Entrapped . HS

EIGHT. *

We walked across the street to grab lunch, Declan, Miller and me. We had just had a brainstorming session for new author launches this year, that totally overwhelmed me. I wanted to find out a little more about the conference, seeing as I had only heard of it for the amount of tail Declan got in previous years, as opposed to the actual work he did while he was there.

As we walked in, I noticed all three of our assistants sitting at a table across the restaurant. "How many today?" the hostess asked and I bypassed her and Declan said, "we think we see the party we're meeting," as I walked towards their table.

Declan and Miller were talking behind me, but my attention was focused straight ahead. I heard Grant ask the girls a very important conversation. "Am I the only one who didn't get laid this weekend?"

"Looks that way," Atty replied and the three of them began to laugh. Her laugh was newly intoxicating and I just wanted to sit and listen to it over lunch. That was not going to happen. It was clear that they were just finishing up.

"Should have just come over with you three," Miller said as he came up to the table. Atty's eyes were looking in every direction but mine. I wondered what she had told her friends over lunch about our little secret. Had she told them about it, but not said it was me?

"We're already finished. Maybe next time." Atty said in reply to his comment, finally looking at me, so of course I stared like a fool. Someone came over to clear the table and we explained that we were simply switching places with the previous three diners.

"Why don't you head back. We'll pick up the check," Declan said and his assistant smiled and thanked him. I wish I would have offered first. The three of them left and the server brought their portion of the check. I looked at it after Declan placed it down. Even though there were no identifiers beyond seat 1, 2 or 3, I could already tell what Atty ate because it was the least expensive thing on the menu and she had an ice water with it.

We previewed a menu that we all knew fairly well before making choices and ordering. Then, the conversation moved to the conference. "So, what exactly do you want to know about it?" Miller asked. "Because there is the business side and the non-business side."

"I'm a big boy and I can handle the non-business side just fine," I admitted, then I clarified. "It's the business side- the actual author wooing that I am nervous about." It was true. I could talk pretty much anyone into my bed. Talking someone into signing with my publishing company made my palms sweat.

"Honestly," Declan questioned.

Miller was the first to respond. Both he and Declan had been asked to read the first few manuscripts that she reviewed and look over her analyses. "You have Atty. You'll be more than fine. She knows her stuff. I've been looking over her reviews of the first few manuscripts that she sent in and her instincts are right on track. She can spot the nuances of a talented author, even if the book needs some editing. She catches things that I don't and I have been persuaded to add some of the authors I had overlooked to my list after reading her reviews of their work."

"And what do you think," I said, turning to Declan.

"The New Author's Conference is the best place to start because the authors have already been vetted. We know they meet our publishing requirements and they have passed the first read tests. So, you are really looking at signing someone you like working with and someone who has the promise of more than one book in them. Those things are a lot easier to spot than you think once you can sit down across from them and have a conversation."

I nodded, still not completely convinced that I wasn't getting in way over my head. "You can read people. You know good literature. Those are the only requirements for this. All the business stuff we will go over with you before you leave, and legal will be just a phone call, or email, away." I nodded again, because I reality wasn't quite sure how to answer that I still felt ill equipped.