Worker in a novel initially, not still here? (7)
I believe the answer is:
shebeen
'still here?' is the definition.
(alcoholic bar where there might be a still)
'worker in a novel initially not' is the wordplay.
'worker' becomes 'bee' (a worker bee).
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'a novel' becomes 'she' (novel by H Rider Haggard).
'initially' suggests taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'not' is 'n'.
'she'+'n'='shen'
'bee' put into 'shen' is 'SHEBEEN'.
(Other definitions for shebeen that I've seen before include "scene with moonshine?" , "Illicit liquor shop" , "unlicensed joint" , "unlicensed premises" , "in which spirits may be found" .)