This Life: A Novel by Maryann Reid

Author:Maryann Reid [Reid, Maryann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Alphanista® Books LLC
Published: 2014-01-07T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

June 3

New York, New York

Blake arrived a few minutes early at 30 Rockefeller Plaza with Antonio, her stomach fluttery with nervousness. Until she’d filmed the promotional ads for The Takeover, her only experience with filming was more than a decade ago, when she’d done the perfume commercials. This reality show was a much more complex job. Instead of a few hours of rehearsal and filming to produce sixty seconds of advertising, this job meant several full-time days each week to produce each one-hour episode.

“I hope I’m ready for this,” she thought aloud.

“You’ll be great,” Antonio reassured her. “The producers hired you for good reasons. You’re a rare combination of business savvy and star quality. All you’ve got to do is be yourself.”

She smiled thanks at him as a flustered-looking young woman trotted toward them. “Ms. Bertrand? I’m Olivia, I’ve been assigned to do your makeup. We’d better get started. Filming starts in an hour.”

Olivia led Blake and Antonio into a dressing room, where she kept dabbing foundation, blush, eye shadow, and so forth on Blake’s face and then shining a stage light on her to judge the results. Antonio entertained himself by reading a detective novel. Blake wished she could read the news on her BlackBerry, but Olivia needed Blake to keep her head up.

A few minutes before 10 A.M.,, Olivia set Blake free to join the cast and crew. What had been a bare stage when Blake arrived was now furnished like the den of a British mansion. The lights, microphones, and cameras were set up and preproduction tests were in progress.

Vanessa Reeves and Jerome Harper, the executive producers, noticed Blake’s stage entrance. Jerome spoke to a woman whose back was turned to the door Blake and Antonio had just come from, and brought the woman to meet her. Blake thought the woman looked familiar, but she couldn’t remember who she was.

“Ms. Bertrand, have you ever met Joy Vardash? She’ll be the master of ceremonies for The Takeover.” Vanessa introduced Blake and the young woman.

“No, we haven’t met before, but I’m glad to collaborate with a fellow businesswoman who’s made her mark in the fashion business on this project.” Blake smiled and nodded to Joy, who smiled back and complimented Blake on her stunning pinstriped Chanel business suit.

“Joy will introduce the concept to the audience first, then bring you onstage and invite you to say a few words about yourself. So you might want to be thinking of a short biography to share with viewers,” Jerome advised. “After that, she’ll call the contestants onstage one at a time, and each of them will tell you—and viewers—a little about themselves.”

“I wish someone had warned me about the bio a few days ago,” Blake muttered. “Nice to meet you, Joy, but I’ve got some fast thinking to do.”

“So have I. Reality TV doesn’t have a script.” Joy grinned. “I’ll see you again in a few minutes with the cameras rolling, Blake.”

Blake moved to the far end of the stage, away

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.