase 2 chapter 2
How many self help books does one girl need. “Change your life in 7 days,” “Experience the amazing changes,” “learn to love yourself.” It was the fourth one Annabelle had picked up that day. The thing was these weren’t for Annabelle, they were for her research. She had been asked to write a monthly column in one of the new woman magazines, named after her column “thrisis.” It means it’s for anybody aged thirty or over that might need help in finding where they are in life, there were columns relating to love, future, money and happiness. The one that Annabelle was in charge of was writing about the here and now. Discussing and answering peoples problems in emails that she received. The trouble was she could barely sort out her own life let alone anyone elses.
The first email had arrived that morning,
Dear Annabelle,
I am not sure what to do, my husband is having an affair, I have found this out by going through his emails, should I confront him or not?
From desperate Susan.
Annabelle had read it and then gone to make a cup of tea whilst she mulled it over. She realised she was in a very important position, offering advice on such delicate matters. So was she going to have the chocolate hob nob or digestive with her tea?
After much deliberation over the accompaniment to her cup of tea she resumed her seat in the kitchen. She hadn’t made an office yet, even though she knew she had to as she was now a professional writer and needed the space to let her artistic juices flow. The trouble was the little flat in Chelsea had sounded a lot bigger initially, that was before she tried to fit all her and Francesscas furniture in it. Francessca had gone away with Freddy for a week so she could get sorted in the flat and start her new job.
She decided just to check facebook and twitter before she got down to the serious writing. Trouble was before she knew where she was, it was middle of the afternoon and she hadn’t even started her first reply. The editor was expecting at least three replies to be on her desk by tomorrow afternoon at the latest along with her piece of advice for the week. This wasn’t turning out to be as much fun as she had thought. Maybe she needed a drink. Although it was a little too early. This was no good everything was distracting her, she needed inspiration and a place to think.
She thought back to her little villa in France, there had definitely been too many distractions there, but she hadn’t minded that! Maybe that could be her piece of advice: Take what life throws at you and go with it. Maybe that sounded too hippyish but it would be OK for now.
Ok back to Susans letter. Well she could either confront him or she could do the same or make him pay without him knowing that his she knows. It was difficult giving this kind of advice when she had no background on her email writers. So she had a great idea, maybe she could be more than the advice giver maybe she could actually help these people by getting into their lives, almost like a detective. A love detective. At least it would mean she could give true advice. She would suggest it to her editor tomorrow. For now though she decided to go off to her new local and see what it was like and what kind of people went there. A good excuse for more inspiration.
The first email had arrived that morning,
Dear Annabelle,
I am not sure what to do, my husband is having an affair, I have found this out by going through his emails, should I confront him or not?
From desperate Susan.
Annabelle had read it and then gone to make a cup of tea whilst she mulled it over. She realised she was in a very important position, offering advice on such delicate matters. So was she going to have the chocolate hob nob or digestive with her tea?
After much deliberation over the accompaniment to her cup of tea she resumed her seat in the kitchen. She hadn’t made an office yet, even though she knew she had to as she was now a professional writer and needed the space to let her artistic juices flow. The trouble was the little flat in Chelsea had sounded a lot bigger initially, that was before she tried to fit all her and Francesscas furniture in it. Francessca had gone away with Freddy for a week so she could get sorted in the flat and start her new job.
She decided just to check facebook and twitter before she got down to the serious writing. Trouble was before she knew where she was, it was middle of the afternoon and she hadn’t even started her first reply. The editor was expecting at least three replies to be on her desk by tomorrow afternoon at the latest along with her piece of advice for the week. This wasn’t turning out to be as much fun as she had thought. Maybe she needed a drink. Although it was a little too early. This was no good everything was distracting her, she needed inspiration and a place to think.
She thought back to her little villa in France, there had definitely been too many distractions there, but she hadn’t minded that! Maybe that could be her piece of advice: Take what life throws at you and go with it. Maybe that sounded too hippyish but it would be OK for now.
