As for me, my motivation in writing the rockstar romance Starfish is rooted in personal experience, going back to 2001 when I was an enthusiastic public relations professional. I represented major video game developer that was set to launch a new skateboarding title. In that campaign, I was assigned to oversee an event with MTV, a slew of professional athletes, and one hot contemporary rock band.
I wish I could say I lived the Starfish story – that a handsome and talented rockstar saw me from across a crowded VIP tent and the rest was the stuff of romantic fairy tales. The reality is that I was completely ignored, pretty much invisible to the famous celebrities in that realm.
However, when brainstorming ideas for my next book (many of which are inspired by my real-life experiences), I thought back to that event and wondered, “what if…” and that’s what I channeled into Starfish. (I should note that I’m happily married to wonderful man who works hard in a traditional job so I have the freedom to play with my imaginary fictional friends all day. Thanks, babe!)
With Starfish, instead of playing upon the perceived lifestyle of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, I wrote Brad as a reluctant musician who would rather be coding computer games than penning Grammy-nominated songs. Similarly, Marin isn’t a groupie looking to score with a star. She’s an ambitious and hard-working public relations professional assigned to go on tour with the band. Neither of them expected a once-in-a-lifetime connection that couldn’t be denied.
Set against the backdrop of a whirlwind concert tour complete with practical joking bandmates and a greedy manager, Starfish is a steamy, slow burn, friends-to-lovers romance. If that’s not your jam, don’t fret. (Gold star for those of you who get the musical pun). Just like with music, there are a lot of options to match any taste. Here’s a list of recent rock ‘n’ roll releases to check out. (Beware: spoilers below!)