sovbooks Chapter 167 The Classification of Mystery Writers
Chapter 167 The Classification of Mystery Writers
Chapter 167 The Classification of Mystery Writers
Although Jiang Liumei is young, her ability to serve as the editor-in-chief of the magazine department of a large publishing house at the age of twenty-something is certainly not to be underestimated.
Jiang Liumei clenched her fists, expressing her hatred for Wu Chengjingjie's act of discarding her after she had served her purpose.
But public matters are public matters, and private matters are private matters. I will never bring personal feelings into my work, and I will never let personal feelings interfere with work-related issues.
After calming myself down.
Jiang Liumei picked up the phone and dialed the private number of "great collector" Otto Penzel, who was far away in the United Kingdom.
I learned this through a phone call with Rioto Penzel's butler.
Otto Penzel happened to be in Japan at that moment attending a book auction.
Having obtained the phone number of the hotel where Otto Penzel was staying, Jiang Liumei received a prompt reply from Otto Penzel.
So, Jiang Liumei then called Tsuchiya Takao, Uyama Hideomi, and Gonda Manji.
There's a specific order to making these phone calls.
After all, Otto Penzel, Takao Tsuchiya, and Seishi Yokomizo are among the hardest to book.
It is possible to set the timelines for Otto Penzel, Takao Tsuchiya, and Seishi Yokomizo.
Then you can save a lot of communication time by simply calling Uyama Hideomi and Gonda Manji.
Although Hideomi Uyama appears to be honest, he is actually very adept at understanding human relationships.
Through Hideomi Uyama, you can quickly contact Yasunori Mikoshiba, who can then bring his daughter Kyoko Mikoshiba, who will then contact Mitsuki Kenzaki.
Therefore, by simply dialing the number of Hideomi Uyama, one can immediately contact the four members of the "New Orthodox Mystery Club"!
Next, by calling Gonda Manji, you can directly contact Kasai Kiyoshi and Tatara Katsunori. After all, Tatara Katsunori's father, Tatara En'o, is an old friend of Gonda Manji, and Kasai Kiyoshi is Gonda Manji's junior.
Once Tataka Yoshikatsu received the news, he was naturally able to contact Hirayama Yumeaki, who had won the runner-up prize in the "Unconventional Mystery Novel Competition".
Although Jiang Liumei had already left Hirayama Yumeaki's phone number, it was obviously much better to have Tataka Yoshikatsu contact Hirayama Yumeaki himself than to do so himself.
The main reason is that Hirayama Yumeaki's novel, "Just One Bite and You're Already—", is just too bizarre, which makes Jiang Liu Meili feel a slight aversion to Hirayama Yumeaki.
After arranging all of this, along with myself and Jingjie Maishiro, we can ensure that all thirteen members of the "New Orthodox Mystery Club" are present!
Jiang Liumei spent the whole morning inquiring and coordinating.
Jiang Liumei finally set the meeting of the "New Authentic Mystery Club" for 7 p.m. tonight.
However, this time the meeting venue was not the Chinese restaurant hotel chosen in the previous two meetings.
Instead, it was a sukiyaki restaurant closer to the Shinjuku Cancer Hospital where Seishi Yokomizo worked.
Kyosuke Maijo was fast asleep on the large bed in VIP Suite No. 8.
Suddenly I felt an itch on my face.
In his sleep, external factors stimulated Maijo Kyosuke's active thinking.
In my dream, a cute little cat appeared, rubbing its fluffy head against my face.
Maijo Kyosuke scratched his face, but then he heard the woman's silvery laughter.
In his dream, Maijo Kyosuke looked around but couldn't see the woman.
The strange atmosphere sent a chill down Maijo Kyosuke's spine, jolting him awake from his dream.
As soon as he opened his eyes, Maijo Kyosuke saw Jiang Liu Meili with her hair down, looking at him with almond-shaped eyes as clear as lake water.
Her face still bore the expression of someone who had just finished playing a prank, and she was holding a small brush made from the ends of her waist-length hair.
