Rock Is Lit

In this final episode in the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series, Suzanne Mattaboni discusses her debut novel, ‘Once in a Lifetime’, and shares excerpts from the story. Set in 1984, where punk reigns and Andy Warhol rules, 20-year-old art student Jessica longs for a life beyond her reach. Dreaming of an avant-garde study program in London, she’s stuck waitressing and navigating drama with her boyfriend Drew, who wants to date others. Life takes a turn when she meets Whit, a magnetic guitarist, and dives into a post-punk scene full of quirky characters—cheating waiters, mystics, a military drag queen, and a Svengali bouncer—all while grappling with the specter of AIDS. Jessica must decide if chasing her dreams is worth risking heartbreak and self-discovery. With a smart, edgy ’80s vibe, ‘Once in a Lifetime’ is a coming-of-age story exploring friendship, love, and ambition. Suzanne Mattaboni is a former Newsday reporter and a Pushcart Prize-nominated author of women's fiction, horror, and pop culture essays. She's also a retro podcaster and a past winner of Seventeen magazine’s Art and Fiction Contest. Her work has also appeared in The Huffington Post, Chicken Soup For The Soul, Mysterious Ways, Guideposts.com, Seventeen, Child, Parents, Motherwell, Dark Dossier, Turtle, Humpty Dumpty’s, Long Island Weddings, and LA Parent. She's had pieces featured in anthologies including Pizza Parties and Poltergeist (horror stories set in the 1980s), Writes of Passage, The Little Demon Digest, and The Running Wild Anthology of Stories.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” “Once in a Lifetime” by the Talking Heads “Catch Me I’m Falling” by Real Life “Purple Rain” by Prince “Sweet Dreams” by The Eurythmics “Once in a Lifetime” by the Talking Heads Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Suzanne’s websites: https://www.suzannemattaboni.com/ and onceinalifetimenovel.com Suzanne on Facebook: facebook.com/suzanne.mattaboni Suzanne on X: @suzmattaboni Suzanne on Instagram: @suzannemattaboni80s Suzanne on TikTok: suzannemattabonibook ‘Once in a Lifetime’ Spotify playlist Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Rock is Lit on Bluesky: @rockislitpodcast.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re talking nonfiction in this bonus featurette crafted entirely by Season 4 Production Intern Major LeGoullon. Major shines a spotlight on Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan’s 2012 autobiography, ‘It’s So Easy: And Other Lies’, drawing connections to Rock is Lit Season 2, Episode 18. That earlier episode featured Melissa Ragsly discussing her short story collection, ‘We Know This Will All Disappear’, including the Guns N’ Roses-inspired story "Mannequin," which references their song “Rocket Queen.” The episode also included a deep dive into Guns N’ Roses, especially “Rocket Queen,” with Decibel Geek podcast co-host AAron Camaro. Major’s thoughtful commentary offers a fresh perspective on music and literature and Duff McKagan.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Guns N’ Roses “Rocket Queen” Guns N’ Roses “Mr. Brownstone” Guns N’ Roses “It’s So Easy” [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Major LeGoullon on Instagram: @majorlegoullon Melissa Ragsly’s website: https://www.melissaragsly.com/ Melissa Ragsly on Facebook: @MelissaRagsly Melissa Ragsly on Twitter: @90sMelissa Melissa Ragsly on Instagram: @melissaragslyperson  Decibel Geek Podcast website: https://www.decibelgeek.com/ Decibel Geek on Twitter: @DecibelGeekPod Decibel Geek on Instagram: @decibelgeek AAron Camaro on Facebook: @AAronCamaro AAron Camaro on Instagram: @aaron_camaro Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Rock is Lit on Bluesky: @rockislitpodcast.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Rock is Lit Season Four Reading Series, Sarah Seltzer joins the podcast to discuss and read an excerpt from her USA Today bestselling novel, ‘The Singer Sisters’. Set in 1996, the novel follows alt-rocker Emma Cantor as she navigates the highs and lows of a rising music career while grappling with the legacy of her mother, Judie, a 1960s folk legend. Emma’s journey is marked by revelations about her family’s past, her complicated relationship with Judie, and the sacrifices women artists often make for success. Sarah shares the musical inspiration behind her book, revealing how the rich world of folk and rock music shaped the story and its characters. She also delves into her fascination with family dynamics in artistic households and the interplay between creative ambition and personal struggles. Sarah Seltzer is a writer in New York City, where she lives with her family, surrounded by books, records, and CDs. She is an editor at ‘Lilith Magazine’ and has been a journalist for many publications, reporting on activism and culture, and writing essays, cultural criticism, and the occasional opinion piece. ‘The Singer Sisters’, born out of her fascination with families who put their struggles into art, was published by Flatiron Books in summer 2024.