Works in Progress
ARE YOU STAYING, MANDY BOYLE?
A romcom by Melanie Moore
Native New Yorker Mandy Boyle wins ownership of a struggling Vermont newspaper, and loses her heart.
Mandy Boyle is 35, still living with her step father in his rent-stabilized apartment, and still stuck as a copy editor at The New York Times awaiting the next big layoff. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, but 10 years ago she put her journalism career on hold and moved back to the city to care for her dying mother. Of course she can’t be salty about that… Then everything changes when Mandy wins a 100-plus-year old newspaper in Vermont, AND the apartment over it – a New Yorker’s dream! The only catch? She must run The Vermont Eagle for one year, and can’t sell it to a conglomerate until that year is up. Sounds great, until Mandy discovers the Eagle is definitely old school, definitely not profitable, and that she is definitely in way over her head.
Suddenly she’s a city girl thrust into a quaint Vermont town at Christmas time. Everyone knows everything about each other! One plus? The mechanic in the next building – Greg Stewart – who keeps trying to sell her snow tires, and who is very easy on the eyes. Mandy would like to know more about him, but he’s plenty guarded. As she struggles to right the sinking newspaper, she bonds with people in the town, including a young woman who is losing her own mother to cancer – an emotional journey that cracks open Mandy’s own guarded heart. Through it all, Mandy is drawn to Greg. He just may be her best friend. Maybe the love of her life. But how can two guarded hearts ever fully fall for each other, especially when Mandy is so sure she’ll be leaving by the time next Christmas rolls around?
Photo by Anita Austvika on Unsplash
36 QUESTIONS (Work-in-progress)
A romcom by Melanie Moore
Jen's boyfriend dumped her and got married fast, and it's all the fault of their terrible couples counselor. To prove it (and win her ex back) Jen is determined to take that counselor down. She's found Mike, a guy willing to help by posing as her fake new boyfriend in counseling sessions. And Mike is amazing, but he’s only helping her because of a bet with an old friend—why else would he be sticking with this crazy plan?
The idea for this plot came via text from a friend, a screenshot of a social media post about going to counseling with a complete stranger. I kept thinking who would do this? Why? What is she trying to prove? Eventually I thought, this girl has issues—and I can relate!
Photo by Mitch Gaiser on Unsplash