The Forgotten Girl
Read The Forgotten Girl Online
Authors: Kerry Barrett
Fearne has landed her dream job to run Mode. Except the dream isn't quite so rosy in reality â the print magazine is struggling and Fearne is determined to save it!
In 1966, desperate to escape her life, Nancy moves to London where she and her brilliantly unpredictable friend Suze try to achieve their dream of writing for Mode magazine together.
For Mode to survive, Fearne needs to recreate the magic of the early issues and she is on track to find Suze â Mode's longest-serving editor. Unbeknownst to Fearne, what she uncovers might be the biggest story of her careerâ¦
â
A Step in Time
was a fabulous, glitzy story, that was a lot of fun to read, and thanks to Cora, had more depth than I was expecting, but very glad that it did.' â Rachel's Random Reads
~
âThe best book she has written to date' â Babs' Bookshelf on
A Step in Time
~
âI was hooked from the first page and couldn't put it down. This is a book about living life to the full, following your dreams and being true to yourself whilst empathising with others.' â Shellyback Books on
A Step in Time
~
âKerry [Barrett] has yet again written likeable, funny, relatable characters. But this time there's the added emotion which towards the end of the story had me sobbing into my cup of tea.' â Aimee Horton on
A Step in Time
*
~
*Amazon reader reviews
Also available by Kerry Barrett
A Step in Time
Could It Be Magic
series:
Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
I Put a Spell on You
Baby It's Cold Outside
I'll Be There for You
A Spoonful of Sugar
The Forgotten Girl
Kerry Barrett
KERRY BARRETT
was a bookworm from a very early age, devouring Enid Blyton and Noel Streatfeild, before moving on to
Sweet Valley High
and 1980s bonkbusters. She did a degree in English Literature, then trained as a journalist, writing about everything from pub grub to
EastEnders
. Her first novel,
Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
, took six years to finish and was mostly written in longhand on her commute to work, giving her a very good reason to buy beautiful notebooks. Kerry lives in London with her husband and two sons, and Noel Streatfeild's
Ballet Shoes
is still her favourite novel.
Contents
Thanks to everyone who helped with my research into the swinging 60s, including my mum and dad, Betty, and everyone at the Hearst library who let me spend happy hours going through old magazines. Thanks to Aimee for her constant support, to my fellow Carina authors for being a brilliant sounding board, and to Victoria and Helen for being brilliant editors.
For everyone who loves magazines as much as I do.
2016
I was nervous. Not just a little bit wobbly. I was properly, squeaky-voiced, sweaty-palms, absolutely bloody terrified. And that was very unlike me.
The office was just up ahead â I could see it from where I stood, lurking behind my sunglasses in case anyone I knew spotted me and tried to speak to me. I wasn't ready for conversation yet. The building had a glass front, with huge blown-up magazine covers in its windows. In pride of place, right next to the revolving door, was the cover from the most recent issue of Mode.
I swallowed.
âIt's fine,' I muttered to myself. âThey wouldn't have given you the job if they didn't think you were up to it. It's fine. You're fine. Better than fine. You're brilliant.'
I took a deep breath, straightened my back, threw back my shoulders and headed to the Starbucks opposite me.
I ordered an espresso and a soya latte, then I sat down to compose myself for a minute.
Today was my first day as editor of Mode. It was the job I'd wanted since I was a teenager. It had been my dream for so long, I could barely believe it was happening, and I was determined to make a success of it.
Except here I was, ready to get started, and I'd been floored by these nerves.
Shaking slightly, I downed my espresso in one like it was a shot of tequila and checked the time on my phone. I was early, but that was no bad thing. I had lots of good luck messages â mostly from people hoping I'll give them a job, I thought wryly. I couldn't help noticing, as I scrolled through and deleted them, that there was nothing from my best friend, Jen. She was obviously still upset about the way I'd behaved when I'd got the job. And if I was honest, she had every right to be upset, but I didn't have time to worry about that now. I was sure she'd come round.
I stood up and straightened my clothes. I'd played it safe this morning with black skinny trousers, a fitted black shirt and funky leopard-print pumps. My naturally curly blonde hair was straightened and pulled into a sleek ponytail and I wore a slash of red lipstick. I looked good. I just hoped it was good enough for the editor of Mode.