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” “Possession” by Sarah McLachlan “Untouchable Face” by Ani DiFranco “All I Want” by Joni Mitchell [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Sarah Seltzer’s website: https://sarahseltzer.wordpress.com/ Sarah Seltzer on Instagram and Twitter: @sarahmseltzer Sarah Seltzer on Facebook: @SarahSeltzer Sarah Seltzer on Bluesky: @sarahmseltzer.bsky.social Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Rock is Lit on Bluesky: @rockislitpodcast.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode of Rock is Lit, host Christy Alexander Hallberg hands the mic to teacher, podcaster, and DJ Andrew Smith, who interviews his friend Peter Werbe about Peter’s debut novel, ‘Summer On Fire’. Peter also reads an excerpt from the book. Peter Werbe is a veteran of Detroit’s alternative and commercial media scene, as well as a political activist. A member of the editorial collective of ‘Fifth Estate’ magazine, his work appears in its online archive. His radio career spanned Detroit's major rock stations—WABX, WWWW, WRIF, and WCSX—where he hosted Nightcall, WRIF’s phone-in talk show and the longest-running program of its kind in U.S. radio history (1970–2016). Peter’s novel, written during the pandemic near his 80th birthday, is a fictionalized memoir about the 1967 Detroit Rebellion and its surrounding antiwar, psychedelic rock counterculture. Set in a transformative seven weeks, ‘Summer On Fire’ explores the radical Detroit scene, featuring characters navigating protests, anarchism, fascist opposition, and rock and roll at the Grande Ballroom. Themes of ethical dilemmas echo today’s societal crises. The book also captures the spirit of cultural icons like MC5, The Stooges, Wayne Kramer, and John Sinclair. Andrew Smith, host of Teacher On The Radio, is also a professor of English and religious studies at Tennessee Tech.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Late 60s Style Psychedelic Rock Track “Summer of Love”/License Music for Videos MC5 “Kick Out the Jams” Frank Zappa “Plastic People” Big Brother and the Holding Company “Down On Me” Bar-Kays “Soul Finger” John Lee Hooker “The Motor City is Burning” The Stooges “I Wanna Be Your Dog” [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music    LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Peter Werbe’s website: https://www.peterwerbe.org/ Peter Werbe on Facebook: @PeterWerbe Andrew Smith’s website: http://www.teacherontheradio.com/ Andrew Smith on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@teacherontheradio Andrew Smith on Facebook: @AndrewWilliamSmith Andrew Smith on Twitter: @teacheronradio Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this installment of the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series, Michael T. Fournier shares an excerpt from his debut novel, ‘Hidden Wheel’ (2011), and explores the musical influences behind the book, along with his experiences as a musician with the bands Dead Trend and Plaza. About ‘Hidden Wheel’: When an art scene takes root in a pop-up colony called Freedom Springs, micro-visionary Ben Wilfork promotes the giant, autobiographical 600 square foot canvases of former chess prodigy and high end dominatrix Rhonda Barrett using his Hidden Wheel as a bridge to the future before pre-Datastrophe history completes itself. It's a book about the scams of the modern age—artistic self-promotion, corporate infiltration of hipsterdom—and it's hilarious. At the same time this is a philosophical literary work that dissects hipsterdom to get at the core of what it's all about. A must-read for art fans, punk fans, anyone who wants to know how the truly original ideas can get subsumed by the corporate machine—and how to save them. Told in an intriguing intersecting point of view style, this is a powerful short novel by an emerging talent. Bonus Content: Michael also offers an exclusive glimpse into his forthcoming novel, ‘The Impasse’, sharing an excerpt that promises more of his signature mix of insight and edge. Don’t miss this exciting episode as we dive into the intersection of art, music, and literature with one of the most original writers on the scene. Bio: Michael T. Fournier is the author of the forthcoming novel ‘The Impasse’ (St. Rooster Books 2024). Previously, he wrote ‘Double Nickels on the Dime’ (Continuum/Bloomsbury, 2007), ‘Hidden Wheel’ (Three Rooms Press, 2011) and ‘Swing State’ (Three Rooms Press, 2014). He graduated from the University of Maine's MA program, where he won the Steven Grady Award for fiction. Fournier has toured the United States extensively—twice through successful crowdfunded prerelease campaigns.  His writing has appeared in ‘Razorcake’—America's only non-profit punk magazine—as well as ‘Pitchfork’, ‘McSweeney's Internet Tendency’, ‘Vice’, ‘Electric Literature’, ‘Oxford American’, ‘Boston Globe’, and more.  Mike is the co-editor of ‘Zisk’, the baseball zine for people who hate baseball zines. He's the drummer and main songwriter for Dead Trend, and plays bass in Plaza, Cape Cod’s #1 band.