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During the course of a long career in the advertising and corporate world, I have come across many quirky characters and situations. Fun, glamour, youth, ambition – these form an intrinsic part of this universe and provide an interesting backdrop for a novel. Also, after writing ‘The Madras Mangler’, I thought it was time for something lighter, where I could indulge my sense of humour!

The first character I created was Freida, a feisty journalist with a fierce sense of justice and a yearning to save lost souls. Cheated once in love, she tells herself that she must concentrate on her career and not on men, especially not on the hunky sales head Girik alias Geek. Anyway, their characters are widely divergent. He is highly organized while Freida is impulsive. He is a sceptic whereas she believes in giving people a second or even a third chance. Then why is she jealous when he seems to fall for a sneaky, sexy coworker?

Freida and Geek clash and argue, but find that they are unable to stay away from each other. They are forced closer together when her treacherous ex and their nasty boss join hands, seeking to take over the media house they work in. It seems doubtful that the good guys can win this battle or that love can survive in such a hostile setting. Power games, fraud, layoffs, romance – the action heats up. The story sizzles and surprises as it races forward to a thrilling finish.

As I kept pace with my hero and heroine in their mad caper, I found myself touching upon some serious issues as well: the role of women in the workplace and at home, the pressure to achieve success at any cost, and the universal yearning to find love. I realized then that every book of mine had to be grounded in reality and focus on the need to stand up for what is right. It is this underlying layer that makes ‘Love, Lies and Layoffs’ a unique celebration of the human spirit.

Usha Narayanan