At age 50, Clifford Thomas has been writing for two decades to escape a boring job and marriage. But when Roget Press chooses one of his manuscripts to be their "discovery of the year" his life changes overnight. Cliff's book is a runaway best seller and he becomes a national celebrity. Offered a multi-book deal, he resigns his lifetime job at his father's bank and pursues his newfound career. Cliff produces another bestseller and becomes close friends with his writing idol Arthur McKenzie. But when he meets movie star Melanie Maxwell, they fall deeply in love and Cliff is sure he's found his soul mate. He endures an emotional divorce and, encouraged by McKenzie to write "his own novel," rejects Roget's demand for another quick best-seller.
What ensues is the reality of art versus big business. Cliff is made to suffer for disrupting Roget's grand plan and is left penniless and blackballed. But when Melanie leaves him, his world is shattered. He wonders how simply doing "the right thing" has left such a wake of heartache and broken lives. Cliff struggles with his loneliness and tries to capture his feelings in a new novel. Then an amazing turn of events presents him with yet another twist that will test all he has learned and believes in.