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rites of Spring “Hidden Wheel” Dead Trend “Age of Consent” Super Team—No Copyright music/NCS/copyright free music/music for YouTube Plaza “Fat Half” Echo & The Bunnymen “The Killing Moon” The Cure “Pictures of You” Black Flag “Rise Above” [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Michael T. Fournier’s website: https://www.michaeltfournier.org/ Michael T. Fournier on Instagram: @xfournierx Michael T. Fournier on Facebook: @MichaelT.Fournier St. Rooster Books website: https://stroosterbooks.bigcartel.com/ Three Rooms Press website: https://threeroomspress.com/ Bloomsbury Books website: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/ Dead Trend on Bandcamp: https://deadtrend.bandcamp.com/ Plaza on Bandcamp: https://plazacapecod.bandcamp.com/album/adult-panic Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this installment of the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series, Eric Jay Sonnenschein discusses and reads from his novel ‘Rocked and Rolled’, a story set in New York’s ’70s and ’80s New Wave scene that follows a young writer-turned-musician navigating the cutthroat music industry while balancing ambition with creative integrity. ‘Rocked and Rolled’ conveys the perpetual human struggle to express, invent, and reinvent oneself amid scarce opportunities, annihilating competition and a recording industry that raises barriers at every turn to make artists fail. Eric Jay Sonnenschein is a novelist, essayist, poet, journalist and blogger living in New York. He has published five novels: ‘Rocked and Rolled’ (2024), ‘Ad Nomad’ (2012), ‘Mad Nomad’ (2015), ‘Spontaneous Revolution: The Lost Savior and the Bottomless Pit’ (2022), and ‘Spontaneous Revolution 2: The Hall of Phenomena and The Dark Parade’ (2023); four volumes of essays, ‘Making Up For Lost Time’ (2011), ‘All Over the Place: Essays from A to Z’ (2013), ‘Sartre in the Subway’ (2017), and ‘Self Helpless’ (2021); as well as a collection of poetry, ‘The Lost Poem and Others Like it’ (2011). His fifth novel, ‘Rocked and Rolled’, was published August 6, 2024. In addition, Eric Jay Sonnenschein has published more than 50 articles on a variety of topics, including politics and culture in a variety of newspapers and magazines. Since June 2014, he has posted more than 230 essays on politics, fine arts and culture on LinkedIn Pulse.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” “Jump Into the Fire” by Harry Nilsson “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division (No Copyright Music) Upbeat Indie Rock [Rock Music] by MokkaMusic/Drive “In the City” by The Jam [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Eric Jay Sonnenschein’s website: https://www.ericjaysonnenschein.com/ Eric Jay Sonnenschein on Facebook: @EricJaySonnenschein Eric Jay Sonnenschein on X: @ejsonnenschein Eric Jay Sonnenschein on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericjaysonnenschein/ Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: www.christyalexanderhallberg.com Christy Alexander Hallberg on Twitter, Instagram & YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the latest Season 4 episode of the Rock is Lit Reading Series, author Thomas Calder takes us into the heart of his poignant novel, ‘The Wind Under the Door’. Set against the vibrant backdrop of contemporary Asheville and the majestic North Carolina mountains, the story follows Ford Carson as he navigates love, family, and artistic reinvention. At forty, Ford has forged a new life as a visual artist in the mountains of North Carolina. A chance meeting with Grace Burnett leads to a burgeoning love affair. But the romance is complicated by Grace’s estranged husband and the unexpected arrival of Ford’s own estranged son. Asheville’s cultural and physical landscapes shape the narrative, with the music of Arcade Fire as an emotional and thematic thread woven throughout the story. Tune in to hear an excerpt from this beautifully nuanced story and gain insight into the creation of a book that, as author Wiley Cash says, “is a love letter to our reckless hopeful moments and dangerous impulses.” Thomas Calder earned his MFA in creative writing from the University of Houston. His work has appeared in ‘Gulf Coast’, ‘Miracle Monocle’, ‘The Collagist’, and elsewhere. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina with his wife, daughter, and dog. ‘The Wind Under the Door’ is his debut novel.