JUKEBOX VOLUME ONE – Historical Romance
Growing up during the civil rights movement, fifteen year old Simone Westwood doesn’t care about being part of history. She resents going to a recently integrated school where the kids target her. But when she meets Eli and Johnny Burr, two guitar playing, hip swaying Rockabilly teens, their lives become entwined in the novel JUKEBOX Volume One.
Simone’s in awe when popular senior and soul music fan Eli Burr asks her to become his new singing partner. Their pairing comes with all kinds of complications, because an interracial duo, especially one with a boy and a girl singing love songs to each other is unheard of.
If that’s not bad enough, the duo’s fathers routinely clash over politics in their still segregated hometown.
While Simone and Eli’s scorching hot vocals bring fame and devoted fans, they also receive death threats. As her career soars, Simone has to fight for the money and respect that Eli easily gets because he’s a man. Eli realizes his dream of becoming a teen idol, but it’s at the cost of hiding his true sexual orientation. And after his troubled younger brother writes their first number one hit, the lyrics reveal Simone’s got a huge crush on one brother, while she’s unable to resist the other.
In their journey to the top of the music charts, Eli, Simone and Johnny share acceptance, friendship and love. It’s what happens to the trio once the music stops, and the media spotlight is on their unconventional relationship that will test their families and each of them. This book contains references to classic Country and R&B songs, dance styles and cultural attitudes of the 1960s. The sequel explores the 70s featuring the same characters popularity in Southern Rock, Funk, and Glam Rock. ©
Simone Westwood: A fifteen year old girl whose father is a civil rights activist during the 1960s, Simone doesn’t want to be a part of the push for integration, content to stay at her all black high school. But her politically ambitious father sees differently. When she forms an unlikely alliance with two Rockabilly brothers, their town and the nation witness the changing racial tide sweeping the nation, with the help of Soul music.
Eli Burr: One half of a Rockabilly duo called The Burr Brothers, Eli is a senior and a master showman. Though he enjoys country music, his ambition leads him to form a duo with a new student in his formerly segregated high school. Reinventing himself into a blue eyed soul singer, Eli finally realizes his dream of stardom, at the cost of hiding his true sexual orientation.
Johnny Burr: The younger brother of Eli Burr, and a guitar prodigy. His heart lies with country music, but when his older brother needs an R&B song Johnny’s song writing talent saves the day. Falls hard for Simone Westwood even though race mixing is frowned upon in their still segregated town.