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In the 1990s American workplace, survival of the fittest is sometimes less about clawing your way to the top than developing good camouflage. And Audrey Rohmer is doing her very best to blend in as an undistinguished middle manager. Uninspired by her job and uneasy about her father's new marriage, Audrey coasts through the work week leaning on her “partner in apathy” – an admin assistant named Pooter – to keep her relationship with the married head of her department from becoming water cooler gossip.
But when an old family friend-turned-Hollywood-superstar crashes on her
doorstep in the midst of a publicity crisis, Audrey's under-the-radar status
quo gets upended, and the writing may literally be on the bathroom wall that
secrets will find a way out.
Equally acerbic and heartfelt, In Light of Recent Events is
both an endlessly engaging piece of storytelling and a fascinating commentary
on workplaces, families, and fame.
Reviews:
Excerpt:
My interest in other lives was not kinky, just curious. Seeking out those everyday moments of poignancy or grace, silliness and tenderness, explosive scenes like the shattered window or quiet moments like someone slowly turning the blinds closed for the night.
Though not a skill most human resource professionals would actively seek in an employee, I found that the ability to likewise sit quietly and observe in the workplace provided a subtle advantage that seemed evolutionary in nature. Because really, at its most basic, an office (such as the one in which I worked) was a living demonstration of the pack mentality, whereby every interaction was filtered through the lens of perceived status. And status—whether bestowed by one’s title, office size, or number of subordinates—mattered. When you took the time to look and listen before exposing yourself in a meeting or at the nearly empty coffee pot in the break room, you were better able to navigate the complex social maze of cubicles. This applied to the go-getters as much as the coasters. I fell into the latter category.
Pseudo-voyeur, coaster, technically single young woman with a slight case of ennui and an undersized sense of ambition, this was me circa 1996. And it only mildly troubled me. After all, the vast majority of the world’s population led quiet, not particularly remarkable lives. Odds were, I would never be a Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes winner, but it was just as unlikely that I would be struck by lightning.
What I hadn’t counted on was the kung-fu kick of coincidence. The chance encounter. That notorious butterfly effect that sets in motion a series of actions and reactions that make complacency a joke. Or at the very least, irrelevant.
Regardless, at that time, as long as I had a reliable paycheck that afforded me a comfortable home and the ability to take a nice vacation once a year, I found little to complain about, and even less to strive toward.
Amy Klinger
is a fiction writer and essayist, a freelance copywriter and message
strategist. She is also an amateur baker, a mediocre mountain biker, and
whatever the opposite of "handyman" is. Amy has an MFA from University
of Utah and lives with her family in Vermont where she is currently working on
her next novel. Visit AmyKlinger.com for blog posts and other updates.
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Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours, International.
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