When Maishiro Kyosuke saw the small brush that Jiang Liu Meili was holding with her hair, he naturally realized that it was the item that made Maishiro Kyosuke's face feel itchy in the dream.
"Ms. Mai, you've finally woken up!"
Jiang Liumei loosened her grip on her hair, extended her other hand with the key hanging from her index finger, and said, waving it, "Teacher Wucheng, I didn't break in. I knocked before coming in."
"I knocked several times, but you didn't respond at all. I was worried that something might have happened to you in your room, so I asked Grandma Caozi to give me a spare key."
"Speaking of which, it seems like it's been a long time since I've seen Kiyone-chan. I heard from Grandma Kusako that she's praying for people at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto."
"I was originally scheduled to come back at the beginning of the month, but because Qingyin is so good at divination, she's become very popular, so I won't be back until after the 15th. But that's normal, since Qingyin is so cute, it's only natural that she's loved by everyone."
Although Jiang Liu Meili is the most beautiful woman that Mai Shiro Kyosuke has ever seen in his two lifetimes.
However, the sudden appearance of Jiang Liu Meili in his home still surprised Mai Shiro Kyosuke, so he didn't hear what Jiang Liu Meili was saying at all: "Miss Jiang Liu, so—what brings you here?"
When Jiang Liu Meili heard what Mai Cheng Jingjie said, she widened her eyes in confusion, her face practically screaming disbelief.
"Ms. Mai, are you still half asleep?"
Jiang Liu Meili waved her hand vigorously in front of Mai Shiro Kyosuke, asking with some concern, "Six hours ago, didn't you just call me and tell me to contact all the members of the 'New Orthodox Mystery Club' to hold a meeting so everyone could see your newly written short mystery novel?"
"Don't you remember?"
Upon hearing Jiang Liu's beautiful words, Mai Shiro Kyosuke finally snapped out of his slumber: "Miss Jiang Liu, what time is the last reservation? And where?"
Jiang Liumei smiled and replied, "I called Mr. Otto Penzel and found out that he happened to be in Japan attending the auction. I also contacted Professor Tsuchiya and confirmed the specific time."
"After consulting with others, we set the time for 7 p.m. and the location was the sukiyaki restaurant that Professor Takao Tsuchiya took us to last time."
"After all, you know about Professor Yokomizo Seishi's health condition, Professor Maijo."
"So after discussing it with Professor Takao Tsuchiya, we decided to hold this 'New Orthodox Mystery Club' meeting at that sukiyaki restaurant."
"Firstly, it's convenient for Yokomizo Seishi-sensei, and secondly, it allows me to benefit from the good fortune of Edogawa Ranpo-sensei and other mystery writers."
.
Kyosuke Maijo was satisfied with Eri's arrangements, but when he raised his wrist, a look of confusion appeared on his face: "The 'New Orthodox Mystery Club' meeting is scheduled for 7 PM today, right?"
Jiang Liumei smiled and nodded: "That's right."
Maishiro Kyosuke pointed to his watch in surprise and asked, "But it's only three o'clock now? There are still four hours left!"
Upon hearing Maishiro Kyosuke's words, Jiang Liu Meili reached out and grabbed Maishiro Kyosuke's wrist, a smile appearing on her face: "Makishiro-sensei, I've already asked Grandma Kusako, and you haven't gone out at all since February 3rd."
"You've been cooped up in the house for five whole days. Don't you want to go out for a walk?"
When Maishiro Kyosuke saw Jiang Liu Meili grabbing his wrist, he shook his head seriously: "I don't want to."
Jiang Liumei pointed to the suit lying in the room and continued, "Mr. Wucheng, ever since the last book signing, you've been wearing the same suit every time you go out. Don't you find it boring?"
"Don't you want to appear before everyone at the New Orthodox Mystery Club meeting with a new look?"
"You know, Ms. Wucheng, you're already a well-known author with millions of copies sold," no longer a newly debuted writer.
"How can you not dress up nicely?"
Maijo Kyosuke shook his head again: "Isn't it enough to have something to wear? Does what you wear have anything to do with your rank?"
Jiang Liu Meili gritted her teeth in anger upon hearing Mai Cheng Jingjie's words, and lowered her head in silence.
