Marcia Ben-Eli Archives - Page 2 of 5

A Murmur from the Past Becomes a Roar

An inappropriate touch. An insulting dismissal. A sexual ultimatum. A suggestion that a job is not fit for a woman.

The opening paragraph of a New York Times story about the ongoing sexual harassment scandal at Fox News, details the kind of the experiences thousands of women are sharing on social media this week. “It sounds just like what you’ve been writing about,” wrote the friend who emailed the article to me.

Yes, it does. My new novel, which comes out April 18, tells the story of a young woman who comes to New York City in the mid-1960s to build a career as an art director. The book draws on my own experiences working in advertising and publishing during those years, an era familiar to anyone who has watched Mad Men.

This isn’t the first time sexual harassment and gender bias has hit the headlines in the four years I’ve been working on my book. Allegations of harassment and the related resignations of high-profile executives were front-page news a couple of times last spring, and again in the fall. Yet these stories continue to strike people as surprising. In truth, they are anything but. It is almost as if Madison Avenue hasn’t changed in 50 years.Continue Reading →

The Interview: Part Two, Maddie

a prequel by Marcia Gloster

I Love You Today is the story of Maddie Samuels, who arrives in New York in the summer of 1964 with dreams. Dreams she has already been warned might be unattainable. Ever optimistic but naïve, she meets challenges she never expected in her efforts to avoid becoming just another secretary and to find the job she really wants. And while hoping she’ll meet some cool guys, she’s surprised that the heretofore respectable young men she dated while living at home have suddenly developed drastically different viewpoints, particularly when it comes to work-ing girls living alone in the big city. Rob McLeod, on the other hand, is a brash and confident art director who is convinced he can bend the world of advertising, especially the female part of it, to his will.

This is the second prequel in a series of three in which Maddie and Rob will meet for the first time. Although this isn’t her first job, she is still somewhat reticent, aware of her place as a woman in a man’s world. And yet, of all the interviews she’s had, she is hardly prepared for the self-assured and seductive Rob McLeod, a man who in a moment will change the course of both of their lives. These prequels were a lot of fun to write and afforded me a chance to give the reader a sense of the characters and a bit of their history. And while a story set in the era of the sixties may be history, it nevertheless rings true today.

Download a PDF of the prequel

Continue Reading →

The Interview: Part One, Rob

a prequel by Marcia Gloster

I Love You Today is the story of Maddie Samuels, who arrives in New York in the summer of 1964 with dreams. Dreams she has already been warned might be unattainable. Ever optimistic but naïve, she meets challenges she never expected in her efforts to avoid becoming just another secretary and to find the job she really wants. And while hoping she’ll meet some cool guys, she’s surprised that the heretofore respectable young men she dated while living at home have suddenly developed drastically different viewpoints, particularly when it comes to working girls living alone in the big city. Rob McLeod, on the other hand, is a brash and confident art director who is convinced he can bend the world of advertising, especially the female part of it, to his will.

This prequel is first in a series of three short stories in which you will meet them both and discover their truths and their lies, what drives them, and what brings them to the defining moment that will change their lives forever. Although this is a work of fiction, I lived and worked with characters such as those you are about to meet. And while the sixties may be history, this story is ever-present.

Download a PDF of the prequel
Continue Reading →

Advanced Praise

Love, sex, lies and advertising in the era of Mad Men. Compelling and provocative.”
—James Wiatt, former Chairman and CEO, William Morris Agency

I enjoyed I Love You Today immensely. It was like a romp through the Mad Men era, told from a woman’s point of view. For me, it was a trip down Memory Lane (aka Madison Avenue in the late 1960s). I not only liked it, I lived it.”
—Pamela Fiori, author and former editor-in-chief, Town & Country

A well-researched glimpse into a woman’s turbulent struggle in a male-dominated career during the late 1960s. It pulled me right in, from the wrenching love story that could never have a happy ending, to the ultimate strength shown by the main character. An overall compelling journey.”
—Andrea Hurst, author of Always with You

