Related To Power chronicles the tale of newly elected "freshman" Congressman Kyle Larson, his wife Haley and their two children, Jen and Jayden. They begin their new life after a tumultuous and exhausting campaign with no time to regroup. Elegant, jaw-dropping events and access to prominent individuals in Washington, D.C. at first captivates them. Along with Kyle and Haley, the reader tastes those first heady experiences as well as the accommodation to the rigors of the lifestyle that ultimately becomes unhealthy.
Kyle's initial excitement about his assignment to the International Relations Committee is short-lived as he finds himself immersed in an extremely complex scandal not of his making. Because it is classified and involves the development and proliferation of a new weapon, he cannot share with his wife what is going on. When crisis hits their personal lives, things begin to unravel. Finally, as the pressures intensify, Kyle and Haley realize how ill prepared they were for the position.
In their fight to regain their personal lives, colorful, humorous characters and "survivors" of the lifestyle light the way back. The diversity of Congress comes into full view: the scoundrels, the mentally ill, the ambitious as well as the hidden subgroup of self-sacrificing leaders. Ego-baiting influence groups complicate the landscape, creating additional layers that hinder the discovery of the facts behind the scandal.
Related To Power illuminates parts of the Washington, D.C. lifestyle that are not often talked about. It is a heartwarming story of fighting not only for worthy causes, but also for relationships that matter. Curiously, in this hyped-up world of power, it may be an awareness of our human limitations that can save us.
Within this fictional portrayal, the relational dynamics and pressures of the U.S. Congress can be experienced vicariously in a unique way. If we're honest, we should ask ourselves, "How would my own relationships survive in an environment like this?" Since our leaders cannot afford to be open about their struggles, fiction sometimes plays closer to the truth. With a "hands on" feel for the pressures, perhaps thoughts may shift from unrealistic expectations to focused solutions to our nation's problems as well as better preparation for new leaders.
