Chapter 1191 1191 Long-Term Investment
Joanna looked down at her somewhat gray fingers. There was still dirt left in her nails, which made her nervously use her left hand to button it. She clearly remembered that she had taken care of it before going out in the morning, so why was there still dirt left? Woolen cloth? After rubbing her left hand vigorously, Joanna realized that it was not dirt, but the bruise she left on the table the day before yesterday.
The illusion of the eyes made Joanna's heart shrank suddenly and then relieved, but then she heard a polite voice in her ear, "Ms. Rowling..." This made Joanna raised her head in a panic. , looked at him uneasily, and then saw Rick's black and thin body, and his seemingly ordinary face that was easy to be bullied had a pair of sharp eyes, which made it difficult to look directly." Joe, just call me Joe."
"Joe, I remember you still have a daughter, why didn't you come to Los Angeles together this time?" When Rick received Joanna's call, he didn't respond at first, and then he remembered the author recommended by Hugo. He also I remembered Hugo's high evaluation of her, so I was very attentive.
"Oh, Jessica is too young for a long flight, I put her with my sister." Joanna said shyly and embarrassedly, she paused everything, but said with some urgency, "That...I'm really sorry, I came to Los Angeles this time because, uh, because Hugo said that all help can be found here, I know it's sudden, but I'm still... sorry, I want to ask , am I seeking help from private funds, government funds, or...what else?"
Joanna knew that her behavior was inappropriate, but it was her last straw. In the past nine months, she has been through so much, she filed for divorce, and spent another nine months in behavioral therapy. Originally, she thought her life had hit rock bottom and could not get any worse, but now she But she fell into a more terrifying situation, and she was almost desperate.
The government relief fund is no longer enough to support her life, and the help of her sister has reached its limit. She can't continue to write with peace of mind. She must go out and look for a job, but it is impossible for her to find a job without any work skills. simple. She tried to apply for the assessment of the teacher's qualification certificate while applying for the relief fund of the foundation, hoping that she could improve her life through her own teaching. However, the foundation has not approved the relief fund, and the teacher's qualification certificate has not been passed. Her life has been completely bankrupt, and even next month's rent is in jeopardy.
Once again came to a dead end, this time Joanna did not choose to end her life pessimistically, not only because she had just completed the behavioral therapy, but also because she once again remembered the pair of amber eyes she saw in the moment of despair - Hugo .
In fact, after Joanna got Hugo's business card, she considered calling Hugo for help, but Hugo's words at the time were really not convincing enough, even if she wasn't a swaggering gambler, she definitely didn't look like an employee of a regular brokerage company. . And Joanna had recovered her spirits at the time and thought she could support it, so she still didn't make the call in the end.
But now, that business card seems to be her last straw.
"So, you still don't know where I am?" Rick was not in a hurry, a warm smile appeared on his face, which made Joanna a little embarrassed. "I'm a broker, and this is a brokerage firm," Rick explained briefly.
In fact, Joanna knew that Endeavour Elite Brokerage Company was a brokerage firm. She had already researched Hugo's business card countless times, but the problem was that Joanna didn't know how an entertainment brokerage firm could help her.
"Our company is currently mainly engaged in the film and television industry, and occasionally the music industry." Rick explained, "but our company has always wanted to enter other industries, including sports, fashion, marketing, of course , and publishing." Rick did not further explain the company's plans in depth. The fact is that Endeavour Elite Brokerage is currently focusing on developing the film industry, and the TV drama department is also in full swing, but for other parts, the company does not have this energy for the time being. take into account.
However, when Hugo mentioned Joanna Rowling to Rick before, Rick actually had a plan. Maybe Joanna could be the first pawn for Endeavour Elite Agency to develop the publishing market. The publishing department has always been a part of the company's planning, but because the company has just been established, they don't have the energy to take care of this part, but since they have the opportunity, they can take it step by step and use Joanna as the first soldier to explore the path. The publishing sector was gradually established.
First, Joanna's novel will not be completed in the short term, which gives Rick and the others more time to prepare, so they can work steadily; secondly, with a goal, they can also plan around the work, which is conducive to the early construction of the publishing department; Thirdly, Hugo was willing to strongly recommend it, which indeed attracted Rick's curiosity. What's more, after several months of precipitation and deliberation, Rick now has more confidence in the publishing department, which is why he directly sent Joanna to fly over from Edinburgh after he received the call.
