Page 85 of The CEO I Hate

At least twelve different podcasts operated out of The Sound Station building, so it took us a minute to find the right floor. But the moment we exited the elevator, the large neon logo of The Ink Spot greeted us. The space was small, but comfortable, with a lounge area, two offices, and a dedicated recording room.

Ellie Park—an eclectic mix of styles with her lavender hair, graphic tees, bold makeup, and her Hello Kitty stiletto nails—came out to greet us, shaking Mia’s hand first, then mine. Ellie was bubbly and chatty, making Mia laugh. I immediately felt at ease, able to see that Mia was going to be just fine. Jenn, Ellie’s producer, popped out of her office a moment later. If Ellie’s style was noisy, then Jenn’s was quiet. She wore jeans and a blazer and, frankly, looked a little tired.

“Sorry,” she said after introducing herself. “Deadlines.”

I could relate.

Ellie flicked her head in the direction of the recording space. “I’ll take you through if you’re ready?”

“Sure,” Mia said. “Let’s get started.”

The two of them disappeared together. As the door opened, I spotted a large table and an array of recording equipment, including two large mics.

“You wanna grab a seat in here with me?” Jenn asked, gesturing to her office. “That way we can watch the recording.”

“That’d be great,” I said, following her. Inside the office, there was a small leather couch, a couple chairs, and several monitors set up on a narrow desk, each screen hosting different content. There was also paperwork. Everywhere.

“Feel free to sit…wherever,” she said, laughing sheepishly.

I cleared some papers off the chair closest to the window that looked into the recording room. Mia and Ellie had set themselves up at opposite ends of the table.

“Jenn, you getting this?” Ellie said into her mic.

Jenn queued a few things up on her computer. She gave Ellie a thumbs-up through the window.

“Mia, you want to give us a little one, two, three test?” Ellie said.

“Um, sure,” Mia said awkwardly into the mic. “Hello?”

Jenn gave them a double thumbs-up. And just like that, the interview started. Podcasts were apparently a very efficient business. I was impressed with how seamlessly Ellie jumped into character. Maybe there was a market there for Nexus Media to explore.

“We want to welcome Mia Collins to the podcast today,” Ellie said.

“Thank you,” Mia replied. “I am very excited to be here.”

“So, let me make sure I have this right,” Ellie said. “You’re currently working in the writers’ room for VeriTV’s hit showEnd in Fire?”

“Yep,” Mia said.

“And you’re also the creator of the viral webcomicHeart and Hustle. When do you have the time?”

Mia laughed. “I’ve just given up on sleep.”

“Well, you’d never know it, because girl, you are glowing.”

“Aw, thanks,” Mia said, flushing, her eyes darting over to meet mine. I winked, and her flush darkened.

“On today’s episode ofThe Ink Spot,” Ellie said, “we’re going to dive into Mia’s on-page journey and let her tell you all about the creation of her webcomic. But first, let’s hear from one of our sponsors.”

Everything went quiet. Mia glanced at me through the window and gave me a little wave. I grinned back at her as Jenn gave Ellie a silent countdown through the window.

“Okay,” Ellie said. “Let’s start at the very beginning. Where did you pull the inspiration forHeart and Hustle?”

“Well…” Mia began, giving Ellie the rundown. They chatted about her life, her love of drawing and storytelling, her difficulties following her dreams and wanting to capture that experience to share with her young audiences. It was all information I’d heard before, but watching her tell it again here, I felt sure there was some kid out there who would hear Mia and follow their own dreams because of it.

“And what audience are you hoping to reach with this print run?” Ellie asked.

“Well, of course I’m hoping to reach the established fans, anyone who wants to own a physical copy of this story. I’ve included some easter eggs and extra fun things for those who have been around from the beginning. But I’m also hoping that this cast of characters finds new readers. That the story keeps being fun and relatable and inspiring to people of all ages. It might be set in a high school, but I think the messages are ones we can all relate to, no matter how old we are: identity and belonging and following your dreams.”

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