Read Online Blind Submission by Debra Ginsberg - Free Book Online Page B

for.
    â€œAnd
that
is how it is done, Angel,” Lucy said. She was smiling broadly, her teeth glowing in preternatural whiteness. “All right, Angel, get the author—what’s his name again? Anyway, get him on the phone and then put me on with him. He’s not going to know what hit him. I’m going to make him a star. And make sure to take the manuscript home with you tonight. It needs some work. Go over it carefully, fix it up, and have him make the changes. We’ve got to get this out in as perfect shape as possible. These editors are busy. They don’t have time for books that need a whole lot of work from the outset, believe me.” She drew a breath. “Right, I want to have it out by the end of the week, the latest. We’ll need at least five more editors. I’ll generate the list.”
    â€œBut aren’t you just sending it to Natalie Weinstein?”
    Lucy looked at me with an expression of disbelief. “That would be a very big mistake,” she said. “Now, go, go, we’ve got work to do.” As I walked out of her office, Lucy added, “And find out about the other two books he’s working on.”
    I paused at the door for only a millisecond. That was how long it took me to decide not to tell Lucy that the two books were figments of her imagination and not the author’s. What did it matter? If she wanted two more books, he’d have to write them.
    Damiano Vero had listed three phone numbers on his cover letter. The first gave me a busy signal and the second rang with no answer. I finally tracked him down on the third.
    â€œÃˆcco, sì!”
he exclaimed when I announced myself. “But I just sent it. So fast you are.”
    I smiled into the phone, thinking that this was the first happy phone conversation I’d had all day. “Lucy would like to talk to you,” I said. “Can you hold a moment while I put you through?”
    â€œOf course,” he said.
    â€œLucy, I’ve got Damiano Vero on Line 1 for you.”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œDamiano Ve—The Italian book?”
    â€œOh, him. Well, put him
through,
Angel. You’re wasting time.”
    I sighed to myself as I punched the necessary buttons. At least, I thought, she didn’t seem to have very good short-term memory when it came to my first-day screwups. My stomach growled and twisted, having had nothing to digest since the banana I put in it six hours before. After she’d polished off her entire box of protein powder, Nora left the office briefly to go collect the mail. Nobody else had made any kind of movement to take lunch outside the office, although Anna had pulled out a messy, smelly meat-laden sandwich and was eating it noisily at her desk. She felt my eyes on her and looked up at me.
    â€œWe don’t take a lunch break here,” she said. “I hope you brought something with you.”
    â€œI didn’t know that,” I said. “So, no, I didn’t.”
    Anna shrugged and took a large bite out of her sandwich. Something that looked like mayonnaise oozed from the bread. She was still chewing when her intercom buzzed.
    â€œYeth, Luthy?”
    â€œAnna, is your mouth full or do you have a cold? If you are ill, make sure you wipe down the phone after you use it. I shouldn’t have to tell you. I need an agency contract for Damiano Vero now, please. And tell Angel to pick up Line 1 and talk to him.”
    â€œAngel,” Anna said, nearly choking as she swallowed, “you need to—”
    â€œThanks, I’ve got it.” I picked up my phone. “Hi, Mr. Vero. This is Angel.”
    â€œPlease call me Dami,” he said. “It’s more easy.”
    â€œOkay. It’s great to meet you. I really like
Parco Lambro.
I don’t know if Lucy told you. It’s very exciting.”
    â€œOh yes,” he said. “Very exciting. I had a good feeling about Luciana. I knew she would be the