I am a literary giant in Europe

Chapter 59: Old Joe's Advice

Delphine brought coffee and two plates of snacks.

Yes, the owner of the cafe.

An old lady who is already seventy years old, with gray hair.

On her shoulders, she wore a gypsy-style shawl... This was also the old lady's favorite clothing in her life.

Liu Jin remembers that she had hundreds of shawls.

The cafe is named after her.

From selecting coffee beans to grinding and then to making them, she does it all by herself.

One cup per person per day.

She also makes and bakes the snacks herself.

Every pattern on it is the result of the old lady's hard work.

In his previous life, Liu Jin often came here with Lao Qiao, just for that cup of fragrant coffee with a hint of rose scent.

When he left Toulouse, the old lady's coffee shop was still there.

But later, I heard that it disappeared.

It was not long after Joe went to the Middle East that the coffee shop closed.

Shit, I want to write a story about a coffee shop!

Sometimes, life is like this, there are stories everywhere.

Liu Jin didn't notice it back then.

And now...

There are not many customers and business is very slow.

But Delphine didn't seem to care. After putting down her coffee and snacks, she sat on the other side of the green shed, looking at the busy streets outside the alley, wondering what she was writing. She sat there quietly.

There was a kind smile on his face.

……

"Are you still going to publish this book in Singla?"

Old Joe ate a cookie and asked curiously.

Liu Jin took a sip of coffee...

What a nostalgic taste!

Old Joe said that Delphine is the best coffee in Toulouse.

You are not wrong.

But it also depends on the person.

Delphine likes to add some strange spices to her coffee.

Some people just can't accept it.

Fortunately, Liu Jin really liked the smell of the spices.

"Yeah, I only know Singla Publishing House."

"Singla!"

Old Joe didn't smoke cigarettes anymore, but lit a cigarillo.

A little-known brand, probably from Germany.

I really don't understand why a Frenchman working as a financial director in the UK would like German tobacco?
Thinking of this, Liu Jin drank the coffee in one gulp.

“If old Singla hadn’t been ill, it wouldn’t have been a big problem.

But now, it's unlikely that Singla will be able to realize the potential of this book. Its volume is too small. It's fine in France, but outside of France, it won't be able to reach the world. But this book should go abroad. The Old Man and the Sea should be known to the whole world. Liu, if you're willing, I can help you find a publisher."

Liu Jin raised his eyebrows and looked at Lao Qiao in confusion.

To be honest, before "Amelie" was published, he had thought of ten thousand ways to get in touch with Old Joe.

Just for the resources in his hands!
The resources that Lao Qiao has are amazing.

But now...

Liu Jin lit a cigarette and fell into deep thought.

"Liu, your book needs to be taken over by a publishing group like Hachette, otherwise it will be difficult to realize its potential.

I'm friends with the editor-in-chief of Hachette, and I can recommend him if you like.

What is this old fellow publishing these days? It's getting more and more degenerate... Sooner or later, French literature will be destroyed by them."

It can be seen that Lao Qiao really likes this book.

Liu Jin finished his cigarette and crushed it hard.

"Thank you for your likes, Professor Dufresne."

"Ok?"

"But I can't hand over the book until I get Singla's approval."

"Why? A contract?"

"no!"

To say I'm not moved is nonsense.

Let me put it this way, if the three books "Amelie", "Little Sweethearts" and "A Father Trapped in Time" were in the hands of Hachette Publishing Group, their sales might have exceeded 100,000 by now.

Even Meera admits this.

but……

Without Mela, there would be no Liu Jin today.

Of course, Liu Jin's book will definitely find a channel, but it will be very difficult.

Mela only read half of "Amelie" and agreed to publish it without hesitation and gave 10% of the royalties.

This is Liu Jin’s mentor.

She did not discriminate against Liu Jin, and did not reject him without hesitation just because he was Chinese.

Liu Jin has earned a total of nearly two million yuan so far.

Apart from the initial 200,000 from Alice and the 200,000 that France 1 bought for "Top Chef", the rest came from Mela.

There will be an income of less than one million later.

Meila said that she would help Liu Jin find a solution, and Liu Jin agreed.

So he would not hand over "The Old Man and the Sea" to anyone until there was a result on Mera's side.

Not even Hachette Publishing Group!

“In fact, Meera also advised me that The Old Man and the Sea was not suitable for publication in Singla.

She said she would help me find a solution, and I agreed!
Professor, I appreciate your kindness, but I can't make any decision until Mela responds to me.

At least I have to tell her about this.

You see, she rushed to Paris yesterday night to discuss my book with an agent named Pescher..."

"Pechel?"

Lao Qiao interrupted Liu Jin.

"Lore Peschel?"

"That seems to be the name."

"What are you looking for her for?"

"Meira said she hopes to serialize it in Quetzalcoatl."

Old Qiao sneered and said, "Quetzalcoatl? He's worthy of serializing The Old Man and the Sea? Tell your girlfriend not to go to Peschel. He's a literary broker, and her partner, what's his name? Astier... two pure literary brokers, they know nothing about literature! Liu, believe me, they don't deserve it."

At this moment, Delphine suddenly turned her head.

“But they can promote this garbage and turn it into a bestseller… Dufresne, you’re old!”

It would be ridiculous for an old lady in her seventies to say that a middle-aged man in his forties is "old".

Old Joe also turned around and looked at Delphine and said, "Isn't it?"

"Young man, are you a writer?"

"Yes."

"What works are there?"

Before Liu Jin could speak, Old Qiao spoke first, "It's the number one bestseller last week, Amelie."

"Ooh!"

Delphine smiled.

She stood up and walked slowly into the small cafe.

After a moment, she came out with a book and placed it on the table.

"Mr. Writer, could you please sign my name for me?"

"Delphine, you actually read such a boring work?"

"It's really nice...it reminds me of so many past events, so many things that happened in Paris. Why can't I watch it?"

Liu Jin also laughed when he saw the book.

It was his "Amelie".

He opened the cover and took out a pen from his pocket.

After thinking about it, I wrote on the title page: Dedicated to the beautiful Delphine. It is my luck to have a reader like you.

Then, he signed his name.

"Ma'am, this is my first signed book."

"Haha, it's really my honor."

A smile blossomed on the old lady's face.

"I'll keep it safe... By the way, you were discussing a book just now. Is it your new work?"

"Yes."

"It must be a good book if it can make Old Joe so excited."

"One hundred percent good book...I can guarantee it."

"If that's the case, Quetzalcoatl isn't a very good choice. Astier and Pescher are excellent businessmen, but they're only excellent businessmen. If your new work is truly that good, they'll never let it go...

But that also means that you are no longer free.

Singla may be a little small, but it's big enough for the French market! If you want to go global, you'll need a better partner... I'm afraid the little girl from Singla can't give you that kind of support."

"Ma'am, do you know Meera?"

Delphine smiled.

"But why not just publish it?"

"The word count isn't enough. Mera wants to use Quetzalcoatl as a pre-print until I finish writing a few more stories before publishing them."

"How many words?"

"Thirty-one thousand words."

At this time, Old Joe also slapped his forehead.

He ignored this matter...

More than 31,000 words are indeed not enough to support the size of a book.

“Why not serialize it in Le Monde, Le Figaro or Libération?”

"No way."

Liu Jin said with a wry smile.