Introduction Hello, everyone. 1'm in the final stages of publishing @ novel. itis the contemporary adventures of an ambitious woman with a secret father in a desperate race to find a cure for a disense that threatens her secret son. ‘Along the way she battles the Great Recession, investigates mysterious national events, and suffers the collapse of her profession. She gets unexpected help from a team of college students who track down the truths behind the unfaimess in Ie. My goal is to publish a new chapter every week with episodes inspired by real events. linwite you, the reader, to help by contributing any of the following: + Real stories of unfairness to fictionalize in episodes. + Images, video and audio to illustrate the fiction + Proofreading, fact checking and fill in the bianks, --author Episode One: God Laughs at Our Plans by Cecil Hickman The worst day of a young life. Out of the biue...disaster Why did this happen? Promo for next chapter: Red FlagsDaily Investigative News ADDRESS Church and State Corinth, RI PHONE 123-456-7890 FAX 123-456-7891, EMAIL ‘no_reply@apple.com Wes www.apple.com Episode One: God Laughs at Our Plans Chapter One: "You're Fit The boss pokes a balding head out the office door. Bland expression. Typical drene, "Mizz Grant, will you please come to the office 7” A couple of folks glance up from their cubicles just in time to see the target -- a mop of brunette hair framing possibly large brown eyes that peer from behind a desktop computer. be with you ina sec, Mike ... finishing up some fact, checking.” Surprisingly, that seems to annoy him a bit, so Mike Milano steps further into the corridor. "Sharee, I really need to speak to you right now... that other stuff can wait." More heads turn. A handful of producers and correspondents become curious. Rarely do they hear Milano raise his voice. He is not called Mono Mike without reason .. generally keeping his monotone personality parked behind a cluttered desk. Sharee stands up... and up... and up. Her tousled mane doesn't really match the custom-tailored gray cardigan that wraps snuggly up her six-foot height. Promo for next chapter: Red Flagses Daily Investigative News ADDRESS. Church and State Corinth, RI PHONE 123-456-7890 FAX 123-456-7891 EMAIL no_reply@apple.com wea www.apple.com Episode One: God Laughs at Our Plans "Share is too new and she really doesn't know the whole story’ they begged, "Michelle has already been briefed and she is our top news personality.” Roberto had settled on the then blond Sharee. A new look for her that was having spectacular results. I don't give a damn if she is the Queen of Sheba, If you guys are going to rip me apart at least | am gonna choose someone | can feast my eyes on !" Sharee was rushed to the set. But first she made an important pit stop to the Dressing Room ... to powder her nose and, more importantly, to make a quick call to her old college news director. Back on the set, the producer whispered some tips into her ear and handed her a list of talking points. Sharee took a brief return celll phone call ... listening intently while the make-up girl primped the champ. He was ..to putit bluntly ... eye candy for every woman in the world. The interview went very well. Share wasn't nearly as bitchy as Michelle ... but still managed to make Roberto squirm. Finally the interview came to an end and as Sharee made her thank yous, The Champ looked her in the eye ... and uttered this non sequiter. "Ahh E you are not as dumb as you look !" Sharee clearly offended, snapped back, "No ? and a few other choice words in a language no one in the newsroom had ever heard of. ‘The Entourage and the Champ shuffled out of the building but not before Roberto stopped and headed back to talk quietly in a corner to Sharee Promo for next chapter: Red FlagsDaily Investigative News ADDRESS Church and State Corinth, RI PHONE 123-456-7890 Fax 123-456-7891 EMAIL no_reply@apple.com wea. www.apple.com Episode One: God Laughs at Our Plans Needless to say, the producer, the news director and the publicly spurned female commentator asked what he had said to Share. "Well he apologized tome, and to make up for it...He invited me and a D-I-N camera crew to spend a week at his training camp outside New Bedford. AND he will pick up the whole tab" ‘Then Sharee wheeled around and headed to her back desk as if nothing had happened. She had already made a couple of, enemies in her new job ... no need to rub it in. There is always an embarrassing hush whenever Sharee moves around the newsroom. She clip clops to the news directors office ... looking occasionally back to her desk .. as if she forgot to include a fact or two in her story. Sharee tries to guess what this is all about. Maybe it's a big thank you for the mini-series on the Champ who was as good as his word. Flying her and Julio, D-I-N's best videographer and Puerto Rican. 1 guess the news bosses felt Puerto Rican was close enough to Portuguese ... as the producer said, "Same shit different bucket.” ‘The champ had put them up in a motel near his training camp for the week. The training camp was near the site of the upcoming Bay State World Invitational track meet ... on the campus of UMass Dartmouth, The champ liked to joke he could get much needed speed work done there. But enough of this backstory.... back to the moment in the newsroom, The boss “welcomes” Sharee ...his eyes downcast, normal posture in her presence. His star staffer and top recruit has been on the job for only a short time and this has become a familiar behavior. Promo for next chapter: Red FlagsDaily Investigative News ‘ADDRESS Church and State Corinth, RI PHONE 123-456-7890 123-456-7891 EMAIL, no_reply@apple.com wea, www.apple.com Episode One: God Laughs at Our Plans Needless to say, the producer, the news director and the publicly spurned female commentator asked what he had said to Sharee, ‘Well he apologized to me, and to make up for it..He invited me and aD-I-N camera crew to spend a week at his training camp outside New Bedford. AND he will pick up the whole tab" ‘Thea Share wheeled around and headed to her back desk as if nothing had happened. She had already made a couple of enemies in her new job .. no need to rub It in “There is always an embarrassing hush whenever Share moves arourd the newsroom. She clip clops to the news directors office ... looking occasionally back to her desk ... as if she forgot to include @ fact or two in her story. Sharee tries to guess what this is all about. Maybe it's a big thank you for the mini-series on the Champ who was as good as his word. Flying her and Julio, D-I-N's best videographer and Puerto Rican. | guess the news bosses felt Puerto Rican was close enough to Portuguese ... 2s the producer said, “Same shit cifferent buck ‘The champ had put them up in a mote! near his training camp for the week. The training camp was near the site of the upcoming Bay State World Invitational track meet ... on the campus of UMass Dartmouth. The champ liked to joke he could get much needed speed work done there. But enough of this backstory... back to the moment in the newsroom, ‘The boss “welcomes” Sharee ..his eyes downcast, normal posture in her presence. His star staffer and top recruit has been on the job for only a short time and this has become a familiar behavior. Promo fornext chapter: Rad FlagsDaily Investigative News ‘ADDRESS Church and State Corinth, RI PHONE 123-456-7890 FAX 123-456-7801 EMAIL ‘no_reply@apple.com wes wwrw-apple.com Episode One: God Laughs at Our Plans ‘There are two other people in the cramped room ... barely able to fit around the large desk. Sharee recognizes the Human Resources Director and gets introduced to his assistant, a small older woman. Mike refuses to 100k up...apparently studying every detail of his shoe tips as they shuffle awkwardly. itis the Human Resources Director who speaks. "Mizz Grant. You have been on probation for six months now and we thank you for your service. Unfortunately we have decided to go in another direction with our staffing. We cannot offer you employment here at D-I-N." Promo for next chapter: Red Flags