Mallory Meets His Match

A novel in which Kevin Mallory's self-centered mindset and utter lack of knowledge of the world don't keep him from being picked as a vice presidential candidate, but they may keep him from converting his friendship with no-nonsense Kathie into anything resembling a romance. He leans on Kathie for support as their employer, UniCast Cable, begins laying off employees to make itself a better takeover prospect. Ignoring Kathie's warnings, he teams up with Spike, a young waiter at his favorite restaurant, in creating a cartoon avatar of himself on the internet who fulminates against the Woke movement and the LGBTQ+ community. But he also takes a second job at an auto dealership to prove to Kathie that he can take practical moves to better his situation. Mallory's cartoon persona becomes such an instant internet hit that American Values, a lobbying group for the offshore oil industry, offers him cash and forces presidential candidate DeSantos to put him on the ticket. Meanwhile, at the auto dealership, he unwittingly participates in numerous scams against customers. Mallory's appearances at De Santos rallies result in fiasco after fiasco. Spike begins a mean-spirited crusade against Mallory's ex. Kathie begins to let Mallory into her life. He finds out from a new friend that his public accusations that teachers are indoctrinating children are false. He knows he should quit the campaign, but he is making money from it, and neither of his jobs will last without it.