Off The Written Path

OFF THE WRITTENPATHNATALIE DEBRABANDERECopyright © 2023 Natalie DebrabandereAll rights reserved.The moral rights of the author have been asserted.This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the author’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published or without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.ISBN: 9798366191180DEDICATIONFor CrystalACKNOWLEDGMENTSTo all my readers:Thank you for reading and reviewing in all the good places.I appreciate you greatly! chapter1The book promo interview was conducted by her agent inside the cosy meeting hall of London’s Priestley Bookshop. The event had gone extremely well. Now, ahead of an opportunity for the audience to have their books autographed and personal photos taken with her, popular science-fiction author, Eleanor St James, was about to start on a round of Q&A.“So, what do you think, Ellie?” her agent, Kate Watts, asked mischievously. “Shall we make it a bit spicy? Ask-Me-Anything kind of style?”“Yes, I don’t see why not,” Eleanor answered in a matching tone. “You know, Indie Wild isn’t the only one who enjoys a bit of action every now and then.”The audience laughed and hooted enthusiastically. Indigo Wild, aka Indie in the books and for her fans alike, was the lead protagonist in the space opera/drama/intergalactic comedy series that had made Eleanor internationally famous. Indie had come to her one morning, out of the blue, while Eleanor was out on a training run. Her best ideas often came to her during a workout, and she’d immediately sensed that Indie was one. At the same time, Eleanor never imagined the enduring triumph that her intrepid, hot-tempered, and sexy heroin would become… It was still a source of amazement and great pleasure for her.“Perfect,” Kate approved. “Let’s make it memorable, folks! Please make your way to the end of the center aisle. Stand close to the microphone and speak clearly, so that everyone may hear your question. Thank you!”As a line of eager attendees began to form, Eleanor spotted a middle-aged guy standing on his own at the back of the hall. He stuck out like a sore thumb among the predominantly female crowd who attended the event. Indie Wild was, famously and unapologetically, one for the ladies, even if the books appealed to a large segment of readers. Other men were present at the event tonight, of course… But something about this one caught Eleanor’s attention. She was not certain why and had no time to linger.“Good evening, Ms St. James.” The first questioner smiled shyly at her from behind the mic. “My name’s Michelle. It’s so great to see you!”Eleanor quickly turned her attention to her.“Good evening, Michelle. Call me Ellie. How are you doing tonight?”“Very well, thank you. I just wanted to ask you a question about writing.”“Sure, go ahead.”“What advice would you give someone who wants to write, but currently has a full-time job doing something else, and little time to spare?”“Excellent question,” Eleanor approved. She was aware of how nervous the woman seemed to be to speak in front of the audience, and keen to put her at ease. “I recommend that you commit to writing a set number of words each day. Something you can achieve with a bit of effort… Like, maybe 500? How does that sound?”“Brilliant!” The woman beamed in reply. “500 words... Yes, I think I could do that.”“Excellent. Make sure you get it done, no matter what. As with a lot of things, consistency is key with writing as well. What genre do you have in mind?”“I feel drawn to fantasy.”“Nice. I wish you the best, Michelle. You know, that’s how I got started too, on the side of a busy full-time job.”“Really?”“Yes,” Eleanor nodded. “I used to work in marketing for a big firm. Hated it!” Everyone laughed. “I wrote in the evenings, at weekends, during holidays… So long as you’re consistent and enjoy what you’re doing, you’ll be fine. The rest is out of your control, so don’t worry about it. Just do what you love. Have fun with it. That’s it.”“That’s really wonderful advice, thank you.”“Tried and tested. And you’re welcome.”The next person in line wanted to know if Indie Wild might acquire a steady, steamy girlfriend, sometime soon.“Because you know, we’d all like that,” she winked.“Anybody else feel that way?” Kate prompted.“Yes!” the audience all replied in unison.“Oh, good,” Eleanor chuckled. “It’s nice to receive this kind of feedback, especially since there’s a distinct possibility of Indie finding someone special in the next book.”The man that she had noticed earlier wore a rumpled suit and a dirty tie hanging off his neck. Frankly, he looked as if he’d spent the entire night sleeping under a bridge or drinking in the pub. Definitely the odd one out, out there. Intrigued, Eleanor kept an eye on him as he continued to move toward the mic. I wonder what he’s going to ask me…“Ms St. James,” another woman prompted when it was her turn to speak. “Are we ever going to enjoy Indie Wild on the big screen? And if the answer’s yes, which I hope it is, who would you like to see play her?”“Seeing Indie make it to the movies would be a dream come true for me as well,” Eleanor confirmed. “And we’ve taken steps toward making it happen; haven’t we, Kate? I’m not sure how much we can reveal at this time?”“All of it! Go on, please!” someone suggested out loud.Amid general laughter and excitement, Kate offered a smile and a carefully crafted answer.“Maybe not all,” she said, “but what I can tell you for certain is that we should have good news to share with you all before the end of this year.”“As to who I’d like to see play her,” Eleanor carried on, “I think that—”“OW!” a woman screamed.Oh, shit! Eleanor forgot the rest of her sentence as the odd-looking guy suddenly