Magic Films seemed to have the largest audience, but Magic Newspapers were actually the most popular.
They were affordable and good value. A copy cost just one silver coin, so even ordinary workers could buy one if they stretched their budgets, and any number of people could read it. Along with their imitators, they brought variety to people's dull lives.
Dozens of Magic Newspapers had sprung up across Middle Earth. Prices ranged from a few copper coins for an ordinary paper to more than ten gold coins for one that delivered reports like a Magic Film. Their content ranged from the serious politics of the Empire Times to the crowd-pleasing Midnight Tavern Stories. Yet sales of the Voice of Freedom, the first newspaper on the Allen Continent, kept climbing steadily.
Evelyn deserved much of the credit.
Even when Annan asked her what she wanted, Evelyn's answer was, "I want an exclusive interview with you!"
"An interview about what?"
"Stories from the set of Five Hundred Years of Terror, and your flirtations with the Scarlet Queen and her daughter, the Crimson Princess."
"Why would you interview me about that? Nobody wants to read behind-the-scenes stories."
"What if it's 'Rose interviews Jack, who played Dracula, about flirting with Vampire women'?"
"What kind of headline is that..."
Annan found it harder and harder to fend off Evelyn's sharp tongue. He missed the freckled girl behind the counter who used to blush at the slightest thing.
As his gaze wandered, Annan spotted a copy of Rikaner Glory on the desk. Its front-page headline read: Epic Victory on the Northern Front!
"They actually stopped the Ratfolk? Don't tell me they made another secret deal with them."
"Not this time."
Annan picked up the paper. The article said the northern front had wiped out a Rat