Unlike the quiet and eerily silent Santa Barbara after sunset, the nights in Los Angeles are a different kind of colorful life.
Especially in Beverly Hills, there are parties everywhere; even just passing by, you can hear the throbbing beats of the DJ.
Women, alcohol, DJs, and weed—this is the main theme of Beverly Hills after nightfall.
“Never be rash.
It’s best to cooperate if possible.” Along the way, Craig kept repeating these few sentences, making Ernst’s ears almost calloused.
This trip to Los Angeles was at the invitation of Pierce Brosnan.
This James Bond actually wanted to be a middleman, a peacemaker.
It’s pretty ridiculous that an Irishman is needed as a middleman for an affair between Americans and Italians.
In fact, he wasn’t being kind; the sale of MGM affected his interests.
In the 90s, MGM still produced many good films: Rocky V in 1990, The Silence of the Lambs in 1991, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Hot Shots!
in 1991, Basic Instinct and The Lawnmower Man in 1992, and GoldenEye in 1995.
But what about after that?
Besides GoldenEye, there hasn’t been another film that could be considered presentable.
This was the nineties, a decade when Hollywood was conquering the world, and countless classic films emerged, but MGM clearly didn’t keep pace with the times, nor did it demonstrate its value as one of the Hollywood Seven.
MGM, in urgent need of market revitalization, set its sights on the timeless 007, planning a new 007 installment.
But this matter is now stuck; the Italians just want to sell MGM as soon as possible and have no intention of investing further.
And Kerkorian, due to Ernst, cannot complete the acquisition of MGM.
Then there’s Pierce Brosnan, who also needs this film to solidify his position in Hollywood.
In Ernst’s view, this was a four-party negotiation where only he would be harmed.
But Ernst did not want to back down; now he had the confidence to stand firm.
Kerkorian’s condescending attitude, as if he could manipulate others’ fates at will, deeply annoyed him.
So he would make things uncomfortable for the other party, and MGM was just the beginning.
Upon arriving at Pierce’s villa, it was already a wild party.
Models, hot girls, and alluring bodies swayed on the lawn.
Endless service staff, all in white shirts and dress pants, moved through the crowd with trays of drinks.
“Wow, I love parties!
Long live America, long live Hollywood!” Without even a greeting, Craig, who had been so cautious on the way, grabbed a drink from a waiter’s tray and, with a lewd laugh, plunged into the crowd.
Ernst didn’t even have time to complain when the host, Pierce, came forward, clearly having been waiting for some time.
“Ernst, welcome!
Finally, I get to meet the Genius Writer who has recently made a name for himself across North America.” Genius Writer—this was the effect and fame brought by The Hunger Games.
Three days after Craig took the printed manuscript, Ernst received a call from the publisher, and both parties quickly entered the contract signing process.
Ernst was confident that The Hunger Games would be a hit, but he didn’t expect the publisher to take it so seriously.
Within a week, while it was still being printed, overwhelming publicity had already spread to every corner of North America.
Genius Writer—this was the publicity plan given by the publisher.
Ernst already had some fame; his first novel entered the bestseller list, reaching as high as 88th place.
But this had nothing to do with being a Genius Writer, and he was even mocked by many media outlets for it.
However, a week later, The Hunger Games delivered a resounding slap to all the media that had mocked him.
In ten days, The Hunger Games sold 1.45 million copies, and as word-of-mouth spread, it continued to set new sales records daily.
The New York Times predicted that The Hunger Games’ sales would reach at least twenty million copies and highly praised this dystopian novel, stating that its elements of adventure, science fiction, and social critique were vividly portrayed, even suggesting it was a must-read for all young adults.
Led by The New York Times, Ernst’s title as a Genius Writer was solidified, making him a hot commodity in Hollywood overnight.
Why a hot commodity in Hollywood?
Because this novel was very suitable for film adaptation, and anyone with an eye could see that this was a series, not just a single book.
This is why, in the originally lively scene, when Ernst arrived, many women’s eyes turned predatory, and their bodies stirred with excitement.
Especially those young bodies, it seemed that with just a glance from Ernst, they would throw themselves into his arms.
Although Ernst had a bad reputation in the circle, it didn’t stop them from wanting to get close and seize that slim possibility.
Twenty-four years old, famous at a young age, Ernst’s future achievements were limitless.
Even if they couldn’t capture this man, they could use his immense fame to boost their own exposure.
However, Ernst was already immune to such flattery; apart from the initial excitement in the first few days, his mindset was now completely calm and unperturbed.
“That’s all external flattery.
The literary world updates even faster than the entertainment industry.
A top-tier Hollywood star might only drop in status after two or three failed works, but in the literary world, the abyss is just in the next novel.” Ernst’s composure surprised Pierce.
Didn’t everyone say this guy was arrogant and eccentric?
This was completely the opposite.
“But in the entertainment industry, no one can guarantee whether the next movie will be a box office hit.
The literary world is different; replicating success is much simpler.” Putting a friendly arm around Ernst’s shoulder, Pierce acted like an old friend he hadn’t seen in years.
“You’re only 24, not even at your creative peak age.
I believe that in the future literary world, there will definitely be a place for you, Ernst Garfield.
When that time comes, you’ll have to look out for me, give your old brother a hand when needed.” “No problem.” Anyone can say kind words that cost nothing; those that aren’t put into action are just empty talk.
In Ernst’s opinion, this was even worse than bragging.
At least with bragging, people understood it wasn’t serious.
He ordered two drinks and clinked glasses.
“Alright, let’s not talk about this for now.
They’re all inside; let’s go in now.” Ernst nodded, maintaining a smile that made people feel he was projecting goodwill.
Along the way, many people watched the two, whispering.
“Is that Ernst?
He really is young.” In Hollywood, there are plenty of people younger than Ernst.
But as a bestselling Genius Writer, it’s different; Ernst is definitely in a league of his own in terms of age.
“Don’t even think about it.
He’s a total pervert.” “What does it matter?” The woman who first asked shrugged.
“This is Hollywood; are there any normal people here?” Indeed, there weren’t.
Just on the short walk to the room, Ernst saw a couple helping each other to a secluded spot in the distance.
And he remembered the man; he had a childhood sweetheart he was about to marry, but it wasn’t the woman in his arms now.
This is Hollywood: infidelity, group activities, tanning, and so on, are just commonplace.
Someone like Ernst, with some special hobbies, was far from the worst in Hollywood, but no one reported it, and no media dared to report it.
But Ernst was unlucky; he was set up, and the incident became known throughout America, which gave the media an unrestrained opportunity to hype it up.
There’s one good thing about America: when you use a good deed to cover up a bad deed, the public is always forgetful.
Now Ernst’s title is Genius Writer, not a perverted rapist.