*** what had happened was this : jim nozoufist and cecilia quisby , apparently in frustration over our impotence , our ignorance , our inability to get anima published , had re-established contact with ardent publishing and j. quillmeier and had signed with him ( in apparent disregard for the contract nozoufist had with us , but we were weak as kittens afterwardswe were cowed , subjugatedand they knew it ) to bring the novel out as the sole offering from ardent in the ffall of that year .