Friday, October 26, 2012

Is the Political Novel Dead?

I've been wondering if the political novel is dead -- if, indeed, it was ever really alive. I'm pondering this as I tease out a plot for my WIP (if we can call it that), A Bright, Shiny Object, which would be one such political novel.

Not including murder-at-the-White-House-type potboilers, the political novels I can think of are few and far between. Primary Colors, Joe Klein's story inspired by Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign, is the only recent one that comes to mind. Only a few others pop into my head, all of them rather old: All the King's Men, The Ugly American, Seven Days in May (was that even a novel before it was a movie?).

This is unfortunate for someone like me, who is cursed with an interest in politics. (I say cursed because our political discourse in this country has been reduced to schoolyard taunts, while the number of outlets for this jibber-jabber has exploded, bombarding us with a lot of bilious crap.)

I suppose, on the upside, that the relative paucity of political novels -- as opposed to, say, vampire or zombie books -- might leave a little daylight on the agent/publisher landscape for someone who actually churns one out.

Your thoughts?

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Britspeak Seduces 'Gormless' Americans!

According to the BBC (consider the source!), Americans are taking to Britishisms in a big way. This is the biggest threat to our national idiom since everyone was calling stuff "fab" and "groovy" back in the '60s. The government of Perfidious Albion is probably behind this trend, either in revenge for the casting of Renee Zellwegger in Bridget Jones's Diary, or because they want the Oregon Territory back. (Never! 54° 40' or Fight!) This threat to our precious native lingo is all too visible on TV. What's with all the Brits on the airwaves all of a sudden? What, no American was available to replace Larry King instead of the ridiculously named Piers Morgan?

How do you feel about this subversion of our sacred tongue? Personally, I'm gobsmacked by it all!

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Have Title, Need Plot

I love this title for a semi-comedic political novel: A Bright Shiny Object. A Sarah Palin-like character, faux Keith Olbermann, Bill O'Reilly, usual other politicians and pundits. A lobbyist and Senator or two.

Now, someone give me a plot to make something of this.  Thanks!

Mr. Putin's War

Think of what a great world this would be if Putin had decided to solidify democracy in Russia rather than to go all mini-Mussolini on us. I...