Pale Privileges, Dark Roast by Gregory Thayer

Genre: Upmarket Fiction / Contemporary Workplace Drama, 90k words

Hook: In a corporate world where faith, privilege, and profit collide, one man’s quest for integrity threatens to unravel the hypocrisy binding them all.

Logline: Cody, a disillusioned employee at Candela—a direct-selling company with a religious corporate culture—navigates a labyrinth of ethical compromises, office politics, and systemic inequality. When he allies with Anne, a fiery advocate for diversity, their fight to expose hypocrisy forces them to confront their complicity in a system that rewards conformity over conscience.

Unique Selling Point: Pale Privileges, Dark Roast is a rare literary exploration of the direct selling industry—a world seldom depicted in contemporary fiction—brought to life through authentic, multidimensional characters who defy stereotype. Layered with symbolism and self-reflective narrative threads, the novel engages directly with the legacy of the protest novel, challenging genre conventions while remaining grounded in the real struggles and ambitions of its characters. The result is a story that operates on multiple levels: a gripping workplace drama, a meditation on identity and morality, and a thoughtful conversation with the literary tradition it both honors and reimagines.

Comp Titles: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (ensemble drama and social critique), Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour (satirical workplace ambition), and Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (authentic voices confronting privilege).

Target Audience: This novel will appeal to readers who crave contemporary fiction that challenges conventional boundaries—fans of nuanced workplace dramas, thought-provoking social commentary, and literary fiction that rewards close reading. It’s ideal for book clubs and readers who appreciate stories that spark conversation about ambition, identity, and the ethics of modern work.

Author Bio: Gregory Thayer is a Boise-based freelance writer and Senior Technical Writer with over 20 years of experience in content strategy, documentation, and enterprise communications. His work has appeared in numerous publications, and he holds a master’s degree in Technical Communication. Drawing on five years in direct selling as a product manager, Gregory brings authentic insight to the world depicted in his novel.