Page 67 of The Midnight Book Club
“Let me know once you’ve got a few—Max and I haven’t come up with any good ones yet.Anyway, why’re you calling?”
“I have news.”
“Do I need to sit down?”
“No, I think you’re safe standing.”Aurelia paused for dramatic effect.“I’ve got a contract to publish my book.”
“Awhat?”
“A contract.James’s company is going to publish my book.”
“Aurelia!Have you already finished writing it?”
“Well, no,” she conceded.“But I’m pretty far along now.”
“Has James read it?Does he know what it’s about and I don’t?”
“Not yet, but I figured it’s time I told you.”
“High time.You’ve been closeted away with that writing group and refusing to say a word.”
Every time Antonia mentioned the ‘writing group,’ it took Aurelia a moment to remember the little lie she’d told her back at Christmas.
“You can keep scolding me about it or I can tell you,” Aurelia said, feigning her threat.
Antonia was silent in response.
“I’m writing a sequel toAnna Karenina.”
Antonia remained silent, but now there was a different quality to her silence.
“Okay, I know that sounds ridiculous, but I’m writing about what happens to Count Vronsky after the novel ends.I just sort of… got into his head a bit and feel like I can imagine what he’d want to do and where he’d go next.”
Not too far from the truth, Aurelia reassured herself.
“And James is going to publish it, but he hasn’t even read it yet?”
“His company is going to publish it.I’ve been meeting with one of their editors, Oliver.”
“Oliver… NotthatOliver?”
Of course she would remember him, Aurelia thought, rolling her eyes.
“Yes,thatOliver, but this is strictly professional.”
“Alright,” Antonia said suspiciously.
“Actually, he’s given me a mass of edits.They’re mostly good, but there’s one I just don’t know if I can make.”
“What is it?”
“He wants me to write a love interest for Vronsky.”
“So?”
“I don’t think I can do it.Mum used to say Vronsky would never get over Anna—that he would love her forever.”
“That was Mum’s view of things, though.He’s a fictional character and you’re a writer, you can do whatever you like.”
