PROF. MULE Proposal for
Alternate Title: The Adjunct
A novel by Darren Johnson Contact: 518-879-0965; djohnson@cccn.us
“... He said that the worst day and the best day for a man is when he realizes the whole world is corrupt — everyone is corrupt; not necessarily in an illegal way, but perhaps ethically or morally, at least. It’s an utter disappointment, finding that out, but it’s also when, for the first time, you’re truly awake, and suddenly, everything you had witnessed before is seen with new lenses. You wake up one day, and you wonder, ‘Where have I been?’ It is then that you can either hide or take it on, and go on an adventure, Craig. Because now you see clearly. And people who choose to never see what’s truly going on, they are not real. They are just passing time, in a dream. Do you understand, Craig? I say this because I know that you’ve finally had this realization, and, I don’t think you want to go back, to dreaming. So, where have you been, Craig? Have you been here — with me — all along?”
–Drug-runner Rebecca DiCarlo to ‘mule’ Craig Fortran
PROF. MULE
Synopsis: Craig L. Fortran is stuck in a desperate cycle of working as a poorly paid adjunct instructor at three New York colleges, trying to get hired by one of them full-time so that he can better help his sinking wife, Laura, who is home after having had to leave a job, under duress, with Allied Industries the year before. Craig also has a little magazine, which he distributes to area coffee houses, including one owned by an eccentric former college classmate, Scott Higgins, who reveals that he’s working on a new smart drug, Muse, and that square Craig would be the perfect person to mule it from Upstate to the City, as he teaches classes in both locations – and who would suspect someone like him? This isn’t a solo operation, as Scott already has enlisted Chuck Crusher, a former jobber wrestler who was paid to never win a match, to be the muscle for this enterprise. The trio finds that they’ve underestimated the reaction a real drug cartel, The Syndicate, would have to Muse entering their turf. Meanwhile, Craig is dealing with the academic politics of one college, while now being wooed by another. Enter mysterious Rebecca DiCarlo, the cool and sophisticated Manhattan drug runner, who shows Craig a whole new world of possibilities. This book has a surprising, fulfilling and amazing ending.
Genres: Mainstream Fiction, Crime Fiction, Literary Fiction, Academic Fiction.
PROF. MULE
The Author: Darren Johnson is a former New York Press Association “Writer of the Year,” owner of Campus News, a popular newspaper distributed to 37 colleges, and full-time instructor at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y. Like “Prof. Mule,” he has adjunct taught Upstate and Downstate.
The Old and New Tappan Zee Bridge: Like the Valley of Ashes in “The Great Gatsby,” the potholed old Tappan Zee Bridge, which Prof. Mule regularly crosses to deliver his smart drug, overlooking the soon-to-be-built Tappan Zee Bridge, represents the protagonist’s transformation.
Modern Audiences Will Get Addicted: Fans of high-end, good-guy-turned-druglord dramas like the enormously popular “Breaking Bad” will love this novel about an adjunct instructor turned drug-trafficker.
Stats: The book is nearly 70,000 words and 280 pages. This will be the first book in series.
Movie and Foreign Rights: “Prof. Mule” lends itself to filmmaking or long-form TV and has universal content and themes that will make it popular abroad. The book also uses amazing iconography, which would easily lend itself to merchandising.
PROF. MULE
Marketing: Darren Johnson has an MFA in Writing from Southampton College on Long Island, NY, and teaches college marketing full-time. He very much will be involved in the success of this book.
Print: Foremost, Johnson owns and is the main contributor to Campus News, a print newspaper that hits 37 colleges in New York with an annual circulation of 100,000 plus a robust digital presence on Apple News and Google News. Johnson would commit $11,500 worth of free display advertising for the book PLUS frequent editorial coverage. Touring: Johnson is an extrovert and a marketer who has a very flexible schedule. He’s free to do all sorts of signings and other book-related events.
Digital: Johnson has a notable social media presence with several thousand followers combined. He’s also a very popular blogger on Quora, a natural audience for this book. He’s happy to leverage his online fans for sales.
Colleges: Considering Johnson’s college affiliation and the college-related content of this book, notable publicity can be gained in this realm. Colleges have millions of booklovers and are ripe for book-related events.
PROF. MULE
Conclusion: This drug-soaked novel is already tightly edited and beautifully written – it’s ready to hit the streets. “Prof. Mule” is an incredible tale told with remarkable wisdom in a unique style. This book is the start of a riveting, and addictive, series to come – for the right publisher, “Prof. Mule” is a gamechanger – the gateway drug that will hook fans for generations to come!
“I know what you have done so far, and I know what you’re going to do. And you have to ask yourself, is this who you want to be? Is this what you want to become? Because, then, that will mean two people have died — two people in our relationship — and you’ve already won. You’ll soon have the full-time job and the prestigious summer job and your magazine is finally doing well — this is what we dreamed of, us, as a couple — two people in a relationship. You don’t have to do what you’re going to do next. It wasn’t your fault, and you’ve already succeeded, for us.”
–Laura to her husband, Craig, protagonist and ‘mule.’