The School Story: Chapters 18–20

Looking up quickly at Zoe, he said, ‘“Zee Zee Reisman, agent for THE AUTHOR’? Is this a coincidence? This is a project for a class, and you want me to look at it, right? Is that it?”

The lawyer went on, “And it could be argued that concealment of the author’s age was not an effort to commit fraud but was merely part of the same principle leading her to use a pseudonym in order to have her work taken seriously—is that a fair statement of the facts?"

“Then I think that each of you should be able to sign this contract and have it be legally binding—provided, of course, that you each have a parent sign an affidavit that says you are entering into the agreement with their full knowledge and consent.”

He winked at Zoe and said, “I think I can find someone to vouch for Zee Zee.”

Fred Nelson said, “Well, if you think it’s all right for your daughter, then I guess it should be fine for Natalie. If you send me the affidavit, I’ll sign it and get it notarized and get it back to you right away.”

Grinning across his desk at Zoe, Mr. Reisman said, “Sorry, Fred, but Zoe’s already an honorary partner right here at Crouch, Pruitt, and Reisman.”

“How much money?”
Ms. Clayton winced and said, “Well...it was five hundred dollars.”

I think you’ve caught the essence of the way daughters feel about their dads, and the way dads will do anything for their daughters.

After Natalie wrote each note and comment, Zoe copied it out again in her cramped little scrawl.

The subsidiary rights department will be sending them to the book clubs, the specialty markets, and our overseas agent.

Also, the publicity department will be sending out more than two hundred ARCs to the trade, institutional, and consumer review media.

Zoe held the other reading copy. She was proud too, but she was also indignant.

Natalie and Ms. Clayton kept talking, but Zoe was busy. She was having a brainstorm.

Absentmindedly Zoe said, “Yeah...me too, Natalie.” But Zoe’s thoughts were elsewhere.

All through the negotiations and the editing Cassandra Day and Hannah Nelson had never sat at a worktable together, never gone out to lunch, never even talked on the phone.

So it was all settled. They had an open invitation, and Zoe stopped pestering Natalie.

At three thirty on Friday, June 12, the editorial staff of Shipley Junior Books started straggling up to the sixteenth floor for the publication party.

Her mom wasn’t in her office, so Natalie just started walking her guests around the floor. Natalie had been dreading Zoe’s little field trip, but now that they’d arrived, she began to enjoy herself.

The camera saw everything so clearly. It saw the woman look at the girl, completely baffled. It saw the mother’s eyes widen, her eyebrows furrow into a question mark and then smooth to understanding.

The camera saw everything so clearly. It saw the woman look at the girl, completely baffled. It saw the mother’s eyes widen, her eyebrows furrow into a question mark and then smooth to understanding.

It was a beautiful June afternoon, but neither of them noticed the blue sky or the springtime bustle along Eighth Avenue.

Zoe Reisman received six offers to purchase the rights to use the name of her company, the Sherry Clutch Literary Agency. After consultation with her lawyer, each offer was refused.

Arthur Archer and the board of trustees sent a letter of commendation to Ms. Clayton for “embodying so well the ideals of the Deary School.”

Arthur Archer and the board of trustees sent a letter of commendation to Ms. Clayton for “embodying so well the ideals of the Deary School.”

The fall alumni newsletter of the Bank Street Graduate School of Education featured an interview with Ms. Laura Clayton.