The Plot characters

Also known as Jake Bonner

Appears from the start

A novelist whose promising debut was followed by unsuccessful books and a long creative stall. He teaches in a low-residency writing program while fearing that his career is effectively over. His encounter with a student who possesses an extraordinary story idea gives him knowledge he cannot forget.

First appears in chapter 2

An abrasive student in Jake's writing seminar who is certain that the plot of his unfinished novel will make him famous. He dismisses normal questions of craft because he believes the underlying story is so powerful that no publisher or reader could resist it.

Appears from the start

Jake's literary agent, who has remained professionally connected to him through the decline after his early success. She recognizes the commercial force of his new manuscript and guides him through the attention, sales, and scrutiny that follow.

First appears in chapter 8

The editor who acquires Jake's new novel and helps turn it into the publishing event his earlier career never produced. She is part of the expanding professional circle that depends on the book's success and assumes that Jake created it legitimately.

First appears in chapter 13

A woman Jake meets after his new novel makes him famous. She appears uninterested in literary status, and the relationship offers him a private life beyond publicity and the secret anxiety attached to his success.

First appears in chapter 12

The screen name used by an anonymous correspondent who tells Jake that his celebrated novel rests on a stolen story. The messages are brief but informed enough to threaten both his reputation and his peace of mind.