Mr. Make-Believe (An Urban, Chic-lit Novel)

Chapter 3: Going Way Back

Chapter |3|

Two days later, at 'Audrey's agents' office...

"They need another order of my book already? We just sent two hundred copies last week!" Audrey was beyond ecstatic at how well her book sales were. She sold more and more books each week, bringing in a profit of almost six figures from multiply book stores within a month. If you had told her this was possible a year ago when she was struggling with Teen-fiction, she would have laughed in your face! But it was her editor laughing as she told Audrey there is a such a thing as 'too much sex in a teen novel.'

She could only scoff at her memory. They asked for realism, and that's what they got! Although, she could've been basing it on her own teenage sex life. She was, as they say, adventurous. Being as her sex life now was evident in some of her novels.

"Same thing I said, but it seems many women love these erotica stories." Angie, Audrey's Agent, said profoundly. She leaned back in her chair with her hands placed behind her head. Angie was a typical, stereotypical agent. She always dressed in black (a black pencil skirt, black blazer, and a white blouse). She was a caucasian woman, probably no older than thirty. Every time Audrey met with her, she always wore her blond hair in a bun, wore flawless makeup with a little bit of blush, and always wore blue eye shadow. All about making sales and always wearing a damn Bluetooth in her ear that Audrey just knew went out of style in 2004.

But of course, she wasn't going to say that to her. She didn't want to insult the woman and lose money simultaneously.

"Which is why I scheduled a book signing Thursday afternoon in Southside Chicago for you. That'll really get you some publicity." She continued.

"Sounds good," Audrey replied, smiling.

Angie smiled. A buzzing sound came from the phone on her desk beside her. Then, without touching the screen of her phone, she tapped the tiny device in her ear, signaled for me to hold on with her index finger, and spoke. "Hello?"

She looked to nowhere in particular. "For Christ's sake, how the fuck does that happen! Yeah, well, you better fix it, or we will have some problems. Yeah, love you too. Bye."

Audrey so badly wanted to laugh at loud. She had never really seen something like that before except in movies, and it damn sure was funnier in person.

"Now, how's that new book coming along?" Audrey was caught off guard and pointed to herself, wondering if Angie was talking to her. Angie nodded her head, and Audrey could only smile.

Audrey began to speak but bit back her tongue and coolly said, "Great." She wanted to tell her agent all about the book. The storyline, the ending, what her main character embodied, but she knew that's not what Angie wanted to hear. Angie wanted to see if this book was going to top revenue and possibly outsell her already 'flying off the bookshelves' novella, and that's it. Money was the only language Angie knew and spoke. Hell, Audrey was sure she bathed in it. This disappointed Audrey because she loved bragging about her work. What successful author wouldn't! She was often stuck telling her best friends, Natalie, Krystle, and Naomi.

But not many people want to hear about the sleazy, horny writer unless your mind was as perverted as hers. New York Times wouldn't even recognize her work. They had Wanes as a best-selling erotica author, but no one else seemed to top his work, but she was making her way there.

She figured a bunch of bullshit, and they knew it, but Audrey took that as motivation.

Every single or married woman will have her book in one hand and a vibrator in the other hand one day. At least, that was the dream. With nothing else to say, she told Angie she would see her on Thursday and would send over the new chapters to her book for edit, gathered her purse and coat, and made her exit out of the building and into the parking garage.