Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 63289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Sighing, I flipped to the contract’s last page and signed at the bottom line. “Alright give me the last contract.”
Horace frowned. “A secret admirer with money means a great financial opportunity.”
“I’m a romance author, Horace. I believe in love being the reason you have a relationship with someone, not the size of their bank account.”
“Yet, a big bank account never hurts, and some of the top-selling romances surround billionaires.” Horace chuckled. “Don’t get it twisted, Maya. Broke heroes usually don’t top the charts.”
Shi fiddled with the heart puzzle some more and placed the number three piece next to the one and two. “Oh yeah. I can totally solve this.”
“Sure, and then after that, please go print off the manuscript.” I handed Horace the contract and put my attention on the last one. “Anyway, Zombie Love could breathe life back into the paranormal romance genre—”
“That genre is a sinking ship, my dear.” He shook his head. “You might as well write a western romance, if you truly want to waste your time and not make money.”
“Paranormal romance isn’t a sinking ship—”
“Contemporary romance is where it’s at right now. And the richer and darker the better. I’m talking billionaires with secret BDSM rooms in their luxury condos. And don’t forget the soft kidnappings—”
“Soft kidnappings?” I quirked my brows.
“You know what I’m talking about. No duct tape or handcuffs, but she’s totally trapped on the yacht with the hot alpha.”
“I can write a soft kidnapping after Zombie Love.”
Horace touched his chest. “Maya, before me, were you selling books?”
I frowned. “No.”
“Have I given you good advice?”
“At times.”
“At times? Give me a break.” He gestured around. “This house proves that my advice makes you money. This is why I get thousands of queries daily from writers trying to get me to read their new manuscript and sign them to my agency.”
“Okay.” I nodded. “This is true, but you’re not giving Zombie Love a chance. You never even asked what it is about.”
Horace rolled his eyes. “Zombie heroes aren’t selling. Honestly, I can’t think of a time when someone raved about a zombie hero.”
I turned to Shi. “Would you like to hear about Zombie Love?”
Smiling, Shi slid more pieces around on the heart. “I sure would.”
“Thank you, Shi.” I grinned. “Let me tell you all about it.”
“Oh, God.” Horace rolled his eyes again.
I dangled the pen in the air. “So a zombie outbreak occurs across the world—”
“Here we go.” Horace leaned on the edge of the desk. “Already, I can see both our bank accounts dwindling.”
“Whatever.” I turned back to Shi as she continued to mess with the heart puzzle. “There are barely any humans left in the world. And my heroine, Olivia is a hopeless romantic who must now navigate the dating scene of the undead—”
“Which is ridiculous.” Horace gathered up the contracts. “No one is thinking about dating during a zombie apocalypse. It makes no sense.”
“It makes sense when I write it. Anyway, Olivia is now mainly dating zombies.”
“Oh.” Shi blinked. “Because the zombies can speak?”
“They have more consciousness and control than your typical zombies.” I winked. “Anyway, she’s dating all types of now undead guys. From a gorgeous zombie who can’t remember his own name to the zombies who really crave brains instead of love. Eventually, she finds this special zombie hero in the zombie apocalypse who—”
“No one is buying that, and I mean that with so much love. No. One.” Horace glanced at the heart puzzle. “Now on to more interesting things. Are you almost done with that heart puzzle, Shi?”
“Yep. It was actually pretty simple.” Shi slipped the piece numbered fifteen next to the fourteen.
A click sounded.
The top of the heart opened.
All three of us leaned over and looked.
A red envelope lay inside.
My name was written in gold on top of it.
“Oh my. We have a romantic mystery happening in real-time.” Horace smiled. “This is getting interesting.”
I picked up the envelope, opened the back, and pulled out a thick, white card covered in gold letters. “This is exquisite stationary. Heavy and with the loveliest tactile feel—”
“Are you going to masturbate to the card? Or are you going to read it?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Come on. The suspense is killing me, Maya.” Horace held out his hands. “What does it say?”
I read the words out loud. “You are cordially invited to attend The Annual Vanderbilt Masquerade Gala, hosted by Ethan Vanderbilt at Ravenswood Manor.”
“Oh.” Horace leaned in closer. “And the plot thickens.”
I read more. “Join us for an evening of elegance, delicious food, fine wine, and live entertainment.”
Horace grinned. “Ethan Vanderbilt invited you to his Gala.”
I set the card down. “It’s next week, but I’m booked with interviews, signings, and—”
“You will cancel whatever you need to.” Horace wagged his finger. “This is a major opportunity that you must seize.”
“Oh really?”
“For one, Vanderbilt did a lot to invite you.” Horace touched his chest. “For Ryan and me, all he did was mail us an invitation. Meanwhile, two men delivered yours in a puzzle box, and a heart-shaped one at that.”