Resurrecting REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD

I know I've been quiet for a while, but I have some GREAT news! REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD is now going to be part of an anthology called LOVE NOTES, which features music-themed romance novels.

To be honest, I'd taken a little break from writing. I wasn't sure whether to continue with the independent route or to continue pursuing a literary agent. Also, while the revisions on F-BOMB are almost complete, my jewelry business picked up and has kept me very busy. An author named Kira Adams then invited me to join her project, which is this anthology. The set includes BAND GEEK, as well as Adams' novel, PIECES OF ME; Shane Morgan's book, THE RIGHT SONG; and Breigh Forstner's novel, STRAIGHT FOR THE HEART. The anthology will be out on February 2, but is available for pre-order on Amazon.

I haven't worked with other writers since I left the magazine and I'm enjoying the process. The three women are smart and creative, and are way more savvy than I am when it comes to social networking. I met some fascinating people at my former job and in my writing classes, but the Internet has definitely expanded that reach. I love the fact that there are other people who appreciate music and writing as much as I do! Being my first novel, BAND GEEK has a special place in my heart and I'm thrilled that it's getting some new life.

On Release Day, February 2, we will be hosting a Facebook party to launch the set. You're all invited! Check out our page from 12-4, where you'll have an opportunity to meet and chat with the authors -- and will also have a chance to win some fantastic prizes!

Meantime, please spread the word about LOVE NOTES via Thunderclap -- and check out our FB pages:

Kira Adams: PIECES OF ME https://www.facebook.com/KiraAdamsauthor?ref=br_tf

Naomi Rabinowitz: REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD https://www.facebook.com/NaomiRabinowitzAuthor

Shane Morgan: THE RIGHT SONG https://www.facebook.com/AuthorShaneMorgan

Breigh Forstner: STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART https://www.facebook.com/breighforstnerauthor

Writing A Novel: Mood Music

As a 38-year-old, I've experienced nostalgia in many different ways. Sometimes, an old TV show will make me feel it or I'll sense it while eating something that I loved as a child. However, if I really want to feel nostalgic, I'll listen to music from a certain time period. If I hear anything from the '80s, I'm immediately whisked back to my childhood when big hair and Pac Man reigned supreme. Artists like Tori Amos and Alanis Morissette take me back to my college days in the mid-'90s. The memories are so vivid, it's practically like going back in a time machine for me.

That said, I like to listen to a particular type of music when writing because it gets me in the proper mood to tell my story. For instance, when I was writing BAND GEEK, I listened to a lot of R.E.M., Depeche Mode and B-52s, which were all groups that I loved (and still love) in high school. My friends and I would ride around blasting "People Are People" as we sung along to the radio; 20 years later, I still associate that song with those days. So when writing ABOUT high school, I wanted to get back into a teenage frame of mind. BAND GEEK doesn't take place in 1992 -- it's in the present, though I never actually mention a year in the text -- but those old songs helped me recall certain feelings that I had when I was a teen.

Since my latest novel takes place in college, I'm listening to a lot of Tori, Alanis and other mid-'90s artists. I'd forgotten how much I loved the Spin Doctors and that song, "I Would Walk 500 Miles." I'm still close with many of my college friends, but the memories are flooding back now that I'm writing about that era. And it's all because of the music!

I still haven't figured out what music from the 2000s makes me feel nostalgic. Perhaps it's because I got married in 2000 so that chapter in my adult life is just a big blur to me? Or maybe it's because not enough time has passed for me to feel nostalgic. I'm not sure. But I'll eventually find the proper tunes to take me back in time.

Please read and review REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD.

Movie Review -- And Why I Chose To Be A Writer Instead Of A Musician

My husband and I saw a wonderful movie last night called A Late Quartet. It stars some fabulous actors, including Christopher Walken and Philip Seymour Hoffman, and takes viewers into the lives of four musicians who play in a popular chamber group. The foursome, who've been together for 25 years, are devastated when their cellist (Walken) announces that he has Parkinson's Disease -- and their lives are suddenly turned upside-down and inside out.

I enjoyed the movie because the music was a big focus; there's even a fight over first chair, which I took as a shout-out! But what I really loved was how the story explored the messy dynamics between the quartet members. These musicians had been together for so long, they'd become family -- and as in many families, you had intense fights and heartbreaking betrayals. The final scene was so powerful, it made my eyes tear (and I rarely cry during movies), and the movie audience clapped with approval during the credits. I highly recommend seeing it regardless if you're a musician yourself.