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Arcade Fire “Rococo” Arcade Fire “The Suburbs” Arcade Fire “Reflektor” Arcade Fire “Empty Room” [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS:  Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Thomas Calder’s website: https://www.thomas-calder.com/ Thomas Calder’s playlist for ‘The Wind the Door’: https://www.thomas-calder.com/new-page-3 Thomas Calder on Facebook: @ThomasCalder Thomas Calder on Instagram: @t.calder Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: www.christyalexanderhallberg.com Christy Alexander Hallberg on Twitter, Instagram & YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this installment of the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series, Sarah Tomlinson discusses the inspiration for and reads from her debut novel, ‘The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers’. ‘The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers’ synopsis: Anke Berben is ready to tell all. A legendary model and style icon, she reveled in headline-grabbing romances with not one but three members of the hugely influential rock band the Midnight Ramblers. The band members were as famous for their backstage drama as for their music, and Anke is the only one who fully understands the tangled relationships, betrayals, and suspicions that have added to the Ramblers’ enduring appeal and mystique. That is most evident in the mystery around Anke’s role in the death of Mal, the band’s founder and Anke’s husband, in 1969. When Mari Hawthorn accepts the job to work with Anke on her memoir, she is dead set on getting to the truth of Mal’s death. She has always been deft at navigating the fatal charms of celebrities, having grown up with a narcissistic, alcoholic father. As she ingratiates herself into the world of the band, she grows enchanted, against her better judgment, by these legendary rock stars. She knows she can’t get pulled in too deep, otherwise she’ll compromise her objectivity—and her integrity. Filled with all of the glamour and attitude of rock and roll, ‘The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers’ is a bighearted page-turner that will appeal to fans of ‘Daisy Jones & The Six’ and ‘Almost Famous’. Sarah Tomlinson, a former music journalist, has been a ghostwriter since 2008, penning more than 20 books, including five ’New York Times’ bestsellers. In 2015, she published the father-daughter memoir, ’Good Girl’ (Gallery Books). She wrote ’The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers’, her first novel, in-between assignments for a who’s who of celebrity clients.   Check out Christy’s interview with Svetlana Zill and Alexis Bloom, the directors of the documentary ‘Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmqtedDBbl4   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” “Midnight Rambler” – Rolling Stones “You Got the Silver” – Rolling Stones “Salt of the Earth” – Rolling Stones [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music    LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Sarah Tomlinson’s website: https://sarahtomlinson.com/ Sarah Tomlinson on Instagram and Twitter: @duchessofrock Sarah Tomlinson on Facebook: @SarahTomlinson Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this installment of the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series, O.F. Cieri reads an excerpt from her novel ‘Backmask’ and discusses the inspiration behind the story and the music that shaped it. Inspired by pop music history and written in the style of ‘60s horror pulp, ‘Backmask’ is the fake history of a conspiracy theory surrounding the Satanic agenda to control children’s minds. Nicholas Hush, 1960s record producer, has a vision for the future of pop music. After a series of prophetic dreams, he wants to combine occult imagery with upcoming trends to create a new, groundbreaking look. His secretary, Valerie Chill, is tasked with finding consultants and funding while he crafts the perfect album. Quickly their project becomes entangled in other, larger machinations, and two teenage pop acts become responsible for international intrigue, brainwashing, and an occult massacre. Taking inspiration from the lives of Joe Meek, Phil Spector, and Timothy Leary, ‘Backmask’ is a speculative look at how hidden messages got into pop music. O.F. Cieri is a self-taught writer based out of NYC. She has been published in ‘Ligeia Magazine’ and ‘Misery Tourism’. In 2013 she won first place in BMCC's Poetry Competition. In 2016 she won an Honorable Mention in LaborArts Make Work Visible Competition. Her nonfiction has been carried by ‘Hyperallergic’ and the ‘Invisible Oranges’. In February of 2023 she published her second book, ‘Lockdown Laureate’, with Castaigne Publishing. Her third book, ‘Backmask’, was published by Malarkey in June of 2023.