Became an American Retro Novelist - Chapter 194



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194.

Random House.

Founded in 1925 by Bennett Scherff and Donald Klopfer, the company took its current form when it acquired Modern Library, a publisher of reprints of classic literary works. The acquisition process took about two years, so some consider 1927 to be the company’s founding date.

With the ambition of ‘We will publish a few books at random’, they introduced James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’, which is famous for being difficult to understand, to the English-speaking world, and since then, they have focused their business on pure literary works, and are currently one of the largest book publishers in the United States.

Random House has a variety of brands under its umbrella, but it has never really published genre fiction.

Still, the reason Remy Martin chose Random House to distribute Universe of Losers across the United States was simple.

‘Random House’ was, after all, the biggest publisher he knew.

A company that lives up to its reputation and has a well-established distribution network, and is also highly reliable as a publisher.

As a result of his active business career, Remy had a connection with the editor-in-chief of Random House, and he also knew about ‘Country of Losers’, which was currently selling well in the United States, so it was not difficult to start talking.

However, when Remi, true to his personality, directly suggested the distribution of Part 2, even the editor-in-chief couldn’t help but feel flustered.

[Wasn’t that novel being distributed through Noir Publishers?]

“But I was put in charge of distributing this second part.”

[Hmm, was there a problem with you?]

“The Hardboiled Publisher just asked me to do it. How about we meet up and discuss the details, Director? I’ll prepare the liquor you said was delicious before.”

[Haha, that’s a sweet suggestion. And the fact that you suggested it to me. ‘Country of Losers’ is one of the most up-and-coming SF novels these days, so I’m personally interested in it. I think I’ll have to think about it for a while.]

“Anything you’re worried about?”

[Publication schedule, etc······.]

That’s a lie.

Remy saw it through skillfully.

Random House was currently considering ‘image’.

Parts 1 and 2 of the same series are published by different publishers.

It wasn’t a common occurrence. The industry would wonder, “Did something go wrong?” and it could lead to suspicions that Random House, which was in charge of the sequel rights, had snatched it up for better terms.

Also, there was a high chance that even trying to explain it would just end up being a hassle.

If you say, “We didn’t do that,” when you didn’t do it, people will be more suspicious.

‘That’s why you must have been thinking about it since I brought it up.’

Should we risk such rumors and bring in the rising star of science fiction novels, or should we maintain the status quo?

Remy soon opened his mouth and smiled.

‘I can’t believe I’m saying this with my own mouth.’

Even when I thought about it myself, it was absurd.

“Director, may I say something?”

[Oh, yes. That’s okay.]

“Does Random House need good writers or good art?”

The editor-in-chief raised his eyebrows slightly at the many thought-provoking questions that came over the phone.

“······That’s a difficult problem.”

He was feeling confused as he suddenly received a phone call and had a conversation in his office.

Remy Martin.

A man I met through an introduction at a party where people related to publishing and journalism gathered.

‘Did you know you’d be asking this question?’

At that time, he thought that writing was only about money.

“Well······ I guess it would be the writer. Good works come from good writers.”

[In the end, the publishing industry is also a long-term investment.]

“Are you saying that the writer Shin is a good candidate for long-term investment?”

[Yes. There are some things to consider, but I think it would be good to take a big step.]

“······If so, could you please send me the book?”

[Okay, I’ll send you two copies straight from the printer via FedEx Express.]

Remy speaks confidently with a mix of wit.

I became more curious about that attitude.

Before hanging up the phone, the editor-in-chief asked cautiously.

“Just one more thing.”

[Yes, Director.]

“What do you mean by ‘things to consider’ mentioned earlier?”

[Isn’t it true that writers are difficult creatures to deal with? Maybe even more so than stock graphs.]

“······I understand.”

A smile spread across his lips.

That was certainly true. Writers are certainly unpredictable beings.

Just like the novels they create.

***

I just couldn’t figure out the psychology behind it.

‘suddenly?’

Archibald Pfeiffer, vice president of Guns and Sword magazine, sat in his office, mulling over his ideas.

Why on earth?

Naturally, I thought that Part 2 would be entrusted to this side as well, but why did the new writer entrust the distribution of Part 2 to Remy Martin?

Did you do something wrong? Was there something you were dissatisfied with?