After, my husband and I went to dinner and Jon questioned why I never became a professional musician in the traditional sense, meaning why didn't I join an orchestra or a chamber group? The simple answer: I just didn't want to. Though I was a very competitive flutist in high school, I didn't LIKE being competitive. I usually did well, but it was stressful. I often got up at 4:30 a.m. to get in some practice before school (my parents were early risers so this wasn't an issue) and lost sleep over auditions. If I didn't get a good score or make a particular orchestra, I'd be in tears. I felt almost trapped by being a skilled player because so much was expected of me and I wasn't playing music because I liked it. I just liked being good at it.

The times I did have fun performing were in jazz band and musical pit orchestra, where I played sax. These weren't very competitive groups so I could just relax and enjoy myself. As a group, we worked hard, but there was no fighting over chairs or fighting for a score from judges.

In college, I lightened up a great deal and remembered why I loved to play the flute so much. I wasn't a music major, so it no longer bothered me if I wasn't first chair. At that point, I stopped caring if I was even a part of the first section. I just wanted to play and have a good time. I still practiced a lot, but it was more for myself. I learned how to play clarinet and was proud to be one of the few "triplers" in school.

Still, while I participated in plenty of ensembles, I had no interest in taking "serious" music classes like composition or music theory. During my junior year, my jazz band instructor insisted on giving me private lessons where he taught me some theory and honestly, I hated it. I much preferred playing music as a hobby and wanted to give more time to writing for the local newspaper. He was a teacher whom I respected, but his lessons made me quit the jazz band for a semester because I needed to get away from him.

When I was in grad school, I tried out for a local orchestra and the conductor turned me down because he thought that me not being a music major meant that I wasn't a serious performer. I was angry at the time, but looking back, he was right. I wasn't. I was serious about becoming a journalist. I didn't want to practice flute for six hours a day and then spend hours in rehearsals. Playing the flute for an hour or two in band was enough for me.

These days, I do consider myself to be "professional" because I'm skilled enough that I make some money from playing the flute. I performed with a band for several years, taught at camps and gave private lessons, play at weddings and even put out a CD. But I mainly think of music as a hobby. I know that if I put in more time, I could be a lot better than I am, but I'm happy where I'm at. It fits into my life nicely along with my writing and jewelry making.

In high school, I didn't really care about the music; it was more about being the best -- or one of the best -- at something. I now play BECAUSE I love music and the flute, and I'm much, much happier.

For more musical stories, please read and review my novel REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD. FREE on Kindle today, November 10!

Writing A Novel: Music In My Family

My BAND GEEK narrator, Melinda, comes from a very musical family. She plays the flute and her mother is a professional violinist who plays with an orchestra. My own family is quite musical, too. My maternal grandfather played violin and mandolin, which is another type of string instrument. My mom plays piano at a professional level and often performed with me when I was younger.

Musical talent also runs on my dad's side. My dad plays guitar and piano, and though he isn't as skilled as my mom, has a really great ear. He can hear a song and then play it back, chords and all, without ever having seen the music. Meanwhile, my late great uncle (my paternal grandfather's brother), Sid Robin, was a clarinetist, well-known jazz composer and lyricist. He hung around with big-name musicians like Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman, was pals with Doris Day, and wrote the lyrics for the big band hit "Undecided." He also wrote the words for Elvis's song "Just Because" and had a small, but memorable singing part in the Ronald Reagan movie, "This Is The Army." About halfway through the movie is a scene where the new Army recruits walk out in their underwear and sing the iconic song, "This Is The Army, Mr. Jones..." My uncle -- a little guy wearing glasses -- sings the opening lines!

I only met my Uncle Sid (nee Sidney Rabinowitz, by the way) twice before he died, once when I was 4 and again, when I was 8. At the time, I wasn't aware of his musical connections, but I enjoyed visiting his home in Los Angeles because he treated me like a princess and had cute animals and a pool. I actually learned how to swim underwater in his pool; my dad coaxed me with Oreos (a trick which would probably still work today!). Sid had an adorable terrier named Lollipop, with whom I was obsessed. I used to insist that she sleep with me and would hold her in bed so she'd stay. Ah, love from 4-year-olds who don't know when to quit...

Sid died when I was 12 and I'm not sure that he ever knew that I grew up to become a flute player. I think it's interesting, though, that he was a musician and a writer (a lyricist). Though I never got to know him very well, I've always treasured the few weeks that I spent at his home and has always been proud of my musical connection to him.

A connection which has come back to haunt me -- in the best possible ways. Twice I've performed "Undecided" in band, once in high school and once in college. A few students thought that I was lying when I shared that the lyricist was my uncle, but seeing Sid's name listed at the top of my sheet music was really cool.

