“For a writer, he’s a man of few words,” she said, then beamed at Todd. “I like that in a man. Norman Mailer, he just won’t shut up.”

“You know Norman Mailer?” said Todd.

“God, who doesn’t?” said Nora. “Word of warning. Don’t ever get in an elevator with him.”

She laughed, and Carrie laughed too. Todd thought of rolling out his stock Mailer opinion, but decided against it. He’d only read Mailer: these people knew him.

*  *  *

Nora’s office was a masterpiece of dissimulation. Even Todd could see that. Here, on the fourteenth floor of a modern block, some genius of an interior designer had recreated the interior of a Cambridge English tutor’s study, complete with worn-out desk, shelves of jacketless books, and deep armchairs made of leather cracked like a riverbed after a drought. The whole room screamed TRUST US and WE LOVE BOOKS. Only the presence of an electric typewriter, discreetly placed on a side table behind a couch, indicated that Todd was still in the twentieth century.

“Thank you for coming all this way,” said Nora.

“Not at all,” said Todd. “It’s a great honor to be here.”

“Let’s get to it,” said Nora. “We have lunch in an hour.”

“Oh,” said Todd. “You have a busy schedule.”

Nora and Carrie laughed.

“Todd,” Carrie said. “The lunch is for you.”

“Oh,” said Todd again, reduced to talking in vowels.

“I’ll be brief, and not just because I’m hungry,” said Nora. “We would like to publish you, Todd. We think All My Colors is not just fantastic, it’s a surefire commercial success, and that’s a great combination.”

She leaned back in her seat.

“Naturally, you are free to entrust your work to another publisher, but we are the best.”

“She’s not kidding,” said Carrie. “We’re great.”

They both laughed. Todd looked around the office. There were signed photographs of most of his literary heroes. Awards. Framed book jackets. The odd autographed menu.

“And you’re sure you’re not crooks?” he said.

Nora and Carrie laughed again.

“We’re not crooks and this isn’t a dream,” said Nora.

“I don’t have an agent,” Todd said.

“We’re happy to wait until you find one,” Nora said.

If there was one word Todd didn’t get along with, it was “wait.” He figured he could delay giving someone fifteen percent of his hard-earned royalties.

“No need,” Todd said. “Where do I sign?”

*  *  *

Barry was outside already when they came out of the Schirmer.

“Looks like you’re one of the team now,” he said.

“How did you know?” Todd said.

“I can always tell. They got a look.”

“What kind of look?”

“The kind you got.”

“Fair enough.”

*  *  *

“Even for a writer, you’re extremely quiet,” Nora said. “Would you like a drink?”