A surge of excitement bubbled up inside me. I was the editor of Mode. Me. Fearne Summers. I picked up my latte and looped my arm through my Marc Jacobs tote.
âRight, Fearne,' I said out loud. âLet's do this.'
I wasn't expecting a welcoming committee or a cheerleading squad waiting for me in reception (well, I was a bit) but I did think that the bored woman behind the desk could have at least cracked a smile. Or she could have tried to look a tiny bit impressed that I was the new editor of Mode. Mind you,
if this office was anything like my old place â and I was pretty sure all magazine companies were the same â there would be a never-ending stream of celebrities, models, and strange PR stunts (last Christmas we'd had mince pies delivered by a llama wearing a Santa hat, and that was one of the more normal visitors). Perhaps a new editor was terribly run of the mill.
âHere's your pass,' she said, throwing it across the desk at me. âThe office is on the third floor, but you're to go up to fifth first of all to meet Lizzie.'
I was surprised. Lizzie was the chief-exec of Glam Media, the company that owned Mode along with lots of other magazines. I knew I'd have to catch up with her at some point today but I thought she'd give me time to meet my team, and find my office first.
Lizzie was waiting for me when I got out of the lift. The bored receptionist must have told her I was on my way.
She was in her early fifties, petite and stylishly dressed, with a cloud of dark hair. She was friendly and approachable, but she had a reputation of being ruthless in pursuit of profit for the company. She scared the bejeesus out of me if I was honest, but she'd been very nice when I met her at one of the many interviews I'd done to get the job. Now she smiled at me and shook my hand.
âGreat to have you on board, Fearne' she said. âThis is a time of big change for Mode.'
âI've got loads of ideas,' I said, following her down the corridor to a meeting room. âI can't wait to get started.'
She gave me a brief smile over her shoulder.
âGreat,' she said again.
Except she didn't really mean great, I quickly discovered. She meant,
yeah good luck with that, Fearne
.
It turned out that Glam Media was worried about Mode. Really worried. I'd looked at the sales, of course, and seen they weren't as good as they could be but I hadn't really grasped just how much trouble the magazine was in.
âThe problem is the competition has really raised its game,' Lizzie explained as I stared out of the big window in her office and tried to take in everything she was saying.
âGrace?' I said. It had been a fairly boring, unadventurous magazine called Home & Hearth until it was bought by a new company and had loads of money pumped into it. Now it had a new name, it was exciting and fun, and it was stealing lots of Mode's readers.
âSo the finance department have redone your budgets for this year,' said Lizzie. âTo reflect Mode's sales.'
She slid a piece of paper across her desk and I stared at the figures she'd put in front of me in horror.
âI can't run a glossy mag on this budget,' I said. âHow am I supposed to pay for fashion shoots? Or commission writers?'
Lizzie shrugged.
âTimes are tough,' she said. âThat's all that's in the pot.'
âCan't I have some of the website budget?' I asked.
She shook her head.
âDigital budget is separate,' she said. âThe website's going very well. Advertising and readership are both up. It's the magazine that's in trouble.'
I looked at her, suddenly realising where this was going, and why my predecessor had been so keen to leave her job.
âAre you going to close Mode?' I asked.
She stared back at me.
âNothing's decided yet.'
âBut it's possible?'
Lizzie looked at a point somewhere past my ear.
âPrint isn't working,' she said.
âBut Mode is an iconic brand,' I said desperately. âIt's been going since the sixties. It was the first ever young women's glossy. You can't close it.'
Lizzie still didn't look me in the eye, but she did at least assume a slightly sympathetic expression.
âWe'd still have the website,' she said. âIt's not ending, it's just changing. Mode will still exist â just in a different form.'
âA glossy mag is a treat,' I said. âPeople will pay for that.'
She shrugged.
âWould people lose their jobs?' I asked, suddenly realising this didn't just affect me.
âThat's also possible,' she said.
I put my head in my hands. This was a nightmare. My dream job was collapsing around my ears.
Lizzie took a breath.
âFearne, we took you on for a reason,' she said. âYou're a great editor with a good reputation.'
I forced myself to raise my head and smile at her. That was nice to hear.
âBut you're also known for being cut-throat,' she carried on. âWe all know you're single-minded and determined. That you don't let anything get in the way of success,'
I nodded slowly. I wasn't sure I'd use the word âcut-throat' but I was definitely single-minded.