SCENES FROM A SONG

by Susan Sloate | 1960's novel

"Exceptional... both tender and compelling... "

For anyone who's ever said, "They're playing my song..."

On Halloween 1961, in his dingy Bronx walkup apartment, 17-year-old Jimmy Welton hears the opening notes of a song in his head. Jimmy’s still mourning his firefighter father, who taught him to play the guitar but recently died in a house fire, leaving his family destitute. Jimmy takes this song to his after-school job at a New York amusement park, where he meets Mark Morgan, a rebellious teen with his own band, who eventually invites Jimmy to join them. And the rest is rock'n roll history...

The GooseBumps become a worldwide phenomenon, and the songs they write and sing together become rock music classics. And the song Jimmy first heard on Halloween, "Wrapped in Gauze", becomes the song that not only comforts him, but also comforts others: Victoria, recently divorced and dealing with an unthinkable family tragedy; Carolyn, whose final flippant words to someone in pain can't be taken back; and Jack, battling back from unimaginable loss with the help of his cheeky therapist and a song he thinks he hates.

SCENES FROM A SONG is the story of a song that makes us sing, that breaks our hearts, that stays with us forever, and the very special band that started it all.

What Readers Are Saying

“Susan Sloate doesn’t just write about music; she writes like music… it all sings like a melody in your heart. [T]he chemistry between Jimmy and Mark… absolutely hums… [and] their creative energy together? Pure lightning in a bottle… Once the music literally kicks in, it flows smoother than a well-played guitar solo… I finished the book feeling nostalgic for a time I never even lived in.”

--MrBookReview.com

“Music lovers rejoice. You hear about being able to picture a book in your mind when reading, but have you ever been able to hear the music before? [T]hat is what this book does… Characters that pull at your heartstrings… The novel’s narratives crystallize flawlessly… It feels refreshing and real… a captivating and exciting story.”

—On A Reading Bender

“This emotionally rich tale blends coming-of-age drama with the pulse of rock’n roll history… It’s a celebration of creativity, resilience, and the invisible threads that bind us… Readers will be swept into a world where music [is] the heartbeat of hope, memory, and second chances.”

— Laura Kelly on Goodreads

“… A soulful, melody-rich novel about how one song keeps playing long after the final chord. The band dynamics ring true, the era details feel effortless, and the narrative [shows how] art heals without ever getting sentimental. If you adore music-driven fiction, this one hits all the right notes.”

—GinaRaeMitchell.com

“This book grabbed me instantly… one of the best I’ve read… complete with rich character development and so many wonderful musical elements… Eloquently written.”

— TheIndieExpress

“This story made me shed tears on three separate occasions in a way no novel in all my years of reading ever has. I've cried before, but never three times over one book. This got to me… I can't wait to recommend it to everyone I know.”

—Danny R.

“Captivating and heartwarming… an effortless read… both tender and compelling.”

— Kelly Fitzgerald Fowler

"A delight from the first word to the last... the novel splendidly evokes the heart of music."

— Texas Book Nook

Excerpt

Mark went on, “Jimmy’s got a great new song we hope you’ll get up and dance to. It’s so new, we’re playing it here for the first time. I don’t even know it!”

The audience chuckled—they clearly liked Mark—but Jimmy was suddenly nervous as Mark swung the microphone toward him. They’d liked the first songs, and Jimmy had kept up fine with Kellen on guitar, but he and Mark hadn’t sung harmony yet, and the new song that Mark had generously allotted lead to him wasn’t coming up till later. He had to put “Bawk Bawk” over.

He took a deep breath and stepped up to the mike, trying to sound reassuring and confident. “Hi, folks. This is new, and, well, we hope you like it. It’s a dance song, and we’ll do all the moves up here, and you can just follow us. The song is called ‘Bawk Bawk’.”

He did the four-count lead-in and Kellen came in behind him, with Mark backing him up. Hammy bashed out a steady rhythm, and Jimmy launched into the vocal, trying to pump up the energy with exuberant gestures. He strutted, he clucked, he waved, he pumped his elbows together like a chicken.

The audience just about died laughing. No one clapped. No one stomped their feet. No one got up and danced. But they did laugh their heads off, all the time Jimmy was singing. They laughed so much they could hardly hear the vocal, though he kept going doggedly till the end. He remembered to do the high whistle and the click of his heels, and when he bobbed his head like a chicken for the final notes, the audience all but fell out of their seats. Jimmy began to feel like a fool. Hammy played the last beats on the drums, and Kellen finished strumming his guitar with a flourish.

As the last notes died away, Jimmy gave an embarrassed nod to the audience. They finally stopped laughing. They began to clap. They began to cheer. In a moment, the room was echoing with stomping feet and yelling patrons.

SUSAN SLOATE
AWARD-WINNING, BESTSELLING AUTHOR/PUBLISHER

SCENES FROM A SONG

by Susan Sloate | 1960's novel

What Readers Are Saying

Available for a limited time on Amazon at 99 cents -- grab your copy now!

Excerpt

SUSAN SLOATE AWARD-WINNING, BESTSELLING AUTHOR/PUBLISHER

SCENES FROM A SONG

by Susan Sloate | 1960's novel

What Readers Are Saying

Available for a limited time on Amazon at 99 cents -- grab your copy now!

Excerpt

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SUSAN SLOATE
AWARD-WINNING, BESTSELLING AUTHOR/PUBLISHER