"Hugo said about your situation before, so we have already made preliminary preparations. If you are willing to sign with us, we will first obtain the support of the foundation for you, so that you can create literature with peace of mind. Of course, maybe this The relief fund will not be too generous, but at least it can relieve most of the stress in your life." Rick said it very implicitly, he did not ask how difficult Joanna's life is now, nor did he emphasize the foundation's relief fund. How rich, everything is up to the point, "Then, after you finish the creation, we will take the initiative to contact the publisher, seek publication, and win an excellent contract for you. As for the future..." Rick chuckled and nodded. Nodding, "The market will give us an answer."
Rick stated his plan concisely and Joanna heard it clearly, but she also knew that these conditions sounded so superior, there must be quid pro quos, after all, a brokerage company is not a charitable organization. "Then what are your requirements?"
"We can discuss the detailed conditions," Rick took out a draft contract from the drawer and handed it to Joanna, "but there are two things that cannot be changed. The first is that you must complete it within two years. The creation of the first novel; the second is that the commission of the brokerage company cannot be compromised.”
The commission of Endeavour Elite Brokerage Company is 8%. Although it is not as high as 10% of the current three major brokerage companies, it is also the highest among the brokerage companies in the world. Conversely, it can also be seen as the foundation of Endeavour Elite Brokerage Company.
Joanna knew that although these two conditions were harsh, they were already very good. Generally, no brokerage company would be willing to take care of an unknown person like her. But Joanna is also a little hesitant, because once she signs a contract with a brokerage company, it means she becomes a full-time author. As Rick said, she must complete the creation of her first novel within two years, otherwise she must pay liquidated damages; and Even when a novel is published, it doesn't necessarily sell well.
Joanna came to Los Angeles in a desperate mood. She originally hoped that the brokerage company introduced by Hugo would build a bridge for her and introduce her to the foundation for an interview, so that she could obtain funding from the foundation. But now it seemed, how could the brokerage company do this kind of free referral work without any reward, and she didn't have any friendship with Hugo. It is very rare that the brokerage company is willing to sign with her.
Joanna was a little hesitant, not quite sure what she should do. Looking at the contract in her hand, she fell silent for a while.
Rick, the old fox, naturally noticed Joanna's mood at the first time, and he was not in a hurry, but said gently, "Well, I think you need time to think about it slowly and read the contract carefully; at the same time, I It also takes time to think about it slowly. I need to read your novel, and then contact the professionals from the publishing house to try it out together. So, let’s give each other a little time and arrange to meet again the next morning, how about that?”
Joanna's cheeks turned red in a flash, and now she was in a situation where she had no way out and had to ask for the door, but she ended up taking Joe here. She didn't even realize the most important point: if her novel is not good enough, let alone the publisher, even an agent like Rick is not optimistic, then what qualifications does she have to negotiate with others? Now that Rick is still so amiable without reading the novel, she is still hesitating, which is really embarrassing. Instead, Rick was thoughtful.
Although Rick didn't say it, Joanna was still embarrassed, she nodded quickly, "No problem, of course no problem." Then she left the printout of the first part of her novel, and hurriedly packed up the contract in her hand, embarrassed farewell to leave.
Rick didn't think too much about Joanna's attitude. As an agent, he has seen many people and encountered more things. There are countless more serious things than this, especially those who call themselves artists rather than the entertainment industry. On the one hand, they think that their works are priceless art, but on the other hand, they must use art to exchange commercial interests for the continuation of life. This contradiction makes their attitude very complicated, far more than Joanna. Much worse. So he doesn't care at all.
After Joanna left, Rick calmed down and opened her novel. Although he only had a quarter of an hour to rest, reading novels could not be done under the guise of other people's actions. He still had to go into battle by himself. After reading back and forth for ten minutes, Rick raised his eyes and fell into deep thought. His eyebrows were slightly wrinkled, and he seemed to be struggling.
After hesitating for a while, Rick picked up the phone on his desk and dialed Joseph's, "Hey Joe, is Hugo on set now? No? Oh...Leo went to visit...Yeah, Is it like this, I want to ask Hugo something, is it convenient for him? Okay, you can give him the phone."