I then had a rather strange experience involving his tunes. It was around 1999 and I had an upcoming business trip to Los Angeles for the Soap Opera Digest Awards. At the time, I was having a panic attack about flying (I get those sometimes, despite the fact that I'm an avid traveler) and really didn't want to go. A few nights before the trip, I couldn't sleep so I turned on our TV ... and This Is The Army was playing. Not only that, I'd come in right at Sid's little part! Then when I was in the air, I tuned in to the in-flight jazz station so I could calm my nerves ... and they were playing "Undecided." I don't know if I necessarily believe in ghosts, but I'm very open-minded about the supernatural. I found it a strange, but cool coincidence that my uncle and his music kept popping up as I headed to L.A. -- a city which I've always associated with him.

When it comes to my own musical abilities, I'm not entirely sure where my talent comes from. I inherited my mom's technical skills, but also have my dad and grandfather's ear... and an instinct to improvise and play jazz like Sid. Whatever, I'm just grateful that I'm able to play and wanted to bring that love for music into my novel. I really wish that Sid had lived a little longer because it would've been fun to jam with him. I often wonder what he would've thought of my CD.

Of course, the band played "Undecided" at our wedding and my family went crazy! It was the perfect way to wrap up my family's connection with music and to bring in a piece of our history. And though Sid couldn't be there, I like to think that in a way he was -- and that he was smiling proudly.

Please read and review REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD.

Becoming A Jazz Flutist

One of my favorite scenes in my book, BAND GEEK, is when Melinda plays a jazz flute solo for the first time. Josh surprises her by calling her up on stage during one of his performances with a jazz group and she (reluctantly) decides to take him up on his challenge. Later on, however, she realizes that she enjoyed improvising to music and liked the freedom that jazz has to offer. It's kind of a metaphor for how Josh and Mel live their lives: he likes to do what he wants and she prefer to follow the rules. But by introducing her to music that isn't so "in the lines" like classical, he's opening up her world.

I was never goaded into doing a surprise jazz solo, but I did need some help in making the switch to jazz musician. I've already written about how competitive the flute section was in my high school's wind ensemble, but my experience in jazz band was the complete opposite. I played tenor sax and though I was decent, I wasn't nearly as good at it as I was with flute. Nor did I care. I played in jazz band strictly for fun. Not being a great player was actually kind of a relief.

I joined the jazz band as a saxophonist in my sophomore year after a stupid teacher told me that you can't have flutes in the ensemble. Never mind that some of greatest jazz musicians include flutists Herbie Mann and David Valentin -- in my school, I had to play sax. So I did! It was fun, though, and I liked learning another instrument.

Our section leader was a freshman boy named Scott. He was really talented, but extremely annoying. I liked to keep to myself, but he'd constantly bug me, "Why are you so quiet, Naomi? Stop being so quiet." FYI, as adults, he's currently one of my best friends. And he hasn't changed. Just a few weeks ago, Jon and I were at a party at his house and was sitting quietly by myself. He, of course, came over to me, "Why are you being so quiet, Naomi?" Boys never do grow up, do they?

Anyway, back then it didn't take me too long to figure out that Scott was really a good guy and wasn't trying to bug me. He was just being friendly. And he was always very encouraging to me when it came to my music.

During my senior year (his junior), the jazz band was set to perform one of my favorite pieces: "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck. It's a classic piece with a very funky, off-beat (literally) rythym. Since this was going to be my last concert, I decided that I'd like to go out with a jazz flute solo. I'd always been impressed with the jazz band members who could improvise and I wanted to try my hand at it. My conductor gave me the OK and I played my solo during our next rehearsal. He liked it and gave me the go-ahead to do an improv at our upcoming concert.

I got a lot of compliments from my fellow jazz band members, but Scott went crazy! For the next couple of weeks, he'd rave about my solo whenever we saw each other. One time, I went to an orchestra rehearsal and a few of the violinists congratulated me on it. They were not in jazz band, but had heard about it from Scott.

Finally, the night of the concert came ... and I was freaking out. My mouth was dry, I thought I'd pee my pants ... I was ready to back out and just play my sax in the background. Scott wouldn't hear of it. Right before we went on stage, he gave me this little pep talk about why I had to play my solo. He finished it up by assuring me, "You're going to smoke out there." I remember thinking to myself, "Why is he talking like a gangster?"

When it came time for my solo, I was going to play sitting down, but Scott nudged me and said, "No, you have to do it standing up and take credit." So I did. And it went well. I was still very nervous, but really loved playing jazz. The audience seemed to like my perfomance, too.

