Drawing The Line (Paperback or Softback)

“A charming, entertaining read, neatly structured and efficiently plotted. Ms Scopes has a real knack for dialogue...”(Goodreads review)

“Something about the writing just made me exhale and relax. I loved it from beginning to end...”(Goodreads review)

Headstrong, privileged and naïve, twenty-seven-year old Maggie Goodwin arrives in 1938 Los Angeles with a singular aim; to become the very first female animator at the greatest animation studio in the world, Harley Studios.

But her plan to bust down the door of Room A3 soon hits a brick wall. A very particular brick wall.

The animation department is a man's world, a world where men draw the lines and women are expected to stay between them. The boss can't abide the idea of a woman joining the ranks of his top men and sends her off to the Paint and Ink Room to color-in with the rest of his battalion of girls.

There, Maggie spends her days applying blue to an endless procession of twirling skirts and befriends fellow Paint and Inkers; Clara - bottle-blonde mistress of the boss, and Harriett - disgruntled unionist with an axe to grind and a husband who's hit the rocks.

And then there's Ted, a kindly admirer who's rather handy with a spanner but doesn't have much to say for himself. Besides, Maggie much prefers the attentions of Art, Harley's trouble-making, wavy-haired animator who looks terrific in a zoot-suit and knows a great deal about pencils and furry cartoon critters.

But the Harley behemoth isn't exactly the united front portrayed in magazines and trade papers. Not everyone is happy about busting their guts to get the studio's blockbuster wrapped up for the holiday season, especially Maggie's new unionist pals. And when the boss wields a stick instead of a carrot there are rumbling in the ranks, rumblings that can't be cured by a free night out on the town or a big-wig party in the Hollywood hills.

So, amid talk of a strike, Maggie finds herself stuck between a rock and a hard place. If she wants to impress the boss she'll have to step on some toes and make use of a stellar connection…not to mention turn a blind eye to her liberal ideals…

Fast-paced, fun, intelligent women's historical fiction. A delightful, feel-good beach read about ambition, determination, sexism, friendship and sweet, sweet romance.