Ok back to Susans letter. Well she could either confront him or she could do the same or make him pay without him knowing that his she knows. It was difficult giving this kind of advice when she had no background on her email writers. So she had a great idea, maybe she could be more than the advice giver maybe she could actually help these people by getting into their lives, almost like a detective. A love detective. At least it would mean she could give true advice. She would suggest it to her editor tomorrow. For now though she decided to go off to her new local and see what it was like and what kind of people went there. A good excuse for more inspiration.
Phase two
As Horatio stood there leaning over Melanie ready to kiss her, she knew this would be the one to......melt her heart, no, send her quivering, no, leave her gasping for air, no, no and no again. It just wasn’t working. Bloody Horatio was turning out to be an absolute pratt and Melanie a psycho, no-one would want to read this drivel. Annabelle didn’t want to read this drivel. Why did it seem to be so easy for some people, how come it came naturally to them. Annabelle had thought it sounded so romantic to say she was a writer, it had given her purpose.
She realised she was bored with this so went to get a coffee, that’s when it happened. She had gone to use her card and it had been declined, this wasn‘t good. Annabelle suddenly remembered she had spent quite a lot on coming out to South of France and hadn’t expected to stay for this long. That is when she decided to write seriously. She started writing about the characters she saw and making up wonderful intricate stories about them. She hoped she would be able to turn this into a best selling book. So she had been genuinely surprised when she had been spotted one day by another writer who wrote for a magazine for teenagers, she made Annabelle send her work into the editor, he had read it and then suggested it for this new magazine.
Annabelle had jumped at the chance especially as it meant she could earn some money. The trouble was at the interview she wasn’t exactly truthful
“So, how long have you been writing for?”
“Well over a period of well I suppose a couple of years” she had blagged.
“What style do you prefer to write in?”
“Well, I suppose whichever style the reader likes to read.” She blagged.
“What do you hope to achieve when writing for our readers?”
“Well I suppose answering their questions!” she blagged.
“When can you start?”
Her blagging had obviously worked, or they were desperate as they offered her a job then and there.
She had to start right away. SO she left her villa and returned back to the not so sunny parts of London.
It was a bit of a shock coming back as she still had quite a lot of domestic admin to sort out. She had to find a new flat for her and Francessca as she had now separated from her husband Freddy. They had sold their old house and split the money equally. Annabelle had decided it was time for a change, so she had chosen Chelsea, the trouble was the prices were extortionate, however she was getting her first paycheque in this week before she had even started writing, so there shouldn’t be any problems finding something. As she sat on the flight home contemplating her next move she decided to start work on her column.
She realised she was bored with this so went to get a coffee, that’s when it happened. She had gone to use her card and it had been declined, this wasn‘t good. Annabelle suddenly remembered she had spent quite a lot on coming out to South of France and hadn’t expected to stay for this long. That is when she decided to write seriously. She started writing about the characters she saw and making up wonderful intricate stories about them. She hoped she would be able to turn this into a best selling book. So she had been genuinely surprised when she had been spotted one day by another writer who wrote for a magazine for teenagers, she made Annabelle send her work into the editor, he had read it and then suggested it for this new magazine.
Annabelle had jumped at the chance especially as it meant she could earn some money. The trouble was at the interview she wasn’t exactly truthful
“So, how long have you been writing for?”
“Well over a period of well I suppose a couple of years” she had blagged.
“What style do you prefer to write in?”
“Well, I suppose whichever style the reader likes to read.” She blagged.
“What do you hope to achieve when writing for our readers?”
“Well I suppose answering their questions!” she blagged.
“When can you start?”
Her blagging had obviously worked, or they were desperate as they offered her a job then and there.
She had to start right away. SO she left her villa and returned back to the not so sunny parts of London.
It was a bit of a shock coming back as she still had quite a lot of domestic admin to sort out. She had to find a new flat for her and Francessca as she had now separated from her husband Freddy. They had sold their old house and split the money equally. Annabelle had decided it was time for a change, so she had chosen Chelsea, the trouble was the prices were extortionate, however she was getting her first paycheque in this week before she had even started writing, so there shouldn’t be any problems finding something. As she sat on the flight home contemplating her next move she decided to start work on her column.
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