The manuscript was sent to Gary’s publisher under a false name, Émile Ajar, with a fictitious author biography to match. It was noticed by a sharp-eyed reader; a contract was promptly issued by a subsidiary. Gros-Câlin ('Cuddles' might be an English title) was a runaway success. Outside Gary’s closest associates, nobody knew or guessed. It was a first-class con of the literary establishment – but still it was not enough. Gary was intent on creating not just an oeuvre under a new name, but a new author as well – an author to be born of his work, not the other way round.