UPDATE: The winner is…Christine!
*~*~*

Hello Delilah!  Thank you for welcoming me back to discuss my new book, Grindstone’s Edge. The book is part of the multi-author Road to Rocktoberfest 2024 series.  My band, Grindstone, attended last year, and readers got guitarist Ed’s story.  This year?  Lead singer Axel gets his happy ending.  I love writing these books and feeling like part of a community of writers.  I especially love cover reveal day.  It’s right up there with release day for each book.  I invite readers to head on over to catch the amazing covers!

So…dedications.  Last year I found out my favorite high school teacher had cancer.  I procrastinated about writing him, always feeling I didn’t have the right words.  So, I finally found the courage to do it, and the letter arrived the week after he died, and his widow had to deal with it.  I don’t know if it brought her comfort or if it was just another burden in a long list of things we have to do when a loved one passes.  She did reach out—very generously—and thanked me for the letter.  I asked her if I could dedicate Grindstone’s Edge to him.  She graciously agreed.  And so, I have.  The book isn’t about my high school teacher exactly, but about the influence people can have in our lives and the impact their coming back into our lives might have.

Dedications are tricky things.  For some authors, the things aren’t necessary.  They thank everyone in the acknowledgments at the end of the book.  For me, from my first story, I’ve treasured dedications as a way to show my gratitude.  Sometimes, I just thank someone for being in my life, and other times, I thank them for the help they provided on a particular book.  I’ve frequently found myself thanking beta readers, proofreaders, editors, and plot whisperers.  Often, it’s the same people over and over.  That might sound like it gets boring.  To me, it never does.  I want to thank my team.  My supporters.  The people without whom there would be no book.

And so, I keep writing.  Thanking.  Being grateful.

Thanks so much for inviting me here today, Delilah.  I’d love to give out a prize!

Everyone who leaves a comment has a chance to win an ecopy of my Rocktoberfest 2023 book, Axe to Grind.  Just let me know—if you wrote a book, who might you dedicate it to?  Random will pick the winner. Good luck!

Grindstone’s Edge

Axel

Last year, my band, Grindstone, hit the stage at Rocktoberfest, our big break at last. But in the middle of that triumph, my love life crashed into disaster. I’ve been in love with Hugo Threadgold for years, but he was once my high school music teacher, so I figured he was off-limits. Then, in Black Rock, I discovered he was aware of me too, and for a moment I thought I’d get it all. I came clean about my feelings, but my heart cracked when Hugo turned and walked away. I’m not giving up, though. I’m ready to lose my straight-guy image for him, if only I can make him believe in us.

Hugo

Ten years ago, Axel and his best friend, Ed, were my most promising students. I taught them everything I could about music, and watched them struggle to become the musicians they are today. But boys become men, and last October in Nevada, Axel told me he’d developed romantic feelings for me. I was rattled. I’d never let myself look at him that way. Now that he’s put the idea in my head, I can’t get him out of my mind. The man he’s become is someone strong and talented, determined and attractive. Someone I could fall for. But isn’t it my duty to keep things professional and walk away from the man who tempts me as no one else ever has?

Grindstone’s Edge is a book in the multi-author Road to Rocktoberfest 2024 series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not read them all and see what antics our bands get into next? Hot rockstars and the men who love them, what more could you ask for. Kick back, load up your kindle and enjoy the men of Rocktoberfest!

Links:
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/Grindstones-Edge-Road-Rocktoberfest-2024-ebook/dp/B0D18BNKQK
Universal Book Link:  https://books2read.com/Grindstone

Link for Original song “A Different Life” by ZebF:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNjHvx1Ij4Q&t=7s

About Gabbi Grey

USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.

Personal links:
Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
Newsletter sign-up:  https://sendfox.com/gabbigrey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M
Audible Profile:  https://www.audible.com/author/Gabbi-Grey/B07SJVFX1M
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabbiGrey

I’m excited to share my new release, Falling for a Star in the City. It’s a standalone book that’s part of the Stars in the City interconnected series. Each book can be read on its own, but the characters all exist in the same world in New York City. Check out the blurb:

Paige thought she had it all: a job on the soap opera Charmed Lives and a boyfriend who was trying to get discovered as a singer/songwriter. Then her part on the show is reduced to reoccurring status and her family pushes her to leave her acting dreams behind to major in journalism—what they call a “real job.” Her relationship with her wannabe pop star boyfriend, Walker, ends only for her to find out he signed a recording contract right after their breakup. Then she reads online that his new album is about their relationship.

She gets an internship in the sports department at the TV station where she meets a college hockey player named Viktor who has trust issues from a past relationship. Now with Walker’s pop star dreams taking off, it leaves her questioning her own play-it-safe tendencies, her acting career aspirations, self-worth, and relationships. Everyone else seems to have it together but her.

