(Not So) Good in a Room: California Dreamers, #1
By Karen M. Bryson and Dakota Madison
5/5
()
About this ebook
She’s not the kind of girl he can take home to daddy.
(NOT SO) GOOD IN A ROOM, a romantic comedy novella, is a modern reimagining of Cyrano de Bergerac.
Awkward screenwriter Nellie Berg is great with words, as long as she can write them down. She’s written over thirty action scripts, but has been unable to sell a single one to Hollywood. Instead of working the room, every time Nellie tries to pitch her scripts to producers she becomes overcome with anxiety and completely blanks out.
When Nellie meets another aspiring screenwriter, Roscoe Rhodes, at Pitchfestapalooza they form an unlikely friendship. Roscoe is everything Nellie is not: outgoing, witty, charming…and good in a room. Roscoe suggests that Nellie hire his cousin, Chris, an unemployed actor to pitch her scripts to producers.
Things get complicated when Nellie falls for Chris and she seeks Roscoe’s help to seal the deal. Roscoe realizes he actually has feelings for Nellie. And Hollywood falls in love with the hot the new pretend screenwriter, who has never even read an entire script let alone written one.
WARNING: This book contains foul language, sexual innuendo and a little bit of hanky-panky. Buyer beware.
CALIFORNIA DREAMERS is a series of interconnecting romantic comedy stories that can be read as STAND ALONE NOVELLAS or as part of the SERIES.
The CALIFORNIA DREAMERS SERIES:
(Not So) Good in a Room (Nellie’s Story)
Beautiful Abyss (Chris’s Story)
So Far Away (Maddie’s Story)
Rookie Mistake (Cody & Maya’s Story)
Read more from Karen M. Bryson
Leona's Last Resort Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Only the Pretty Ones: Angry Girl Crime Stories Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFinding Fisher Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPrivate Skies Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Nines Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to (Not So) Good in a Room
Titles in the series (4)
(Not So) Good in a Room: California Dreamers, #1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5So Far Away: California Dreamers, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBeautiful Abyss: California Dreamers, #3 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRookie Mistake: California Dreamers, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related ebooks
Not Until Tonight Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Miracle in Monopoli: The Gelato Diaries Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Single Girl: Brew Ha Ha, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Major Renovations Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSo Far Away: California Dreamers, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCTRL ALT Love Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Clash of Hearts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Risky Business Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIt Happened at Cafe Nix Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Royal Second Chance Summer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIt's in His Kiss: Brew Ha Ha Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Playboy's Pretend Fiancée: A Fortuna, Texas Novel, #6 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Lift: A Short Love Story Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Accidential Fiancé Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsManhattan Lullaby: A Novel of Love in New York Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOne Woman Man: Rossi Family, #2 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Accidentally Engaged on Nantucket: Cousins of Nantucket, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSettling Up: A Playing to Win Novella: Playing to Win, #2.5 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Meet Me At Midnight: A Romantic New Year’s Eve Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When I Was Younger Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Proposing Kind: Brew Ha Ha, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOur Little Secret: Rossi Family, #5 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sunset Rivalry: The Caliendo Resort: : A Small-Town Beach Romance, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Girl, a Guy and a Robe Tie: Mulberry Lake, #2 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Kittens, Puppies & Love: Hope & Hearts from Swan Harbor, #2 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Possession: A Little Harmless Military Romance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMaking Waves: A Perfect Kisses Novella Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSomeone Else's Love Letter Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMy Lucky Day: A Romantic Holiday Story Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sunset Thunder: The Caliendo Resort: : A Small-Town Beach Romance, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Romance For You
Without Merit: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Before We Were Strangers: A Love Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It Starts with Us: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Heart Bones: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ugly Love: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5November 9: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hopeless Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All Your Perfects: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maybe Now: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Confess: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finding Perfect: A Novella Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stone Heart Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My Favorite Half-Night Stand Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wuthering Heights Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maybe Not: A Novella Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Rosie Effect: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Buzz Books 2023: Spring/Summer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Swear on This Life: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Seven Sisters: Book One Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Chased by Moonlight Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dating You / Hating You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Songs of Love and Death: All-Original Tales of Star-Crossed Love Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Buzz Books 2023: Fall/Winter Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Wish You Were Here: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Under the Roses Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
Reviews for (Not So) Good in a Room
1 rating0 reviews
Book preview
(Not So) Good in a Room - Karen M. Bryson
One
A bead of sweat drips from my temple and runs down my cheek. I want to swipe at it, but I am frozen with fear. I can’t move.
A young movie producer whose name I can’t remember stares at me from across the small table. He glances at his cellphone for what could be the tenth time then looks back up at me.
The producer doesn’t appear to be that much older than me, probably in his late twenties. I’m not sure why I find him so intimidating. He has boyish good looks and a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He smiles at me warmly and even that freaks me out.
I should have known that attending Pitchfestapalooza was a bad idea. I’m overcome with anxiety just thinking about pitching my movie scripts. Now here I am, actually trying to pitch a project to someone who has the ability to change my life completely, and I’m unable to control my body. And it’s not just my limbs that have become immobilized. When I try to speak my jaw moves up and down like a puppet, but no words come out.
Not that I can think of anything to say. My mind has gone completely blank.
Get a grip, I tell myself.
I’ve spent every waking moment for the last seven years trying to achieve this goal. The only thing I’ve ever wanted to do was be a screenwriter. When I wasn’t writing scripts I worked at the local used bookstore, which also sold movies and music. I saved every penny I made during those seven years so I could finally leave the small town in Kansas where I grew up and make my way to LA.
