Bloody Waters

This is the big one, folks: my first novel, Bloody Waters, is about to drop from the good folks at Possible Press.

Bloody Waters is a book that I have been working on for about thirteen years. In that time a lot of things have changed. The book has gone from being near-future science fiction to being set int he recent past. I have gone from being younger that the protagonists to being older. What hasn’t changed is what the book is about: rock and roll, the devil, and the relevance of these forces on modern society. Go read the official blurb; I’ll still be here when you get back.

The story is about a Clarice Marnier, a talented guitarist who makes a deal with the devil rather than compromise with her enemies.

I know that sounds like something you’ve read before, but what I’m going for is the converse of those other stories. In the folk tales, the protagonist trades his soul for improved ability to play the guitar. In Bloody Waters, Clarice can already play as well as anybody–her deal is to help her overcome an enemy that a male protagonist would not have to face. The devil won’t play the game with you if you haven’t earned your place at the chessboard.

The stories you know are about the price of selling out. Bloody Waters is about the price of keeping your integrity. Also, pop stars, demons, sorcerers, and mafia priests. Mostly, though, it’s about music.

I wrote this book because I love music, but I hate the way that the music industry is run–if you’re an American Idol fan it’s probably not going to be your gallon of vodka. If you like Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Faith No More, Robert Johnson, Slayer, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Tool, Radiohead, John Coltrane, the Tea Party, High on Fire, Muddy Waters, Rolling Stones, Tom Waits? This one’s for you.

Bloody Waters will shortly be available as an eBook from all of the usual outlets. If it does well it will be available in paperback in 2013.