With constant thought, he looked at all the indicators of the first part published throughout the United States.

‘I don’t think it’s particularly disappointing.’

The sales of ‘Country of Losers’, which had been on a gentle growth curve immediately after its release, suddenly skyrocketed. It was almost exponential.

Through this work, the amount of money Shin earned after deducting taxes was over $100,000. Considering that the current median income in the United States is about $23,000 per year, it was truly a huge profit.

‘The problem is that this is just the beginning.’

When Part 2 was published, Part 1 would get a second push and make a lot more money, and with the sales of Part 2 included, it was clear that Shin would literally sit on a mountain of money.

But the plan went awry.

When I first came to Guns and Sword magazine, I thought he was a money-driven writer, so why on earth did he make this decision?

Why did you decide to abandon your relationship with Noir Publisher?

‘This is difficult.’

Archibald tapped the desk with his white fingertips.

He took on the role of a ‘go-between’ in this case, so to speak. He received a certain fee, and in addition, he built trust and connections on the business side. I thought that whenever I needed business help like this in the future, I would look for myself at a hard-boiled publisher or a noir publisher. Through that position, I would also be able to ask for help in return when I needed it.

I thought that naturally, the relationship between the three companies would become stronger.

However, the mutual trust that had been built up through the distribution of Part 1 was destroyed when Hardboiled Publisher decided to release Part 2 through another distributor.

‘Why that choice?’

No matter how much Archibald thought about it, he couldn’t understand it.

Just then, news came that a call had come from the secretary.

“Vice President.”

“Yes, what’s going on?”

“I got a call from Remy Martin, president of Torrance New Media.”

“······I will accept it.”

Archibald picks up the phone, feeling a slightly ominous vibe.

[It’s been a while, Mr. Piper.]

“Mr. Martin, why are you calling?”

[I was put in charge of the second part of the distribution this time, so I wanted to ask you something.]

“What is it?”

Archibald asked, leaning back in his chair.

It wasn’t particularly interesting. Given Remy Martin’s temperament, he would probably try to gauge my intentions by making provocative remarks or using rude language. Archibald waited for his next words, thinking about his personality and the expected reactions.

And Remy said this:

[If I had been in charge of part 1, would you have been in charge of part 2?]

“······well.”

[I had a feeling that might be the case. I was curious about your thoughts.]

“Is this a business-critical issue?”

[It’s important to note that writers are not products.]

“It’s amazing to hear those words from Mr. Martin’s own mouth.”

[Me too. To be honest, it’s inefficient. But what can we do? The area we deal with as a business is not making and selling pens and paper, but using them to write people’s thoughts and selling them.]

Archibald frowned for a moment.

‘Was he always like this?’

A story that the Remy Martin he knew would never have told.

Archibald thought of one possibility and asked.

“Have you read the novel?”

[No, I don’t read the writing.]

“I see.”

Archibald felt a strange sense of discomfort as he listened to the obvious lie.

‘what?’

Although I couldn’t quite understand it, something seemed to have changed inside Remy Martin.

And it was the rejection, the discomfort that came with knowing that something was missing from you.

It was precisely the determination to ‘package my favorite novels as nicely as possible and present them to the world.’

God’s novel, ‘Universe of Losers’, even changed the thinking of money-crazy businessman Remy Martin.

As if the presence of a brilliant human being had changed ‘The North’.

***

‘Universe of Losers’, published as a sequel to ‘Country of Losers’, received a much better response than the first part.

[It’s a common saying, but a touching ending.]

[Humans are not born to be defeated.]

[The one who brought down ‘The Book’ was humanity itself.]

[Humans, beings whose existence itself has meaning.]

Each media outlet in California gave the novel overwhelming rave reviews, and there were also various commentaries on the novel.

Also, as with the previous part, the novel was published in a personal magazine, starting with Kitten’s Comic Book Store, which gave us some idea of ​​what kind of reaction it would get when it went out into the wider world.

‘This is really different from the future.’

In fact, it was a very ‘slow’ reaction for me who was living in the future.

Outside of California, there was still talk of Part 1.

They were continuing the heated debate about happiness and unhappiness that ‘Country of Losers’ presents, just as Californians had done a few months earlier.

‘And the people of California are actually seeing the world I’m suggesting beyond that.’

