Perplexia
Romance embellisher
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2007
- Posts
- 18,221
Sheila Davis was 24 and a semi established artist. She'd been recruited by one of the largest publishing houses in New York City as a graphic artist. Most of the graphic novel writers drew the pictures themselves. Some worked with partners, and others couldn't be bothered and hired outsiders, or used the ones on staff at their publishing companies.
In some regards she felt like a sellout, doing art for graphic novels. She could be doing her own. But since her fiance's accident and death she hadn't found the inspiration. They had a dream they were just starting to put into motion. She would draw, he would write, and together they would create a graphic novel that no one had ever seen before. When he died, he took that dream with him.
She was surprised when she got the offer from the book company. But it came at a time to when she needed a change. Barely graduating college, she hadn't placed a pen to paper in a while. It had almost been a year since she lost him, and the feelings were still as raw as they were the day he was taken.
With both of her parents gone, she had no one to fall back on. Now she was alone in the world, working at a restaurant as a waitress barely getting by. When she interviewed for the position she asked where they had found her resume. The interviewer advised she wasn't privy to that information, and asked some basic questions and stepped out for a few moments to come back in and offer it to her. The pay they offered was more then the typical artist would receive, as well as all moving expenses and Realtor services were as well. It was truly a dream job. The flat she received was astounding, as well as the company car that was provided for her. Who drives in NYC she thought when they handed her the keys. There were also perks such as a house for weekend or week getaways in the Hamptons.
For the first couple of weeks she was given basic busy work. Designing some covers and recreating some images. It felt good to get her pen back to paper. Then she was called into the manager of her divisions office. "We've been pleased with the work you've been doing here, and we want to send you out to do the drawings for one of our writers." he advised her.
"Ok" was the only response she could come up with, glad that they weren't firing her.
"He's a well established graphic novelist that has recently lost his artist. He's a bit of a recluse, and lives out in Pennsylvania in the middle of nowhere. You'll have a rental car and a suite at the closest inn, as well as a daily allowance for expenses. You're to fly out in two days and a limo will take you to the town to pick up your car."
"Sounds great, do i know who he is?" she asked trying to wrap her head around the idea she was getting to finally work with a writer.
"Perhaps his pen name is Victor Valhalla"
Sheila's mouth dropped then she closed it gripping her chair in excitement. He was one of her all time favorite writers. He'd had several different graphic novel series over the years. Little to nothing was known about him, but his writing was extraordinary.
What she did know is he had used the same artist for his novels for many years. She assumed he would be in his late fifties at this point.
Over the next couple of days she was beside herself with excitement. She was even at the airport three hours early, just to be sure she didn't miss her flight. The new security measures irritated her slightly. But her overall demure was ecstatic.
Her meeting with the writer was scheduled for the next day. She picked out her best outfit, as well as went through her portfolio for the millionth time. The drive out to his place took a lot longer then she anticipated. When they said it was in the middle of no where. They weren't kidding. But coming upon it after taking quite a few back roads she was not disappointed. The man lived in a castle, literally. The acreage surrounding it looked like something out of a medieval novel. It was breathtaking.
She knocked nervously upon the front door and greeted by a butler. The butler was in typical uniform as were the rest of the staff that she glanced upon. Everything was neat and tidy. Being advised that she was early, it would be a half hour or so until the Master of the house would be able to see her. Being led into a drawing room she stood by the windows that over looked the garden and peered over the array of flowers that seemed to be perfectly aligned.
In some regards she felt like a sellout, doing art for graphic novels. She could be doing her own. But since her fiance's accident and death she hadn't found the inspiration. They had a dream they were just starting to put into motion. She would draw, he would write, and together they would create a graphic novel that no one had ever seen before. When he died, he took that dream with him.
She was surprised when she got the offer from the book company. But it came at a time to when she needed a change. Barely graduating college, she hadn't placed a pen to paper in a while. It had almost been a year since she lost him, and the feelings were still as raw as they were the day he was taken.
With both of her parents gone, she had no one to fall back on. Now she was alone in the world, working at a restaurant as a waitress barely getting by. When she interviewed for the position she asked where they had found her resume. The interviewer advised she wasn't privy to that information, and asked some basic questions and stepped out for a few moments to come back in and offer it to her. The pay they offered was more then the typical artist would receive, as well as all moving expenses and Realtor services were as well. It was truly a dream job. The flat she received was astounding, as well as the company car that was provided for her. Who drives in NYC she thought when they handed her the keys. There were also perks such as a house for weekend or week getaways in the Hamptons.
For the first couple of weeks she was given basic busy work. Designing some covers and recreating some images. It felt good to get her pen back to paper. Then she was called into the manager of her divisions office. "We've been pleased with the work you've been doing here, and we want to send you out to do the drawings for one of our writers." he advised her.
"Ok" was the only response she could come up with, glad that they weren't firing her.
"He's a well established graphic novelist that has recently lost his artist. He's a bit of a recluse, and lives out in Pennsylvania in the middle of nowhere. You'll have a rental car and a suite at the closest inn, as well as a daily allowance for expenses. You're to fly out in two days and a limo will take you to the town to pick up your car."
"Sounds great, do i know who he is?" she asked trying to wrap her head around the idea she was getting to finally work with a writer.
"Perhaps his pen name is Victor Valhalla"
Sheila's mouth dropped then she closed it gripping her chair in excitement. He was one of her all time favorite writers. He'd had several different graphic novel series over the years. Little to nothing was known about him, but his writing was extraordinary.
What she did know is he had used the same artist for his novels for many years. She assumed he would be in his late fifties at this point.
Over the next couple of days she was beside herself with excitement. She was even at the airport three hours early, just to be sure she didn't miss her flight. The new security measures irritated her slightly. But her overall demure was ecstatic.
Her meeting with the writer was scheduled for the next day. She picked out her best outfit, as well as went through her portfolio for the millionth time. The drive out to his place took a lot longer then she anticipated. When they said it was in the middle of no where. They weren't kidding. But coming upon it after taking quite a few back roads she was not disappointed. The man lived in a castle, literally. The acreage surrounding it looked like something out of a medieval novel. It was breathtaking.
She knocked nervously upon the front door and greeted by a butler. The butler was in typical uniform as were the rest of the staff that she glanced upon. Everything was neat and tidy. Being advised that she was early, it would be a half hour or so until the Master of the house would be able to see her. Being led into a drawing room she stood by the windows that over looked the garden and peered over the array of flowers that seemed to be perfectly aligned.