After a long while, she slowly raised her head, a pitiful expression on her face: "Ms. Mai, you finally have some time, and I'm also taking a break, so please come shopping with me~"
"And while you're at it, get yourself a nice outfit too!"
"While what you wear has nothing to do with rank, you are, after all, a well-known author. You can't possibly wear the same outfit to every event or meeting, can you?"
"Fine, I'll pay for everything today, Mr. Dance City, just this once!"
Seeing Jiang Liu Meili's almond-shaped eyes, as clear as a lake, revealing a pleading and coquettish look, Mai Shiro Kyosuke simply couldn't refuse Jiang Liu Meili's invitation.
For official reasons, Jiang Liumei has greatly helped his career; for personal reasons, Wu Chengjingjie does have a good impression of Jiang Liumei.
If Maijo Kyosuke were to reject Eri Ryumi right now, even if he were asleep, he would slap himself twice in his dreams and curse himself as a heartless man.
"Then—Miss Jiang Liu, please wait here for me."
"Shall I take a shower, then go shopping with you?"
I don't know if all women are good actresses, or if all beautiful women are good at deceiving people.
Hearing that Maijo Kyosuke had agreed to accompany her shopping.
Jiang Liumei's aggrieved expression, which was on the verge of tears, immediately turned into visible happiness.
She didn't hide her little thoughts at all—
After showering, Maishiro Kyosuke dried his hair while turning the knob on the safe in the room. "Well, that's great. I never expected that the VIP suite at the 'Longevity Bath' would have a safe like this."
"From now on, we won't need to hide the manuscripts in any weird places anymore —"
Maishiro Kyosuke took out the completed manuscript and handed it to Jiang Liu Meili: "Miss Jiang Liu, this is my newly written manuscript. Please keep it safe for me so we don't have to come back for it after we finish shopping."
Jiang Liu Meili took the manuscript, and looking at the cover which read "To My Beloved Kou-kun," a look of sudden realization appeared on her face: "Dear Ace-kun?"
"Judging from this title, Mr. Maicheng, are you writing about romance again this time?"
Maijo Kyosuke stood in front of the mirror, put on his "battle-hardened" suit, straightened his shirt collar, and paused for a moment when he heard Jiang Liumei's question.
Seeing that Maishiro Kyosuke remained silent, Jiang Liu Meili tilted her head and asked, "What? Isn't 'Dear Ace-kun' a romance novel?"
Looking through the mirror, Maijo Kyosuke saw Jiang Liu Meili staring at him with a hint of helplessness on her face: "It's 'Dear S-kun.' If you ask me if it's a romance novel? I guess so—"
Perhaps due to the angle of the mirror, Jiang Liumei couldn't see Mai Shiro Kyosuke's helpless expression, leading her to mistakenly believe that "Dear S-kun" was a "romance-themed mystery novel".
So the rest of the conversation was led astray by Jiang Liumei: "I remember you said on the phone, Mr. Maicheng, that the inspiration for this time came from the manuscript of 'Two Bottles of Seasoning' that President Noma gave you."
"What if we add a romance theme—"
"Could it be because he loves the other person too much—"
"So, it's a story about someone who can't control their mind and wants to devour the other person, to become one with them, or something like that?"
"If that's really the case, 'Dear S-kun' will probably cause a huge controversy in the market, just like 'A Bellflower,' since Suzue-san's love is already twisted enough."
"If the plot of 'Dear S-kun' is as I guessed, with its extremely twisted love, then 'Dear S-kun' might generate a hundred times more discussion than 'A Bellflower'!"
Maishiro Kyosuke didn't know how to answer Jiang Liu Meili's question, so he could only spread his hands and shrug: "Ms. Jiang Liu, do you want me to reveal everything to you?"
Upon hearing Maishiro Kyosuke's words, Jiang Liu Meili hurriedly shook her head in protest: "Anyway, once 'New Orthodox Mystery Club' starts, everyone will watch it together."
"If I look at it first, I'll just be sitting there doing nothing."
Jiang Liumei suppressed her intense curiosity and put the manuscript of "Dear Mr. S" into her bag.
