By: Julie Robinson
Staff Reporter
Daniel Beck, senior, dutifully works on his novel. / Photo by Laura Prehn
Daniel Beck, voted Most Likely to Succeed by the senior class, recently had a major accomplishment other than his 35on the ACT. During November’s National Write a Novel Month, he wrote a novel. The book’s title is “No One Man Should Have All That Power.” Beck titled the book after the lyrics to a Kanye West song he was listening to as he finished the book on November 25th with five days to spare before deadline. When asked what motivated him to write a novel, Beck said that he considered it a personal challenge. When he thought he wouldn’t be able to finish it, he was motivated by the fact that he had already told all of his friends about the book, and he couldn’t give up. He enjoyed writing the 50,000 word novel though writing became stressful at times. He has considered sending the book to an editor after he further edits it himself. Beck gets much of his inspiration from his three favorite authors: Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, and Orson Scott Card. Most of their works are comedy and science fiction. His book is a satirical work about a man who stumbles into an epic journey to save the world from utter destruction. The book contains a talking tree, a character based on an Oak Grove alum named Isaac Yoo, a barbarian named Fred, and an alien race. Could a reader ask for more? The hero’s name is Beck, because its author “couldn’t think of a better name…because there isn’t one.” Overall, Beck’s book is hilarious, dramatic, and ironic, and The Warrior Beat gives it two thumbs way up.
That’s my boy! lol