//------------------------------//
// Chapter 34 
// Story: New Beginnings 
// by Hiver 
//------------------------------//

I stared at the light pink mare with the short red mane sitting on the other side of the desk. “You cannot be serious.”

“I'm perfectly serious,” Flower Press retorted. “While we are getting your book edited and have the front artwork commissioned, you should promote it by attending a number of functions. We will handle the invites for you, all you need to do is show up and talk to ponies.”

“...I write fantasy military fiction, not high class literature!”

Say what you want, that was the truth.

“Even so, even rich ponies and nobles 'do' read all kinds of books. Including your own,” she explained patiently. “And the more we get them talking about it, the better the book is going to sell.”

I flicked my ears in annoyance. This was not going the way I wanted it to.

“And if I refuse?”

She shrugged her wings. “Then you refuse and the book sells less. Your previous one sold enough that it is still likely to be profitable for us to print it, but all of us would make more bits this way.”

I felt like grinding my teeth, but she was making a very good point.

The better each book sold, the more bits I would make... and the more bits I made, the less risky this entire thing was.

Which meant I could worry a lot less about somehow running out of money and being reliant on the crown's funds again or taking a job waiting tables.

“...Very well,” I conceded.

“Excellent. There is a garden party at the castle in five day's time. I can get you an invite. It is a formal event, I assume that will not be a problem?”

...Thank you, Rarity.

“No. No problem.”

“Good. I'll have the invitation delivered to you later this week.”


XXXXXXXXXX


Day 430


Why the fuck did I let her talk me into this!? Somehow, my publisher managed to talk me into going to some sort of fancy garden party at the castle to promote my book.

I hate this kind of thing. So what if going to these fancy parties will make the book sell better?

I'd rather live on noodles.

...Noodles. Huh, I just realized I have not seen a single one since I arrived here. I miss the damn things.

Even the cheap cup ones. Come on, they have to exist somewhere! It's not like it's a particularly unique concept. What's in those things, flour and egg? Ponies eat both.

Hmm. I'll have to ask my friends if they've heard of something like it.

Man, I could really go for some Thai right now. Or Chinese. Something spicy would be nice. Most pony food isn't very spicy, at least not the way I liked it back home.

Oooh, Indian. The real stuff, not the western version. I didn't quite have the resistance to eat it, first time it almost killed me. I need plenty of bread, but damn if it's not great.


Where was I?

Oh yeah, bitching about my publisher. Just nerves I guess. I hate these fucking things. I'm not a fan of normal parties, these stiff ones are even worse.

Not only that, but I won't know anyone there.

I'm just glad I didn't need a 'Plus One'. Who the hell would I ask? Luna? Silver Leaf? Celestia? I don't know any other mares and I barely know Silver as anything other than, 'Friendly Waitress'.

Well, other than the element bearers I guess, but I have only met them once.

...The thought of letting Pinkie Pie loose onto a room full of stuffy nobles might fill me with glee, but somehow I doubt it would promote my book.

Well, at least the suit is a really nice one and it fit like a glove. Hell, it fit better than anything I ever wore back on Earth.

Then again, I have not had a custom-tailored suit before, just the off-the-rack stuff.

I really need to remember to to send Rarity a thank you note for this, I have no idea how it would go to get a nice suit made in less than a week.

The fact that the damn thing is actually comfortable to wear, something I thought was against the law when it came to formal wear, doesn't exactly hurt either.

I'm going to drop her name as often as I can get away with tonight, she clearly knows her stuff and I'll send as much business her way as I possibly can.

...And now I'm just procrastinating leaving, aren't I?

Well, fashionably late is a thing... or does that only apply to rich people? Or, is it only mares?

Fuck, I don't even know if it applied on this world.

I guess I could always be the 'eccentric author'. That would likely go over well. Maybe I should show up with some sort of strange hat on my head?

Wonder where I can get one with this short notice.

...I'm doing it again, aren't I?

Might as well get this shit over with.


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