Chapter 256: Recommend a good book to you
After a few days of work, I finally got all the more than 9,000 calligraphy and paintings in the history museum.
Fang Yan was in a good mood and made an appointment with Mike in Dong Laishun, a place they were familiar with. At this time, business was booming and the seats were packed.
The copper pots on the tables are steaming.
Plates of red and white mutton, arranged in a circle.
"Awesome, awesome!"
Mike picked up the chopsticks, rinsed it, and ate it into his mouth.
The two of them were eating and chatting, and dialect picked up a piece of mutton: "That means the novel will be published in early March, right?"
Mike nodded and said Random House The products will be distributed to large cities in several eastern and eastern states first. If the sales are good, the products will be expanded outward and slowly distributed nationwide.
Fang Yan asked straightforwardly about the royalties and royalties, "7,440 U.S. dollars, did you get 30% or 40% in the end?"
Mike shook his head and held out five fingers:
"Teacher Fang, none of them, it's 54.5%."
"Why is there 10% more?"
"Well, Teacher Fang, I made my own decision without asking for your consent in advance, and asked my father to avoid taxes for you."
Mike showed an awkward but polite smile.
Fang Yan was very interested and asked him to elaborate.
Mike told everything he knew, saying that tax avoidance could actually be better if he could open an offshore account.
For example, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands...
"No matter what, thank you and your father."
Dialect said: "Can more 10%, I am already very surprised.”
"You are too polite."
Mike said truthfully: "He also asked me to tell you that if possible, it would be best to open a subsidiary in the Cayman Islands and transfer the copyright of "Saving Private Ryan" Transfer it to this company, so that you can collect royalties through authorized use, but I can't say how to control it specifically..."
Is this the "silly son" of the landlord's family?
Fang Yan shook his head, laughed, and changed the subject:
“Both you and your father think the novel can sell well in the United States?”
"It will definitely sell well!"
"Why are you so sure?"
"I told you before that the veterans' publishing trend has been popular in the United States in recent years. There is actually a reason behind this. "
Mike said seriously.
Since the Annan War, the image of the US military has been greatly damaged and morale has been low. American society has gradually disliked and even discriminated against the military.
Ling Zong, a high-ranking general with a background as a Hollywood actor, has stepped up publicity efforts in film, literature and other cultural fields since his succession, focusing on the U.S. military during World War II to restore his image, beautify the gods, get rid of the shadows, and revitalize morale.
Then he shrugged, "Just like his campaign slogan, Let's Make America Great, this also includes the military."
How is this exactly what a real estate developer said.
MAGA!
Fang Yan smiled and said, "I didn't expect you know so much."
"No, no, no, my dad told me this."
Mike raised his hand and said that his dad also said that there is also a chain of contempt among American veterans.
World War II veterans have always been treated as heroes, and they will be celebrated on various anniversaries with great vigor and high spirits.
The second is World War I. As for the veterans who came back from Annan, they have the worst reputation and will not get the slightest respect.
“No wonder.”
"If I have the chance, I really want to talk to your father face to face."
Fang Yan listened patiently and suddenly realized.
No wonder Rambo, played by Stallone in "First Blood", was repeatedly harassed and made things difficult by the small town police chief.
“My dad thinks so too!”
Mike smiled: “He really wants to meet you and plans to recommend the book to his friends after it is published. ”
…………
Country clubs in the United States originated from the old clubs in England, but compared with the strict aristocratic clubs, they are still different. The threshold for membership can be high or low.
There are some like the Palm Beach Country Club, where membership fees are as high as $300,000, and most of them are wealthy Jewish people, and there are also community country clubs, where "respectable" middle-class families are in the club.
But whether it is a low threshold or a high threshold, it is full of human feelings and sophistication. Maybe Hawking will have to toast when he comes.
Members can taste red wine, smoke cigars, play golf, or tennis here to communicate with each other.
"Bang!"
Old Mike swung the club. The ball flew out in response, drawing a parabola in mid-air.
“Good shot!”
“Bah bang bang.”
On the golf course, everyone applauded.
One of the people joked: "Johnson, I have seen your face glowing recently. Did something good happen to you again?"
"Little Mike wrote a novel."
< br>Wilson cast a joking look at his old friend, "It's called "Blood and Sand," and it tells the story of his participation in World War II."
As soon as these words came out, everyone's interest was immediately aroused.
Old Mike put the golf club on the ground, raised his chin, his face was full of pride, and said that "Blood and Sand" has been spotted by Random House and will be published soon.
“When the time comes, I must take a good look.”
“Me too.”
“…”
“But that’s the thing. When I came back, I remembered that little Mike liked movies and was never interested in literature. How could he suddenly write this novel? Is it because he went to the mysterious China? "
Everyone had a heated discussion and laughed a lot.
Old Mike nodded, "He met a very good teacher there, called 'Fang'. He is a very famous writer in China and is very good at writing military novels. "Blood and Sand" is here It can be successfully completed under the guidance of a famous teacher."
"A Chinese writer?"
Wilson and others feel more and more interesting.
“Yes, and he also wrote a novel about World War II.”
Old Mike recommended it to everyone seemingly unintentionally.
“A World War II military novel written by Chinese people?”
“Are you sure it’s about our US military? Not themselves?”
“Wow! I’ve seen ourselves I have never seen a World War II novel written by a British person."
"..."
"Johnson, have you read this book?"
"Of course!"
Faced with each question, Old Mike answered patiently.
Wilson asked: "What do you think? Does it look good?"
"It's not a question of whether it looks good or not. He is really a rare kind. I dare say, only Only an Easterner can write such a great novel." Old Mike looked serious and spoke in a serious tone.
When everyone saw it, even old friends who were not usually interested in literature were full of praise for "Saving Private Ryan", and they became more and more curious to see what the content of this book was like.
With such curiosity, many people immediately bought a copy of "Saving Private Ryan" on the day it was published.
Look what the Chinese people wrote.
Unfortunately, "Saving Private Ryan" is not easy to find.
After all, the first printing of the novel was only 2,000 copies.
It can only be seen in major cities in the western and eastern United States. On average, the circulation in each city is less than 200 copies.
Compared to someone like Stephen King, whose first printing is often in the tens of thousands, it is definitely not comparable, but this is in line with the rules of the American publishing industry. For newcomers and second- and third-rate authors, publishers do not dare to print too many .
For example, JK Rowling, the first part of the Harry Potter series, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" was released, with only 500 copies in the first printing.
2000 copies is already a relatively high level among newcomers.
Moreover, "Saving Private Ryan" did not let Old Mike and Random House lose their sights. The sales volume increased. Although it is not a big hit or a best-seller, its performance is remarkable.
Three days later, it reached the passing mark for Random House printing.
An additional 500 copies were printed for the first time and distributed to more states and more cities, including Iowa City, Iowa.
Paul Angell is a well-known poet. He and his wife Nie Hualing are consultants of the "Writers' Workshop" at the University of Iowa. Influenced by his wife, he has always been interested in China.
"Hey, look what I found in the bookstore!"
At this time, he ran to the study room with a book in his hand, "I found a book written by a Chinese writer novel, military novel! ”
"Military novel?"
Nie Hualing stopped writing and took the novel he handed over. The author "Yan Fang" and the title "Saving Private Ryan" came into her eyes. Can't help but feel strange.
Why is this name so familiar?
(End of this chapter)