The author of the novel 'Master of the Game' is Sidney Sheldon, a seven-letter word that fits the crossword solution. Sheldon was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter who won an Academy Award in 1949 for his work on the screenplay of 'Easter Parade'. He was also a successful television writer, having created the popular series 'I Dream of Jeannie' and 'Hart to Hart'. His novel 'Master of the Game' was published in 1982 and tells the story of a powerful South African family and their struggles with money, power, and love.