The next year, I joined the jazz band in college with a newfound confidence. There were about a million sax players trying out for the group which was very hard to get into, but since I played jazz sax AND flute, I was accepted. I played with that ensemble for all four years and it was a wonderful experience. I learned so much during that time.

While I take credit for my playing, I do have to thank Scott for encouraging me to get up on stage, even when I was uncomfortable. I think you need to go outside of your comfort zone sometimes in order to move ahead, and that push definitely influenced my musical career. This is why it was so important for me to have Melinda take some chances in my story -- so that she, too, could grow and come out of her shell. Sadly, Scott no longer plays the sax, but he still encourages me with my music.

Please check out and review my novel REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD.

Band Rivalries

One of the main plot points in BAND GEEK is the narrator, Melinda's, ongoing rivlary with fellow flutist, Kathy. While the idea of musicians fighting over first chair may seem silly, let me tell you, the world of music can be pretty competitive.

I was never bullied in high school to the extent that Mel is my novel, but I did have a band rival and there was fierce competition in the flute section. It was so stressful at times that I felt as if I were playing a sport rather than playing in the wind ensemble.

The rivalry mainly took place during my freshman year. To backtrack a bit, I was the best flute player in junior high. I was first chair and scored an A in the highest level of NY's statewide competition, NYSSMA. Meanwhile, the girl who was first chair flute in our sister junior high also scored an A at that level. She was a brilliant performer and completely deserved it.

Once we entered high school, the students from the two junior highs joined together. That year, we happened to have a fantastic flute section. There were five of us who played at a professional level. Naturally that girl and I competed for first chair and she won. I got second chair. No big surprise, she was better than me. But rather than turn us into a team, say, have us play duets together, our conductor, who was a loud, brash man, turned us -- and the other four players -- against one another. He attempted to have us play some chamber music pieces, but would always tell each girl how some other flutist was better than her. I think he believed that this would motivate us, but we were a bunch of teenagers! It just made us angry with each other. I even overheard my rival say that she hated me. Ouch! I'll admit, I said some not-very-nice things about her, too. Neither of us were bad people, but we were driven to it by stress.

Things came to a head when another flute player -- who was a friend of mine -- asked if she could switch from the B group to the more advanced A group. She didn't ask for first chair. She didn't ask to move up a space. She simply wanted to play some more challenging music in sectionals. However, our conductor took her request as a call to war and made every flute re-audition for seats in a blind audition (he sat and listened from his office so he couldn't see who was playing). I got second chair. My rival got third. My friend shocked everyone by getting first! The other three talented players got seats four-six.

Our conductor still wasn't satisfied and made the six of us audition again. Only this time, he handed us a very difficult piece, gave us two weeks to learn it and made us audition with it in front of the entire band. Call it hazing for musicians.

For the next two weeks, I lived and breathed that stupid piece that had fast runs and a ridiculous section full of maddening octave jumps. When the day of the audition arrived, I volunteered to go first. This way, I could get it over with. Our conductor offered to let us play sitting down with our back turned to the band, but I refused to do that. If he wanted to publicly humiliate us, I wouldn't let him. Instead, I decided to turn this audition into a performance. I stood and faced the band as I played.

It wasn't my best performance as it was a bit rushed, but I hit every note correctly and plowed right through the octave jumps. Still, I was nervous that I'd get the lowest chair out of the bunch. I sat and waited to see how everyone else would do.

One by one, each flute player took her spot ...and fell apart. Everyone was getting tripped up by those octave jumps. These girls were all amazing players. I couldn't believe it.

My friend went last -- and was fantastic. She nailed it and I was thrilled for her. She got what she deserved: first chair, and I was second. We remained first and second, respectively, through senior year and through different conductors, but it was never a rivalry. We had the same private flute teacher so we often played duets together and even got an A in competition. She also made a point to split the flute solos in pieces so that I got to play a few. We encouraged each other and both became better players since we had each other's backs. THIS is what our conductor should have been doing with us in the first place. Competition can be very healthy, but not when it turns something wonderful like music into a battle.

Anyway, the point of this long-winded (or should that be wood-winded?) story is that I thought it would be interesting to write about a musical rivalry. In Mel's case, I took the competition to the next level with her actually plotting REVENGE against her nemesis. I had a good time imagining "What ifs?" when crafting her and Josh's schemes and was surprised myself by the extent of Melinda's bloodlust!

By college, I stopped being so competitive in music and just played for fun. But my high school band experience stuck with me -- and I hope that Melinda's experience strikes a chord with you.

Please check out and review my novel REVENGE OF A BAND GEEK GONE BAD.