“Welcome to Book Talk. I’m Derek Wollman, and my guests today are Charles Davis and Vera Knee.”
The camera pans to Charles and Vera. Charles looks at the lens-gravely, his eyes in a slight squint: his literary lion look. Vera-barely legal, Kabuki white skin, dark eyes, and storm clouds of black hair, wearing a halter top, a turquoise fucking halter top-giggles and waves disarmingly, jangling sixteen bracelets.
“Charles Davis hardly needs an introduction. His first book, Life and Liberty, made him an overnight literary sensation at the age of twenty-four. Universally considered the definitive novel about the Vietnam War, it has been translated into twenty-two languages and is taught in virtually every college in America. Mr. Davis has just published his sixth novel, Capitol Offense.”
Derek holds up a copy of the 437-page book.
“Set in Washington’s corridors of power, it focuses on a married senator who has an affair with an idealistic young congress-woman. Welcome to Book Talk, Charles.”
“It’s nice to be back, Derek.”
“Also joining us is one of America’s hottest young writers, Vera Knee. Vera’s first novel, Honey on the Moon, a daring and hilarious look at life among Manhattan trendsetters, is delighting critics and readers alike.”
Derek holds up Honey on the Moon, all 161 (small format) pages.
“Welcome to Book Talk, Vera.”
“Hi.”
She waves those damn jangling bracelets again.
“First of all, Charles, I want to tell you how much I enjoyed Capitol Offense. It’s really about the abuse of power, isn’t it? The senator’s manipulation of the congresswoman is almost painful to read.”
“Well, you know, Derek, power is the great aphrodisiac,” Charles says. He rather likes these TV things. He tapes them secretly and watches them in the afternoon, a guilty pleasure.
“ Life and Liberty has become a modern classic. Some critics have complained that your work since has grown increasingly commercial.”
Charles smiles. “You’d never know it from my royalty statements.”
“Have you felt a certain pressure in your subsequent works to live up to that early promise?”
Asshole. “Obviously that kind of early success is a mixed blessing. But I think each of my books stands on its own.”
“Yes, but haven’t they all been compared to Life and Liberty?”
“I thought I was here to talk about Capitol Offense.”
“I just thought you might like to enlighten Ms. Knee on the pitfalls of overnight fame.”
Charles looks at Vera Knee. She is pretty adorable.
“Sock away the dough,” he says.
“I read Life and Liberty at Bennington. It’s very powerful.” She pouts her lips at him.
“And how are you handling the success of Honey on the Moon? ” Derek, charmed, asks.
“Giddily. But it’s hardly the kind of serious work Charles Davis is known for.”
Derek leans forward, chuckling, all over this fifteen-minute flash like dirt on a dog. “Well, I must say, the literary world seems to be taking the book very seriously indeed.”
Vera smiles. They’re ignoring Charles.
“What does the literary world know, Derek? They’ve got their heads buried in books half the time.”
Derek laughs. Vera giggles. Charles manages a lip twitch that he hopes will pass for a smile.