Marcia Gloster paints an intimate portrait of life in 1960s Manhattan, as one young woman strives to make her way professionally and personally in the challenging art design world. An accomplished artist herself, the author brings her own insight and in-depth experiences to the story and delivers a narrative that highlights both career struggles and characters searching for true connection in the midst of a social and sexual revolution. Readers looking for a peek into the magazine publishing and advertising world of that era will be intrigued!”
—Marilyn Brant, New York Times bestselling author

A good view of the glamorous magazine business in New York by someone who has obviously been there. A solid novel, a good read, sexually intriguing.”
—Jay Ingram, author of Living Zen

Excerpt

I Love You Today
from Chapter Five

Maddie’s first morning at the magazine consisted primarily of Tara showing her around and introducing her to everyone in the office. Most of the senior editors were older, but several writers and assistant editors were about her age. She knew it would take a while before she got all the names straight and could figure out exactly who was an editor and who was an assistant.

After the introductions, Tara brought her back to Rob’s office. As she sat down across from him, she said, “Mr. MacLeod, I just want to thank you again for offering me this job.”

He looked at her with a wicked grin. “I think if I’m going to call you Maddie, you should call me Rob. How’s that?” Maddie blinked, feeling a slight electric current run through her. Tara smiled knowingly and went to get coffee from the cart that came to the floor every morning and afternoon. Maddie asked for black, as did Rob.

Rob settled back in his chair and looked at her. Feeling unusually self-conscious, she glanced around the office and then back at him. Meeting his intense stare, she suddenly experienced that rare but unmistakable recognition that sparks between two people before they truly understand what it means—especially in a situation where it shouldn’t mean anything at all.

Breaking the brief but palpable silence, he asked how much she knew about the magazine.

“Just what I’ve seen and read in a few issues.”

He nodded and lit a Marlboro. “Status, as the name implies, is a bit on the snobbish side. As you know we are owned by the Cassini brothers. One is a fashion designer and the other a rather acerbic gossip columnist who contributes at least a couple of pages every month. We cover quite a lot of fashion, travel and culture, not to mention celebrity gossip, as well as the kinky nightlife that’s lighting up the city right now. By the way have you been to Max’s Kansas City?”

“Yes, but not to the back room. Although I did see Andy Warhol and his entourage walk through a couple of times.”

“Then you know what I’m talking about. But that’s only part of it. What makes us special is our publishers like to proselytize to our readers about what’s in and what’s out, particularly in so-called New York Café Society. What’s ‘in’ right now is the snooty sorority known as the ‘ladies who lunch.’ Last month debutants were ‘out.’ Next month who knows? Although some of the articles are newsworthy, others are just plain ridiculous. Is there more than one person in the entire world who has any interest in reading an article on how to care for their Rolls Royces? With the accent on the s?”

She laughed. She was finding him very charming.

Suddenly serious, he began to describe her job. “Maddie. I know you can design pages, but I think it would be best if you work closely with me, at least at the beginning. I’ll give you a couple of sections such as travel and ‘Nights Out,’ which includes the restaurant columns and we’ll go from there. I’ll be working with you on concepts and illustrating articles as well as incorporating different design elements and fonts into your layouts. It’s important to keep the magazine contemporary but consistent and at the same time liven it up with different graphic treatments.”

“That sounds fine Mr., um, Rob. I look forward to it.” She hoped she wasn’t blushing, and yet spending time with him did sound fine, that is until she reminded herself to stop thinking it. “What about photo shoots? If you have one coming up, I know all the model agencies and stylists. I’m sure I can help with that.”

“I expect you to. In fact, I’m looking forward to you coming on location with me.” She wondered if there was more to that statement than just photo shoots. She had been there less than two hours and they were already flirting. She told herself to take it down a notch.

Excerpted from I Love You Today by Marcia Gloster. Copyright ©2017 Marcia Gloster. Excerpted with permission of The Story Plant. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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