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” The Moontrekkers – “Night of the Vampire” Bauhaus – “She’s In Parties” The Cramps “The Goo Goo Mack” [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 O.F. Cieri’s website: https://ofcieri.com/ O.F. Cieri on Facebook: @OFCieri O.F. Cieri on Instagram: @Ossuary O.F. Cieri on Twitter: @ossvary Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Philip Cohen joins the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series to share a few chapters of his novel ‘Conflict in the City’. Mixing and blending the genres of detective noir and music, ‘Conflict in the City’ takes place in greater Los Angeles, home to both classic and modern fictional LA detectives like Raymond Chandler’s Phillip Marlowe and Michael Connolly’s Harry Bosch, and music legends like the Doors, Van Halen, and The Mamas and The Papas. It’s in this world that we find Johnny “Whoops” Watson and Billy Bates, young guitarists/singers and their band, Conflict, playing clubs in modern LA, where the days of rock’s zenith and ascendance in the 1960s and 1970s has faded, but the hopes and dreams of aspiring musicians haven’t. Conflict is struggling and chaos ensues when someone linked closely to the band is killed. Billy and Johnny become swept up in the mystery, ill-prepared as they are to confront it. Philip M. Cohen was born in New York City and moved to Los Angeles as a young man. A musician since his pre-teens, he began writing songs and playing with bands in his teens and had a near-encounter with fame with his band The Heaters. He then became a music attorney to pay the bills, but continued to write, perform, and record music. Presently, Phil still consults on legal and business matters but spends most of his time writing and playing music, composing, recording, and performing with his two bands, Dogs and Bones and The Silver Heaters, consisting of former members of The Heaters. ‘Conflict in the City’ is his first published novel and ‘Conflict in the Club’, the second. They are both part of an on-going series dubbed “The Conflict Stories.”   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” The Doors “Light My Fire” The Mamas and The Papas “California Dreamin’ ” The Doors “Riders On the Storm” [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Philip Cohen on Facebook: @PhilCohen Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Matthew Fiander joins the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series to discuss and read from his debut novel, ‘Ringing in Your Ears’. Set in a Boston suburb during the early ‘90s, the story follows Louise “Blue” Cleary as she navigates the emotional aftermath of her sister Christine’s mysterious death. Already struggling to fit in as a girl barred from playing baseball and an umpire facing hostility from local parents, Blue’s grief sends her on a journey to uncover truths about her sister—and herself. With Christine’s cassette tapes as clues, Blue’s search reveals buried secrets about her family and the dark underbelly of their seemingly idyllic town. Matthew Fiander’s fiction has appeared in ‘Story Magazine’, ‘Mid-American Review’, ‘Zone 3’, ‘Willow Springs’, ‘The Massachusetts Review’, ‘Southern Indiana Review’, ‘South Carolina Review’, ‘Reckon Review’, and elsewhere. He has also written for ‘The New York Times’, PopMatters, and other outlets. His debut novel, ‘Ringing in Your Ears’, was published by Main Street Rag. Fiander currently lives and works in North Carolina.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Buffalo Tom “Taillights Fade” Pearl Jam “Once” Nirvana “All Apologies” [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Matthew Fiander on Facebook: @MatthewFiander Matthew Fiander on Twitter: @mattfiander Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congratulations to the winner of the first Bill Hallberg Rock ‘n’ Roll Short Story Contest in the general submissions category, Mark Baumgartner! Listen to Mark read his winning story, “Last Chance for a Slow Dance,” in this episode. Mark D. Baumgartner’s fiction has been published in many literary journals, including ‘The Southern Review’, ‘Confrontation’, ‘Best of Ohio Anthology’, ‘Bellingham Review’, ‘Silk Road’, ‘Yemassee’, ‘Wisconsin Review’, ‘Phoebe’, and ‘Tampa Review’, among others. His story, “The Great Siwash Shoe War,” won the 2014 ‘Fugue’ prize in short fiction. His writing has twice been nominated for inclusion in the Pushcart prize anthology. His story collection, ‘Last Chance for a Slow Dance: Stories’, is forthcoming from JackLeg Press in 2026. He teaches creative writing and American literature at East Tennessee State U.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” “Fascination Street” by The Cure “Last Chance For a Slow Dance” by Fugazi “Remember Tomorrow” by Iron Maiden [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Mark Baumgartner on Facebook: @MarkBaumgartner Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congratulations to the winner of the first Bill Hallberg Rock ‘n’ Roll Short Story Contest in the undergraduate college student category, Senami Kugblenu! Listen to Senami read her winning story, “Goat and Pearls,” in this episode. Senami Kugblenu is a Nigerian-American writer, Johnston scholar, and Honors student at UNC-Chapel Hill. She is majoring in English & Comparative Literature and French and minoring in Information Systems. Her main interest is in fiction writing, but she has also explored copywriting as a copy staffer at ‘The Daily Tar Heel’, technical writing, and print and publishing. Her writing has been published in Cornell University's ‘Rainy Day’. She is treasurer of Earthtones at UNC, a multimedia art collective of POC creatives. Senami