Chapter Two #3
Reese Witherspoon featured it in her book club and snagged the film rights before it had even been released.
When it finally hit bookshops, you couldn’t miss it.
Sarah Jessica Parker was seen clutching the book on the set of And Just Like That…
Taylor Swift was even photographed reading a copy on a private yacht.
The book was everywhere. Claudia was everywhere.
If people weren’t talking about her books, they were discussing her private life.
From the extravagant mansions and parties in Sydney and London, to her very public relationship with fellow novelist and literary sensation Alastair O’Callahan.
He was another local author, beloved for being a humble, relaxed guy – a humble, relaxed guy who won several literary prizes and regularly attended star-studded events at the Opera House.
For years, both Alastair and Claudia were the brightest stars in the book industry.
Until she wasn’t. While on her book tour for Summer Memory she suddenly pulled out just before a big festival event in Edinburgh.
Her relationship with Alastair O’Callahan had seemed to cease overnight.
She’d vanished and he had continued to write, refusing to mention Claudia in interviews.
But Claudia had recently reemerged, and her new book, These Days, was due for release later this week.
The literary scene was already buzzing about whether or not Claudia would tour again and speculating on why she’d disappeared from the public eye in the first place.
Which is why I was surprised to hear Tamara saying the words ‘Claudia Leighton’ and ‘interview’ to me in the same sentence.
‘Tamara, I’m honoured, but…’ I stammer.
Tamara scoffs. ‘You get this once-in-a-lifetime, career-defining opportunity and you say “but”?’
‘Oh! Oh, no,’ I rush to assure her. ‘I’d love to do the interview. It’s just that Claudia Leighton hasn’t done an interview in years. Is this the real deal? What’s changed?’
Tamara gets up from her desk and walks towards the window.
‘Sparked was just starting out in Australia when Claudia published her first book. We were the first publication to write a review for her debut, which at the time no one really cared about, frankly. But according to her publicist, Claudia has insisted that we be the ones to tell her story. As for why now? That’s still a mystery. ’
‘So, she’s back in Australia?’ I ask.
Tamara returns to her desk and takes out a stack of paperwork.
‘Yes,’ she says as she hands me the papers – the itinerary for an upcoming book tour.
‘Claudia is kicking off her book tour here in Sydney, then heading to London for their Festival of Books. Dublin is next because she has a strong readership there. She’ll finish in Edinburgh because it lines up with their Literature Fair.
And you’ll be accompanying her to soak up every tidbit of information you can.
We’ll need you to write about her day to day life as an author returning to the spotlight, readers are hungry for more Claudia.
Her publisher has already revealed that These Days is their most pre-ordered book in the last decade. This story is going to be huge.’
‘Wait – you want me to go on tour with Claudia Leighton?’
‘Yes. The idea actually came from her publisher. They’re treating this as her redemption arc after she flaked on her last tour, so they want the piece to go deep. A feature article.’ Tamara sits back in her chair.
‘Won’t Claudia be doing media stops and author talks on the tour? Surely, she’ll have other opportunities to tell her story along the way?’
‘Claudia is adamant that we have the exclusive, which I’m not going to question.
’ Tamara leans forward. ‘Look, Carlos, no one has been this close to Claudia in years. You have the opportunity to find out things about her that no other journalist will have access to. Which means’ – she pauses, looking at me intently – ‘you cannot mess this up.’
‘Of course,’ I reply, only a little offended.
‘I’m serious. If you mess this up, that’s it for you here. This can’t just be passable. It needs to be outstanding.’
I gaze out of the window at the Sydney skyline, biting my lip.
This definitely isn’t the news I was expecting when I walked into Tamara’s office, but maybe this is the universe giving me a wake-up call?
Maybe this is my redemption arc, my shot to prove that I do deserve to be here, that I do still love writing, and that second chances really are a thing?
I turn to Tamara. ‘I won’t let you down.’
‘Wonderful,’ she says, giving me another pursed-lip not-smile. ‘Have a look through the itinerary. You’ll be spending the next few weeks with Claudia and her team. Which reminds me, her publicist has invited you to the tour launch tomorrow night.’
Tomorrow night? I look through the documents in front of me. There are dates for bookshop signings, launches, a couple of big festival talks. It’s hard to believe that this jam-packed tour is for the same Claudia Leighton who’s been so reclusive these past few years.
‘I’ll be there,’ I tell Tamara, standing up shakily. ‘By the way, do you have her publicist’s contact details? I can’t see them here.’
‘They should be on the last page of the itinerary. His name is Elliot Simpson.’
My brain short-circuits.
No.
It couldn’t be.