Manny
calmly considered Steph as she spoke to the staff in the boardroom.
Steph had a short haircut that emphasized her high cheekbones and
flawless skin. She was dressed to the hilt in a well-tailored suit that
flattered her stunning figure. She was young, late twenties at most,
Manny figured, and she was going to go far. Manny estimated she’d last
two years in the new job and no more than three. There was no doubt in
Manny’s mind that Steph would be running the company by the time she was
forty-five.
Manny’s age.
Not
for the first time, Manny vaguely wondered where her own life was
going. With a silent sigh, she refocused on Steph’s introductory pep
talk.
“…and I’m looking forward to working with all of you.”
Steph
beamed at everyone, and her smile didn’t waver even in the face of the
awkward silence that filled the room. With a determined glint in her
eyes, Steph turned to Manny.
“And
I’m particularly looking forward to working with you, Manny,” she
continued. “I know I’m going to learn so much from you. Why, you’re
practically an institution around here! You’ve been here forever; you
know everything there is to know about how this branch and the entire
organization operates. I mean, you’ve been working here, in the same
role, for fifteen years! That’s amazing–and shows us how dedicated you
are, and how much you’re needed in your position. From what Craig told
me, I don’t think we could function without you! And I know I speak for
everyone in this organization, from the President on down, when I say we
look forward to having you with us, doing what you do, for the next
fifteen years!”
Oh. My. Fucking. God.
For
the last fifteen years, Rose “Manny” Mankowski has been a very good
girl. She turned her back on her youthful fancies and focused on her
career. But now, at the age of 45, she’s questioning her choices and
feeling more and more disconnected from her own life. When she’s passed
over for promotion and her much younger new boss implies Manny’s life
will never change, something snaps. In the blink of an eye, she’s quit
her job, sold her house and cashed in her pension, and she’s leaving
town on a six month road trip.
After
placing a personal ad for a travelling companion, she’s joined in her
mid-life crisis by Zeke Powell, the cynical, satirical, most-read – and
most controversial – blogger for the e-magazine, What Women Want. Zeke’s
true goal is to expose Manny’s journey as a pitiful and desperate
attempt to reclaim her lost youth – and increase his readership at the
same time. Leaving it all behind for six months is just an added bonus.
Now,
armed with a bagful of destinations, a fistful of maps, and an
out-spoken imaginary friend named Harvey, Manny’s on a quest to
rediscover herself – and taking Zeke along for the ride.
Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords
Genre – ChickLit, Contemporary Fiction
Rating – PG-13
More details about the author
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