Jessica Topper's Blog - Posts Tagged "louder-than-love"
Free sampler of Louder Than Love!
Exclusive Excerpt of Louder Than Love!
One month until Louder Than Love releases! To celebrate, I've posted a teaser excerpt from a chapter on my site: http://jesstopper.com/louder-than-lov...
I hope you'll check it out!
xo,
Jessica
I hope you'll check it out!
xo,
Jessica
On Writing a Rock Hero
Dear Reader,
Did you know that musicians – like actors and athletes – were long frowned upon as romantic heroes in fiction? Luckily, the rules have loosened and just about anything goes…lucky for me; after marrying into the music business, and working a rock and roll day job for the last decade, music and musicians are what I know!
I call Louder than Love my ‘love, loss and love again’ story, featuring a heavy metal hero with a heart of gold. Adrian “Digger” Graves was conjured up during my morning commute to the local Montessori preschool and back.
Actually, he was more like the lone, brave hitchhiker willing to risk the ride.
We were living near Philadelphia without any family or many friends in the area. My husband was working with two different bands at the time, and was on tour a lot. I was the road widow, the patient mama shuttling responsibly in the Subaru, back and forth. I’d happily play The Wiggles and Sesame Street and Putumayo World Playground CDs to tame the preschooler each morning. Yet guilt and relief would flood me as I’d crank WYSP, Philly’s hard rock radio station, and peel out of the parking lot for those few precious hours of freedom.
Tired, overwhelmed and lonely, I’d alternate between the two seemingly disparate music genres: one that soothed and entertained my child, and the other, more primitive pulse that fed my imaginations and desires. And so Adrian, the recluse shock rocker who gets mistaken for a kiddy musician, rose from the rubble of my tired mommy brain as the perfect hero for my novel. He’s a prep-school dropout, ex-junkie guitarist who quotes Shakespeare, who can wear Armani with the same casualness as motorcycle boots and maybe he can’t remember half his antics of the crazy 80s but he remembers exactly how you take your coffee: with two sugars and a splash of skim.
Why write such a character? Because I love the idea of persona vs. essence.
In writing, there’s much emphasis placed on the two. We break our characters out of the masks they’ve so carefully molded and hidden behind and bring them to their true selves. They may think they know what they want, but until they drop their persona and embrace their essence, they won’t get what they need to be truly happy.
A musician has the option to make and break his persona every night. While on stage, he can be the friend, the lover, the fighter, the brokenhearted – whatever the audience needs him to be. But how about off-stage? Does the persona stay intact; do the walls remain up? As he flees out the backstage door past fans and media, probably. But beyond that? He may love what he does, but the road is a hard life. It’s not always what you’d imagine it to be.
We meet Adrian after he’s had his musical heyday…he’s burned a lot of bridges. What’s it going to take to bring this rock hero full-circle? I hope you’ll check out my labor of love, Louder than Love. And I hope you enjoy the ride!
Peace, love, and rock and roll,
Jessica
*This "Dear Reader" letter appeared in the Sept 2013 Berkley Jove Editors' Newsletter*
Did you know that musicians – like actors and athletes – were long frowned upon as romantic heroes in fiction? Luckily, the rules have loosened and just about anything goes…lucky for me; after marrying into the music business, and working a rock and roll day job for the last decade, music and musicians are what I know!
I call Louder than Love my ‘love, loss and love again’ story, featuring a heavy metal hero with a heart of gold. Adrian “Digger” Graves was conjured up during my morning commute to the local Montessori preschool and back.
Actually, he was more like the lone, brave hitchhiker willing to risk the ride.
We were living near Philadelphia without any family or many friends in the area. My husband was working with two different bands at the time, and was on tour a lot. I was the road widow, the patient mama shuttling responsibly in the Subaru, back and forth. I’d happily play The Wiggles and Sesame Street and Putumayo World Playground CDs to tame the preschooler each morning. Yet guilt and relief would flood me as I’d crank WYSP, Philly’s hard rock radio station, and peel out of the parking lot for those few precious hours of freedom.
Tired, overwhelmed and lonely, I’d alternate between the two seemingly disparate music genres: one that soothed and entertained my child, and the other, more primitive pulse that fed my imaginations and desires. And so Adrian, the recluse shock rocker who gets mistaken for a kiddy musician, rose from the rubble of my tired mommy brain as the perfect hero for my novel. He’s a prep-school dropout, ex-junkie guitarist who quotes Shakespeare, who can wear Armani with the same casualness as motorcycle boots and maybe he can’t remember half his antics of the crazy 80s but he remembers exactly how you take your coffee: with two sugars and a splash of skim.
