Manacled Book Deal Novels & Stories

“I am a lawyer for Crownbridge Holdings. I stand for trust. The book must go under escrow unless you agree now.” The word trust hit like ice. Adrian’s face twisted. His voice broke. “You. You are the reason my life was ruined.” Aiko only bowed her head, calm and cold. “I am here for rights.” The house turned into a court. Nia pushed. Laurent pressed. Gabriel whispered warnings. Aiko smiled like a shark. I forced my voice steady. “The book does not move unless me and Nia open it. Here. Now. With cameras.” They looked at each other, then nodded. Cameras lit up. Phones ready. The book sat on the table like a beast.

she murmured as she stared down at the mark. As a writer, she had signed so many contracts with every newly written draft; it was her world, who she was, and how things operated in that domain. But what was more terrifying wasn’t signing contracts; no, it was the unbinding clause, something next to impossible. In her years of writing, she had given up two manuscripts. Why? Because the cancellation terms were too much. Not only was she asked to return every dime generated from that book, which she had no problem doing, but the company would also have to ban her account and issue a penalty of two million to be paid in damages.

“Marriage isn’t always what you want it to be. You just have to make sure you make yours the way you want, like a potter. He takes a plain clay and shapes it to whatever shape he wants” “You still haven’t told me how you got a powerful man like Atticus to marry me. What kind of deal did you strike with him?” I knew there was no way Atticus would have agreed to marry me when he had no idea I existed if that didn’t make him a crazy offer he could not refuse. “Thirty per cent shares from the company and management rights of the company” “What!!!” I yelled and was on my feet again “Dad, are you crazy? Thirty per cent out of our seventy per cent? Are you selling off the company to him? And managi

James’s POV She told me that night, after we got the kids to sleep. We were in the kitchen — me barefoot, her leaning against the island counter in my sweatshirt, hair up, no makeup. “I got a book deal,” she said. I paused mid-step. “A big one?” She nodded. “Seven figures. Creative control.” I smiled. “That’s amazing.” Then I saw the look on her face. “And?” “They want it all.” I moved closer. “What’s ‘all’?” She swallowed. “My story. Not just us. Not just Marcus. Not just the Initiative. Everything. From the beginning.”

She asked, appearing to have breached his line of thought, and his brows furrowed, a thoughtful expression masking his face. He leaned in, after getting a hang of what she meant by that since he had gone through the file more than two times over the night, so it just happened to be among one of those things that lived rent-free in his head at that moment. “Yes, we get to promote your book on every app possible, including platforms, and even social media, irrespective of how much it costs us, but then, we'll be given thirty percent out of every profit you make.” “Remember, only your books and that of your writers.”

My phone buzzed, this time a text from BrightLeaf, cheerful and professional: We’ve emailed you the contract packet. Welcome aboard! I stared at it. My hands were still trembling from Barry’s words. I walked to the corner café and slid into a booth, needing somewhere to sit before my knees gave out. The smell of coffee grounded me. I opened the email. My manuscript title is bold. My name. An invitation to sign. My name. My work. Mine. For a moment I let myself imagine the signing: a bright office, handshakes, a pen gliding across paper. My book, on a shelf with my name on it. My story was told the way I wanted.

When he told me he owned Moreno publishing, the most popular publishing house in America, I couldn't bring myself to believe this. The famous Drew Moreno wanted to publish my book, and I didn't even know what to say. When I'd spoken to Liam about it, he felt it was my decision, but he did steer me in the right direction. Sophia decided she would be my manager, having had a degree in Business Administration, and she did her job efficiently- might I add. I was unable to travel to book conferences due to the pregnancy and my due date so near, but I would when Logan was born and old enough.

Kian said in a low voice. --- The drive back to the city was a blur of high-speed turns and the suffocating glow of my phone screen. Every time I refreshed the news, another piece of my life was stripped away. "They're calling the books a 'joint venture' between me and Elijah," I said, my voice cracking. "They’re saying he provided the 'intellectual backbone' and I just provided the face. My publisher just sent a formal notice. They want the entire seven-figure advance back by Friday."

I screamed, struggling with the bouncer. The man came over, placing his finger on my lips. "Wait and see. Until then, be quiet." I swallowed hard as nausea engulfed me. IN THE CLUB... Hours passed, and the tattoo guy still hasn't killed us, which is surprising since I didn't have all his money. How is it? I just finished school, turned eighteen, and had a bright future. Now it's all over because of a gambling problem that's not even mine. I'm brought out of my thoughts to my phone buzzing violently in my pocket. I sighed, then glanced at my father.

“Good. That makes this easier.” The first man slid a document across the table toward me. “We’re interested in publishing your book. Very interested.” I didn’t reach for it yet. “What does that mean exactly?” I asked. “It means we’re prepared to offer you a deal,” he said. “Strong marketing, wide distribution, strategic media positioning, and a release plan that takes advantage of the current public attention around your story.” There it was. I let out a slow breath and finally picked up the document, flipping through the pages without rushing.