Happy Monday, Cupcakes! I'm very excited to have author J.L. Bryan here today to celebrate the launch of the newest book in his Songs of Magic Series- Fairystruck! Both book one, Fairy Metal Thunder, and book two, Fairy Blues, are awesome reads and you have the chance to win a copy of both, below. But first let's learn more about some of the fun research that has gone into writing this music filled series...
Fairystruck (Songs of Magic, Book 3) Book Launch & Giveaway!
J.L. Bryan
Today, Aeicha was kind enough to host the book launch for Fairystruck, the third book in my Songs of Magic series (thanks, Aeicha!).
I thought it would be fun to give some background on the research that went into these books, which follow a teenage garage band who acquire enchanted instruments from the fairy world and go on to become international rock stars, as well as enemies of Queen Mab of Faerie.
I thought it would be fun to give some background on the research that went into these books, which follow a teenage garage band who acquire enchanted instruments from the fairy world and go on to become international rock stars, as well as enemies of Queen Mab of Faerie.
Part of the research has included reading lots of autobiographies of actual rock stars so that I could accurately portray the experiences involved. Here are a few of my favorites:
Life by Keith Richards. This was the first one I read and still possibly my favorite of them all. The guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of the Rolling Stones relates all aspects of his life with amazing honesty. It was fascinating to read how they started as a dirt-poor blues cover band, spending every waking second listening to American blues albums and taking the songs apart in order to learn how to play the blues. Another aspect of this story that impressed me was how his experiences as a rock musician and numerous run-ins with the law led to a kind of political enlightenment, in which he decided that political power is an illusion. Politicians in the 1960s were terrified of the huge, wild, young crowds at rock concerts, and the Rolling Stones and other major bands were carefully monitored by the Nixon administration as threats to national security, which Richards finds hilarious.
Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny by Nile Rodgers. Rodgers is most famous as a producer who seemed to touch every major act in the 1970s and 1980s, producing hit records for David Bowie, Madonna, Prince, and other huge stars. This book was very educational about the process of making songs, and hit songs in particular.
I Am Ozzy by Ozzy Osbourne. This was a really funny and wild book! Ozzy and Keith Richards had very similar childhoods, growing up in bleak, bombed-out industrial areas still wrecked from World War II.
I Slept with Joey Ramone by Mickey Leigh and Legs McNeil. Mickey Leigh tells the life story of his brother Joey Ramone from childhood to his death, a fascinating and tragic story. The book offers rich insights into the history of the Ramones and the early days of punk rock in the United States. It was interesting to read about a band that was far more influential than they were successful in the traditional sense. While the Ramones didn’t have hit records, the importance of their music to the history of continues to grow.
Currently reading: Bit of a Blur, by Alex James, the bassist for Blur. So far, I’m just at the teenager-learning-to-play phase of the book, but I’m enjoying it so far!
These are just a few of the books I’ve enjoyed along the way. Reading all of these autobiographies has gone a long way to enrich the Songs of Magic series while making their characters’ experiences as realistic as possible. It’s also pretty fun research!
Thanks for reading! And thanks again to Aeicha for hosting me today!
You are very welcome! It's been awesome having you here today :)
The Songs of Magic series on Amazon:
My Reviews:
Win Fairy Metal Thunder & Fairy Blues!
In celebration of the launch of the third book, Fairystruck, in his Songs of Magic Series, author J.L. Bryan is giving away a copy of the first two books in the series- Fairy Metal Thunder and Fairy Blues!
Giveaway will run from 3/19 - 3/24
There will be one winner.
Open Internationally:
If the winner is a US resident they will receive paperback copies
If the winner is an international resident they will receive ebook copies
Fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter
- Must be 13+ to enter
- One main entry per person
- Winner will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours
- I am NOT responsible for lost or damaged prizes in the mail
