Susan Lee: From Corporate Chaos to Novel Nirvana

Susan Lee likens penning her second novel, “The Name Drop,” to the angst-ridden horrors of sophomore year in high school. “Remember being a freshman? You could blissfully bumble your way through. But sophomore year? Oh, it’s like being served a salad made of expectations without the dressing of experience,” she quipped. “It’s a year of flailing—transforming from naive child to almost adult, yet the adulting skills are still MIA. You’re just there, clinging onto survival until you can finally be a wise upperclassman.”

“It was exactly like writing my second novel—higher expectations, a tighter timeline, and the delightful cloud of imposter syndrome hanging over me like an awkward prom date. My first book didn’t make me a literary superstar overnight. I felt like I was just flailing harder. But oh, the sweet satisfaction of hitting ‘send’ on my manuscript—it’s like finally turning in that overdue homework, with a side of victory lap!”

The Plot Thickens—And So Does the Identity Mix-Up

Lee’s sophomore novel features two protagonists who conveniently share a name and a few comical identity crises. “The Name Drop” follows Jessica Lee, a middle-class dreamer with a summer internship at a tech conglomerate in New York, and Elijah Ri, the chaebol prince of the same company, who has a future of boardrooms and silk ties ahead of him. Spoiler alert: they decide to swap lives, because what could possibly go wrong in a glittering city filled with skyscrapers and mysterious coffee orders?

A Title Made in Literary Heaven

To get to the title, Lee did what any stricken author would do—she turned to her literary friends in a group chat. “It was originally called ‘Say My Name, Say My Name’—which I thought was catchy until I remembered it was also the title of a song. And not just any song, but one that’s been overplayed at every karaoke night since time immemorial. After a brainstorming session that could rival any corporate think tank, we settled on ‘The Name Drop’—because it sounds cooler and less like a desperate plea for attention.”

What’s the Message? Hint: It’s Not About Perfection

Lee reveals that the moral of the story is that society places way too much pressure on our youth to have their entire lives figured out by 18. “I mean, I thought I wanted to be a doctor at that age—turns out I couldn’t tell a scalpel from a spatula. Life is just a series of pivots; from careers to cities to hobbies. I didn’t start writing until I hit my forties, and you know what? I just might have to start a new career as a life coach!”

Corporate America: The Place Where Creativity Goes to Die

Before embarking on her writing career, Lee survived the corporate jungle as a network engineer and human resource aficionado. “Let me tell you, after years of being the token voice at the table, I often felt gaslighted by the whole experience. The change I wanted to create seemed impossible, leading to some delightful personal trauma I was just itching to avoid,” Lee reflected. “I resisted writing about corporate life, but then my agent and publisher insisted—so I dove in like it was a therapeutic swimming pool!”

Next Chapter: The Unannounced Journey Begins

As for what’s next for this literary ingénue? Lee promises a new YA novel that she’s excited to spill the beans on—though not just yet. “It’s like keeping a secret about your crush in high school. So much fun! But I can assure you, it’s more enjoyable than a popcorn kernel stuck in your teeth.”

Join Lee at Meet Cute Romance Bookshop

For those lucky enough to snag a ticket, you can meet Susan Lee at Meet Cute Romance Bookshop on September 17 at 4 p.m. (“Sorry, not sorry” to those who missed out). Located at 4048 30th St., San Diego, you’ll want to grab a bookmark for her latest work. Tickets might be sold out, but you can always dial in at (619) 228-9548 or peek online at meetcutebookshop.com.

Davidson is a freelance writer, still searching for the perfect punchline to write about money-saving hacks.