Face The Music

FACE THE MUSIC 1st 3 chapters

Click on the link above to read the first three chapters of Face The Music: An Elvis Novel.

 

 ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Could Elvis’s tragic end have been avoided? Long-time fans have often asked that question. Elvis may have grown accustom to life in the fast lane, but it’s hard to believe he ever lost track of his humble roots. How else do we explain his never-ending charity? Gifts of exotic cars and jewelry to total strangers. Footing hospital bills for a friend of a friend in need.

On the business end, he was a stickler for following rules. He had the IRS do his taxes to make sure he didn’t take questionable deductions. He reported to the Army when drafted and served his tour of duty as a regular solider when he could easily have spent it entertaining the troops. He remained loyal to people he shouldn’t have for the sake of loyalty. The list goes on and on.

While Elvis might have played the role of a lavish rock ‘n roll idol for more than half his life, his off-stage behavior suggests that at heart he remained the same poor country boy who allowed his mama to walk him to school because he knew it made her feel better.

The few people close to Elvis who tried to make a difference were, unfortunately, far outnumbered by those who viewed him as their golden goose. But what if it hadn’t played out that way? What if those wanting to help had won out? What if someone had become important enough in Elvis’s life that he’d had to choose between them and the self destructive lifestyle surrounding him?

That’s the premise for Face the Music: An Elvis Novel.

It never happened, but it could have.

In addition to the romance angle, Face the Music tackles numerous mainstream issues including family relationships, religion, jealousy, friendship, and obsession. Ladies will undoubtedly want to put themselves in Rachel’s shoes as Elvis’s (aka Casey) romantic interest, but there are enough layers in this story that it will appeal to fans of both genders. If you are or ever have been an Elvis fan, you will like this book, guaranteed.

Disclaimer: Given this novel’s target audience, there will be a natural tendency for fans to make connections between real life people and the characters in this story. While they may be some similarities, it must be noted that no characters aside from Casey are based on any real person, alive or dead. Face the Music is simply one fan’s “what if” scenario.

Main Characters:



CASEY McCARD:  Casey has it all: fame, money, adulation. But he also has his share of problems, including a self-serving entourage, an overbearing manager, and an addiction to prescription drugs.








RACHEL SHELTON:  Rachel realizes her childhood fantasy when Casey falls for her, but life behind the scenes with him proves to be quite a challenge for this small town girl from Minnesota.








DUKE:  Duke’s loyalty to Casey as a bodyguard and friend knows no bounds, thanks to a dark childhood secret that, if exposed, could result in a murder investigation.








BIG JOHN:  As Casey’s longtime manager, Big John claims credit for Casey’s rise to fame and his continued success, and sees no reason to makes changes to a formula that has worked for decades.








BLAKE McCARD:  Blake’s motto is, no harm no foul. He sees nothing wrong with using the fact that he’s Casey’s cousin to maintain employment, impress the ladies, and pick up extra income via numerous unscrupulous methods.








JOANNA:  Like many of Casey’s fans, Joanna is convinced Casey can do no wrong and she is willing to do whatever it takes to get him to notice her. And she means what ever.








GRAMMA BEALE:  Gramma’s strict religious beliefs leave no room in her heart for her beloved granddaughter unless Rachel agrees to break off her relationship with Casey.






 

The Story:

When small town aspiring artist Rachel Shelton reaches out to her longtime hero, singer Casey McCard, with a personal drawing of Casey that shows him as she imagined him to be in his pre-fame days, she hopes he will understand and appreciate her gesture as one that reaches beyond his fame and fortune. Rachel hardly dares hope to meet Casey, let alone talk and exchange artists’ views.

Casey responds like the homespun boy with a musical gift that she (and the world) has grown to love, but it doesn’t take Rachel long to realize that Casey, surrounded by sycophants, has fully embraced his lavish lifestyle and harbors few regrets. She sees the beloved entertainer as balanced on a cliff, struggling between the man he is and the one he’s expected to be. As Rachel herself struggles to find a balance between the Casey she thought she knew and the real one, she discovers how easy it is to lose track of one’s own roots, for she is engaged in a similar process that threatens to destroy her relationship with her beloved grandparents, who strongly disapprove of her relationship with Casey.

Do only the talented and super wealthy tread a path to self-destruction, or is anyone susceptible? How can Rachel get Casey to see the danger before it’s too late? And how can she help herself?