This is a story about writing a story and how much of fiction is real and how much of real might really be fiction and who exactly decides. Earth is Hell and Hank Johnson’s punishment is to be a frustrated writer in Hell for sins committed somewhere else.

The problem is that things don’t go as smoothly as they should. The writing of this novel becomes the novel and the idea for the novel also becomes the novel, and the most obvious question is: Is there anyone in charge? And the answer is: Well, yes. The Erebians are in charge.