Why write such a character? Because I love the idea of persona vs. essence.
In writing, there’s much emphasis placed on the two. We break our characters out of the masks they’ve so carefully molded and hidden behind and bring them to their true selves. They may think they know what they want, but until they drop their persona and embrace their essence, they won’t get what they need to be truly happy.
A musician has the option to make and break his persona every night. While on stage, he can be the friend, the lover, the fighter, the brokenhearted – whatever the audience needs him to be. But how about off-stage? Does the persona stay intact; do the walls remain up? As he flees out the backstage door past fans and media, probably. But beyond that? He may love what he does, but the road is a hard life. It’s not always what you’d imagine it to be.
We meet Adrian after he’s had his musical heyday…he’s burned a lot of bridges. What’s it going to take to bring this rock hero full-circle? I hope you’ll check out my labor of love, Louder than Love. And I hope you enjoy the ride!
Peace, love, and rock and roll,
Jessica
*This "Dear Reader" letter appeared in the Sept 2013 Berkley Jove Editors' Newsletter*
Are you ready?
Tomorrow is the day - LOUDER THAN LOVE releases!
Are you ready to meet Adrian, Kat and Abbey? They are looking forward to sharing their story with you!
Are you ready to meet Adrian, Kat and Abbey? They are looking forward to sharing their story with you!
COFFEE CHAPTER QUOTE CONTEST!
HAPPY RELEASE DAY, LOUDER THAN LOVE! In celebration of my debut, I am hosting a giveaway on jesstopper.com this week.
Chapter one opens with Katrina and her friends hanging out and chatting in their local coffee shop. What’s your favorite line from this first chapter? Let me know over at jesstopper.com for a chance to win!
(Note: You do not have to purchase the book in order to participate: the first three chapters are available for FREE download through my publisher, or you can sample the first chapter on Amazon. But I think after reading the sampler you’ll be hooked!)
The winner will receive an exclusive Louder Than Love coffee mug (pictured) and a $20 Starbucks gift card, so you can treat yourself and your BFFs to some coffee and girl-bonding time! (Please don’t steal any chocolate-covered goodies like Marissa does in the book, though.) I’m also throwing in some Louder Than Love guitar picks and pins to sweeten the deal.
This quote from Kat later in the book inspired the design of the coffee mug.
I wove the main characters’ names and other inspiring words into the heart-shaped design on the opposite side. I hope it makes you smile as you sip!
“At his feet were two Starbucks cups of coffee, which almost broke my heart. Our fourth date and the man not only brings coffee, but I knew it was exactly how I liked it, too: one sugar, two splashes of skim. Adrian was the type of guy who noticed the details.”
To enter, head on over to jesstopper.com, throw your name in the Rafflecopter and add your favorite quote in the comments of the blog post. It's easy-peasy! Bonus points for liking my Facebook page One winner will be chosen at random on Tuesday, September 24th. U.S. Residents only, please.
Good Luck!
COFFEE CHAPTER QUOTE CONTEST!
Chapter one opens with Katrina and her friends hanging out and chatting in their local coffee shop. What’s your favorite line from this first chapter? Let me know over at jesstopper.com for a chance to win!
(Note: You do not have to purchase the book in order to participate: the first three chapters are available for FREE download through my publisher, or you can sample the first chapter on Amazon. But I think after reading the sampler you’ll be hooked!)
The winner will receive an exclusive Louder Than Love coffee mug (pictured) and a $20 Starbucks gift card, so you can treat yourself and your BFFs to some coffee and girl-bonding time! (Please don’t steal any chocolate-covered goodies like Marissa does in the book, though.) I’m also throwing in some Louder Than Love guitar picks and pins to sweeten the deal.
This quote from Kat later in the book inspired the design of the coffee mug.
I wove the main characters’ names and other inspiring words into the heart-shaped design on the opposite side. I hope it makes you smile as you sip!
“At his feet were two Starbucks cups of coffee, which almost broke my heart. Our fourth date and the man not only brings coffee, but I knew it was exactly how I liked it, too: one sugar, two splashes of skim. Adrian was the type of guy who noticed the details.”
