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it,“ Shelley asked. “There’s anything there you’d like to drink.“
    “Let me take care of the bill first,“ Felicity said.
    “No, you won’t. Not after you told us so many interesting things,“ Jane said. “We’ll take care of yours.“
    “Nope,“ Felicity insisted. “My cost is tax-deductible.“
    She hailed a waiter to pick up the bill, and during the slight delay, several of the other diners came over and asked who that awful woman was. Or who Felicity was. Several who weren’t even attending the conference had heard of her and asked if her books were for sale and could they catch her later to have them signed.
    As Felicity scrawled her real name on the credit card slip and put the card back in her purse, she said to Jane and Shelley, “Who’d have thought that scene would have paid off so well?“
    They strolled through the lobby and looked over the registration booth, which was just opening up for business. They each were given a canvas bag full of goodies, including a complete booklet giving the times and rooms where each session would be held and extensive bios of the speakers; free books by writers who were attending; pens with authors’ web sites; bookmarks with lists of the author’s books; and even a tiny pink-and-white box of peppermints from one writer. Jane and Shelley studied the booklet. It was much more complete than any of the materials they had received earlier.
    “Jane!“ Shelley exclaimed, “turn to page four. It’s a picture of Mel.“
    “Good grief. He didn’t tell me he was a speaker. How sneaky,“ Jane said.
    “Who is Mel?“ Felicity asked.
    “Jane’s honey,“ Shelley said.
    “Damned good-looking man,“ Felicity said.
    Jane flipped to a page at the back and said, “Wow! There are agents and editors here that you can see and talk to privately for fifteen minutes,“ Jane said. “I had no idea. Which would be a good one, Felicity?“
    “Let’s take it up with us and look it over,“ Felicity responded.
    Felicity was frankly astonished at the suite Jane and Shelley were staying in. Shelley had to explain, with enormous modesty, that her husband had invested in the hotel and that part of the deal was having the suite be available to his family or friends when it wasn’t otherwise booked.
    Jane was impatient but tried not to show it. She wanted desperately to return to the registration booth before all the editors and agents were booked up. As they’d waited for the elevator, quite a few attendees had already lined up.
    Felicity appeared to sense her tension and the reason for it. “Let me look at that. Oh, they’re all baby editors and agents.“
    “Babies?“
    “New ones with names like Tiffany and Bambi. But that’s okay,“ Felicity said, “if they’re babies in a good agency or publishing house. There are normally only a few heads of houses or agencies at small conferences like this.“ She pulled out her green-ink book-signing pen and checked three. Two agents and one editor.
    “These are with good companies. And they’re eager to come back to work with something to show for being sent here at their employers’ expense.“
    “I don’t see Sophie Smith on this list. Isn’t she a really important editor?“ Jane asked.
    “Yes, but she leaves things like this to her underlings. Downtrodden people like that poor Corwin she drags around with her and abuses in public. You don’t want to be with her anyway.“
    “What would you both like to drink?“ Shelley asked them.
    “I’ll have a soft drink, something brown. Coke or Royal Crown if you have any,“ Felicity said. “And Jane needs to run back downstairs and make her appointments before the slots all fill.“
    “Thanks,“ Jane said. “I think we’re twins separated at birth. RC is my favorite, too.“
    “Are you prepared for these interviews?“ Felicity asked.
    “I have the whole manuscript with me, but I didn’t think anybody would want to weigh down their luggage with it.“
    “Do