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Hot Off the Press!
I have mentioned in my newsletters that this fall has brought big schedule changes for me, which has meant changes to my writing time. It has definitely meant dedication to managing distractions, but I am excited and proud to say this has not meant changes in productivity. That means Ruth is back again, to share a bit more of what she is up to. Find the latest Sneak Peek of The Girl in the Newsroom below, as well as links to all the other sneak peeks!
The Girl in the Newsroom
November 1921
Ruth’s brain whirred as she typed away on her typewriter. She’d been regularly writing more feature stories and breaking news assignments. She’d even been called into the editor-in-chief, Cahan’s office at least once now for a face-to-face. He actually knew her name!
David assured her he always did, but Ruth still doubted. She knew she had him to thank for this new attention, but David insisted it was her own doing. She believed she had the talent now and was capable. But she knew David was the one who gave her the push and she still relied on his input heavily. He was also the one who magically made assignments appear on her desk.
She knew there were whispers. She heard them. The other reporters, wondering what was going on between her and David. She also noticed Shayna and the other females in the office appearing colder and less friendly towards her. She’d arrived crying on Chayele’s doorstep not that long ago when the women had purposefully stopped talking and stepped away from her in the elevator when she entered one day. Chayele scooped her up in a hug and told her to ignore them.
“They’re jealous.” Chayele rubbed Ruth’s back in swirling circles. “Unfortunately, even though it’s tough enough breaking into this man’s world, us women like to somehow make it harder. Instead of patting each other on the back for success like the men do, we get petty and vindictive and ice each other out.
It was the same for me in nursing. I’ve always been a good nurse. I held my own in the most stressful situations during the war and picked up a decent amount of medical knowledge along the way. I earned my way into surgeries. But as soon as other nurses learn I’m married to a surgeon, forget it. I’m a pariah. It’s lonely, but I move on and focus on the work instead.”
She heard a throat clear, jolting her from her musings. She looked up and saw Hal standing before her. Her stomach dropped and her heart began to flutter.
“Hal! What are you doing here?” She bolted to her feet, banging her knee on the typewriter in the process. She rubbed her knee and tried to hide her cringe.
He reached out and his face clouded with concern. “Oh, are you alright? I didn’t mean to startle you.”
She waved him off. “I’m fine. Just a klutz.”
“Well, that didn’t go quite as planned.” He smiled. “Although, I did want to surprise you. I’m in town for the week and was hoping we could go for another walk.”
“Oh.” Ruth glanced around the newsroom. Sure enough, some eyes were definitely darting towards her and the Congressman.
She knew she crossed the line about familiarity with subjects a while ago with her letters. But this would be declaring it to the whole newsroom. Why did he have to appear at her work?
“As wonderful as it is to see you, I have a big deadline and now’s really not a good time.”
His face fell. His excitement dampened. “Oh, I see. Your deadline’s important, of course. I just came all this way and am only here a few days. I was really hoping to see you.”
Ruth’s stomach turned. What was she doing? She wanted to walk with him also! Taking a deep breath, she decided it was time to channel Chayele. She needed to stop caring what everyone else thought.
“You know what? The article can wait. “I’d love to take a walk with you.”
Hal’s eyes lit up again and he grinned. “Great! We’ll keep it short.”
She grabbed her hat and coat and ignored the stares as she followed him from the newsroom. They descended the stairs together to the street below.
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