Page 11 of Bending The Rules

“I could have sworn they were.”

I chuckled, and shook my head as I reclined back in my office chair. “You know damn well what my reasons are.”

“You know, you’re right. I heard the words that you said, and recognized them as English. Beyond that…”

“Anthony, come on man. You’re acting like I want something that’s out of line with reality.”

“Because youdo.”

I stood up from my chair and grabbed my water bottle to refill. “No. The people who you’re dealing with just aren’t offering it. I’m at a point in my career where I’m not really interested in writing for a publisher that can’t – or just fuckingwon’t– give me any TLC. I’m well known, well-respected… I’m past the point where I can accept being told what to do, and be led around like a puppet. I want to develop my voice, I want to write whatever crazy shit I want to write. And I want my publisher’s support while I’m doing it, even if it’s not a sure thing.

They gave that white girl they just signed a million dollar advance and a “creative assistant” for telling recycled jokes from black comedians and being… quirky or whatever the fuck. Huge push for her book, that she isn’t even writing – the “creative assistant” is. I can’t even get them to send advance review copies of my books to black publications and I’ve been making them money for six and a half years, but she – and others like her- gets the whole world at her feet. It’s time to move on.”

I picked up the phone to carry it with me as I ventured into the kitchen, where Bri was sitting at her computer with her headphones on. I looked over her shoulder at the screen as she worked through a math problem, then went to the fridge as Anthony droned in my ear.

“That’s that idealism speaking. She’s a passably cute white “feminist” – a darling these days. Respect, but… your black ass writes black fiction about black people. Contemporary fiction. That’s not the type of thing that makes headlines.”

I scoffed. “But it’s the type of thing that makesmoney. So they can turn around and put all their energy into another eight-hundred-page struggle epic for people to pretend to read. But whatever – they can do that. They can do whatever they want. AndIwon’t be there for it.”

“And wherewillyou be?”

“Somewhere that values me, and what I do – and I’m not talking about a number on a check.”

“The number is still important though… right?”

I planted a kiss on Bri’s forehead, and she grinned as she looked up, then went back to her activity. “Not like it once was. My situation was different when I signed that first contract. I’ve grown since then, built a name for myself. My needs have changed.”

“I’d love to hear where you think you’ll have those needs met.”

I chuckled as I headed back down the hall to my office. “Find a place, Anthony. That’s your job. I want input on my cover design, full creative control of my projects, and a higher royalty split. A big advance isn’t important to me.”

“You want a unicorn, then.”

“That negative attitude won’t get you anywhere, now will it?”

He sucked his teeth on the other end of the line. “This isn’t negative. This is realistic.Nobodyis going to give you that.”

I dropped into my chair, and woke my computer up, staring thoughtfully at the screen. “That’s not true. We just have to find the right somebody.”

“I…” he sighed. “I’m going home to my husband. Where things make sense. I’ll keep you updated.”

“Please do.”

“Are you at least working on something? A new book would make people very excited, and excited people make buzz, and buzz makes editors concede to ridiculous demands.”

I laughed. “I am, but I’m not telling you shit.”

“How am I supposed to shop a book you won’t tell me about?”

“Work some magic,” I shot back, shaking my head. “I don’t want you telling Lion Literary anything about my book.”

“So you don’t trust me?”

“Oh I trust you plenty. But Iknowyou too. I’m not interested in Lion. Find somebody else.”

We ended our phone call just as my doorbell rang, and I sighed. I’d been trying since I got home from meeting Toni to add some words to my manuscript, but between tending to Bri, talking to my agent, and now, unexpected guests, it didn’t seem to be a likely occurrence.

I got up and went to the door, frowning when I saw who was waiting on the other side.

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