Two weeks and a couple days had passed since [The Token of Fate]’s successful laydown date.
By the second week, the book had sold a cumulative total of 150,000+ copies.
When the third week came around, sales had dropped off a bit, with only a cumulative total of 230,000+ copies sold.
Still, as things stood, the book was on the fast track to cinching well above the intended projections Feyre Publications had hoped for before the end of the month.
As a result, it only made sense that their employees were in high spirits.
Michael and Bob especially couldn’t help but feel like their luck was finally turning around.
After all, if the sales for the book exceeded the intended sales, there was a high chance they might all get some bonuses.
Currently over a conference video call with Niall, the CEO remarked with an air of anticipation;
"The numbers have been amazing. At this rate, we could very well sell over 500,000 copies by the end of the fiscal year,"
"And that’s putting it very lightly, I suppose?" Niall raised his brows suggestively, a thin smile on his lips.
"Yeah. Just imagine the cumulative sales over the course of the next two, five or even ten years. Those numbers won’t be anything to scoff at, at all." Michael replied and Niall bobbed his head softly in acknowledgement.
Almost immediately, Bob spoke, his tone curious;
"That asides, Niall,"
"I have to ask. Have you perhaps begun the next book?"
"You’re not planning to kidnap and lock me in your basement anytime soon, are you?" Niall’s cool-gray irises sparkled in dark fascination as he joked.
Bob and Michael shared a hearty chuckle upon hearing that.
"Depends," the editor-in-chief simply shrugged in response a couple seconds after.
"You did sign a contract after all, eh?" Michael chipped in.
This time, Niall was the one who laughed.
"Well," he began, tilting his head slightly.
"I haven’t," he admitted, only to reach out for something away from the camera’s field of view.
"I’ve been quite busy with several other things," he added, his voice a tad bit distant from the laptop’s microphone.
"What I do have, though..." he leaned back into frame.
"... is the extensive outline for both books," Niall held up the papers containing said outlines, a light smile on his lips.
Seeing that, Bob and Michael felt relieved of a tension they hadn’t realized they’d even harbored.
Afterall, if Niall ended up being the kind of author who simply vibed his way through writing his novels, they more than anyone knew how much of a problem it could pose down the line...
...especially if he ended up running into a creative block.
Seeing that he had prepared well ahead though, they felt at ease enough to believe he could output consistently over an interval span of two years between each book as stipulated in the contract.
Following up from that, all three individuals discussed a couple more things regarding the book.
Then, roughly ten minutes later, they all ended the call.
Closing down the app, Niall returned to what he’d been doing before the call came in.
Checking the few reviews that had already gone up on a popular, community-driven platform for reviewing books called GreatReads, Niall scrolled down the list of latest reviews.
John Sanders, Instructor of Lazy Twerps - ★★★★★
To create a fantasy world is one thing. To breathe life into its ages, to keep all the pieces together with such extraordinary detail, to create character after believable character and make us care about most of them... now that, is a literary labor the likes of which we typically get from a veteran author, not a new author who also happens to be an actor, if you’ll believe it. That said, I’m really looking forward to the next book. Hope it comes sooner, rather than later.
Frodo, The Baggins - ★★★★☆
[The Token of Fate] is a heroic fantasy novel, and quite an excellent one at that. It’s a gripping, well-realized story, with an interesting fantasy world as background and an endearing protagonist in the form of Tristan who has you rooting for him, throughout the entire read.
Gremlin, Dweller of Backyards – ★★★★★
As the daemon of joblessness and weekend rotting consumed me, I sought to step out from my cave and into the flesh-burning sunlight to indulge in my occasional quest to procure a grimoire from the archives a stone’s throw from my dwelling. Little did I reckon I would stumble upon an uncompleted tome of immense magical suction. Now, I’m stuck in limbo, awaiting the day I shall once again leave my dwelling to grab the next tome.
Danny Boi - ★★★★★
Shit. Can’t believe I’m actually doing this, but this book is just that deserving of it. I’ve never been a fan of novels all that much. In fact, you could equate my literary knowledge of the best books to about as much as a white crayon on paper... non-existent, to say the least. But, that’s the point. The fact that I got to read a book, and I’m now actively looking for something to fill that gaping hole it left is a testament to how good it is. Read it. If I didn’t regret it, you surely won’t... right?
Having ego-searched a bit--one he remained guilty aware of--Niall placed his phone aside and stretched blithely.
Having done that, he interlocked his palms and stretched them out.
It was high time he finished up the song he’d been writing to diss Callow--ahem--use in one of the earlier scenes for the script of the movie he’d written.
Meanwhile, just down the street, a family of five had taken to casting votes on what they would be doing come weekend.
Eat out at the new Italian restaurant, or head over to Dolby Theatres for a viewing of [The Promised Queen].
With a ratio of 2:2, the family watched as their youngest, a tween aged thirteen, looked between her father and her elder brother, and then her mother and her elder sister.
Seemingly amused at the turnout of things, the girl took to trolling the entire family, her palms clasped together;
"In the land of this house, and this time next weekend, the fate of a family’s fun, rests on the shoulders of their last-born child," she paused for effect.
"Her name, is Lisa... and she’s..." her voice trailed off, clearly savoring the moment with a playful grin.
"Dammit, Lisa! Choose already!" her elder brother impatiently snapped.
"Chill, fam," she turned to face Troy, gesturing vaguely with her hands, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"I was just about to say I’m accepting bribes--"
Lisa hadn’t finished the sentence when her elder sister, Maya, immediately declared;
"I’ll lend you my vintage brown leather jacket for a month!"
"Bribes, baby! [The Promised Queen] it is!" Lisa exaggeratedly pumped her fists into the air!
That, earned a genuine round of laughter from her father and her mother.
As for Maya, she turned to face her younger brother, a witch-like cackle escaping her lips as Troy complained;
"That’s not fair! Fuck! Fuckity fuck, fuck!"
"Language, young man!" father and mother immediately reprimanded, though some part of them was inwardly dying of laughter as their middle-child’s predicament.
Unfortunately for the foodie, the votes had been cast.
They would be seeing the new movie that was currently being hyped everywhere come next weekend.
To that effect, by the time the weekend came around, Troy frowned and grumbled all the way to the theatre.
Even after they’d settled into their seats, drinks, popcorn and a couple snacks in hand as the auditorium slowly filled up in hushed murmurs, the young chap remained grumpy.
His family members on the other hand, did well to ignore him.
Honestly, Troy felt quite betrayed, especially since his parents had just allowed for his elder and younger sister’s antics to dictate how tonight went.
Granted Troy wasn’t a fan of most movies his mother and sisters liked--which majorly consisted of romance, and romance, and romance again--this entire scenario felt even more torturous.
Besides, how could they pass up food--goodfood for God’s sake--for this! A sappy romance movie with the backdrop of a medieval setting.
Given the poster he’d seen outside, nothing could otherwise convince the young man of his disposition towards the movie.
Afterall, what he’d assumed was the main lead--a ruggedly handsome knight--held the female lead, a tattered yet gorgeous looking woman, tightly in his arms, his longsword poised to protect her.
Seriously, how was he, a manly man, and a professional hater of such movies supposed to sit still for more than an hour or two to watch a bunch of lovestruck idiots run around in circles and then eventually get together?
"Oh, lighten up. It’s a rare occasion where things actually go my way for once," Maya elbowed him gently in a whisper.
"Besides, I think you’ll actually like this one."
Shooting her a bitter look, Troy aggressively tore open his M&M’s and poured some of its contents into his mouth whilst thinking to himself;
’We’ll see about that.’
Advance Chapters are available on Patreon!
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