To enter, head on over to jesstopper.com, throw your name in the Rafflecopter and add your favorite quote in the comments of the blog post. It's easy-peasy! Bonus points for liking my Facebook page One winner will be chosen at random on Tuesday, September 24th. U.S. Residents only, please.
Good Luck!
FREE LOUDER THAN LOVE E-BOOK GIVEAWAY!
The sweet and sexy brains behind HEAs Are Us enjoyed Adrian and Kat's story so much that they are giving others the chance to fall in love with Louder Than Love...for free!
They are gifting Louder Than Love to FOUR (4) lovely winners! Each winner will receive an ecopy via Amazon or Barnes & Noble from HEAs Are Us, and I am throwing in some sweet rocker swag to each as well!
***B&N ebooks are U.S. only. Amazon ebooks can be gifted to anyone who can receive and read Kindle ebooks from Amazon***
Check out their post and be sure to tell us who YOUR favorite book boyfriend or rock star is - thanks!
They are gifting Louder Than Love to FOUR (4) lovely winners! Each winner will receive an ecopy via Amazon or Barnes & Noble from HEAs Are Us, and I am throwing in some sweet rocker swag to each as well!
***B&N ebooks are U.S. only. Amazon ebooks can be gifted to anyone who can receive and read Kindle ebooks from Amazon***
Check out their post and be sure to tell us who YOUR favorite book boyfriend or rock star is - thanks!
GraveTells Readers Choice Awards!
Thanks to all the readers who nominated Louder Than Love's Adrian Graves for "Most Swoon-Worthy Rock Star" in the GraveTells Readers Choice Awards!
Voting begins December 15th, and he's got some sizable competition! If you've read Louder Than Love and consider him swoon-worthy, I know he'd appreciate your vote! :)
KEEP CALM AND...
I need to follow my own advice...but I couldn't help but post on Facebook the other day about making progress on my Louder Than Love follow-up novel! Nothing is set in stone yet, but Digger and Riff are back on stage together and it feels SO right.
It inspired one reviewer to post a gorgeous write-up on her blog, including two past interviews with me and with my hero, Adrian Graves, and she's got an e-book giveaway going on for Louder Than Love as well.
If you haven't checked out the book yet, or you have and crave more info, be sure to read the HEAs Are Us blog post!
Thanks to Elizabeth Haney/HEAs Are Us for the great "Keep Calm" graphic!
Louder Than Love turns one!
A big horns up in thanks to all the Goodreads readers who have read, rated, reviewed, and raved about this rock and roll love story!
Louder Than Love
Be sure to "dig" out your favorite band T-shirt, set your rock playlist to repeat and click the pic above to visit the birthday bash being thrown by Expressions of a Hopeful Romantic! Enter to win gift cards, rock swag and e-copies of Louder Than Love!
Louder Than Love
Be sure to "dig" out your favorite band T-shirt, set your rock playlist to repeat and click the pic above to visit the birthday bash being thrown by Expressions of a Hopeful Romantic! Enter to win gift cards, rock swag and e-copies of Louder Than Love!
DREAM BIG!
In the music biz, we call a single performance a "one-off". I seriously thought that my debut novel, Louder Than Love, would be a "one-off" book, but I'm so happy that fans raised their fists, stomped their feet, waved their lighters in the air and chanted "more, more more!" Now they're getting their encore with Deeper Than Dreams!
Just a little insider info about this novella - it picks up the day after Louder Than Love ends, and follows Kat and Adrian through one magical day...and one unforgettable evening. Many of the cast of characters from Louder Than Love make appearances, along with some new friends...and foes. But the true spotlight is on Louder Than Love's most beloved couple! Kat and Adrian have been through a lot - separately and together - so I'm happy to give them more page time.
And I'm thrilled to share even more of the Love & Steel world with readers, as Softer Than Steel releases in September!
Just a little insider info about this novella - it picks up the day after Louder Than Love ends, and follows Kat and Adrian through one magical day...and one unforgettable evening. Many of the cast of characters from Louder Than Love make appearances, along with some new friends...and foes. But the true spotlight is on Louder Than Love's most beloved couple! Kat and Adrian have been through a lot - separately and together - so I'm happy to give them more page time.
And I'm thrilled to share even more of the Love & Steel world with readers, as Softer Than Steel releases in September!
