Page 7

Freddy reads the neat, hand-written ink under the photograph. ‘It’s not where you go. It’s who you meet along the way.Who’s theWizard of Ozfan?’

Kat’s head snaps up. ‘How do you know that’s a quote from theWizard of Oz?’

‘I’ve read the book.’

Kat’s gaze returns to her computer. ‘I didn’t have you down as a reader.’

‘I read at least a book a month. Sometimes more.’

‘It doesn’t count if the main characters are called Tiffy and Bingo –’

‘Is that your mother?’ Freddy taps the photo frame.

‘Wasmy mother. She died.’

‘When?’

Kat stiffens. ‘When I was seventeen.’

‘And she liked theWizard of Oz?’

‘Yes. When my dad left, friends were important to her.’

‘A lot of good messages in that book,’ says Freddy. ‘About the power of dreams.’

‘I imagine the Wizard of Oz is a good role model for you,’ Kat snaps. ‘That little man hiding behind the curtain. All style over substance.’

‘The Wizard of Oz is not style over substance,’ says Freddy. ‘He’s a marketing guru. Showing the world how powerful perception can be. If you believe in something enough, you can make it come true. But we can quibble over our literary interpretations. Tell me. What’s your favourite book?’

Kat hesitates. ‘Jayne Eyre.’

‘Romance?’ Freddy holds down a smile. ‘Who’d have thought?’

‘Can I help you with something, Freddy Stark? I’m very busy –’

‘Shouting at people on the phone?’

‘Yes.’ Kat’s lips go even tighter. ‘I was just talking to an idiot who doesn’t know a good book when it hits him in the face.’

‘And who is this idiot, exactly?’

‘Michael Salmon.’

Freddy gives a mighty roar of laughter. ‘Michael Salmon? The owner of Book Haven? Wow, you need to learn a thing or two about building relationships.’

‘I don’t need to build relationships with that man,’ says Kat. ‘He’ll never stock our books. This is just the yearly argument I have to have to cross him off our list. We have a love/hate relationship with Book Haven.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘It means we’d love them to stock our books, but they hate us.’

‘Well, that’s why I’m here,’ says Freddy. ‘To make partnerships and find the win-win.’

‘We’re better off targeting the smaller, independent booksellers,’ Kat insists. ‘Basement shops that smell a little damp. They’re our people. Anyway, you can’t win-win with Michael. That man plays it so safe with his book purchases, it’s amazing he doesn’t sell books from a nuclear bunker.’

‘He must be doing something right,’ says Freddy. ‘He owns the biggest bookstore chain in Europe.’

‘He’s a moron,’ says Kat. ‘He won’t take our lead title because he says it’s too long.’