Manacled Book Deal Novels & Stories

"Congratulation, as well. I forgot to tell you that your first manuscript will be part of our new joiner collection." I look at him with confusion, "I don't understand what you mean." "What I mean is, even you failed your first evaluation, your effort will not come to waste." "What's going to happen with my manuscript?" "The manuscript you submitted to us will be printed and sold. You will get paid with your manuscript, and since you sign an exclusive contract with our publishing company. You still have the right on your books, but you are not allowed to pass the story to other traditional companies like us." My face brightens, and all the worries I have are gone.

I fired question after question at her. When she took too long to respond, too busy sobbing, I grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Damn it, answer me!" "Nina, I_" she whimpered. "Manuel lied to her. That bastard." "Is she in there?" I asked impatiently She nodded. "But it's not safe. Those guys want to kill Manuel. He scammed them of millions of dollars of product and was trying to resell the product he stole from them. That's why they showed up tonight. Everything has been a mess, and I_"

I had nothing. Until I met a man named Calvin in a bar for minors like me. He was as kind enough to offer me a few drinks to which I didn’t reject. I needed to get drunk to at least forget that I am a complete loser. Calvin was tall and had a more muscled body than me. Later during the conversation, he told me that he was a model for a small agency and said that he could sign me. I didn’t tell him I was banned from modeling so I agreed although his offer came with a price. Sex.

I had shit set up so my stalkers couldn't come sniffing around, especially in this particular place. Mancini's had been my first foray into the nightclub business. As with everything else, I'd done the homework, looked at the pros and cons from all angles, and dove right on in. My brothers were part owners with me in all my ventures, because that's the way I wanted it. I never did anything business-wise without involving them, and at the rate they were procreating, they were going to need every dime.

What kind of books? ― You sure don't want to know! ― Alice got in the way. ― College books are very expensive. A lot for my father to take on on his own. And you can't study medicine and work eight hours a day. So I write to earn my own money. ― But what do you write? Romance? Fantasy? Don't tell me it's terror? ― One hour I show you — the smile in the corner of her mouth remained on Manu's face as she drove. Something told me something those girls were up to.

Marcel moves closer to her slowly. “I want the same as you, the werewolves out of the witches’ lives. Alaric out of our home, Willow gone and no longer in control! They plan to get the vampires on their side and destroy the Monventla. I am the only person who knows where the book is; the spells are within it.” Marcel nods, sitting down. “What book might that be? The witches lost all of their written manuscripts centuries ago.” He looks at her waiting, Dan still stood on guard.

This was his mess, but my mom and I were the ones left suffering for it. "Please, I'm begging you," I said, hating the desperate edge to my voice. "If you could just give us a little more time—" "More time for what?" The man cut me off sharply. "Time for you to flutter those pretty eyelashes and collect more cash from your friends? That's not how this works." He stepped closer, using his height to loom over me menacingly. "We already showed you what happens when deadlines are missed. Be grateful we're not hauling your mama off to cover the debt instead."

The book was fucking great and was sure to be a bestseller and she was leaving that decision up to him. He drew in a quick breath and his eyes popped open as he realized what she was entrusted to him. Lisa had given him this book before it had gone to an editor and she was telling him that if he didn’t like the content if he wasn’t happy with what she’d written, it would never see the light of day. He didn’t exactly know how book publishing deals worked, but he gathered that refusing to publish this book would be catastrophic to her career. And she was leaving that decision up to him. “Fuck,” he swore softly.

“He’s always crossing lines, Jaxon. That’s what he does. He takes whatever I try to build and smashes it until there’s nothing left.” He crouched in front of me, taking my hands in his. His grip was strong, grounding. “Then we’ll fight back. He doesn’t get to control you anymore.” My eyes stung. “But he already has. That book was mine. My chance. And now it’s gone because of him.” Jaxon shook his head. “No. Your voice isn’t gone. Your story isn’t gone. He just delayed it, that’s all. We’ll find another publisher. Or I’ll start one myself if I have to.”

“Curating the stories you love, finding new voices. Why not now?” The thought flickered like a new flame, it sparked something inside of me. I visualized rows of books with my imprint on the spine, manuscripts stacked on my desk, the freedom to choose. “Even if I were to do so, I don’t even know where to begin,” I admitted. “We will figure it out. Business plan, investors, we will take it one step at a time, plus you have me.” I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “It sounds impossible, you make it look so easy Mala.”