The night before she officially opened the agency for business, Tina slept fitfully. Worries about whether she was doing the right thing kept her awake for hours. Was she a good enough agent – and well-known enough – to attract writers? Would she be able to sell their work?
With her own savings, plus her last wages and holiday pay, and Jodie’s investment, there was enough money in the bank to survive for a year, possibly even eighteen months. Provided, of course, there were no expensive emergencies. She’d know by then whether the agency was going to work or not. She only needed a couple of successful authors to start the ball rolling. One mega-bestselling title would, of course, be even better, but Tina knew better than to wish for the impossible.
Her mind was also busy going over and over the things Jodie had said were in place to kickstart things as from today. Tina Matthews Literary Agency would make her appearance on several well-known writers’ forums and bloggers’ sites, alerting writers to the fact she was looking to expand her list.
Tina grinned at the thought. Expand? More a question of getting a list at the moment. But they weren’t to know that, were they? The information Jodie had put together for these announcements was carefully worded and simply said Tina had represented several well-known authors during her career and was delighted to be opening her own agency.
A couple of the interviews Jodie had organised were also due out today. ‘Basically, we need to flood the internet with your name for at least forty-eight hours,’ Jodie had said to her. And that was what the publicity she’d created was about to do.
The Bookseller had picked up Jodie’s press release and today’s issue would tell the publishing world that Tina Matthews Literary Agency was looking for clients. The website, Twitter and Facebook pages were all up and running.
After her disturbed night, Tina was awake for once and in the shower before the alarm went off. She mightn’t have any actual clients yet but there was still a lot of behind-the-scenes work she had to do.
A quick breakfast with Maisie and she was sitting at her desk by 8.30, ready to begin work – and the rest of her life.
Opening her email programme, she found nine emails from authors asking her to read their work. A couple of queries were from new authors but there were also three queries from established writers, anxious to either change or find an agent. Tina took a sharp intake of breath as she saw the name on one of the emails. Lucinda Penwood.
Tina read it through carefully, twice, before sitting back thoughtfully. Lucinda said she hadn’t yet received an official offer for representation from Kirsty and wrote: ‘Now that you’re opening your own agency, if you’re interested in representing me, could we meet to discuss things? You’ve been highly recommended and I’d really like you to be my agent.’
If Kirsty or Leah hadn’t made Lucinda an offer, then she, Tina, was within her rights to sign her up. She wouldn’t be poaching her or acting unprofessionally. Clicking the reply button before she could change her mind, Tina typed quickly.
Would be delighted to meet and talk. Not sure where you are in London but would somewhere central like Covent Garden suit you? I’m free this Thursday afternoon at three, if that’s good for you. Let me know and I’ll book a table at one of the cafés.
She pressed send and tried to curb the excitement she felt at the thought of finding a publisher for Lucinda’s time-slip novel. If the book was as big a bestseller as she was convinced it could be, the agency would be off to a brilliant start. Best not to place too many hopes on that, though.
It was an hour before Lucinda’s reply pinged into her box. Thank you. Let me know which café and I’ll see you then.
Tina booked a table for afternoon tea at her favourite café, emailed the details to Lucinda, and tried to put the meeting out of her mind.
She was reading the first chapter of a promising manuscript at midday when the flat doorbell rang. Opening the door she was greeted with a huge basket of flowers with a red helium balloon wishing her ‘Good Luck’ tied to the handle. The card read ‘Here’s to the Tina Matthews Literary Agency. Love Jodie and Ben.’
When Ben had said, ‘It was Herve with news about the house,’ Jodie had known it was not the news she wanted to hear.
‘The owners have finally got back to him. As the house has only been on the market a short time – we were actually the first to view it – they want to wait to see if anyone else offers the full asking price, so they’ve turned our offer down for the moment.’
Jodie’s heart sank. ‘Did Herve say how long they intended to wait?’
Ben shook his head. ‘No. But he did say he was taking another couple to see the house at the weekend.’
