Inspired by a society obsessed with celebrities, Elizabeth Searle explores the glittery-dark underworld of 'hopefuls,' those who have been given the slightest hint of success — or even imagined success — and who are hungry for an audience, of any size. Ranging from a woman's relentless pursuit to be an actress despite her tendency to faint onstage, to a disintegrating family who comes together if only to watch the imaginary lives in a soap opera, these stories capture the thrill and lure of fame and our insatiable need for it.