worked as a Student Assistant in the Microforms and Government Documents department at Davis Library until leaving this position to spend a semester abroad in Montpellier, France. MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Doom Style Industrial Metal—Torn Flesh//Royalty Free No Copyright Background Music Royalty Free Heavy Metal Instrumental – Game Over Pointless Tool Imitation—Alternative Metal—Royalty Free Music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Senami Kugblenu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/senami-kugblenu/ Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this installment of the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series, Karen Green discusses and reads an excerpt from her novel, ‘Yellow Birds’. ‘Yellow Birds’ synopsis: Set in a time just before the digital revolution, Kait is a young woman searching for identity and community. A group of outcasts called the Yellow Birds take her town to town on what they refer to as the Open Road Tour. One night, when Kait is feeling kinship with this group of Birds, a man sits beside her who alters her fragile plans for the foreseeable future. Filled with sex, drugs, music, and cults, readers won’t be able to get enough of the groupie lifestyle entangled within a bohemian love story. Karen Green is a writer and editor in southwestern Ontario. Her essays, poetry, and fiction pieces have appeared in The Globe and Mail, CBC, Today’s Parent, Room Magazine, Harlequin, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Bustle, and The Rumpus. She is also the author of two young readers books and is the lyricist for several children’s pop songs.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” The Grateful Dead “Shakedown Street” The Grateful Dead “Box of Rain” The Grateful Dead “Truckin’ ” [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music    LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Karen Green on Instagram: @karengreen_author Karen Green on Twitter: @karengreeners Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series, Staci Layne Wilson reads her short story “I Don’t Wanna Go to Remus,” featured in the anthology ‘28’. The collection imagines an alternate reality where members of the infamous 27 Club, such as Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, and Amy Winehouse, live beyond their tragic ends. In Wilson’s story, Amy—a talented but troubled musician known for her refusal to seek help—faces a surreal twist. After a life of chaotic partying comes to an abrupt halt, Amy finds herself in an otherworldly rehab facility . . . on another planet. The narrative explores what might have happened if Amy had given rehabilitation a chance, adding a science fiction spin to her legacy. Staci Layne Wilson is an award-winning filmmaker (‘The Ventures: Stars on Guitars’, ‘Cabaret of the Dead’, ‘Psycho Therapy’) and an Amazon #1 bestselling author (‘So L.A. - A Hollywood Memoir’, ‘City of Devils’, ‘Sex Death Rock N Roll’). She wrote, produced and hosted three entertainment talk shows online: ‘This Week In Movies’, ‘Inside Horror’, and ‘Dread Central Live’. She has been featured on the BBC, Bravo, Reelz, MTV, CNN (and many more) as a film historian and author. She’s the daughter of Don Wilson (The Ventures) and Nancy “Buni” Bacon (pin-up model, author, actress). Staci is also the host of the podcast Rock ‘N’ Roll Nightmares.   Catch Staci on Episode 49 of Rock is Lit, where we talk about the fourth novel in her Immortal Confessions vampire series, ‘Rhapsody in Red’: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislitpodcast/stacilaynewilson   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Amy Winehouse “Valerie” Amy Winehouse “Rehab” Amy Winehouse “Back to Black” [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Staci Layne Wilson’s website: https://www.stacilaynewilson.com/ Rock ‘N’ Roll Nightmares website: https://rock-n-roll-nightmares.com/ Staci on Twitter: staciwilson Staci on Instagram: @stacilaynewilson Staci’s YouTube channel: @stacilayne Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: www.christyalexanderhallberg.com Christy Alexander Hallberg on Twitter, Instagram & YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series, Brendan Gillen reads from his debut novel, ‘Static’, and offers insight into the story’s themes, characters, and music. The novel follows Paul, a struggling musician in New York City who resorts to theft—of objects, opportunities, and even voices—just to survive and fuel his creative ambitions. As Paul battles heartbreak, band tensions, and family crises, he becomes desperate to hold his life together and make music that matters. ‘Static’ paints a vivid picture of a young artist navigating the challenges of modern life, set against the backdrop of the ever-changing music industry. Brendan Gillen is an Emmy-winning writer living in Brooklyn. His fiction has twice been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and appears in ‘Wigleaf’, ‘Taco Bell Quarterly’, ‘New Delta