Author Description

Office politics and misguided lust collide in Rob Payne’s hilarious new novel. Praise for Rob Payne: "Think Nick Hornby or even Roddy Doyle…adds a much-needed rebel yell to…CanLit." — Eye Magazine "What a hoot! Quirky and original…" — Will Ferguson, author of Happiness "…a surprisingly heartfelt book." — Quill & Quire My Life is ticking away one subway token at a time… Thus begins 30-year old Jay Thompson’s tale of life in Corporate Purgatory. From the individual production modules (a.k.a. cubicles), KGB-style receptionists, and inept bosses with Rod Stewart hair, life has never been easy at HMS Trust’s head office. Things are about to get a lot worse. Thanks to his "high accuracy" assessment (which took the employment agency all of one hour to complete), Jay lands the biggest promotion-with-out-pay in his life – as the reluctant head of a chaotic call centre full of temps, at peak season. Enter young Samantha, a temp with more flirtatious energy than Helena Bonham Carter. And of course Jan, Jay’s longtime live-in girlfriend (a second-year doctoral student majoring in English Literature/Antisocial Neglect of Her Life Partner); best friend Tyler (dispenser of suspect advice, part-time Ringo Starr impersonator); brother Sheldon (armed with a major life-changing announcement); and psychotic parents Jim and Sharon, who take bitter recrimination to all-star levels. What we get is an honest, wickedly funny and ruthlessly disenchanting look at life, love, and middle management in the Age of the Corporation.