Of course, it wasn’t that the information itself was slow to be delivered, so people didn’t know about the existence of Part 2, or that they couldn’t access the story even if they wanted to. Some quick-moving New York media outlets reported news of the publication of Part 2, and even went as far as to spoil some of the story.

But, what should I say? I guess people don’t enjoy it that way.

People who are slow, no matter how curious or curious they are, but who endure it earnestly and focus only on the task in front of them.

I felt like these 80s were rather refreshing

Sometimes when I was at home, I would get calls from people I knew who had given me their phone numbers.

In those cases, my mother would answer the call first and call me. If I wasn’t there, my mother would write it down separately and tell me who called.

“Hey, I got a call from a friend of mine named John Smith.”

“Oh, really? Thank you.”

“That kid has such a bright personality. Since his mom isn’t good at English, she speaks to him kindly and slowly. Are you a friend from college?”

“Yes. He’s my roommate.”

Communication that can only be exchanged slowly.

My mother, who naturally got to know my interpersonal relationships through this.

On days when you come home from a date or hanging out with friends, you can think to yourself, “It’s too late today, so let’s talk tomorrow.”

It was a scene from the past that I had secretly longed for in the future.

So I called John, who was on the other side of California, in New York, around lunchtime the next day.

And then I heard this.

[‘Universe of losers’, it’s crazy.]

“How was it?”

[God. Can I make my own goods? Like a T-shirt.]

“······How did you read it?”

I asked again.

[A t-shirt with SEEN’s name on it. It would sell like hotcakes. Because your novel is crazy. I just cried without crying at the end······. Starting with the scene where Lucy and Dubok are talking, and the part where Lucy forgives Dubok and eventually accepts his death was so touching. What should I say? The fact that Lucy, who had her life itself trampled by Dubok and had no rights, finally forgave him at the very end is just…]

“······.”

There are some friends who aren’t slow.

Anyway, after pouring out his words and telling John Smith, who seemed to have calmed down a bit, “You can make the T-shirts yourself, but don’t sell them. It’s embarrassing,” I asked him how he got the book, and it seemed like his father, Henry Smith, had it shipped to him separately so he could read it.

Yes, there were some people who ordered books separately from California and had them delivered to them to read.

[I think I’m really crazy. I’ll work harder too!]

“Okay. Show me after school starts.”

I chuckled and encouraged John Smith.

Me, John, Rebecca and Kate.

The ‘Pulp fiction club’ with these four people was going pretty well.

John continued writing ‘The Warrior’s Way’, Rebecca wrote several short stories with a romance theme, and Kate was always fuming on the sidelines.

We also decided that when the time came, we would show it to a hard-boiled publisher.

Meanwhile, it seemed that John wasn’t the only one who was impatient.

After talking to John, I also got a call from Rebecca Wong.

[God, I have something to ask.]

“huh?”

[Please recommend me some genre novels. Just about 50 volumes.]

“······Oh, didn’t you get the scalp number last time?”

[I read all 50 books he recommended. I think your recommendations will be different.]

······Isn’t this kid really going to become a genre novel writer later on?

‘Well, I guess that’s a relief that I haven’t heard anything from Kate.’

I don’t know what it will be like when we meet later.

And finally, Alexa, Jiwoo, and even Doopi.

All three of them gathered together and continued discussing my work.

As always, I felt like I was eating a cake drenched in sugar syrup, and I could feel that ‘Universe of Losers’ was well-received by many people.

But not everyone was like that.

Mid August.

Just before the start of the semester, I got another phone call.

Ring ring …

My mother happened to be out looking at the store, so I was home alone. When the phone rang, I went down to the first floor and answered the phone.

“Yes, it’s Han.”

[Hello.]

uh?

It’s a voice I know well, but in this situation, it’s something I absolutely shouldn’t hear······.

[Edward McMillan from Stanford University. Any new students?]

“Teacher, professor.”

[Oh, my goodness. Are you having a good vacation?]

“Yeah, yeah. I’m doing well.”

[I guess we’ll see each other soon. But before that, there’s something I want to tell you.]

Did I end up being selected as a graduate student?

As I was shivering from the ominous thought that suddenly occurred to me, Professor Macmillan said this.

[Why did this novel end like this?]

······For some reason, I felt like if I answered incorrectly here, I would immediately be branded a graduate student.