Review’, ‘HAD’, ‘X-R-A-Y’, ‘South Carolina Review’, and elsewhere. His debut chapbook, “I've Given This a Lot of Thought,” is available now via Bottlecap Press. His first novel, ‘Static’, was published by Vine Leaves Press (July ‘24). As a partner and writer/director at Boomshot, Brendan has developed content for ESPN, FanDuel, Condé Nast, Fox Sports, BBC, the U.S. Open, Resy, Anheuser-Busch and others. Before joining Boomshot, he developed his creative and storytelling capabilities at ESPN, producing original content for the FIFA World Cup, the NBA on ESPN, Sunday Night Baseball, Grantland, Monday Night Football, and more. His work has received attention in the ‘New York Times’, Mashable, the ‘Washington Post’, USA Today’s “For the Win,” SportsIllustrated.com, the ‘Huffington Post’, and People.com, among others. He earned a Sports Emmy for his work on the campaign for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on ESPN.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” “Midnight in a Perfect World” by DJ Shadow “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star “Undenied” by Portishead [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Brendan Gillen’s website: https://www.bgillen.com/ Brendan Gillen on Facebook: @Brendan Gillen Brendan Gillen on Instagram: @beegillen Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Rock is Lit, Stephen Shaiken delves into the inspiration behind his rock novel, ‘Queensborough Rock’, sharing how the music, culture, and grit of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s shaped the story. The bulk of the episode features a captivating reading from the novel, immersing listeners in a time when the music industry was as tough and unpredictable as the city itself. Stephen Shaiken was born and raised in New York City. He spent over three decades as a criminal defense lawyer in San Francisco. Before he became a lawyer, he earned an MA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. These days he splits his time between Bangkok, Thailand and Tampa, Florida. Stephen writes short stories in several genres, some of which can be read on his blog, http://www.stephenshaiken.com/. He has written three novels that he describes as “exotic noir thrillers” in the NJA Series, featuring American expat lawyer Glenn Murray Cohen: ‘Bangkok Shadows’, ‘Bangkok Whispers’, and ‘Bangkok Blues’, all available on Amazon as an E book or in paperback. A fourth book in the series is forthcoming. Stephen released ‘Queensborough Rock’ in November 2022. Its genre is historical fiction, but the soul is rock ‘n’ roll. The story is set in 1971. Young Jack Bernstein is a struggling rock ‘n’ roll manager in New York City. Instead of a fancy office in Manhattan, a flashy car and backstage passes, he operates out of a basement apartment in working-class Queens, driving a cranky eight-year-old Volvo as he trolls third-string venues for hidden talent. Jack finances a demo tape for his top talent by borrowing from a loan shark and pawning a friend’s guitar. When the tape fails to land a deal, Jack’s last hope is an offer from a friendly Queens mobster. New York City in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s comes alive with all its intensity.    MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” “Scarborough Fair” by Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel “The Boxer” by Simon & Garfunkel [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music    LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Stephen Shaiken’s website: https://stephenshaiken.com/ Stephen Shaiken on Facebook: @StephenShaiken Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series, host Christy Alexander Hallberg celebrates the third birthday of her novel, ‘Searching for Jimmy Page’. She delves into the evocative imagery and central characters that drive the novel, while reflecting on the three previous Rock is Lit episodes centered on Led Zeppelin and ‘Searching for Jimmy Page’. Join Christy as she revisits the poignant journey of Luna Kane, an 18-year-old on a quest to uncover her deceased mother’s secrets. Set in the winter of 1988, ‘Searching for Jimmy Page’ follows Luna from her family’s farm in eastern North Carolina to England to search for the enigmatic guitarist of Led Zeppelin, the man her mother, Claudia, hinted may be her father. Tune in for an immersive experience as Christy shares the first two chapters of the audiobook, brought to life by the talented narrator Melissa Connell.