"Mike Resnick - Frankie the Spook (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

a triumphant smile.

* * *

_The Bard and the Ghost_ was Marvin's only artistic failure,
though it sold out its first three printings prior to its official
publication date.
"Too far-fetched," said _Publisher's Weekly_.
"Suspending disbelief long enough to read _Henry IX_ was one


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thing," added _Kirkus Review_, "but when Mr. Piltch asks us to go
along with the ridiclous fancy that Sir Francis Bacon actually
wrote Shakespeare's plays..."
"Unbelievable," said the _New York Times_ in the shortest
book review on record.
Bacon was beside himself with frustration. His sole topic of
conversation was his contempt for Shakespeare, and he soon reached
the point where Marvin would have hired him a psychiatrist if he
had known any who specialized in the treatment of monomaniacal
computer simulacrons.

* * *

Then came the fateful day that Marvin, in an effort to
bolster his flagging sales, agreed to appear on a television talk
show with his only serious literary rival, Fritz Hauer, whose rise
to the top of the sales charts had been as meteoric as Marvin's
own.
He was waiting in the Mauve Room prior to walking out on
stage when a young man with thick glasses, an ill-fitting tan
suit, a blue bow tie, and white socks peeking up over his loafers
entered the room. He stared at Marvin for a moment, then took a
step closer to him.
"Marvin Piltch?" he asked hesitantly.
"Yes."
"I _thought_ I recognized the t-shirt; it's the same one you
wore on the cover of _Time_." The young man extended his hand.
"I'm Fritz Hauer."
"Pleased to meet you," said Marvin.
"Mind if I sit down?"
"Be my guest."
Hauer sat down and continued to stare at Marvin for a few
moments.
"Is something wrong?" asked Marvin.
"No. I was just curious."
"About what?"