Chapter Seventeen Under Pressure
Aryn
The room was packed by the time I stepped onto the stage.
I gave a wave and smile to the fans as they clapped and cheered their approval.
I had been placed third last, which considering I had only done one science fiction film, it was pretty cool.
I grinned and pointed to a group of people standing on the outside edge of the room, wearing graphic shirts that had the movie poster for the film I had been in.
It was nice it was remembered even years afterward.
This was why I wanted to change direction.
The fans were just happy people who enjoyed the film instead of people who thought it was a status boost to be in my presence.
Not to bash Hollywood action films, but my heart lay in the art of good old fashioned story telling.
I wanted to have fans who would call me out if I got some small part of lore wrong, not just drool over a body that would eventually fade out and took me too many hours in the gym to achieve.
I took my seat, accepting a hand held microphone and bottle of water from one of the handlers.
I checked to make sure it was off so that I wouldn’t accidentally hot mic something.
The majority of the other panelists were already settled, relaxed and chatting with each other while we waited for the last two panelists to be invited on stage and announced to the audience.
The next panelist was announced, a popular fantasy novelist who received a lot of applause from the audience.
I smiled and clapped my hands for him. This meant Meri would be last. I was happy for her. She was the most popular guest panelist here. Her books inspired many people, and her fans loved her.
Her name was announced and she came on stage, looking stunning in the outfit and wig. Personally, I liked the regular version of her better. She was more approachable.
She came forward, slowing down as she took in the size of the crowd. For a moment she paused until the handler gestured to the chair.
She wasn’t smiling. There was no wave, or even acknowledgement of her fans. Meri simply sat down, accepting the microphone and bottled water from the handler. She put the bottle on the floor before simply holding the microphone in her lap.
The moderator moved through introductions smoothly, giving a quick background of each member of the panel.
“Aryn Levich is an actor that you might know from some big action packed films in Hollywood, but before that he was in a small budget film The Comet Project, a science fiction rollercoaster that had us wondering exactly what was on that comet. Plus the robots were kind of cool."
We all had a smile about that.
“Aryn was kind enough to come to our event to revisit his roots for those loyal fans of the cult hit. Please welcome him," the moderator said.
I waved at the crowd again and turned on my microphone. “Thank you for having me. I’ve missed working in the science fiction industry and hope that in the future I might be able to do more sci-fi or fantasy films as those are my favorite."
This was met with approval from the crowd.
“Elowyn Ashwood is a best selling romantasy author with three books in the Ember and Ink series. She has spun a world of magic and fantasy intertwined with romance that has enthralled us all. With puzzles embedded into the lore of the books, it’s been a delight to decipher each novel. Please welcome Elowyn."
The crowd went wild, the noise floating over us, celebrating the main attraction. I smiled, proud of Meri and what she had accomplished.
She wasn’t smiling. She didn’t wave. Instead she was sitting still, holding onto the microphone so tightly that her knuckles were white.
The moderator paused, waiting for her to do something but Meri simply stared out at the audience, seemingly seeing nothing.
“She’s a little shy, everyone," the moderator joked with a laugh. “I’m going to start off with some questions that were submitted online for this event. Some of them are for specific panelists, and others will be for anyone to answer. We do have some time constraints so please make sure you keep your answers somewhat short. Let’s get to it! ”
The person beside me leaned towards me. “Wow, who knew she was such a snob?”
“She’s not," I said shortly. An uncomfortable feeling spread through me. Something was seriously wrong here.
Meri had been upset last night. I hadn’t pushed to find out what was wrong, but had instead done what I could to help her. Today she had been strained with fans being so close to her, getting photos. While I had been focused on my jealousy, she had been suffering.
Now it was like she was frozen, shut off from what was happening around her.
Why would her agent sign her up for events like this if Meri didn’t like doing them? Why hadn’t Meri said no?
“Aryn, rumor has it you’ve signed up to do another big Hollywood blockbuster action movie. Is it true, and can you give us any details?” the moderator read from his tablet.
I cleared my throat. “There is an offer but I haven’t yet accepted anything just yet. I’m at a point in my career where I can start picking and choosing what movies I go into. I also started a production company with some close friends, so I’m hoping to concentrate my time there."
“A production company?” the moderator prompted. “This is new."
“We’re a small independent company but our members have years of experience in the industry. Our goal is to bring the worlds that readers love to the screen while keeping the integrity of the stories," I replied.
The audience clapped.
