On paper & On Screen

Chapter One: The Call

                                                                         Elliot's Pov, New York City, New York 

I woke up to my phone blowing up with notifications. I rolled over, grabbed it, and my stomach dropped.

Fifty missed calls from my agent.

I unlocked my phone and opened TikTok. The first video on my For You Page was my book. Then another. Then another. I stared at the screen in disbelief.

My story was going completely viral.

I scrolled and saw multiple influencer posts with millions of views and likes. People were quoting lines, making edits, talking about my characters like they were real.

Then I hit the fancasts.

Most of them were ridiculous, but one made my jaw tighten.

Jasper Cole.

The thought of him playing the male lead, if there was ever a movie, made my teeth clench.

My phone rang again. This time, I answered immediately.

"Hello?" My voice came out tight, edged with worry. If she had called that many times, it was either really good news or really bad news.

"Finally," she snapped. "You decide to answer your damn phone. Do you know how many times I've called you?"

Lauren Pierce had been my agent for the last year, ever since I had submitted my debut novel to her. She was blunt, the kind of woman who didn't take shit from anyone.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't see them until now."

"We don't have time for sorry," she said. "First order of business, have you been on social media today?"

"Yeah. I just checked TikTok." I swallowed. "My novel is trending."

"It's trending because you're number one on the New York Times bestseller list," she said, like she had been waiting to say it all morning. "And USA Today. In a few days."

I sat there in silence, trying to understand how that could possibly be my reality. I had gone from selling little to no copies to landing on two of the most influential bestseller lists in the world.

"Elliot?" Lauren said. "Earth to Elliot. Are you there?"

"Ye-yeah." I exhaled hard. "Sorry. I'm just in complete shock right now."

"Well, buckle up, kiddo, because guess who called." She didn't even give me a chance to guess. "An exec from Brightfall Studios. They want to pitch an adaptation for A Kingdom of Paper Roses."

For a second, I couldn't breathe.

"Repeat that," I said, disbelief turning my voice thin. "I don't think I heard you right."

"Elliot," she said, already impatient. "You know I don't like repeating myself. But yes, Brightfall Studios wants to adapt your novel into a movie."

"Holy shit." My heart thundered in my chest. "This is insane."

"Yes," she said. "And now we talk strategy. I'm going to forward you their email and what the contract says, and whatever you do, Elliot, do not jump just because of the dollar signs."

I sat up straighter. "What dollar signs?"

"With the right agent and the right lawyer, that number can be much higher," she said. "I'm sending it now."

My laptop pinged. I rushed over, yanked it open, and clicked my inbox.

Lauren had forwarded the message.