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” “Thank You” by Led Zeppelin “Four Sticks” by Led Zeppelin “Over the Hills and Far Away” [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music    LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Rock is Lit Season 1 EP on ‘Searching for Jimmy Page’: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislitpodcast/christyalexanderhallberg/margaretbauer/randallmartoccia/lizawieland/dannygoldberg Rock is Lit Season 2 EP on ‘Searching for Jimmy Page’: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislitpodcast/searchingforjimmypageaudiobook Rock is Lit Season 3 EP featuring photographer Neal Preston: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvNwNXH8jTE&t=10s Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this installment of the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series, Kat Hausler reads an excerpt from her novel ‘What I Know About July’ and discusses its creation. The novel centers around indie rocker Simon Kemper, fresh out of rehab and riding the wave of moderate success with his band in Berlin. But lurking in the background is his stalker, a mysterious figure present at every show, sending unsettling postcards to his label and acting as though she owns him. When she suddenly vanishes during one of his performances, Simon becomes the prime suspect. What begins as an attempt to clear his name spirals into a deeper psychological journey, as Simon questions whether her obsession could have truly ended—or if it has merely become entangled in the lives of those closest to him: his bandmates, a new romantic interest, an embittered ex, and the person he thought he had left behind. Narcissistic and insecure, Simon's struggle to become a better person is central to this haunting story. Originally from Virginia, Kat Hausler is a graduate of New York University and holds an M.F.A. in Fiction from Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she was the recipient of a Baumeister Fellowship. She is the author of ‘Retrograde’ and ‘What I Know About July’, as well as many shorter pieces. Her work has appeared in ‘Hawaii Pacific Review’, ‘34th Parallel’, ‘Inkspill Magazine’, ‘The Sunlight Press’, ‘The Dalloway’, ‘Rozlyn Press’, ‘Porridge Magazine’, ‘LitReactor’, ‘BlazeVOX’, ‘failbetter’, and’ The Airgonaut’, among others. She lives in Berlin and is also a translator.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” [Free] Indie Rock x Alternative Type Beat—“Borderline” [Free] Lana del Rey Type Beat/“Tell Me You Love Me”/Indie Rock Type Beat (Free) Acoustic Guitar Type Beat—“Need You” [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop”  Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Kat Hausler’s website: https://www.kathausler.com/ Kat Hausler on Facebook: @KatHausler Kat Hausler on Instagram: @kat_hausler Kat Hausler on Twitter: @Kat_Fiction Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EPISODE SUMMARY: In this installment of the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series, Brieanna Wilkoff shares how ‘80s music, especially Bon Jovi, influenced her novel, ‘I’ll Be There For You’ and reads an excerpt. ‘I’ll Be There For You’ follows high school student Rae Ballester, who loves movie musicals and—thanks to her dad—’80s rock. Since he died a year ago, his favorite music helps keep his memory alive. Struggling to move on, Rae keeps her head down and earbuds in, but shunning the world has cost her even her closest friendships, leaving her the “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” When Rae meets Mac, a boy with a charming smile who thinks any problem can be solved with a show tune, she cautiously welcomes their easy banter. With his humor, enthusiasm, and well-curated Broadway playlists, Mac slowly edges his way into her heart, but when he proves “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” Rae thinks about withdrawing to the comfort of hair metal and the silver screen. Should Rae retreat from the world to protect her already broken heart, or will her involvement in the school’s theater program and the random acts of kindness she and others have started performing give her “Something to Believe In?” ‘I’ll Be There for You’ delves into the personal journey of healing old wounds, making new friends, and how to build a future with pieces of the past and present. Brieanna Wilkoff believes wholeheartedly in the power of kindness, the importance of theatre, and the awesomeness of '80s rock. She married her husband onstage at the oldest surviving theatre in central Ohio, and their first dance was to Bon Jovi's "Thank You for Loving Me." ‘I'll Be There for You’ is Brieanna's debut young adult novel. It was inspired by her family's commitment to kindness, including performing 100 kind acts in a single day. Brieanna lives in Westerville, Ohio, with her husband, daughter, and dog.   MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: Rock is Lit theme music [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” “I’ll Be There For You” by Bon Jovi “Never Say Goodbye” by Bon Jovi “Brokenpromiseland” by Bon Jovi [Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop” Rock is Lit theme music   LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451 Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350 Brieanna Wilkoff’s website: https://brieannawilkoff.com/ Brieanna Wilkoff on Twitter: @BrieannaWilkoff Brieanna Wilkoff on Facebook: @BrieannaStoutWilkoff Brieanna Wilkoff on Instagram: @brieanna_wilkoff Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices