I was flipping through the channels today, trying to find anything but the commentary on the US election, when I had a strong deja vu feeling. I went back to Amazon and looked through the 1-star reviews of Shizzle, Inc. until I found its source:
“…the behavior of Mr. Hue was unrealistic and quite frankly, shockingly rude. A complete douche. If this were reality, his company would have gone down in flames before it ever got off the ground.”
Sorry, dear Gloria Louise. Turns out that if Shizzle, Inc. was set in reality, Mr. Hue would now be President-elect of the United States. So what if he spouts dubious business advice, insults people, or fires loyal employees? If anything, he’s not controversial or shocking enough. I mean, these quotes are almost polite when compared to some of the stuff that has come out of Donald Trump’s mouth:
So guess what? I’m gonna bring him back! Somehow, I’m gonna use this recent drama to spin and sell more copies of Shizzle, Inc., because, as one extremely successful man has taught us all, you “can never be too greedy.” Mr. Hue probably won’t be groping anyone or making lewd comments about his own daughter, but maybe he can, I don’t know, call someone “fat and ugly” before firing them, that kind of thing. Maybe he will deport the Japanese instead of merely taking advantage of them. This may anger a lot of people, but what does that matter if I get to push my own agenda and sell more copies of my book? And in any case, who cares what people think about Shizzle, Inc., as long as I “got a young, and beautiful piece of ass.” Sorry to drag you into this, Joshy.
Not sure what I’m gonna do yet, but I have a feeling it’s the perfect time to try the New York agents again.
Ana Spoke, author 
That commenter is wrong. There are a lot of business leaders like that, some might be diagnosed as sociopaths. They’re successful, and they’re businesses are successful because these people just do not care about anything else but themselves and their own success.
Some people have hope that the trappings of the office of the presidency, the history, and traditions, will temper the personality of the new president-elect. I have no such hope, people like this do not change.
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Hi Peter, I agree that the commenter is wrong – some of the behaviours of Mr. Hue are based on two of my real-life bosses. One of them gave me well-meaning advice to”execute someone” when I start my new job, to show my staff who’s the boss. Marvellous.
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I worked for someone who would say ‘destroy them!’ like he was an agent in ‘The Matrix’. I wasn’t surprised when I was eventually one to be destroyed. You just have to laugh at these people!
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Also, I think it’s awesome that you have used that experience with that boss to your advantage in your book!
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Wow. I think it’s getting better – at least I believe I was hired in my new job precisely because I’m collaborative and want to help my staff rather than destroy them. Can’t believe so many of these management dinosaurs are still out there.
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Anna, you make me smile (much needed right now). I think you are inspired. So many of the things that happen in real life can seem implausible in fiction – go for it!
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Thank you! Yes, I end up inserting quite a bit of personal experience or other people’s stories into the narrative. Laughing at it makes the pain go away, ha!
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How right you are, Ana, on both accounts!
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I love it 😀
By the way, I thought that review was ludicrous, as she’d totally misunderstood the spirit in which the book was written. I guess she had no sense of humour, or a very different one to some of us!
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From my experience, Trump’s supporters like him despite these tings or readily attribute it to his ‘no-nonsense, outsider, get things done mentality’. Granted he’s lying all the way to the Oval Office, but that’s how they perceive him. I would agree that now is the right time to sell hard in America. Maybe have the cover say something like about how “Isa learns what it takes to truly be successful.”
No, nevermind, don’t. The man is toxic. Avoid wading in that pool. The very fact I thought of this makes my stomach roil.
*sigh* welcome to Trump’s America…
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I just aim to provide comic relief when it’s most needed…
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It’s worth noting that about one half of the 200 million people eligible to vote in the Us federal election actually fulfilled their obligation as a citizen. Trump was elected by 50 million votes. This means that roughly one quarter of the eligible voters succeeded in imposing their will upon a population seven times its size. That is correct—on November 8 approximately 50 million voters decided the futures of 350 million Americans. A quote frm Plato: “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”
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That’s right. I’m in Australia, so just watching from outside, but I was shocked to see the record LOW voter turn out. I thought it would have been a record high.
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Oh dear, that reviewer is so sweetly innocent I just feel I want to wrap them up in a snuggly blanket, keep a light on and give them a big furry teddy to cuddle. They obviously have no idea of the Nasty Ol’ Real World.
Another 1 star….1 star review (If you see what I mean).
In the meantime keep up the good work!
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Sounds like it has some topical mileage …
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