A Literary Life Starting from the First Year of High School

Chapter 108 Overseas Phone Call (Seeking First Subscription)

April 6, Saturday, London.

When Alan Carter finished reading the last page of "Four Generations Under One Roof," it was 3:17 p.m. Alan stood up, walked to the window, and the London afternoon was still gray. He picked up his phone, and there was a name saved in his contacts—"LinShuBai," the number that Liu Dong had sent him last week.

Three beeps—the call was connected.

"Hello?" A young voice came from inside, not the kind that deliberately lowers its voice to appear mature, nor as childish as he had imagined.

"Lin Shubai? My name is Alan Carter, and I'm a literary agent from London."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

"I've read your books," Allen continued, speaking slowly in Chinese, pronouncing each word clearly. "I just finished reading The Little Prince, Charlotte's Web, and Four Generations Under One Roof."

"You called all the way from London just to tell me this?"

This answer surprised Allen. Most authors who receive such a call would either be so excited that they become incoherent or as wary as if they were being scammed. But he acted like he was receiving a food delivery call.

Allen decided to be direct, "Of course not. I want to talk to you about overseas distribution, not just in English, but in all languages—English, French, German, Spanish, Italian—as long as someone is willing to publish your book, I can help you."

There was silence for a few seconds on the other end of the phone.

"You mean—to promote my book to the whole world?"

"Yes, worldwide, The Little Prince is the first one, it's suitable for all languages, then Charlotte's Web, and of course Four Generations Under One Roof might be more difficult, but I've already found a very good translator."

Who is the translator?

Allen was taken aback. There were too many unexpected questions on the phone today. Most people would ask "how much money can you make" or "which country will it be released in first" when they heard "overseas distribution". They would ask "what best-selling books have you worked on?" He didn't expect Lin Shubai's first question to be about who the translator was.

"Julia Green, from SOAS University of London, has translated several Chinese novels and has a very good reputation in the industry. Her information can be found online. She agreed to the project after reading 'The Little Prince,' saying, 'I want to be the first person to say these words in English.'"

"Then why are you interested in my books? Because they can make you money?" Lin Shubai asked curiously.

"Of course, making money is part of the reason, but the main reason is your book. I've been sitting here thinking for a long time. I've been a literary agent for 23 years and I've signed many authors. Some sold very well and some didn't, but you are different. You are the most talented writer I have ever seen."

After saying that, he himself felt a little embarrassed. In the past 23 years, he had never used the word "genius" to any author.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone; Allen could even hear Lin Shubai's breathing.

How would you like to collaborate?

Allen breathed a sigh of relief. The question, "How do we cooperate?" indicated that the door was already ajar, and he only needed to put his foot in.

"I want to be your overseas agent, to find the best translators and publishers for your book, to help you negotiate contracts, collect royalties, and handle copyright matters. I'll promote it market by market, starting with the English market, then French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese. As long as someone is willing to publish, I'll knock on their door. In short, you only need to focus on writing your work, and everything else can be left to me."

"This will take a long time, won't it?"

Allen did not dodge the question. "Yes, but I'm not in a hurry, and you shouldn't be either. Good translations take time, and good publishers won't give you better terms just because you're rushing them. I've seen too many authors who are eager to see their books published abroad, only to choose unsuitable translators and unreliable publishers, and in the end, no one buys their books, and no one wants to publish their second book. I don't want that."

"It sounds like you have a lot to do."

"Yes, so I usually charge a 15% commission, but it's not expensive. You get an agent who hasn't made a mistake in 23 years."

T

Are you sure you haven't misjudged the situation?

Allen thought for a moment, "Okay, I admit I misjudged him once. That person wrote a very good book and then disappeared. It wasn't because my judgment was wrong, but because he didn't want to write anymore. That was the only time I misjudged him. So if you don't want to write anymore in the future, tell me in advance so I can be mentally prepared."

"So, how do you plan to begin?"

"I'll do the English version first. After I finish translating The Little Prince, I'll send it to several publishers in the UK. If they don't want it, I'll publish it myself. I've already prepared for the worst."

"You'll pay for it yourself?"

"I've been doing this for 23 years, saved up some money, and have some connections in London." Allen said this in a relaxed tone, but he meant it. He had really thought about this plan. If no publisher was willing to take it on, he would pay for the English version himself. Of course, Allen did not believe that the publishers in London were all short-sighted fools.

"Okay, but I need time to think about it."

"Of course, you should consider it. I think we can meet and talk. I've already booked my plane ticket for next week."

There was a noticeable pause on the other end of the phone; Lin Shubai probably hadn't expected this person to fly over directly.

"Are you flying over?"

"Yes, I want to talk to you in person. You can bring your editor or your parents. I'm serious about this. I'm not just talking about it on the phone. I've bought a plane ticket, and I'll be sitting in front of you."

As Allen said this, he was also thinking: When was the last time he flew this far to meet an author? Five years ago, he flew to Edinburgh and sat in the man's small apartment for three hours, listening to him talk about his next book, which later sold 330,000 copies. He believed that this time would not disappoint him either.

"Aren't you afraid of making a wasted trip?"

Allen thought about the problem. There was a possibility that he would make a wasted trip, but he didn't care. The process itself was the result of some things. He had read those books, made that phone call, and bought a plane ticket. These things were already done, regardless of whether a contract was signed in the end. He felt that Lin Shubai would agree.

"Don't worry. If you don't want to cooperate after we meet, all I'll lose is a plane ticket. If you are willing to cooperate after we meet, I'll gain readers all over the world. No matter how you look at it, it's a win-win situation."

"Okay, let's talk when we meet."

"Okay, I'll contact you again when I get to Shanghai."

"Thank you for calling, Mr. Carter."

Call me Allen.