Reading: "Prologue. I" from RITUALS OF THE ANTITHETICAL (A.Glass 2023)

"With his right hand he gently holds a stylized Nineteen Seventies teapot, pouring into a small metallic cup.
Phillip holding up the small cup with his left hand, looks at Alaister with a grin.
“I would offer you some, but this is a very mild Peyote tea. And I suspect you have been drinking?”
“Very perceptive. Yes, some Tequila, I was at a local bar on West Fifty Six. Celebrating…”
Phillips chuckles, as he sips from the cup, then places it down in front of him on a small round white Howlite table top.
“Celebrating?”
“...A rejection,” Alaister replies, whilst eyeing the spherical and colored object which is perched on a stand to his left.
“Of many, I have had…” Phillip stands, looking at the book shelf behind him. “...And I have kept them in this folder, probably should have thrown them out, but some are amusing…” He reaches with his right hand taking down a dark purple folder, returning to his seat, Phillip opens the folder, allowing it to rest on his knees. From the Howlite table, he lifts up a pair of spectacles, placing them on, holding up in his right hand, a single piece of paper.
“You’ll bear with me, the words are blending into themselves somewhat…”
Alaister chuckles, as Phillips leans back in his chair.
“...Helix Publishing, One Hundred and Seventy Five Broadway, New York. Date, Nineteen Seventy Eight...Dear Mr Phillip, Thank you for your manuscript of “ALL WILL TIRE, WHEN DAYLIGHT BEGINS”. We thought that the idea of the main character waking up in an alternative reality Earth where the inhabitants are a type of vampire, was an interesting concept. However, and we are being honest, we don’t believe that this publication would sell, as vampires and science fiction don’t really mix too well and some of the hardcore sex sequences that have been written into the book, including various drug taking scenes, in our opinion, would be a little too much for an audience to bear.
We have also noted that you have sent in several of your previous manuscripts for other stories that you have written. Could you please refrain from sending your work to our offices, as our publishing house would most likely not publish any of your work.

Sincerely,

Sally Wilkins,
Chief Editor
Helix Publishing”
Phillips, places the sheet of paper back into the folder, removing his spectacles, with his left hand he closes the folder, setting down the glasses onto the table in front of him, he looks at Alaister.
“I sold nearly a Million copies of that book…” Leaning forward he lifts the metallic tea cup, sipping. “...Of course with another publisher a year later. What was the rejection?”
“A research paper, article for a science magazine. I didn't expect too much. It was a long shot…”
Phillips stands walking across to the large galley kitchen. Opening the fridge, he takes out a jug of water, pouring it into a glass, he walks back towards where Alaister is sitting, placing the glass on a the small round Obsidian table top. “...Thank you,” Alaister replies, as he lifts the glass with his left hand, drinking from the water, he places the glass back down onto its glossy Stygian base.

___

Reading:  "Prologue. I" from RITUALS OF THE ANTITHETICAL (A.Glass 2023)