Circling from columnist to novelist and back again

Okay, so I’ve been really, really busy.

And that has kept me from writing this column, one of my very favorite places to see my name in print.

Now, however, since I’ve completed a little project I call “Writing a Novel” I should have more time to devote to this space.
That is, if The Bartlett Express will have me back.

It was a bucket list thing. A whole bunch of years ago, while reading a novel, I remember saying to myself, “Heck. I could do this.”

Seriously. Those were my exact words.

Therefore, being a man of action, some two or three decades later, I got it done.

A full gamut of emotions accompany the adventure of creating people, places and things out of one’s imagination. A novelist experiences excitement, exhilaration, satisfaction and, ultimately, a profound sense of accomplishment.

Conversely, there are also frustrations, low points and lots and lots of times where I wondered if I were simply wasting a lot of time and effort.

But then I would write a chapter that, in my opinion, would border on brilliance (he says humbly), and it would renew my sense of urgency that what I was doing was, somehow, important.

At least to me.

And, apparently, to others as well. I had so many folks in my corner cheering me on it was ridiculous.

And, naturally, that kept me going.

Then, one magical afternoon, I wrote the words, “The End.”

Wow.

Euphoria. Elation. Fruition of two years of me and the keyboard, typing one letter at a time ultimately to the tune of some 82,000 words. Eighteen chapters, a Prologue and Epilogue where characters with names like Angela, Tyrone and Danny now lived and breathed. Gangs, drugs, crime and the age-old contest of good vs. evil filled the pages.

Violence here and there. Tenderness thrown in when needed. Tragedy. Love. A sprinkling of comedy.

In other words … life.

Still, there’s the inevitable question that all novelists, especially first-time novelists, ask themselves: Is it any good?
So I began posing this very question to a lot of people. And thus began six months or so of editing, rewriting, refining, trimming and rethinking. I had to throw away my massive ego and listen to people who could suggest changes objectively.

Had I really written The End? I wasn’t close to The End.

However, because of these folks, when I was actually able to write The End and it really was, my novel had increased in readability, believability and intrigue-ability (yes, spell check, I just made that word up) tenfold.

That was the day that “Driven” was actually born.

Everyone involved in the project, myself included, was very pleased with the final result. But, naturally, we were a tad prejudiced. I needed feedback from readers perusing it for the first time.

We were able to make it available on Amazon and Audible both as an ebook and audiobook. We received some reviews.

“A cracking good read!” I liked that.

“An addictive page turner.” I liked that one as well.

“A riveting must-read!” Nice. Very nice.

But this little excerpt, from a review on Audible, blew me away: “I suppose I could compare him (me!) to John Grisham. I definitely would say that fans of The Firm and The Rainmaker will enjoy this book.”

Now I do not, for one second, put my writing ability in the same class as Grisham. But that one review made all of the months and months of putting this novel together more than worthwhile.

The printed paperback, at long last, is finally ready as well. Holding the proof was surreal and almost spiritual. There will be book signings scheduled soon. There is a Facebook page: “Driven by Rick Jacobs.” Like us and look for the dates.

I have no idea where all this will lead. Who knows? Maybe one day I can give up my day job and write more novels.

And, of course, more columns here.

Until then I will keep my day job. And anxiously watch the sales numbers. And dream of one day seeing my book and my name on the New York Times Bestsellers List.

Impossible? No. It could happen. After all, I did write a novel. And that, for a long time, seemed impossible as well.

I even wrote a slogan: Driven. Buy it. Read it. Love it.

And, if you’re reading this column and you feel like you have an unwritten novel festering somewhere in your brain, I have two additional words for you:

Write it.
Rick Jacobs is a Bartlett resident and a regular columnist for The Bartlett Express. Contact him at Rick45@aol.com.