Now here I am at one of the largest screenwriters’ pitch festivals in the country. I have the opportunity to pitch my scripts to some of the biggest production companies in the world. And I can’t do it.
I can’t pitch.
Unlike novelists, who can be total recluses and never have to speak to another living being, screenwriters have to be good in a room. Not only do they have to be great writers, they have to be great salespeople. They have to be able to sell their projects, and sell themselves, because moviemaking is a collaborative process.
I have no idea how to sell anything, especially myself. Not that I can even get to that point.
I can’t even get words to come out of my mouth.
I try a relaxation technique I learned from one of my high school guidance counselors. I take in a deep breath then exhale slowly.
Do you have a pitch for me?
the producer asks. His patience with me seems to be waning slightly. Not that I blame him. I’m sure he has better things to do than watch me have a nervous breakdown.
I manage to move my head up and down. It’s a weird, robot-like nod, but at least it’s movement.
Great,
he says. When he smiles his bright blue eyes light up.
He’s an attractive guy. Not movie star gorgeous, but definitely good looking. As much as I’d like to think it may have been easier to pitch to someone less attractive I know that’s not true. I would have been a basket case pitching to a dog—even one of the canine variety.
I clear my throat. It’s—um—about...
My words are barely audible, even to me.
The producer furrows his brow. I’m sorry. What was that? I can’t hear you.
I gulp. Now what? I clear my throat again. I—um—it’s...
Take your time,
he prods. What’s the story about?
There’s a sincerity in his eyes that’s making this ordeal even worse. He’s obviously a nice guy, but it’s not causing me to be any less nervous.
What is my story about? I honestly can’t remember. My mind has gone totally blank. All those years of writing scripts, all of the hours I put in at the used bookstore, all of the sacrifices I made to save money.
It was all for nothing.
My eyes start to feel moist and I do my best to blink back the tears that are forming. It’s bad enough that I have made a complete fool of myself in front of this guy. I don’t want him to see me cry on top of everything else.
I grab my oversized pink polka dot handbag and bolt from the table.
I do my best to maneuver through the ballroom that’s filled with tables similar to the one I was sitting at. As I pass by each table I can’t help but hear all of the eager screenwriters pitching their scripts to the other producers in the room.
None of them seem to be having any of the problems I did.
And that makes me feel even worse.
When I finally make it out of the ballroom and into the hotel lobby I do my best to compose myself, but to no avail. I’m definitely going to throw up.
I hurry into the ladies room and just make it to the toilet before I begin to dry heave. My stomach was so twisted with nerves I couldn’t eat anything all day so there’s nothing of any significance to come up.
Tears begin to stream down my face and within moments I’m a sobbing heap of hopelessness on the bathroom floor. I allow myself to release all of the tension I’ve been holding in and wail for several minutes. When I finally feel like I’ve cried the well dry I take in what I hope will be a deep, calming breath.
Will I ever be able to pitch without experiencing complete and utter terror? How will I ever make it in the business if I can’t?
You have to pull yourself together, Nellie.
A knock on the stall I’m occupying startles me.
Then I hear a female voice say, Is everything okay in there?
Fuck off.
The harsh words pop out of my mouth before I have a chance to stop them. I don’t mean to be rude, but it seems to happen a lot.
I hear the sound of footsteps as whoever I just swore at scurries out of the bathroom.
As I pull myself up from the floor I hike up the white tights that have gathered at my knees. I do my best to smooth out the wrinkles in the black and white polka dot dress I’m wearing.
I slowly step out of the stall and glance around the bathroom just to make sure it’s empty.
I would glance at myself in the mirror, but I know it would just make me feel worse than I already do. Not only would I be a failure, I’d be a hideous looking one as well. I’d like to at least be able to function under the illusion that I’m not completely repulsive looking.
Unfortunately my body isn’t quick enough for my brain. I catch a glance at my reflection in the mirror as I pass by. It’s even worse than I imagined it would be. Calling me frightening looking would be a compliment.
I give my reflection the middle finger as I walk out of the bathroom.
I must still be in a post-anxiety-attack fog because I don’t even see the young producer I attempted to pitch to until I plow right into him.
I’m so sorry.
I’m surprised when coherent words actually come out of my mouth this time.
Are you okay?
he asks.
No,
I sputter as I hurry away before I embarrass myself even further.
I scan the large lobby. It’s packed with lines of screenwriters waiting to pitch to producers. There’s one dark corner on the opposite side of the crowded area that looks like a safe zone where I can hide and catch my breath.
I close my eyes for a moment and rub my temples. I’m probably ten minutes away from a major headache on top of everything else.
When I open my eyes I see a very tall guy headed in my direction. Of course I’m only five feet tall, so nearly everyone on the planet over the age of ten is taller than me, but this guy is like a giant. His hair and eyes are as dark as mine, but his are on a much more attractive package.
For some reason the guy is waving a pack of gum at me.
Want a piece?
he asks.
In a room filled with hundreds of people why on Earth has he singled me out? And why would he think I want gum?
He waits for several moments and stares at me. When I don’t reply he says, No gum I guess.
Please go somewhere that isn’t here.
He frowns. Like you own Pitchfestapalooza.
Find your own corner,
I hiss.
I wait for him to leave, but he doesn’t budge. He continues to stare at me, like he’s examining a specimen.
I shoot daggers at him hoping he’ll take the hint.
Fine, I’ll go. Sorry for invading your personal space.
When he takes off into the