"This book is crap." Meg dropped the heavy manuscript onto her desk.

Belle looked up at her in shock. "Excuse me?"

Meg was known for being blunt and telling it like it is, but she had never outright trashed one of Belle's novels before. Belle was a best-selling romance author, mostly period pieces about princes অথবা pirates, and Meg had been her agent- and friend- since she published her first novel five years ago. Of course, Meg always had her opinion about Belle's novels. Meg had been burned দ্বারা too many men and now had a negative outlook on romance and was just all-around cynical about love.

"Are we really supposed to believe that both of these men প্রণয় her that much?" Meg asked. Belle opened her mouth to respond, but Meg interrupted her. "No, Belle. The answer is no. Men don't do stuff like this."

"They used to. My novel takes place in a time when men were actually chivalrous and romantic and faithful-"

Meg snorted. "Men were never like that. আপনি read too many fairy tales."

Belle sighed and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Nonetheless, Megara; the publishers have been waiting for my পরবর্তি novel and there it is."

Meg nodded. "I'll send it to them. But, maybe পরবর্তি time আপনি can write a realistic novel? One where the heroine is completely devoted to her man and then he dumps her for the পরবর্তি big-breasted whore who walks by."

Belle rolled her eyes. "I'll think about it."

Meg shrugged and leaned back in her seat. "Forget it; people want fantasy. They have to carry on relationships with the fictional men in your stories because real men are disappointing."

Belle couldn't argue with her there. To be honest, Belle didn't have the best luck when it came to dating either. Her last real relationship ended almost a বছর পূর্বে and she was also beginning to think there were no men worth her time. Not that she had a lot of time to give anyway; work kept her busy. But, she would be lying if she ব্যক্ত she didn't wish some of the men she's created were real.

"I retract my পূর্ববর্তি statement," Meg said. "This novel isn't crap; it's actually your best one so far. But, it certainly isn't believable."

"Well, thanks," Belle told her.

Meg nodded. "Your অনুরাগী are going to go crazy over this one. And জুঁই is going to have a field দিন promoting this."

Belle laughed. জুঁই was her publicist; she was in charge of promoting and marketing all of Belle's novels and scheduling appearances for Belle. Belle had also become বন্ধু with Jasmine, but she didn't hang out with her much outside of work. জুঁই was the only person Belle knew who was actually living a real life romance novel. She and her fiancee, Aladdin, were the couple that everyone strives to be. It was non stop romance and fun with them. They even looked like they could be মডেল সমাহার on a romance novel cover. In fact, they had been the মডেল সমাহার for the cover of Belle's last novel. The novel had been inspired দ্বারা them where Jasmine's character was a sheltered princess and Aladdin's character a was pirate. She left her life to runaway with him and see the world- when they could drag themselves out of Aladdin's quarters.

"I'll bring the manuscript to the office tonight," Meg was now saying. "It should be on shelves of bookstores in about two months. They'll prolong it to build up the anticipation. Your premiere party will be around then as well."

Every time Belle published a new novel, জুঁই insisted on throwing an extravagant party with a theme that fit the novel. These parties have come to be a big deal and the guest তালিকা usually included many A-List people; including celebrities.

"I'll keep my schedule open," Belle told her. Just then her phone started ringing. She pulled it out of her টাকার থলি and answered it. "Belle O'Hara."

"You're awesome, Belle!" It was Jasmine. "Meg just emailed me and told me আপনি finally finished your novel."

Belle smiled. "Yeah I did. I think you'll like it."

"Of course I will."

"It's actually going to be a two-part book. I've already begun working on the sequel."

"This is why you're my পছন্দ client, O'Hara," জুঁই said. There was a faint clicking on the other line and Belle could tell she was in the process of typing an যন্ত্রপত্র অথবা text message on her phone. "As soon as Meg emails me the full manuscript, I'll read it and begin planning the promotions."

"I look অগ্রবর্তী to hearing your ideas."

"You'll hear from me within the পরবর্তি couple days." জুঁই hung up then and Belle put her phone away.

Meg was busy typing something on her laptop and glanced up at Belle. "She's excited?"

Belle nodded. "I think so."

There was a knock on Meg's office door. "Come in!" she called out.

Belle's assistant, Jane Porter, stuck her head in. "I'm sorry to interrupt."

Meg waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine."

Jane stepped into the office. She was twenty-three, the same age as Belle. She graduated from the local বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় last বছর and had interned with the publishing company for the last semester. When she graduated, she was hired as a receptionist and then became Belle's assistant about a মাস ago. So far, she had been an excellent assistant. "Miss O'Hara, আপনি asked me to remind আপনি about your lunch with your sister this afternoon."

Belle nodded. "Of course. I'll be done here in just a minute. Thank you, Jane."

Jane turned and walked out of the office, closing the door behind her.

"I প্রণয় her accent," Meg commented.

Jane was born in লন্ডন and lived there until she was a freshman in high school, when she moved to the United States. She went to high school in suburban Illinois and then went to college in the city of Chicago; so now her accent was a mix of English, Midwestern and big city Chicago.

Belle nodded in agreement. "Well, I have to go meet up with Kayley."

"Of course. I'll be in touch."

Belle gathered her stuff and walked out of Meg's office. As soon as she was in the cab, her phone started ringing again. She glanced down at the caller i.d. and saw it was her editor, Shang Li. Every time she finished a new novel, she was instantly bombarded with phone calls and emails from every one of her business contacts.

Belle sighed. "And so it begins."