Then, looking at Kyosuke Maishiro, she asked, "So—Mr. Maishiro, are you ready?"
Maishiro Kyosuke casually tossed his hair with his hand, then smiled and extended his hand to Jiang Liu Meili: "Shall we go? Miss Jiang Liu, I'm all ready."
Jiang Liu Meili saw Mai Cheng Jingjie's outstretched hand, smiled sweetly, and reached out to shake it.
The red BMW M1 traveled from Taito Ward through Bunkyo Ward and Shinjuku Ward, finally arriving at Shibuya Ward in Tokyo.
In high spirits, Jiang Liu Meili adopted a "battle stance," dragging Mai Cheng Jingjie through various shopping mall clothing stores. The beautiful clothes were incredibly alluring to women.
Although Jiang Liu Meili said at the time that she was going shopping to get Maijo Jingjie a new outfit.
But three hours later, Maijo Kyosuke had only bought two new outfits, and for the rest of the time, he became an accessory lingering around Eri Miri.
The most common conversations have also become...
"Ms. Mai, do you think this looks good on me?"
"You look great, you look absolutely stunning. You look good in anything."
This is a fixed phrase.
Fortunately, the high-end shopping malls in Shibuya offer a service where customers can have their clothes packed and delivered to their door.
Therefore, Maijo Kyosuke was not turned into a bag stand.
However, the fact that he had been constantly moving between different shopping malls for three hours still made Maijo Kyosuke, who hadn't exercised in a long time, feel numbness in his legs.
"Miss Jiang Liu—don't your feet hurt after walking so far?"
Jiang Liu Meili was eagerly planning to head to the next clothing store when she turned around and saw Mai Cheng Jingjie leaning against the mall railing with a pained expression.
Seeing this situation, Jiang Liumei still had the urge to continue shopping, but she naturally understood the principle of exhausting resources.
In order to ensure that Maijo Kyosuke would agree to his invitation again next time.
Jiang Liu Meili walked over to Maishiro Kyosuke's side, took his arm, and said with a smile, "Let's stop here for today. Come on, Mr. Maishiro, let me treat you to the best coffee in Tokyo and give you a good rest."
Inside a famous coffee shop in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo.
Kyosuke Maijo took a big gulp of his iced coffee.
The lightly roasted iced coffee with its fruity acidity glided into the mouth, down the throat, and into the stomach, making Kyosuke Maijo feel alive again!
"Miss Jiang Liu, you really know how to shop!"
"If you had enough time, you could probably spend twenty-four hours here!"
Jiang Liu Meili sipped her coffee through a straw, smiled at Mai Cheng Jingjie, and then said, "It's alright so far, so far, I've been shopping for six hours straight."
Maijo Kyosuke took another big gulp of coffee, smiled and shook his head: "It seems I've dragged you down, but to be honest, I really can't hold on this time. I feel like the soles of my feet are about to split in two—"
Upon hearing Maishiro Kyosuke's words, Jiang Liu Meili quickly shook her head: "Mr. Maishiro, please don't say that."
"How could I possibly feel that Ms. Mai is holding me back?"
"You know, Ms. Maishiro, you're a well-known author! Although you haven't quite reached the level of a bestselling author, you're still a famous writer in the Japanese mystery literature world!"
"So, I'm really happy to be able to go shopping with Ms. Mai!"
Upon hearing Jiang Liu Meili's words, Mai Shiro Kyosuke's face showed a hint of doubt: "Ms. Jiang Liu, there's something I've always been wondering about, and I'd like to ask you about it."
Jiang Liumei sipped her coffee and asked curiously, "Teacher Wucheng, you said you would tell me everything you know."
Maishiro Kyosuke downed his coffee in one gulp, then asked the waiter for another one. He then looked at Jiang Liu Meili and asked, "Ms. Jiang Liu, as you know, although I have read many overseas and domestic mystery novels and have a good understanding of mystery novels..."
"But he knows nothing about things in the industry."
"When I heard you talk about 'new writers,' 'well-known writers,' and 'bestselling authors,' I thought they were just titles or appellations."
