The set of "The Condor Heroes".

In between shooting, Liu Yifei approached his mother Liu Xiaoli.

"Mom, there's a new novel in the United States called "The Hunger Games", can you help me buy a copy back?"

"Novels?"

"Well, Jenny recommended it to me, saying it was very, very good, and I liked all the books she recommended. The book sold nearly 500,000 copies in its first month on the shelves, and it was a really bestseller. By the way, the author of this novel is still a Chinese. ”

"I know, I'll ask someone to buy a copy in the next few days."

……

At the beginning of January, Li Mu took the time to go to the city, and this time "The Hunger Games" was published in the United States so smoothly, and Science Fiction World Magazine made a lot of contributions.

Although the magazine itself can also benefit from this publication, after all, Li Mu himself is the biggest beneficiary of this publication, so Li Mu decided to go to the magazine in person, invite the editors and leaders of the magazine to have a meal, and everyone contact and liaise.

Of course, what he wants to thank most is actually the two editors, Yang Feng and Qin Li.

Speaking of which, he is most familiar with editor Yang Feng, and he usually communicates with editor Yang Feng when he has something.

In addition, Qin Li's editor contributed the most to his affairs, this time he just flew back from the United States on the front foot, and flew to the United States on the back foot for his new book, which can be described as doing his best.

Fortunately, the final effort was not in vain, and the publication finally had a good result.

When Li Mu's figure appeared in the editorial office of Science Fiction World Magazine, the eyes of all editors fell on Li Mu.

Everyone wanted to see what the man who sold 480,000 books in the United States in just one month looked like, and everyone was shocked when they saw it.

It turned out to be so young!

Although he had known that Li Mu was young, he had heard about it and seen it with his own eyes, but his feelings were completely different.

Some older editors can't help but compare Li Mu with their own children, and there are several editors whose children are older than Li Mu, but look at Li Mu's achievements......

Ay!

It really can't be compared!

However, the writers have their own reserves, so although everyone is shocked, they are still indifferent on the surface.

Yang Feng and Qin Li are both women around 40 years old, and Li Mu expressed his heartfelt thanks to the two editors after meeting, and the two editors also had a very good impression of Li Mu.

The main reason is that Li Mu's conditions are really good, he is only 20 years old, he looks extremely outstanding, and he has written a best-selling novel in the United States with his own ability, and the novel has great potential, and may even hit tens of millions of sales.

If "The Hunger Games" could really hit tens of millions of sales in the United States, what a picture it would be! Both editors were fascinated.

Not to mention that Li Mu is still the screenwriter and assistant director of Cheng Long's new movie, and I heard that he will have to invest in making movies by himself in the future - where are these things that a young man who has just 20 years old should do?

This is a proper son of heaven, right?

Of course, the most important thing is that Li Mu's mouth is sweet enough, and he respects both editors very much, and the two editors naturally like Li Mu very much.

If Li Mu relies on his own achievements, he will look above the top and see that no one is as good as himself, then no matter how high his grades are, the two editors will not appreciate him.

Since I came to the Science Fiction World Magazine, I naturally want to visit the president of the magazine, Alai.

In the winter of 1994, Alai completed his first novel "The Dust Settles", and in 2000, he won the 5th Mao Dun Literature Award for "The Dust Settles".

"The Dust Settles", a story about the silly son of the Tusi family, this novel was also made into a TV series in 2003, in which Fan Binbin played the wife of the second young master of the Tusi family.

However, Alai did not attend the banquet.

"You guys go, if I go, everyone won't be able to let go."

In addition, the deputy editor-in-chief Yao Haijun also said that he couldn't go if there was something, Li Mu inquired carefully, and then he learned that Liu Cixin happened to be in the city, and the editor-in-chief Yao Haijun had made an appointment to have dinner with Liu Cixin today.

Li Mu immediately said: "Then I just called Da Liu, a few editors may not know, right?" I also wrote a letter to Da Liu a few months ago, when I had not yet started to write, and I was a little skeptical that I could become a writer, and because I liked Da Liu's novels very much, I wrote a letter to Da Liu, in which I talked about my troubles. ”

"I didn't expect Da Liu to really reply to me, in the letter, Da Liu encouraged me to say that the most difficult thing in writing is always to start writing, and then I wrote the work called "The Moon".

Yang Feng and Qin Li, the two editors, heard about this for the first time, and after listening to it, the two editors were all embarrassed.

After knowing that Li Mu and Liu Cixin still had such a relationship, editor Yang Feng immediately made a phone call to deputy editor-in-chief Yao Haijun, and at the same time officially invited Liu Cixin on behalf of Li Mu.

"It's not right for me to go, right?" Liu Cixin was very curious about Li Mu, who suddenly sold 480,000 books a month in the United States, but Li Mu invited the editor of the magazine to a banquet, and it seemed a little abrupt for him to go.

Then Yang Feng said with a smile: "Da Liu, you must come this time, if it weren't for the encouragement of your letter, Li Mu doesn't know how long it would take to embark on the road of creation." ”

"Huh?" Liu Cixin was confused for a moment.

Yang Feng smiled: "I said did you really forget or are you pretending to be confused with me here?" Li Mugang also said in the editorial department, saying that he wrote you a letter a few months ago, and said that you encouraged him to take the first step bravely in your reply, and it was with your encouragement that "Moon" and "The Hunger Games" were born. ”

Liu Cixin's head exploded suddenly.