Paige and Viktor begin to confide in each other, which soon leaves them falling for each other, but Paige worries their worlds are too different for them to work as a couple. Plus, there’s the issue of Walker trying to back together with her, but has fame changed him?

Meanwhile, Paige has a minor accident which leaves her questioning if she ever really wanted a flashy lifestyle or if it was what she felt she was supposed to want. Now she must figure out what she really needs to be happy and fulfilled in life. Can Paige find both her purpose & true love?

***Free in Kindle Unlimited ***
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Falling-Star-City-Hockey-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CVXHF8DL
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Falling-Star-City-Hockey-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CVXHF8DL
Amazon CAN: https://www.amazon.ca/Falling-Star-City-Hockey-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CVXHF8DL
Amazon Aus: https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0CVXHF8DL
Add it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208865198-falling-for-a-star-in-the-city

New review: Reviewed by Manik Chaturmutha for Readers’ Favorite

Falling for a Star in the City by Krysten Lindsay Hager follows Paige, a young woman navigating the highs and lows of her acting career and personal life in a bustling city. Paige is driven by her dreams of acting success and haunted by a recent breakup with Walker. Her journey takes an unexpected turn when she starts an internship at a TV station, initially performing menial tasks but eventually impressing the sports department. Paige faces professional and emotional challenges, encountering Viktor, a hockey player, and seeing her ex, Walker, whose music career was inspired by their split. The story captures Paige’s inner conflicts and resilience as she navigates her evolving relationships with Walker and Viktor, culminating in moments of personal growth and professional achievements. Falling for a Star in the City is rich with themes of love, career ambitions, and personal discovery.

Krysten Lindsay Hager carefully shows the ups and downs of Paige’s feelings and choices, helping readers understand her successes and failures. The writing is both engaging and straightforward and the use of humor and introspection maintains intrigue and emotional resonance. The descriptive language and relatable dialogue enhance the characters and their experiences. The setting is the vibrant backdrop of the city, and the tone is a blend of lightheartedness and emotional depth; both capture the protagonist’s optimistic yet sometimes uncertain outlook on her future. Paige is a well-rounded character. Her interactions with Walker and Viktor are key to the story, revealing different sides of her personality and helping her grow emotionally. The other characters, like her friends and coworkers, enrich the story by showing the importance of friendship and support. The title itself aptly captures the essence of the story. The word “star” hints at Paige’s acting career and her romantic interests, giving the title an intriguing double meaning. This sets the stage for the themes of love, ambition, and self-discovery that unfold. The book also gives a clear message of resilience and being true to yourself. It highlights the importance of real connections and having the courage to chase your dreams, no matter the obstacles. Falling for a Star in the City is a compelling narrative that resonates with its authentic portrayal of personal growth and relationships.

When most people think of types or subgenres of romance, they think of historical, regency, erotic, romantic comedy, inspirational romance, speculative romance, and suspense romance. This is expected as these are some of the most popular. There are others such as dark romance, steampunk romance, alien romance, and paranormal romance. But have you ever heard about rock romance?

Several years ago, I met an author who stated he wrote rock fiction. I was intrigued. While I had never heard of rock fiction, it made perfect sense. Most of my favorite romance movies have musical soundtracks. I write listening to a playlist. Many romantic evenings include music. So, why would it be farfetched to have music as a romance subgenre? But what does that look like exactly?

Over the months, as I spoke with this rock fiction author, I gained a clearer understanding of what this is. The name rock fiction sounds like a story about music. Well, it is, and it isn’t. Let me explain. Rock fiction is not necessarily about a character who is a musician or about music in general. For example, a book about Taylor Swift, probably wouldn’t be considered rock fiction if the plot was only an imagined account of her life. It would need to entail more than depicting her life and music. Rock fiction is more about the approach to storytelling and the inspiration of a story. It adapts the lyrics, concepts, and titles of a song, album, or an artist’s/band’s collection of work to a piece of fiction. The storylines, plots, and character arcs are taken directly from the music.

A close example of rock fiction would be the rock opera, Tommy, which was adapted from the music of the band The Who. The difference is that Tommy used film as a medium while rock fiction is in book, e-book, or audio form. Rock fiction goes beyond being “inspired” by music because the author incorporates much of the music in the story.

Using Taylor Swift as an example again, consider her song, “Fifteen.” I picked this song as an example because Taylor gives a clear-cut narration of a story. The song is about two fifteen-year-old girls who want to (and do) fall in love but have their hearts broken (or at least one of them does). A rock fiction story would have this as the plot and main characters. However, it would go a step further and include lyrics (maybe not quoted directly as that may tiptoe the lines of plagiarizing and sticky copyright violations) in the story. Some rock fiction stories may have obvious references or the references may be more subtle—nearly undetectable. Readers don’t need prior knowledge of the referenced musical material to understand or enjoy the story.

