hannah_geiser

Chapter 1 Galen Tailing the car wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped. A smarter man might have written the whole thing off after having their bumper clipped by an SUV. I didn’t think it would be so difficult to stay close to Elise on the highway, but I’d almost crashed twice chasing her taillights through the dense heart of downtown Austin. Difficult as it was, I had to keep my wits about me. She would kill me if she realized I was following her. I focused on her car’s rearview window, straining to see beyond the tinted glass. Was she alone? I hoped beyond hope that she was, but it was impossible to tell even after forty-five minutes on the road. Sweat beaded at my collar as I imagined her husband’s hand resting on her thigh. I tried to shake the thought, but it nagged at me like a persistent, unreachable itch. That was the curse of our relationship. No matter how much Elise loved me, Alex would always come first. A Tesla swerved in front of me out of nowhere, and I lay on the horn without thinking, then cursing myself under my breath. So much for trying to be discreet. I ducked down as far as I could without losing sight of the road, though the logical part of my brain knew my slip-up wouldn’t be enough to draw Elise’s attention. Honking in traffic was hardly cause for alarm. Another part of me wondered if she could sense my presence, the invisible thread of our bond tugging with every inch of distance between us. I was so distracted by the thought I almost missed her car turning off the road. The Sterling Theater appeared in my periphery as I flew around the corner, narrowly making the turn without slamming into the curb. By some miracle, neither Elise nor her chauffeur noticed me driving like a madman behind them. Luck had been on my side so far, but I didn’t want to push it. Riding their bumper would look too suspicious now that we were off the highway. I jerked the wheel, veering into the maze of parked cars while Elise’s black Escalade continued toward the main entrance. The lot was surprisingly full for a Thursday night. It took five precious minutes to find a spot and throw my car into park. When I looked up again, Elise’s vehicle was still idling at the building’s entrance. Nothing happened until an usher appeared at the driver’s-side window a minute later. I wondered if the old man had gotten lost and was asking for directions. It made more sense than Elise enjoying an evening at the theatre. She hated going out in public, especially after the scandal. Even in disguise, she’d end up being chased down for photos or autographs. She used to enjoy the attention, but now, people often recognized her for all the wrong reasons. What could she be thinking? She’d be sure to attract loads of attention in that little red dress she was wearing, too. The memory of the dress sent a stab of jealousy through me. It was a gift from Alex. Elise always insisted she hated it, yet she’d practically paraded it in front of me when she set off on her mysterious errand earlier. “I have personal business tonight, Galen, but I’ll make it up to you,” was all she’d said on her way out the door. That was when I decided to tail her. I wouldn’t be able to sleep, or eat, or even breathe unless I knew where she was going in that dress—and who she was wearing it for. I glimpsed Elise’s favorite tennis bracelet as she passed the usher a folded bill through the window. He nodded and pocketed the money, motioning for the car to pull around back. That meant she was here to stay. I’d only wanted to see where Elise was headed, but the destination raised more questions than answers. I hadn’t risked life and limb to go home empty-handed. Besides, I’d already come all this way. It wouldn’t hurt anyone if I stayed a little while longer. A wave of hot summer air engulfed me as I stepped out into the night, the Sterling Theater towering over me. The old building stood out against the skyscrapers of the city, a nostalgic sentinel of a bygone era. I had guessed Elise had come for a fancy gala or an opera, so the words BURLESQUE SHOW TONIGHT in bold letters across the vintage marquee almost sent me tumbling to the concrete. My knowledge of burlesque was limited, but I associated it with skeevy bars and bachelor parties, not historic theaters. Elise was a tasteful woman. What personal business could she possibly have at a show like this? I came up with a game plan as I approached the ticket booth. Elise would more than likely watch the show from a private box, so sitting on one of the upper levels gave me the best chance of seeing her. “One balcony seat, please,” I said to the woman behind the counter. “Oh, I’m sorry, sir,” she replied. “We just sold out for the night.” My heart sank. There must be a way inside. I was in too deep to stop. “Is the owner holding any seats tonight? I have business to discuss with him later, but I thought I’d drop in to see the show first.” She shook her head. “He’s not expecting any guests that I know of.” I flashed my most charming smile. “It was a last-minute arrangement. He mentioned I should ask for one of his personal holds in case the show sold out, but I wanted to do my part, support the arts and all that.” Her eyebrow shot up. “What’s his name, then?” Damn it. She got me there. I didn’t want to flex my connections, but I was out of options. The woman eyed me as I slid my business card under the glass divider. “I’m here on behalf of Elise Darrow. She’s inside the theater right now, scoping it out as a potential venue for an event. As you can see, I’m her personal assistant. I would be the person in charge of making the arrangements.” She held the card up to the light like she was checking for a counterfeit bill. “Elise Darrow is here? Right now?” The tremor of excitement in her voice filled me with hope. I guessed she was in her mid-twenties, just old enough to have grown up with Elise’s first album. Based on her reaction, I would bet she knew her music well. “Yes, your usher escorted her vehicle back a few minutes ago,” I said, repressing a satisfied smirk. She flew out of her seat and disappeared through a small door, presumably to confirm my story. I hoped she wouldn’t be long. The show started in five minutes. There was no time for delays if I hoped to find Elise before the lights went down. The woman still seemed suspicious when she returned. “You were right about her being here, but if you’re her assistant, why sit separately?” Her vigilance astounded me. Getting into this theater was proving more difficult than infiltrating the White House. She cared far more than any other worker in her position would. The gears in my head turned as I searched for a solution. Maybe there was a way to use her work ethic to my advantage. “Look, it’s been a long day,” I said, coming up with my sob story on the fly. “It was my screwup for not getting tickets earlier, and I’m going to get chewed out if I don’t get inside. Elise has me running around ten hours a day, and it just slipped through the cracks. Can’t you help me out?” Her eyes narrowed as she studied me. Did she have some kind of superhuman ability to detect lies? I dared not even breathe while I waited for her answer. To my surprise, her scrutinizing gaze softened. “I was an assistant once. The guy wasn’t a celebrity or anything, just some accounting executive. Even that was pretty tough,” she sighed, tapping a few buttons on her tablet. “I don’t normally do this, but we set a few seats aside for guests of the staff. I’ll give you mine.” I almost crumpled with relief. “You’re a lifesaver. I can’t thank you enough.” “Do me a favor and plan ahead next time.” She winked, handing me a slip of paper. “Seat 24A, mezzanine. Enjoy the show.” With my ticket in hand, I hurried to the main entrance. An archway covered in gold and silver mosaic tiles marked the threshold to the foyer, reminding me of teeth in an upside-down grin. Every inch of the space was lavishly adorned. On a different night, I might have lingered to appreciate the gilded accents on the doors or the intricate murals of bathing nymphs along the walls, but I needed to find Elise as soon as possible. The main auditorium revealed itself like a jewel as I climbed the staircase. A grand chandelier hung from the domed ceiling, its web of crystals casting prisms of color onto the dark wood floors. The stage itself stretched out before hundreds of crimson-lined seats, framed by thick velvet curtains and an elaborate proscenium arch. I scanned the crowd of hundreds around me, searching for the only one who mattered. I glimpsed Elise just as the lights dimmed. As I’d hoped, the mezzanine was the perfect vantage point to see right into her private box. She sat with her legs crossed, her hands resting in her lap. The only thing sitting on the chair beside her was her purse. No husband in sight. At first, the thought filled me with glee. She wasn’t on a date. That meant, in a way, tonight was still our night. At the very least, it wasn’t his.