‘Our offer wasn’t that much lower than the asking price,’ Jodie said. ‘Could we increase it?’
Ben sighed. ‘The problem is I don’t have a regular income. Half-yearly royalties go up and down. The bank have agreed to give me a mortgage but they’ve also told me they’re not prepared to go any higher. Paying the asking price would take me above the figure they will give me. I suppose I could ask Mama for help if I have to.’
Jodie bit her lip. ‘I guess then we’ve no option but to hope no one makes a better offer. Unless…’ She hesitated. ‘Rather than asking Annette for help, there’s always my mum’s insurance money as well as my savings? I know you’ve said no once to that but I do really love the house. It just feels so right for us.’
‘You’ve just agreed to use the money for Tina’s agency,’ Ben said.
‘Only a bit of it. There’s still a fair amount left.’
‘How much?’
When Jodie named the figure, he whistled under his breath.
‘Mum took out an insurance policy years ago,’ Jodie said. ‘I think she worried about how I’d manage if anything happened to her. No benign aunts or other relatives hiding in the background ready to take me under their wing. When we met, I was thinking of using the money as a deposit on a property of my own. So why can’t we use it towards a house for us? A larger deposit could mean having a smaller mortgage even if we pay the full asking price.’
Jodie went to Ben and put her arms around him. ‘We are married and that old adage I mentioned before, “what’s mine is yours”, definitely applies in this case.’
Ben hugged her.
‘Mum would be so thrilled to know she was helping us buy our dream home,’ Jodie said quietly.
Ben kissed the top of her head gently. ‘D’accord. I’ll phone Herve and tell him we’ll give the full offer price. And we’ll be in to sign the papers tomorrow, so he can cancel any more viewings.’
The next morning Jodie insisted they went down to the estate agent’s first thing. They were so early that Herve had yet to unlock the door. Before they signed, Herve explained the legalities of what they were doing and the fact that they, and the owners, had a cooling-off period of seven days before the notaries would start processing things.
‘We can’t be gazumped now, can we?’ Jodie said as she signed her name to several forms, desperately trying to stop her right foot tapping nervously at the mention of a seven-day delay.
‘Gazumping is something that happens in England, Madame. Here in France we don’t understand the word.’ The disdain in his voice as Herve looked at her was evident and Jodie had to bite her lip to stop herself from pulling a face and poking her tongue out at him.
Back in the cottage Jodie spent the rest of the day busily networking online and spreading the word about the Tina Matthews Literary Agency. Late afternoon she Skyped Tina to hear how things had gone at her end.
‘Thanks for the flowers,’ Tina said. ‘It’s me who should be sending you flowers really. You aced the publicity for me today.’
‘Publicity is my business!’ Jodie laughed. ‘Too early to see any results but…’
‘Actually, it’s not,’ Tina interrupted. ‘Lucinda Penwood has been in touch and we’re having a meeting soon. And several authors have already emailed me manuscripts wanting me to sign them up.’
‘Brilliant,’ Jodie said. ‘We’ll soon have some names on the “authors represented” page of the website. Don’t forget to celebrate tonight.’
‘I’m going to treat Maisie and me to a Chinese,’ Tina said.
‘How are things with Maisie?’
‘She’s doing great. Has decided to stay and give living down here a real go. Her parents are coming to see her soon. John, her ex, has turned up though, making things a bit difficult. She seems to be coping with that quite well, I think.’
‘I’m sure things will work out,’ Jodie said diplomatically. ‘Right. I’d better go and rattle a few pots and pans and get our supper going. Ooh, I nearly forgot to tell you my news. Our offer on the house we love has been accepted and we’ve signed the contract.’
‘Exciting. Hope it’s big enough for visitors,’ Tina said.
‘Always room for you,’ Jodie said.
‘Send me the photo you promised me – and if you have a housewarming party, don’t forget to invite me,’ Tina said. ‘Talk tomorrow.’