In this week's edition of Endnotes, we take a look at Jon Hickey's Big Chief, which revolves around a tribal power struggle and a young political fixer’s reckoning with his identity. In its review, PW calls it "a fresh take on the political novel."
Here's how the book came together:
Jon Hickey
“For a long time, I was trying to hit all the big themes. But in getting the book ready for submission, I started to see how important it was to not just throw out a bunch of themes and thought exercises. I wasn’t writing a textbook. I had to tell a story about characters in crisis—spiritual, political, personal—to make the themes into something real and urgent.”
Michelle Brower
“I met Jon while he was playing guitar for a small crowd after hours at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. The guy could jam! We sent the novel out just before AWP. Tim O’Connell called me the next day to tell me he loved it. We juggled talking to Tim and closing the deal while dealing with the craziness of AWP.”
Tim O’Connell
“I read Big Chief in one sitting. I knew immediately that I had to publish it and preempted it the next day. Every book is different, but the way they are the same is they must become the best versions of themselves. That is the editor’s job. I provided what I hoped was the closest possible read, and Jon and I would discuss that read.”
David Litman
“My mood board was half traditional tribal art, half casino signage and neon lights. The process involved bringing these elements together in a way that felt modern but with a handmade quality. The design reflects the tension between the old and the new. The clash between the traditions of the reservation and their politics.”
