“I mean—”
“Have you read the news?”
She shook her head.
He turned his computer screen so that we could see what was on it: an article from theNew York Post, headlinedThe Fall of Hall.
“Oh…” Melanie Joan said.
“It’s just one article,” I said.
He tapped his keyboard, and another article popped up, this one fromTimemagazine online:Melanie Joan Hall Shows the World Her Ugly Side.
I cleared my throat. “Must be a slow news day,” I said.
Evan Woodrow said nothing. Melanie Joan stared at the screen as though she’d forgotten how to blink.
“I respect you too much to lie to you,” Evan Woodrow said.“The powers that be aren’t sure your memoir can survive this scandal.”
“Oh, God,” Melanie Joan said.
“You’re kidding, right?” I said.
“I wish I was, but the truth is, Melanie Joan’s sales aren’t what they used to be. And now that she’s trashed a highly influential critic—”
“Oh, come on,” Melanie Joan said. “My sales are excellent. Do you have any idea how much fan mail I get?”
Woodrow sighed. “It’s not your fault,” he said. “It’s just that your fans are aging out. There’s a new generation of romance readers, and they’d rather spend their cash on Colleen Hoover or Leila Donnelly.”
“Fuck Leila Donnelly,” Melanie Joan said.
“Melanie Joan,” Woodrow said.
“Who is Leila Donnelly?” I said.
“She has seven books on theNew York TimesBestseller List,” Woodrow said. “Three of them have been on there for more than a year.” He raised his eyebrows and dropped his jaw, as though he was in awe of my ignorance.
“I read mostly nonfiction,” I said. “Except for Melanie Joan. I’ve read all her books.”
“Leila Donnelly is terrible,” Melanie Joan said. “Her characters are simps. Her romances are degrading. Her books are an insult to women. To all people who can read, quite frankly.”
“Well, Greg feels differently.”
“Who’s Greg?” I said.
“Greg Scepter,” Melanie Joan said.
“As in Scepter Books?”
Woodrow nodded.
“Unusual last name,” I said.
“A fitting one, though.”
“His mother, Gloria, was the true Scepter of Scepter Books, rest in peace,” Melanie Joan said. “I doubt little Greggie has read anything longer than a spreadsheet.”
“We’re publishing Leila Donnelly now,” Woodrow said.