"Ah...... That Li Mu is this Li Mu! ”

At this time, editor Yang Feng handed the mobile phone to Li Mu, and Li Mu invited with a smile: "Brother Liu, you must come this time, if we didn't happen to meet here this time, maybe I would have to go directly to Xishan Province to find you next month." ”

He has long coveted the film and television rights of Liu Ci's new novels.

After knowing that the two had such an intersection, Liu Cixin no longer shirked.

Eight o'clock in the evening.

A well-known restaurant in Chengdu.

Li Mu asked for a private room, and there were two tables in the private room.

The banquet officially began, first of all, Li Mu expressed his gratitude to the editors of the magazine, especially the three editors Yang Feng, Qin Li, and Yao Haijun, and then several editors expressed their appreciation for Li Mu.

Next, Li Mu chatted with Da Liu about the letter a few months ago, which made Liu Cixin sigh.

Just a few months ago, Da Liu was still encouraging Li Mu to take the first step of writing bravely as a senior, but he didn't expect that in just a few months, Li Mu wrote works like "The Moon" and "The Hunger Games".

In particular, the book "The Hunger Games" has reached the New York Times bestseller list in just one month, and the monthly sales have reached an astonishing 480,000 copies!

Liu Cixin has written books for many years, and his best publication is less than 40,000 copies, which is still the total sales accumulated over the years.

On the other hand, Li Mu has created a monthly sales of 480,000 in just a few months, which is a bit incredible!

Liu Cixin himself attaches great importance to the results of his works, he once said in an interview that he will not write works that no one reads, because he values the results, so he was even more shocked by Li Mu's achievements.

After a few glasses of wine, Liu Cixin said: "Li Mu, I have studied your book "The Hunger Games", and with my understanding of the American market, it is entirely possible for this book to create tens of millions of sales - you have created a super bestseller!" ”

Li Mu said: "I have always liked Brother Liu's works very much, and I have absolutely reason to believe that Brother Liu will be able to create a set of super bestsellers sooner or later, and from the perspective of long-term influence, the influence of Brother Liu's bestsellers will definitely surpass "The Hunger Games". ”

Liu Cixin shook his head with a smile, obviously not agreeing with Li Mu's statement, at this time, he was completely content to write a book that sold more than 50,000 yuan.

It can be seen that no one in the entire private room agrees with Li Mu's statement just now, and everyone regards Li Mu's speech as a humble statement.

Li Mu said with a straight face at this time: "Brother Liu, don't think I'm joking, every word I say today is from the bottom line, I really think that Brother Liu will be able to create works with tens of millions of sales sooner or later." ”

Seeing that everyone's eyes fell on him, Li Mu continued: "Why are domestic science fiction works not selling well now? In the final analysis, the circle of science fiction is too narrow. If the audience is too small, it will inevitably lead to the fact that no matter how good the work is, it will be difficult to really sell well, and fame can only spread in a small range. ”

"In fact, Brother Liu's works definitely have the potential to be a big hit, and what is lacking at present is nothing more than breaking the circle."

"Before '95, Science Fiction World magazine sold only 30,000 or 40,000 copies a month, and in '95 it suddenly skyrocketed to 150,000 copies a month; Before '99, the magazine's monthly sales were about 200,000 copies, but in 2000 it suddenly soared to 400,000 copies per month. ”

"Why did there be two sales surges in 1995 and 2000?"

"In 1995, it was the "News Network" that advertised, and in 2000, it was the college entrance examination essay incident that made the magazine famous."

"These two times are actually typical circle-breaking events, and Brother Liu's works are far from the real explosion, and they may only lack one such circle-breaking event."

Liu Cixin finally faced up to Li Mu's statement.

"But it's not easy to break the circle, whether it's the promotion of "News Network" or the college entrance examination essay, it is something that can be encountered but not sought."

Li Mu said with a smile: "Of course, this kind of broken circle is something that can be encountered but not sought, but some broken circles can be obtained with their own efforts." ”

Now the whole private room was quiet, and everyone wanted to hear what Li Mu had to say next.

Especially Liu Cixin, he is eager for greater achievements, but he can't see the direction of continuing to break through, and now Li Mu's words are like a lightning bolt in the dark, tearing a gap in the night.

Li Mu smiled at this time: "At present, the highest honor for science fiction in the world is the Hugo Award, so far, no Asian has won this award, if Brother Liu's novel can win the Hugo Award, then I don't know if it is a breakthrough?" ”

"Impossible!" Liu Cixin said categorically.

Winning the Hugo Award?

At this time, Liu Cixin didn't even dare to dream.

Li Mu said with a straight face: "Why is it impossible? I've seen a lot of Hugo Award-winning works, and to be honest, if you just look at the level, many of them are not as good as Brother Liu's works. ”

"Since Brother Liu's level is enough, what is lacking is just an opportunity, and since it is an opportunity, it will definitely come sooner or later."

"In my eyes, there are only two writers in Asia today who are most likely to win the Hugo Prize."

"Cao Cao said: 'The only hero in the world is to make the king and Cao Er.'" I said today: 'The only Hugo Prize winners are Liu and Mu'er. ’”

"Why don't I have a competition with Brother Liu to see whose novel wins the Hugo Award first."