Chapter Twenty-Seven: New Students

If in the second half of 1997, there was more exciting news than the earth-shattering release of the best-selling American novel of all time, The Da Vinci Code. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 info That is, the mysterious writer of "The Da Vinci Code" "Leonhardt" auctioned off the publishing rights of 12 of his new books in one go, triggering a scramble from global publishing giants.

In the end, the sky-high turnover of $180 million with Random House shook the United States, and it can almost be said that this news was immediately reported by all the media. Even if it's not in the headlines, it's an important page. Random House, the mystery writer Leonhardt, and even the agent Ali Emmanuel are the objects of their frenzied pursuit.

Sky-high copyright turnover creates new billionaires!

Random House spent a huge amount of money, and the stock price rose and fell on the same day!

The mystery writer has not yet been revealed, who is Leon Hart!?

The book market is picking up obviously, and the lie that the physical book market is shrinking is self-defeating!

Random House, which spent a lot of money on the auction, naturally did not let the money go to waste, and they made efforts to carry out a comprehensive public relations campaign, coupled with the cooperation of Ali Emmanuel's Endeavor elite agency. Soon the media coverage expanded to other Western countries, and soon became a headline in various countries.

At the same time, Random House also took the opportunity to release Leonhardt's new book in 1998, which not only boosted the expectations of book fans, but also made their stock price soar all the way to the green.

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Sid put down the New York Times, and on the front page was a photo of Ali Emmanuel smiling and shaking hands with Montgomery, the CEO of Random House, at the signing ceremony. Ali Emmanuel in a tailored suit looked in high spirits, arguably his most successful deal since he spun off from ICM (International Innovation Management).

"You're really not going to come forward? Sid. Ali Emmanuel took a sip of bourbon and asked suspiciously, "After all, this is the auction of the copyright of your new book, and now the media and the public are digging into the ground to find you." I dare say that if you go out now, you will never be less popular than those backstreet boys' idol singers. ”

"As the saying goes, for the sake of future plans, it's not yet the time for me to come forward. Sid stirred the Russian black tea in his hand, "Only by compressing enough energy and bursting out at once can we get the greatest benefit." ”

Ali Emmanuel listened to Sid talk about Eastern philosophies that he didn't know much about, and that he wasn't interested in.

He yawned and asked, "Don't you accept those media interviews either?" Not to mention The New York Times, Jon Stewart's Daily Show, and The Late Show with David Letterman, even Time Magazine cover stories and Oprah Talk Show invitations were sent today. Don't you think about it?"

Ali Emmanuel looked at Sid with a pleading expression, which made Sid laugh: "Haha, don't have this puppy expression, Ali. I said it wasn't time yet. ”

Ali Emmanuel pleaded with an unwilling expression: "Otherwise, we won't go to Oprah first, but Time Magazine." God, that's Time Magazine! That megalomaniac Steve Jobs never turned down the opportunity to be on the cover of Time Magazine!"

"Huh. Sid smiled, then shook his head firmly, "No, Ali, it's not time yet. ”

Ali Emmanuel, who was forced by Sid's temper, could only hang his head on the floor OTZ.

"Don't be so depressed, Ali, this doesn't suit your style. Come, I've got some good news for you. Sid patted Ali Emmanuel on the shoulder, then pulled out the checkbook he had just picked up and began to write on it.

Ali Emmanuel looked up and saw Sid's movements, and his heart immediately jumped wildly, "What is this?"

"The money for Random House has arrived. I said at the beginning that the book negotiation was a trial, and you did a great job, and now you are not only my agent but also my friend. As a friend, I never let a friend go home empty-handed. Sid smiled and tore off the check and handed it to Ali.

Even if there was some speculation, the amount of $18 million on the check still made Ali Emmanuel's brain a little congested, "This, no, no, Sid, this is too much, I can't ......"

"Isn't the 10% commission fee the usual practice for Hollywood agents? Besides, it's a reward for your good performance, Ali, take it." I don't want people to say I'm a stingy person with my friends. Sid smiled and put away the pen and checkbook.

Ali Emmanuel took the cheque with some haphazardness.

Michael Ovitz, the king of agents at the time, spent a year helping RB Panasonic buy Universal Pictures for the sky-high price of more than $6 billion, and Michael Ovitz got $40 million in service fees. And he and Sid only worked together for more than a month, and they earned $18 million, a speed that even the former king of agents could not match.