"But after reading newspapers and magazines recently, I realized that those are not just titles or ranks, but also a kind of level for writers in the industry."
"I'm not very familiar with this hierarchical system. Miss Jiang Liu, could you explain it to me?"
Upon hearing Maishiro Kyosuke's words, Jiang Liu Meili understood what he meant. She then took out her notebook and began writing and drawing in it while providing detailed answers to Maishiro Kyosuke's questions.
"Mr. Wucheng, you're right. The terms we use to describe 'new author,' 'well-known author,' and 'bestselling author' aren't just titles; they also represent the industry's rating of an author."
"Mr. Wucheng, you should also know that this 'industry' refers to the publishing industry, specifically the way publishers rate authors."
"Since it's a publisher's rating system, the rating criteria are very one-sided. Within this system, the quality of the work is not important; only the sales volume matters!"
"The entire rating system is divided into eight levels based on the author's sales."
"The first level is the well-known writer."
Jiang Liu Meili looked at Maishiro Kyosuke, paused for a moment, and said with a smile, "Mr. Maishiro, don't think he's not impressive just because 'famous author' is listed at the bottom."
"Because this rating system was originally established jointly by major publishing houses."
"So everything has to start with 'new writers'."
After becoming a new author, the most important thing is to accumulate sales and strive to become a well-known author!
"The way to accumulate sales is also very simple. There are people like you, Mr. Wucheng, who sold millions of copies with just two books and became a 'well-known author' directly."
"There are also those who, due to insufficient ability, write ten books in a row, each of which only sells 100,000 copies, and end up piling them up in the end."
"In short, the requirement for a 'well-known author' is that the author's total sales exceed one million, but the number of books cannot exceed ten, to avoid the level of 'someone writing hundreds of books to smear well-known authors.'"
Upon hearing Jiang Liu Meili's words, Maishiro Kyosuke nodded: "What about bestselling authors?"
Jiang Liumei took a sip of coffee and continued, "The next level after 'famous author' is 'bestselling author,' requiring at least one book to have sold a million copies, and total sales of their works to no less than five million."
"A prime example is Etsuko Niki, the author of 'Only Cats Know.' While, in theory, Etsuko Niki's influence is immense, she should be considered a 'master of mystery'!"
"But because Ms. Niki Etsuko was ill, her output was too low, so she could only stay in this position in the end."
Jiang Liumei continued writing on the paper: "The next level up from 'bestselling author' is 'established author'."
""
"In addition to requiring a single book to sell three million copies and total sales of no less than ten million copies, it must also win a Japanese literary award."
"Of course, there are no particularly strict requirements for this award. As long as it is a public award with more than one hundred participants, and it is not an unofficial award, it is acceptable."
After Jiang Liumei finished speaking, she took a sip of coffee and continued, "Becoming a 'powerful author' is the pinnacle for most writers. After all, achieving three million copies sold for a single book, total sales of at least ten million, and winning an award are all incredibly difficult feats for many authors!"
"Therefore, being a talented writer, also known as a first-rate writer, is the ultimate dream for many struggling writers."
"For example, the author Tsumabuki Awasaka, who debuted in 1975 and won the Japan Mystery Association Award in 1977 with 'Out of Control Toys,' and was even nominated for the Naoki Prize, is a true 'powerful writer.'"
"But even within the same level, there are other cases, such as the hard-boiled mystery king who competed against you, Mr. Maishiro," said Toshiyuki Nishimura, who is also considered a "powerful writer."
"The main reason is not that Nishimura Juko's sales were poor; on the contrary, his sales were very good, even better than some mystery masters. Unfortunately, various awards didn't favor him, so he could only be relegated to the 'talented author' level."
Jiang Liumei paused for a moment, then continued writing below "Achievement Writer": "Next is the 'Master of Mystery' level."
"The requirements for being a 'master of mystery' are having two books with sales of over three million copies each, and total sales of over twenty million copies."
"At the same time, you must win a well-known award, such as the Edogawa Ranpo Award, the Mystery Writers of Japan Award, the Naoki Prize, the Akutagawa Prize, the Tanizaki Jun'ichirō Award, the Yoshikawa Eiji Award, and the Izumi Kyoka Award."