DEATH OF A SHOWGIRL / Psychological Thriller / 97,000 words THE ACT OF STORY STATEMENT A burlesque dancer becomes entangled in a deadly web of obsession with a controversial pop star and her personal assistant. THE ANTAGONIST PLOTS THE POINT Elise Darrow, a pop star who’s been plagued by scandal and tragedy, dreams of having a biological family of her own. She’s always been resourceful and good at manipulating people—but after spending her childhood in foster care, accidentally causing the death of her only sister, and struggling with infertility—Elise is pushed to her breaking point. Her obsession with familial loves drives her into the arms of her bastard cousin, Galen, who has no idea of their biological relationship. They conduct an affair under the nose of Elise’s husband together for 10 years, going so far as to conceive a child together using a donor egg. Elise’s outlook on life changes significantly when her son Emery is born, but her happiness is short lived. Complications from pregnancy cause Elise to develop epilepsy, and she drops Emery during a seizure, killing him instantly. Unable to accept the loss of her son or carry another pregnancy, Elise hatches a plot for Galen and her egg donor to unwittingly conceive a biological sibling to Emery. Once she tracks down the identity of the donor, she knows it will be all too easy to use her fame and influence to bring her and Galen together. CONJURING YOUR BREAKOUT TITLE 1. Death Of A Showgirl 2. That Night At The Sterling 3. When The Curtain Falls DECIDING YOUR GENRE AND APPROACHING COMPARABLES Genre: Psychological Thriller Comp title one: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney- Uses the same narrative structure, alternating back and forth between male and female first-person POV. Comp title two: The Wives by Tarryn Fisher- Similar set up where the intrigue is character-based and doesn't revolve around a murder or other major crime. CORE WOUND AND THE PRIMARY CONFLICT (Galen) A love-struck man is unwittingly roped into his celebrity girlfriend’s plans to exploit and entrap a young burlesque dancer, and he must choose to be complicit or turn agains the woman he's devoted his life to. (Avalon) A burlesque dancer thinks she’s made her big break when a pop star casts her for a music video, but her dream-come-true soon becomes a nightmare when she realizes her new celebrity boss wants something from her much darker than her dancing abilities. OTHER MATTERS OF CONFLICT: TWO MORE LEVELS (Galen) Inner conflict: Galen perceives Elise’s attention shifting away from him and toward Avalon as a threat to their decade long relationship. He has a compulsive need to understand what the relationship is between the two women and diagnose a root cause for Elise’s obsession. (Galen) Secondary conflict: Galen has unaddressed attachment wounds from his childhood. His mother neglected him in favor of her male suitors, leaving young Galen to fend for himself. This amplifies his unhealthy obsession with Elise and his desire to be prioritized by her. (Avalon) Inner conflict: Avalon is unhappy with her mediocre office job and dreams about pursuing burlesque as her full-time career. Breaking into the mainstream burlesque world is notoriously difficult, and only a fraction of those who manage to do it make enough money to sustain themselves. (Avalon) Secondary conflict: Avalon feels an ‘otherness’ when it comes to her family. Her little sister was always the favorite and has consistently been more successful with her career and education. Her mother died while they were on bad terms, and Avalon never felt like she lived up to her expectations. THE INCREDIBLE IMPORTANCE OF SETTING DEATH OF A SHOWGIRL is set in Austin, TX against the opulent backdrop of the city’s burlesque underground. There are two main locations that play an important role in the story. The first is the Sterling Theater, the century-old Art Deco venue that hosts the burlesque show where the inciting incident takes place. The theater is where our 3 main characters meet, and the setting represents something important about each of their characters. For Avalon, it’s a manifestation of her dream to perform burlesque full time. For Elise, it’s a reminder of the grandeur and spotlight she lost when she fell out of grace in the public eye. For Galen, the theater represents his struggle for power and frustration with his role as a ‘spectator.’ Both the opening and closing acts of the story take place on stage at the Sterling. The destruction of the theater also bears symbolic meaning for all three characters in relation to their arc. Galen is freed of his bond with Elise, Avalon starts her life over without hiding behind her burlesque persona, and Elise’s secrets are all brought to light (literally). The Sterling theater burning to the ground signals the literal and metaphorical end to each journey, but also implies potential rebirth. Elise’s mansion is the second main location where the story is set. She lives in a huge, sprawling estate occupied by only herself and her husband. The vast emptiness of the house mirrors the way Elise feels about the loss of her son, Emery, who died there years ago. It’s also the setting where she exerts the most power over people, wielding her material fortune to manipulate others. From her housekeeping staff to Avalon, she treats everyone that sets foot through her door like a personal belonging that she can use however she sees fit. Characters perceive it either as a castle or a prison depending on Elise’s actions.