Page 104 - Just Deserts

Stiff Competition

“And now for our final segment of ‘Video Magazine,’ we have a
follow-up to the ‘Stiff Competition’ affair. You may recall that last
month WROT brought you a strange story of life imitating art. Now,
with some important new developments, here is our on-the-scene
reporter, Polly Glotz.”
The television picture switched to a bustling Manhattan street and
a rigidly-coiffed young woman in a bright green blazer.
“Thank you, Dick. And strange things are happening here at
LibrAries Press. Behind me you see the head office of the publishing
empire built by Andrew Cockleberry. His rise to the top of the heap
among New York’s purveyors of escape fiction was rapid and
dramatic; arriving here from Australia fifteen years ago, he parlayed a
few thousand dollars and a shrewd sense of what would appeal to
American audiences into a thriving business producing dozens of
novels each year—including all of the Gothic romances of Steele
Galant. But six weeks ago his string of hits was broken, and today his
business appears headed for the rocks. Why? Because of this.”
She held up a thick but lightweight book.
“At first it seemed like just another masterstroke of the publishing
genius. In an interview taped at the press party celebrating the
publication of ‘Stiff Competition,’ Andrew Cockleberry told the
world how his great inspiration to combine a ‘whodunit’ with a ‘who-
won-it’ would revolutionize the industry.”
Her image was briefly replaced by that of the publisher, or as
much of him as could fit in the frame.
“Now, for those of you who’ve been stuck out in the woods for
the past few months, here is what all the fuss is about.” Ms. Glotz
slowly opened the book. “‘Stiff Competition’ is a murder mystery,
not very different in plot and characters from a hundred others. Its
author, a person hiding behind the pseudonym Oliver Orpimenter,
has never been traced; many people have speculated that Andrew
Cockleberry himself wrote the book, but the publisher has denied it,
and WROT could find no evidence anywhere to support that
allegation. In any event, the author cannot be held responsible for
what happened after his or her manuscript was accepted by LibrAries
Press.”

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