After another year of living in the great American Midwest, self-styled literary superstar-to-be Fante Bukowski engages in a final showdown between his father and his dreams, is hired to ghostwrite a teen celebrity's memoir, and attends his first local zine fest. Meanwhile, there are hidden forces working behind the scenes to push Fante Bukowski into the critical and financial success he's always longed for, despite his continued lack of talent.