Jiang Liu Meili put down her pen, looked up at Mai Shiro Kyosuke, and smiled, "Mr. Mai Shiro, actually, 'Master of Mystery' is a universally recognized top-tier writer."
"Most writers who reach this level have won numerous awards, but lack sales figures. For example, Seiichi Morimura, although ranked among the 'masters of mystery fiction'."
"But he had already won the Edogawa Rampo Award in 1969 for 'The Blind Spot in the High-Rise,' and in 1973 he won the Japan Mystery Association Award for 'The Structure of Corrosion.'"
"Once we reach the required total sales volume, we'll definitely become the 'Master of Deduction'!"
"The same goes for Ms. Shizuko Natsuki and Ms. Tsutomu Mizukami; they have enough awards, but not enough total sales."
""
After Jiang Liumei finished speaking, she drew a cartoon version of an old man with glasses in her notebook, pointed at the old man, and smiled at Maijo Kyosuke, saying, "And the next 'master of deduction' is the level of Professor Tsuchiya Takao."
"The requirements are five million copies sold for a single book, thirty million copies sold in total, and winning two major awards, including the Edogawa Ranpo Award, the Mystery Writers of Japan Award, the Naoki Prize, the Akutagawa Prize, the Tanizaki Jun'ichirō Award, the Yoshikawa Eiji Award, and the Izumi Kyoka Award."
Above the "Master of Deduction" level is the "Grandmaster of Deduction" level. Reaching this level requires having two books with five million copies sold, totaling forty million copies sold, and winning the Naoki Prize (35th Prize). Chen Shunchen is an author at this level!
Jiang Liumei looked up at Maishiro Kyosuke as she finished speaking: "Even for a genius writer, reaching this point is considered the end, or rather, becoming a master of mystery is already a great achievement that will be remembered throughout history!"
"After all, two books with sales of five million copies each, plus a total sales volume of forty million, are enough to stop many authors."
"Not to mention winning the Naoki Prize No. 35. You have to understand that the Naoki Prize has only been awarded 81 times since its inception!"
"Leaving aside award-winning authors who didn't sell their work, there are very few people who can truly become masters of mystery fiction—you could probably count them on one hand!"
Seeing that Jiang Liu Meili had stopped speaking, Mai Shiro Kyosuke continued to press, "Aren't there eight levels in total? What are the other two?"
Seeing that Maishiro Kyosuke looked serious, Jiang Liumei smiled and said, "After the 'Grandmaster of Deduction' comes the 'Great Grandmaster of Deduction' represented by Yokomizo Seishi, but there's actually not much to talk about at that level."
"Simply put, this level is a level specifically set up for teachers like Seishi Yokomizo and Seicho Matsumoto."
"In the entire history of Japanese mystery fiction, apart from the prematurely deceased Keikichi Osaka, Akimitsu Takagi, and Tetsuya Namikawa, probably no one has been able to reach the level of a grandmaster of mystery fiction."
"As for the final one, the supreme 'master of mystery fiction,' there are also no clear standards."
"The only benchmark is Edogawa Ranpo, because Edogawa Ranpo not only has the Edogawa Ranpo Award named after him."
"He himself has gained recognition from almost everyone, influenced countless writers in later generations, and also has a huge market overseas."
"Therefore, there is only one person who can be called a master of mystery fiction, and that is Edogawa Ranpo!"
After hearing Jiang Liumei's detailed explanation, Maijo Kyosuke finally understood the ranking system for writers.
I also gained a deeper understanding of the path I will take next.
Just as Maijo Kyosuke was immersed in thinking about how to break through the level of "famous author" and step into the level of "bestselling author".
But then Jiang Liumei cried out in alarm, "Teacher Wucheng, run!"
"I was so busy explaining the industry's ranking system to you that I almost forgot about the time we had set."
"If we don't leave now, we might be late!"
Before Maishiro Kyosuke could reply, Jiang Liu's beautiful, soft hand grabbed him and pulled him away from the cafe—
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