The Journey Begins. Join Me!

I’ve begun my journey as a novelist, at the age of 71. I’ve completed my first novel, but my author coach, Mark Malatesta, fears it’s too long- almost 180,000 words. In the publishing industry, 80,000 to 90,000 words is considered the norm for a first novel. J. K. Rowling’s first two novels in the “Harry Potter” series were both well under 90,000 words. After that, the novels grew considerably in size, but by then she was an established author. I have yet to gain a toehold in my new profession.

So, I will probably seriously consider my coach’s recommendation to trim my novel- by splitting it in two! Fortunately, there appears to be a convenient point of cleavage mid-novel, which affords the opportunity for a rational division into two books. Look at the silver lining: if the first novel is successful, and demand arises for a sequel, it will have been already written!

By the way, the working title for my novel is “Everything They Ask For.” It concerns a fictional California Indian tribe, already saturated with wealth from its existing casino, which is prodded by its leader to develop a massive casino-centered development far from its existing reservation. This ambition defies current law and public will. The book examines the effects of this conceit upon the citizens of the affected town who oppose it, as well as on the tribe itself. Although the scaffolding of the novel is the convoluted process an Indian tribe must follow to gain approval for an off-reservation casino, it is an intensely personal story of courage and determination, both within the tribe and without.

The title of the novel derives from a character’s speech: “We destroyed the Indians once when we took everything they had; we’ll destroy them again when we give them everything we ask for.”