Sometime in early 2001 I sent a copy of my manuscript, A
Touch of Deceit, to a top literary agency in New York City. Initially the book was rejected because the agent
had a tough time believing that the U.S. would ever get involved with a Kurdish
uprising in the Middle East. Implausible
was the word he used. Then September 11th
came and the world changed. The implausible
became very plausible.
When Donald Trump won the Republican nomination for
President, it was a shocker. No sane
person would have predicted his victory.
And now that he’s about to be the leader of the free world, everything
has changed.
Clearly there’s a divide in our country that goes deeper
than liberal and conservative. Something
that Donald Trump tapped into with 3-word catchphrases like ‘Drain the Swamp’
and ‘Build the Wall.’ Its ramifications
are being felt globally with protests and warnings from foreign leaders. The Democrats are screaming that Russia had
something to do with the outcome of our election. And they may be right.
If I were to write a novel three years ago and documented
verbatim what happened in the past election cycle, my manuscript would’ve been
soundly rejected again. Implausible. And
they would have a point. Three years ago
this scenario was unbelievable.
But here’s the good news for fiction writers. Trump has allowed us the freedom to stretch
the boundaries of credibility much farther than ever thought possible. Do you have a storyline that includes a
Muslim-American terrorist who’s spent his life building a platform to become
President, only to create havoc with our policies allowing a nuclear bomb to be
fired at a Middle-Eastern enemy? Go for
it. Do you have a plot that includes a
Presidential candidate who’s a sex addict?
Why not?
At this point the American public has seen it all and
nothing is out of bounds any longer.
Love him or hate him, Donald Trump has opened up so many storylines for
future novelists that were considered ridiculous just a few weeks ago. I can feel the creative juices flowing
already.
How about a movie star who became Governor of California,
then went on to become one of the most beloved Presidents in . . . oh wait.
Let’s start with an alien from another galaxy, far, far
away. I’m in.