Born and raised in Delaware, I grew up like most kids in my neighborhood. I plodded my way through school, played pick-up games every night and caused trouble on the weekends. It was an endless parade of baseball, football, hockey, hiking and video games. But whenever I was by myself at the end of the day, I loved to write stories for my own amusement. I can't even tell you how early that started because my memory doesn't stretch back that far. Writing was always there.
I focused on developing my skills all throughout high school with journal writing and the school newspaper. At the same time, I was also becoming obsessed with music. I had been spoon fed Aerosmith and Queen from an early age, but everything changed when I discovered Metallica. Just like a great book, heavy metal sparked my imagination, and it quickly became a huge influence on how, what and why I write.
Penn State was my next stop. It was there where I indulged both of my loves to the fullest. Creative writing classes were a given, and my spare time was filled with guerrilla marketing for my favorite bands. I was covering shows, promoting new releases and reviewing music for online zines. All of that added up to a steady diet of free CDs and backstage passes. It was heaven. I got to hang out with dozens of my favorite musicians and spend some quality time in the trenches of the music industry. Trust me when I say I had one hell of a time.
But college couldn't last forever. I graduated in 2005 and got a real job as an advertising copywriter in the suburbs of Philadelphia. That's kept my writing chops lean while I've spent many a late night working on my first novel, Stage. It blends all of my experiences and observations together with concepts drawn from my slightly cynical worldview. I'm excited for you to read it and even more hopeful that you'll love it as much as I loved writing it.
On the more personal side, I live in Royersford, PA, with my wife Jackie. We spend our days off traveling as much as possible, taking thousands of pictures, going to concerts and cooking elaborate meals that occasionally turn out right. I've managed to build up a monstrous CD collection over the years and it's almost at the 2,000 mark. I worship Iron Maiden. I firmly believe Jaws is the greatest film ever made. And I think aged rum is proof there is a god.
The four young musicians in rock band Hybris are about to make a name for themselves.
After three long years in the trenches of Florida's underground music scene, they finally have a record deal in sight. An A&R hotshot fell in love with them upon hearing a few of their songs online, and suddenly all the sweat, blisters and soul-draining self-promotion seemed worth it. The band got a call asking them to bring their haunting mix of Clapton and post-hardcore up to Manhattan for a label showcase. It was the break of a lifetime. And now the only thing separating them from their dreams is a thousand miles of pavement.
Money is tight though. A hundred gigs a year and they rarely broke even. Between the cost of food, gas and everything else it takes to keep a band running, they made a habit of living in the red. The only way they would ever get to New York would be to pack up their aging Chevy Astro and book a tour that could lead them to the promised land.
All it took was six dots on a map. A handful of concerts to carry them to their destination. It was more than enough to keep them flush if everything went according to plan, but things never do when you're on the road. And as they work their way up the coast, it all goes to hell.
They soldier through tough circumstances at first, making the best of it for as long as they can. But when the van gets ransacked midway through the trip, they're forced to make a choice: crawl home empty-handed or charge onward at all costs.
Out of cash and desperate to make it, they set themselves on a collision course to New York. It's a decision that forces each band member to consider just how badly he wants that record deal, and what he's willing to do to get it.
Laws are broken. Friendships are tested. And so much violent momentum is built up that nothing and no one can stand in their way. Not even each other.
Título : Stage
EAN : 9781310126017
Editorial : Justin Schorah
El libro electrónico Stage está en formato ePub
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