“And would you star in any of the movies your production company makes?” he asked.
“First, I’m just a part of a collaboration.
The company isn’t mine, but rather a shared venture between people who are just as important as me, if not more so.
Secondly, it depends on the project and what we feel works best to make the story work.
I wouldn’t call it out of the possibility, but I expect I will be more selective of my roles and take more of a back seat to others.
My time will be split between acting and producing films," I smoothly told him.
“Can you announce what film the production company is working on next?” he asked.
“Unfortunately I can’t. I’ve been sworn to secrecy," I replied.
When the moderator turned to Meri, they hesitated. “Elowyn, your books have such a vivid world. Have you ever thought of bringing them to the big screen?”
Meri lifted her microphone with a shaking hand. “I’m not sure that’s the right approach for the books. It’s a series. Where would the movie end when there’s still so much more of the story to tell? Leaving it open ended might upset fans."
Her voice was even and controlled but she spoke the words as though they didn’t matter to her. She could have been ordering office supplies for all the emotion in it.
“Maybe a series on a streaming network?” he suggested.
“I don’t know. Maybe," Meri replied.
The moderator waited a beat, as though expecting more, then nodded and moved on without pressing it. The rhythm of the panel continued, the next question shifting toward character arcs and audience expectations.
Meri answered when prompted, each time delivering something concise and accurate, but never expanding beyond the question itself. There was no hesitation in her words, but there was also no engagement. She wasn’t missing anything. She just wasn’t offering anything extra.
I found myself watching her instead of the audience, tracking the small details that didn’t match what I had seen earlier that morning. At the table with my friends, she had been curious, laughing and smiling at our antics. Her eyes had sparkled and she had been happy.
What had changed?
I leaned slightly forward when the moderator opened a question about balancing complexity with accessibility.
“That’s actually something Elowyn does really well," I said, turning just enough in her direction to make the transition natural. “Her stories hold together because the structure underneath them is consistent, even when the world itself is complex."
It was an opening, an invitation for her to talk about her books.
She glanced at me briefly, and I sucked in a breath at the sheer desolation showing in her eyes.
I missed her answer as I wondered what had happened and why she was on stage, barely holding it together. Shouldn’t she have been excused? Was her family okay? I leaned back in my seat, occasionally glancing over at her, worried.
The moderator nodded, adjusting slightly as she guided the conversation forward. The other panelists filled the space easily, adding anecdotes, humor, and elaboration where needed. The audience responded, laughter rising and falling at the right moments.
“Elowyn, can you give us any hints as to when your next book will be released and what happens to Ember and Ink?” the moderator asked.
Meri sat still for a moment, her gaze fixed somewhere just beyond the front row.
“Elowyn?” The moderator had a nervous laugh as he prompted her to answer.
“The publishing company and I were in negotiations for the next set of books, including the release date which would have been early next year," she said.
The room quieted as everyone strained to hear her answer.
“What do you mean, were in negotiations. Has that changed?” the moderator questioned.
“I’ll be retaining the rights to my current series as my contract has concluded," she continued, her voice steady. “I haven’t signed a new agreement for future books, and any potential adaptations are on hold while I decide how I want to proceed."
If she hadn’t had everyone’s attention before, she certainly had it now. I shot a quick look at Tara who seemed just as shocked as I was.
Tara had told me the new publishing deal was in the bag, that all we had to do was convince Meri to sign over the film rights and the publishing company would accept my production company’s offer to buy the rights to make Ember and Ink into a movie.
The audience reacted in low murmurs, surprise moving through the space in uneven waves. The moderator blinked, recalibrating quickly.
“That’s a significant change," she said. “Are you planning to continue the series independently?”
“Yes," Meri said. “I’ll be moving forward with independent publishing."
The moderator recovered, shifting the conversation forward. “And does that mean changes in representation as well?”
Meri didn’t hesitate." Yes. I’ll be ending my current professional relationship with my agent."
She had just fired Tara right in front of an audience, during a live streaming onto the internet.
Tara was red faced, glaring at Meri, but Meri was ignoring her, staring out into space somewhere over the audience.
“Well this is exciting! This means more creative opportunities for you. How will fans learn about your next moves? What are your plans?” The moderator asked, fully invested in Meri’s answers.
But she didn’t speak.
“Elowyn?” the moderator prompted gently.
Meri lifted her microphone, her expression unchanged.
For a moment, nothing happened.
The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for her to continue. When she did speak, it was a whisper, her voice breaking.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore."