Now that FIONA’S RULES is just a few scant days away from publication the decompression has started. My first inkling of the book was conceived back in December of 2014 at my favorite concert of the year, THE BEATLES MARATHON in Columbus Ohio. It’s an annual event. All 217 Beatles songs LIVE and in chronological order in the span twelve hours. I remember turning to my friend Theresa, pointing to Joe onstage and saying, “I’m going to write a book about that guy.” I started writing, got called away to work a couple of different elections and then got back to it almost a year later. I made a fresh start and the book that you’ll soon be reading is the result of a five-month creative orgy. Side note- My Joe didn’t end up looking like that Joe at all.
So without further ado, here’s the unofficial soundtrack of FIONA’S RULES:
1. The Beatles – Across The Universe
The book’s main character, Joe Calloway, gets called back to his hometown of Cormack NC after a long self-imposed absence. He encounters many old friends along the way. Foremost of those are the Duclair sisters, the youngest of whom, Vivienne, was a child when he left home. Joe was Viv’s hero, the older brother that she never had, and she reminds him of the musician that he once was before he was led astray by a misconception. He thought his girlfriend Qi didn’t like his music.
2. The Doors – Roadhouse Blues
Joe gets called to the stage, for karaoke of all things. He queues up the one song that he knows he can nail every time. Coincidentally, this is also my go-to karaoke song.
3. Black Sabbath – Fairies Wear Boots
Joe and Qi get invited to a local show. They encounter some familiar faces from my last book, JACKSON FALLS. Dani Darger and Dave Standifer have the audacity to do a Black Sabbath cover on a banjo and guitar. You might remember their connection to my fictional rock star, Johnny Turner.
4. Right Said Fred – Too Sexy
5. Ministry – Just One Fix
Qi Wang is the woman in Joe’s life. She’s an “internet celebrity” who dabbles as an EDM DJ. She dubs her style as electro-metal, inspired by my own favorite, DJ HEAVYGRINDER. Qi mashes up Too Sexy and and Just One Fix in to her theme song, Party With My Short Off. She also found this little ditty on her iPod Everyfuckinday Gotta say, I laughed my way through this entire chapter.
6. Alice in Chains – Brother
7. Led Zeppelin – Going To California
8. Gomez – How We Operate
Joe gets the itch and dusts off his old guitar. Inspired by Qi he gets together with Dani and Dave for an impromptu roof-top jam session.
9. Thin Lizzy – Cowboy Song
10. Johnny Cash – Hurt
Starting to get his mojo back, Joe takes the stage at an open mic. He later gets together with Viv onstage to play the Battle Of Evermore.
7. Tool – Stinkfist
Qi takes over the DJ booth at the Grotto in Cormack and gives them a taste of her jet-set metal EDM sound.
Through the entire writing process I had a steady stream of music going in the background. A few albums got extensive play, including Mogwai – THE HAWK IS HOWLING (thanks Ian Rankin), Lana Del Ray – ULTRAVIOLENCE, Ike Reilly – JUNKIE FAITHFUL, Eef Barzalay – LOSE BIG and of course, the entire Beatles catalog!!!
TB
#ArtIsLife #LifeIsArt
The Tao Of Brother T 