Eve shook her head. ‘I’m not.’
Jasper nodded. ‘I know you think that but she doesn’t accept it and Serena, well she can be a bully to those outside her office also.’
Eve massaged her temples for a moment. ‘So why are you talking to me then?’ she asked him.
Jasper laughed. ‘Because Serena, the wicked witch of publishing, has never scared me. I’m an outlier anyway. A gay man who publishes black writers, queer writers, graphic novels. I am not ever going to be a real threat to her or the big houses but I love what I do and we have seven staff now, all full-time and I’m looking for a new editor. Someone to build up their own list.’
Eve took a sharp breath. This is what she wanted. She needed to be away from the big publishing world for a while. She wanted to nurture new authors, connect with agents, help mentor and support people like herself. She wanted to find great books that had passionate readers.
‘I would love to be considered,’ she said. ‘I know I don’t have a lot of credits on my résumé because I was Serena’s assistant, but I did a lot of editing I just can’t claim because they’re her authors.’
Jasper laughed again. ‘Oh I went to university with Serena. She was always getting juniors to do her work. I expected nothing less from her. Old habits die hard.’
Eve shook her head. ‘Okay that makes me feel better then.’
‘Did you work on the last Edward Priest book?’ he asked.
Eve felt her body stiffen. Was this interview only happening because Edward had set it up? Because Jasper wanted him to join his list of authors?
‘Not much,’ she said. ‘A little, I’ve worked on his new one. It’s coming out next year.’
‘Thank God,’ said Jasper. ‘Terrible editing. Sloppy. I wasn’t sure if it was because Serena was lazy or because Edward Priest was in that state of his career where he felt his words were untouchable.’
Eve’s shoulders dropped with relief. ‘Perhaps a bit of both, but he was quite amiable on the one I worked on. I was ruthless and he accepted all my suggestions.’
Jasper stirred his coffee. ‘That’s good to hear. I’ve always liked Edward. He was good to me when I started my house, sent me some great quotes for new authors to use on their books. And I could tell he read them. Not just paying lip service. You know if Edward Priest tells you he will do something, he will do it. And he hasn’t got a lying bone in his body. He can be a rude prick but at least he’s not a liar.’
Eve was silent as he spoke.
‘I must give him a call someday. It’s always hard when publishers call authors though. They think you’re after them to join you. Edward is a terrific writer. I think if he came out of the rut he’s in and wrote something he cared about then he would be brilliant and exciting. Not that my house could afford him.’ He chuckled. ‘It would be nice to have someone like him on the list so then I could get more authors looked at by other houses – you know, a rising tide lifts all boats et cetera, but I will have to find my own Edward Priest. They’re out there somewhere.’
Eve nodded. ‘Finding the talent is such a good feeling, when you read something that cuts through the rest. Nothing quite like it.’
Jasper nodded enthusiastically. ‘I agree, it’s thrilling.’
He then looked at her for a moment that was longer than comfortable.
‘You look exhausted though.’
‘Thanks.’ She half-laughed.
‘Take some time, Eve. I will wait. Take a few weeks, recover from Serena. She’s a lot.’
Eve smiled. ‘She is. Thank you.’
Jasper stood and picked up his bag of fruit.
‘I need to head back but call me in a few weeks? Unless someone more exciting picks you up.’
‘I will, thank you, Jasper,’ she said, grateful for his time and respect. He seemed like a good person, which was a relief after working with Serena.
After he left, she ordered another coffee and drank it while thinking about what she wanted. Jasper’s job sounded fantastic but was it too literary for her? There was something about commercial fiction that she loved. How they were often a reflection of the social and cultural zeitgeist, they were written to sweep the reader along and to be, above all, entertaining.
She didn’t know what was next for her but Jasper was right. She was exhausted from everything, not just Cranberry Cross. She needed to rest and read for pleasure and to work out what she wanted for a time instead of helping other people meet their goals.
It was both an exhilarating and terrifying feeling but she knew, if she didn’t work this out now, it would follow her for the rest of her life.
She finished her coffee and walked out of the café, ready to find what she was meant to do next with her life on her own terms.
