Her own book – ‘a not so moral tale of hedge funders and hubris’ is based on true stories from the world of hedge funds. She plans to release it on the internet where subscribers will be sent each chapter by email. To give them a taste of the book she has published the prologue online and will provide updates as chapters are produced.

Readers who sign on now at http://toxicpeoplenovel.wordpress.com will be able to purchase the entire novel for $3 with those that join later having to pay as much as $9 for the entire book. The prologue is up now and free. Each chapter will be released once a determined threshold has been achieved. The idea is that the more people who sign up, the sooner Lena will release the book.

Lena says, “This is an experiment but the alternative is to keep going backwards and forwards with my agent at WMA trying to second guess publishers who are not in good shape this year. Still, if they want to snap it up, they will still have a chance!”

Toxic People Synopsis:

It’s 2005 and the financial markets are booming. For anyone with a head for numbers and a desire to make big money, the sexiest, most aspirational place to work is in hedge funds. David Taylor is a successful but insecure banker who, along with his colleague Drew sets up his own fund, backed by rogue financier Raef Savage – a man for whom narcissistic personality disorder was named.

Unknown to them Raef is playing a totally different game where there will only be one winner: him. Flick Savage, his trophy wife doesn’t think so. Raef’s sex addiction and his affair with David’s mercenary, NY lawyer girlfriend Sarah is the last straw for her. But she’s not the only one he’s crossed. Quietly watching is the smart, reticent but increasingly vengeful Ellie Hines, Raef’s PA. She hates bankers. She hates the City. And when Raef steps into dangerous territory, she reckons it’s time these money men learned a lesson or two.

As everyone sets out to grab what they believe is theirs, the world they know is sinking in a quicksand of its own making.

About the Author:

Lena Semaan was once a copywriter. In between availing herself of the lavish hospitality of various directors, photographers and fine restaurants, she wrote award winning ads for major clients. It was too much fun so she switched to the corporate world where she pretended to fit in. These days she is a corporate refugee, freelance marketing consultant, ghostwriter of eight books, hotel and restaurant reviewer and contributor to Italian Elle Decoration and other style magazines. Her popular blog, womanofexperience.blogspot.com has a strong following amongst City types, lawyers and thinkers. Lena is currently single, though not all the time.