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"We project ourselves into the hearts of our heroes and see the world through their eyes. Heroes need to have great qualities, and that's the only way we want to be like him. We want to experience the confidence of Katharine Hepburn, the elegance of Fred Astaire, and the sensuality of Marilyn Monroe. The incisive masterful exposition made Sid nod thoughtfully.

Recently, he has been holding books in his hand, and Sid is absorbing the knowledge and accumulation passed down from Hollywood film masters with a large amount of reading.

Although there is no way to take charge of a film team of his own for the time being, it is the direction of Sid's current efforts to lay a solid foundation with the necessary theoretical knowledge and master-level vision and instrumentation.

While the nation is in the midst of all the excitement over the twelve-issue book promotion of the best-selling novelist of all time, Sid is comfortably seated in the presidential suite of the Four Seasons Hotel.

It's not that he wants to be extravagant and wasteful, but the hot listing of "The Da Vinci Code" and the shocking effect of the promotion of 12 new books a month have made many tabloid reporters appear near the neighborhood where Sid lives, and they are looking for news everywhere.

Sid obviously used a pen name, and explicitly asked Random House to keep his identity secret, but these Los Angeles paparazzi still swam around like sharks smelling blood.

Although their real names and appearances have not been leaked, Sid moved to the Four Seasons Hotel, where confidentiality is the chief credo, at the suggestion of Ali Emmanuel, just in case.

Of course, fake names and fake documents were used, and these were all done by Ali Emmanuel.

"Hello, Mr. Emmanuel. As a private account manager at Wells Fargo, Spencer Kent was under tremendous pressure every day, and his hair was graying.

Two days ago, an old golf friend of his suddenly said that he was going to introduce a potential big client to him, which naturally made him overjoyed.

Spencer Kent's eyelids jumped when he saw the middleman sent by this potential big client, it was Ali Emmanuel! In Los Angeles, you will inevitably deal with Hollywood.

And Spencer Kent, who specializes in capital trading, has the most contact with customers on a daily basis, and the people of various companies around the upstream and downstream of the entertainment industry, Ali Emmanuel was originally one of Hollywood's number one thorns, and when he set up his own business to set up Endeavor Elite Brokerage Company, he borrowed money from Wells Fargo.

As the most popular figure in Los Angeles in recent times, Ali Emmanuel's other identity at the moment is what really makes Spencer Kent's heart flutter - mysterious supernova writer and Leon Hart's agent.

Could it be that the potential big customers this time are......

"You're welcome, Mr. Kent. Ali Emmanuel smiled warmly and shook his hand, then led him into the hotel lobby and took the elevator to the upper floors.

As soon as he entered the room, Spencer saw a teenager in casual clothes talking to a middle-aged man in his early thirties, who he had thought was the middle-aged man in a suit and leather shoes.

But then he was keenly aware that the conversation between the two of them was actually dominated by the young man, and the middle-aged man with an elite appearance was respectful to the young man from beginning to end.

"Hello, Mr. Leonhardt. I'm Spencer Kent, and it's a pleasure to meet you. Spencer's eyes were a little surprised by the youth's youth, but his demeanor was as humble as ever, and he took the initiative to reach out and enthusiastically introduce himself.

"Oh, Mr. Kent, we were talking about you. Sid said with a reassuring smile and no jerkiness.

"Just call me Spencer. Spencer immediately said respectfully.

"Let me introduce you to Goffman Wayne, a gold attorney at Baker Martin & Associates. Sid pointed to the elite man in a suit beside him.

"Hello, Mr. Wayne. ”

"Hello, Mr. Kent. ”

After the two shook hands, Sid smiled: "Okay, don't be so restrained, sit down and talk." Spencer: Do you want tea or coffee. ”

"That's the coffee. Spencer smiled and sat down.

"I didn't expect that the super-talented writer who shocked North America would be a young talent like you. Spencer said to Sid with a little humility after taking the coffee from the waiter in the presidential suite.

"Oh, complicated data can be consulted, and exquisite plots can be polished, but if you want to really move people's hearts, the only way to do this is to simplify the complex and take the reader's feelings as the highest standard of your creation. Sid chuckled and said his thoughts.

Spencer quietly looked at the young customer in front of him a few back and forth, although his movements and demeanor seemed to be casual and uninhibited, but with the extraordinary charm of a weightless weight, his blue and black eyes were bright and deep but sometimes flashed with a sharp gaze, he was definitely a person with an unlimited future.