Additionally, rock fiction does not have to be “rock” music. It could very easily be country, rap, classical, bluegrass, jazz, hip-hop, R&B, or any other genre of music. As long as the author uses the music as a central base of the story, then it’s considered to be rock fiction. Since there are so many genres and subgenres of music, it’s practical to use “rock fiction” as a catch-all title. Otherwise, one would end up with all kinds of subgenres—metal fiction, folk fiction, alternative fiction, K-pop fiction, swing fiction, etc. The list would be endless.

Romance rock fiction is rock fiction with a romance at the heart.

And that’s it. Have you ever heard of romance rock fiction? Have you read any? What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Genevive, a blogger and contemporary sports romance author. My home is in South Louisiana. If you like snark and giggles with a touch of steamy Cajun and Creole on the side, I may have your poison in my stash of books. Drop by the bayou and have a look around. The pirogues are always waiting for new visitors.

Hello Delilah!  Thank you for inviting me to visit today!  I’m publishing a book in the multi-author, shared-world series The Road to Rocktoberfest 2023 today called Axe to Grind, and I wanted to give you a quick sneak peek.

When I heard about this series last year (R2R 2022), I was intrigued.  My friend, Kaje Harper wrote the first book in the series, and I happily read it, sinking into a band that was headed to a rock festival in Black Rock, Nevada (where The Burning Man takes place).

Then a little birdie told me Rocktoberfest was coming back for a third season, I found the courage to contact the organizer, and they informed me I grabbed the last spot.  While I was exchanging those messages, the idea for my story came to me, nearly fully formed.

This is the point where I say again that writing a book takes a village.  Kaje stepped up to volunteer to beta read for me since she was also in the 2023 season and, of course, had written in that world before.  My friend Laurel, who’s husband’s best friend is in a rock band, volunteered to read my manuscript as well.  Finally, Wendy, another amazing friend, offered to look at it as well since she had music industry experience in her background as well.

Then…I just had to write the book.  I tapped a good friend, whom I call the plot whisperer.  I’d hoped she might give me a band name.  She did: Grindstone.  Then I gave her my idea. She said “Okay, but where’s the conflict?” A question writers often dread.  At that point, she teased more from me and, eventually, with her dogged determination, we had plotted my story.  A good story.  Writing it was a challenge, but I’m always up for a challenge.  I wrote an interracial rock star romance with some neat twists. Oh, and of course my band are Canadian.  Finally, Kaje helped me find the perfect Ed and Natasha Snow made me the perfect cover.

That’s it. Nine months from conception to delivery.  I hope you grab a copy of the book and read it.  Then I hope you nab all the other books in the series.

As a thank you, I’m happy to give out a $5 Amazon Gift Card to one commentator.  Let me know – what’s your favorite trope?  I have so many faves, I can’t list them all, but forced proximity, single parent, rivals-to-lovers, and friends-to-lovers are some of my faves.  Tell me which do you love to read?  Winner chosen at random.

Thanks Delilah, for having me visit.

Axe to Grind

Ed

For ten challenging years, I’ve been the lead guitarist for the band I formed with my best friend Axel. Grindstone is on the verge of making it big. Which is why I’m livid when our manager brings in some snooping, scandal-chasing documentary producer to film our trip to Rocktoberfest. We’re about to hit the biggest stage of our career, and I’m worried this rich jerk, who has destroyed other celebrities, might uncover the secret I’ve kept hidden for years. I want to just ignore him, but as attraction sizzles, I start letting down my guard. Giving in to these urges might mean distracting him from his mission and getting him on my side. That’s the point. Right?

Thornton

I want to bring Ed and Axel down for what they did to my sister. I’ve managed to insinuate myself into their inner circle as a documentarian, and I’m this close to pay dirt. Using seduction to uncover the last of Ed’s secrets might be tacky, but what red-blooded man would turn down what the bisexual rock god is offering? But as we find stolen moments to try to slake the need, I’m having second thoughts. If I don’t avenge the wrong done to my family, I won’t be able to live with myself. The promise of sex shouldn’t be enough to stop me. But as I sink deeper into a relationship with Ed, I must decide if my need for revenge is worth destroying any hope of a future together.

Axe to Grind is a book in the multi-author Road to Rocktoberfest 2023 series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not read them all and see who hits the stage next? Hot rock stars and the men who love them, what more could you ask for? Kick back, load up your Kindle, and enjoy the men of Rocktoberfest!

Links:
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/Axe-Grind-Road-Rocktoberfest-2023-ebook/dp/B0CCLRHSQJ
Universal Book Link:  https://books2read.com/axetogrind

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.

Personal links:

Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
Newsletter sign-up:  https://sendfox.com/gabbigrey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M
Audible Profile:  https://www.audible.com/author/Gabbi-Grey/B07SJVFX1M
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabbiGrey