The Speechwriter was the winner in the New Adult category of the 2018 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author J.P. Maximus.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The name of the book is, The Speechwriter. It was published October 22nd, 2017.
What’s the book’s first line?
The book opens with the following sentence: “The immortalized words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on that auspicious day: August 28, 1963, at the steps of Lincoln memorial in Washington, DC.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
This is an inspirational story about two best friends, Mark and Jerome, who are talented speechwriters on opposing teams of the university’s presidential elections. A series of mysterious murders occur on campus that catapults these elections to become the focal point of the nation’s attention.
The speechwriters are relentless in their pursuit of victory. They must ultimately decide how much they are willing to risk, and if winning is worth losing everything. Their dramatic journey promises to be a memorable one.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
There was no specific event that inspired this book. It was simply a reflection of historical events and the recognition as to how much speeches have changed the course of world history. Many of those speeches were written by someone that no one remembers.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
The most distinctive aspect about the main characters is that they are not very distinctive. They are accidental and influential protagonists who galvanize an entire city, and ultimately their nation, to hear their message. They also happen to be university students.
I don’t think the main characters wouldn’t remind anyone of someone either real or fictional. It was important for these speechwriters, as well as the other main characters, to have their own voice. Their speeches are unique, and their style and delivery are markedly different than the typical speeches that one hears.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
It’s not common for a novel to inspire us and to also have a fast-moving, exciting storyline, as these can be diametrically opposite themes. If someone is looking for a murder mystery commingled with an inspirational narrative, I think they will enjoy this book.
If they made your book into a movie, who would you like to see play the main character(s)?
In view of the fact that the main characters are predominantly university students, this story would probably work best with unknown actors who are not household names.