Chapter 8
Trish
“Gather ’round now,”Lina shouted at the gaggle of cowboys and writers milling near the picturesque gazebo she and Kate had draped with beautiful orange flowers. Later, Trish would have to ask what that flower was called. She could use that type of detail in her story. “We’re just about ready. Want to get these in before it gets dark.”
“Isn’t this exciting?” Glenda wore a smile brighter than the sun. “I’ve never had my picture taken with a cowboy before. Can’t wait to send it to my husband!” She rubbed her hands together, as if this might be the greatest little scheme ever.
Trish searched for Wade but didn’t see him anywhere. She frowned.
“Don’t worry.” Kate patted Trish’s shoulder from behind, pausing briefly on her way to the gazebo. “Wade’s on his way. He smelled worse than the barn on a hot day. I sent him in to shower.”
Trish smiled back. “I wasn’t worried.” But she was. Because a picture with Wade was just the ticket to get Henry’s blood boiling. Especially after she ignored his last text. A call earlier with Mindy confirmed her plan was the right one.
“Henry’ll go ballistic if you post a picture with that yummy cowboy! With his arm around youafteryou ignored his text?” Mindy had been practically bursting with evil laughter. Henry didn’t post much online about himself. His profile was squeaky clean and professional. But he stalked Facebook every spare second. No way he’d miss a post like that. “But Trish, why do you care what Henry thinks?”
“I don’t.” She’d almost meant it.
“Absolutely. I believe that. Now go get dolled up. I packed some of that Romantic Allure perfume of mine you always try to steal.Use it.”
In the writers’ huddle, Trish heard Marti tell Glenda, “I’m still trying to decide which platform to focus on.” That brought Trish back to the present. “It’s a tie between Twitter and Facebook. I don’t think I can keep up with both. One of them has to go.”
“Platform?” Trish repeated, the word new to her in any sort of writerly context.
“Of course! Agents find writers more appealing if they have an established social media platform.” Marti wore a big smile, as if she’d just shared a best kept secret. “You know, a following.”
“But I haven’t published anything,” Trish stammered. “Who’d follow me?”Besides Mindy.Well, at least she’d have one fan. Panic bubbled in Trish’s chest, the air suddenly hard to breathe. Was the literary agent expecting her to have a platform? What if someone already tried looking her up and couldn’t find her?
“You don’tneedto publish to start building a platform,” Glenda chimed in. “In fact, don’t wait.” She leaned down, digging through her denim satchel. “You shouldn’t anyway. Here.” She lifted a paperback to Trish. “Have a read. It talks about the platform-building thing. Social media was a foreign concept when I first started publishing. But ifIcan figure it out, I know you can.”
“Oh, that’s a good one,” Marti said as she got a good look at the paperback. “I’ve read that one a couple of times. Good chapter in there about newsletters, too. Get that going right away!”
“Th-thank you,” said Trish, overwhelmed by a whole new set of tasks she never knew existed for an author.
“Of course, dear. We writers have to stick together, you know.” Glenda flashed a smile at Trish, then asked, “How’s your new story coming? Any words in today? We missed you at our morning session, but Lina said you had a horseback date. Riding with a certain cowboy.”
“I wouldn’t call it a date.”
“Why not?” Glenda jumped in, adding a wink. “You’re both single.”
The sun was sure hot this late afternoon. Trish fanned herself with the social media book. “I’m not ready to start dating again.” It was the easiest answer she could give. “Henry—”
“—is a dud,” Marti interrupted.
“I finished chapter three of my new book,” Trish said, hoping to divert the conversation away from the men in her life. “Decided my poor heroine needed to land herself in a good mud puddle, right in front of the handsome cowboy.”
“Inspired by true events?” Glenda nudged her shoulder.
“You could say that.”
While Lina directed Allen and Chet to hang some last-minute decorations around the gazebo, Trish asked Glenda, “How does it feel to have twelve published books? That has to be such an amazing feeling!”
“It’s an addiction, really. Like potato chips. You can’t have just one.”
“She’s right,” Marti agreed. But most of her attention was on the gazebo. She rocked on both feet, her eyes trailing constantly between Allen and Chet. Mostly Allen. In all reality, Marti was probably old enough to be Allen’s mother, but Trish wasn’t going to spoil her fun little crush by saying so.
“I hope I’ll be like both of you one day.” Trish repeated, “Several books published.” So much was riding on her meeting with the literary agent. And here she didn’t even have a platform! Tonight, as she’d been coached, she’d do her homework on the agent.Andstart her platform.Maybe Mindy could help?She couldn’t wait to dazzle the agent with her novel. It would be such a wonderful post to add to her wall, along with her cozy cowboy pic.
“The publishing world is changing, honey,” Glenda said. “The sky’s the limit. Write a good book. Then write another. Keep that plan on repeat and you’re set.”
