Millstone - Chapter 1

A new story! This is one I have had on my mind for a while. I originally worked through the premise with one of the most brilliant creative people I know Sleepless In Erotica but more recently the wonderful Boobs McFadden kicked my ass into gear to start getting it written.

Martin smiled at Lisa but he could see the frustration in her eyes. He hated lying to her, hated the subterfuge and most of all hated the fact she thought he was a failure. "What?" he said trying to be casual "...The money is due on Friday. It works differently out in China. The investments are different....I told you this".

Lisa rolled her eyes "I am certain other investors can actually just get paid and see their money whenever they want. And why do we never get any returns from UK investments?"

This was a very good question Martin thought, the answer being because his burgeoning online entrepreneurship was a complete sham and he was struggling more and more to make it sound even vaguely plausible. He owed a lot to the utterly, mystifyingly boring world of online speculating and crypto-currency investments that covered the actual source of his income. A career Lisa could never imagine but one far more lucrative than these ridiculous get-rich-quick schemes. The problem was whilst he could provide money whenever him & Lisa needed it was definitely not something he wanted Lisa, his friends and family and the wider community to find out about.

Lisa stood by the door ready to leave for the day "...and I don't want to nag but those other jobs I showed you looked perfect. You don't seem to make any progress or get any interviews"

To this Martin had no answer, there were no jobs because he had no intention of applying for the boring wealth management jobs, he didn't have time. He had deadlines looming, publicity questions to reply to and all the other things that went with being an author who was currently selling ten thousand copies a month. Lisa, of course, knew nothing of this and so merely saw a husband tinkering away online while she worked at the solicitors.

Martin merely mumbled and gulp back the last of his tea.

Lisa tried to force a smile of her own then turned and left for the day.

Martin was left to his secret life.

You see Martin was successful. Far more successful than he had ever intended to be, probably more successful than he wanted to be and certainly wealthier than anyone knew. He had once been a crypto-currency speculator but that had long since been superseded by his career as an erotic author. What began as a fantasy turned into a hobby then into an obsession and, with bewildering speed a literary sensation. The problem was that Martin simply didn't want fame and he certainly didn't want the notoriety that would come with being the creator of some of the most popular smut on the planet. No, the friends, family and neighbours in their sleepy rural village definitely didn't need to know any of this and with the final book of his five book series nearing completion then didn't ever have to. Get the series finished, retire and then live off residual income.

He owed everything to his publisher, they had initially wanted him to work as normal doing publicity and promotion work but soon acquiesced to his demands for privacy once they realised how popular the books were. Martin churned out the erotica and Wallace & Turner raked in the rewards. Barely anyone at the publisher knew the secret. Just the top management and his agent Jo. That was the way Martin wanted things to say.

Back at his desk he opened up his laptop and scanned through the emails, first of all Jo :

TO:WRITER1974@GMAIL.COM
CC:
FROM:J.ALDERMAN@WALLACETURNER.COM
SUBJECT: Jo is a genius

M!!!!!!!!!

I. AM. A. GENIUS.

Say it! Say 'Jo is a genius'. Did you see the figures? 19% up in a week. I told you!!!!!!!!!

The media are all over me too, demanding interviews with you. Richard Allston and *drumroll* Miranda Masterson!!!! I will tell them it's Q&A only and get them to send me questions as per. Will forward them later.

You can thank me next time you are in London but you already have thanked me cause I bought a rather yummy bottle of Chateau Neuf de Pape to celebrate....out of your expenses. You know I am worth it!

Speak to you soon,
Jo

19% increase in sales was quite impressive but he still wasn't happy. Jo, anxious to make headlines ahead of the launch of book, had persuaded Martin to allow her to release the titbit that the secretive author of the bestselling series was, in fact, male. There had been discussion about it across the media all week. Most of it curious, some of it extremely negative but, according to Jo it had boosted sales of the previous books by almost a fifth. That was not something to complain about...still anything that revealed anything about his identity to the public was not 100% welcome.

Martin answered the rest of the email and set to work.

In London the day was unfolding well for Jo, she had already been in to see her bosses and who had congratulated her and took her for a long, boozy lunch with the company owners no less. The company golden girl looking after their eccentric prize author.

By 4pm she had decided the rest of the day was a write-off and opened the bottle of French wine she'd treated herself to. She didn't feel bad because she'd actually bought three. She was worth it and Martin could most definitely afford it.

Just answering a few emails and then pick a restaurant for dinner, a few friends, some more Michelin starred food and definitely more wine. Her treat she'd told the girls. There was no shortage of takers.

She quickly sent the interview questions to Martin, clicked send and headed out the door. Behind her the email disappeared into cyberspace.

TO:R.ALLSTON@DAILYMAIL.COM
CC:
FROM:J.ALDERMAN@WALLACETURNER.COM
SUBJECT: Re:Interview Questions

Here are the questions from Richard, try to have them back to me by close of play tomorrow please. Nothing from Miranda as yet, I will chase.

The partners took me out for lunch at La Gavroche today. Sumptuous. One day I am going to come down to Millstone and hug you.

Speak to you soon,
Jo

Jo was already making her way to the tube not suspecting for a second she'd hit the Reply button instead of Forward.

It was a simple mistake but it would change everything.