Books: The Editor By Steven Rowley (2019)

“After years of trying to make it as a writer in 1990s New York City, James Smale finally sells his novel to an editor at a major publishing house: none other than Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Jackie--or Mrs. Onassis, as she's known in the office--has fallen in love with James's candidly autobiographical novel, one that exposes his own dysfunctional family. But when the book's forthcoming publication threatens to unravel already fragile relationships, both within his family and with his partner, James finds that he can't bring himself to finish the manuscript. Jackie and James develop an unexpected friendship, and she pushes him to write an authentic ending, encouraging him to head home to confront the truth about his relationship with his mother. Then a long-held family secret is revealed, and he realizes his editor may have had a larger plan that goes beyond the page.”

Strangely, I was looking back at my list of books from last year that I read, and was looking at my review of Steven Rowley’s debut novel, Lily and the Octopus. I had already read his third novel, The Guncle, so after finishing his first, I mentioned in my review, that I would probably read his second book, The Editor, sometime later in 2022. That was exactly a year ago. So on the heels of new hardcover, The Celebrants, I finally decided to read this book.

I liked this book much more than his first. It’s still an autobiographical novel, in many ways, and as I read, I just kind of tried to figure out how much Rowley made fiction and what could rang true. In some respect, like Rowley’s James, my relationship with my mother is always stressed. Anger and resentment about how things turned out for her four kids, how different (yet the same) we all are is always there when we talk. I’m passive in my own life, in my quest for being whole and happy. I’m angry at the world for letting me down, even though I recognizes that I’m author of all my problems. But I also know I need to be pushed, kicked forward. I’ve just not run across anyone who was willing to puut up with my bullshit. Some have tried, but eventually give up. Like I have.

Still, The Editor proved to me that Rowley had much more to give than the treacle aspects of his debut novel. As he noted back in 2019 to the San Diego Union-Tribune when asked what influenced this book: “It was inspired by my having written a deeply personal autobiographical (the after mentioned Lily and the Octopus) novel and having it debut with a bigger splash than I had ever imagined. I was motivated to explore the accompanying emotions through another story — this time highly fictional — about a young writer whose small family novel suddenly becomes a big deal and balloons out of his control. For that I needed a catalyst. Years ago, I had started another project, a play, about Jacqueline Onassis’s time in publishing — inspired by a Project Runway Jackie O. challenge — but I could never quite find the proper narrative for it. But it got me thinking, if Jacqueline Onassis was your editor, wouldn’t that suddenly make your book a big deal? And that’s when I decided to merge the two projects.”

Redemption cannot easily be handed out like Halloween candy, and I appreciate that the novel does not resolve everything. But it’s a good enough tale to enjoy, a slice of history when things were still less complicated and full of hope.