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From Rocking to Writing
Rock & Roll Rip-Off, the second novel in a San Diego–based rock ’n’ roll mystery trilogy, was released last week. “The first book, Rock & Roll Homicide, introduced Little Italy musician-turned-detective Jason Duffy, investigating the death of a rising rock star,” says author R.J. McDonnell. “The main plot of the new book involves a [fictional] North County emo band called the Tactile Tattoo, looking for a shortcut to a second chance, after their first CD bombed.”
Second chances have been a recurring theme for the guitar-playing author. “I moved to San Diego in 1980,” he says, “with the intent of expanding my weekend club gigs into a full-time job. However, I shattered my left wrist in an accident.… I couldn’t grip the neck of the guitar for more than 15 minutes without severe pain. So, I turned to my other passion, writing.”
McDonnell put down the guitar until around 2006, when he discovered a particularly easy-to-fret Fender. “I found that I could play it for over an hour without pain or cramps, and the 25-year rest seemed to have worked wonders.”
As a result, his current book tour promoting Rock & Roll Rip-Off doubles as a concert tour. “I’m doing bookstores and libraries, where I talk to the parents of 18- to 30-year-olds who rarely read about how to generate interest in books. I perform classic-rock songs to emphasize my points.”
“I decided to incorporate my bachelor’s in psychology and master of social work degree by pulling together a presentation with a dozen songs, which I perform solo in an unplugged format, a must for library venues. For example, I play John Lennon’s ‘Working Class Hero’ after talking about entitlement issues, ‘Cat’s in the Cradle’ [by Harry Chapin] after absentee parenting, and Neil Young’s ‘The Needle and the Damage Done’ after briefly discussing drugs.”
The third rock ’n’ roll mystery novel is slated for 2011.
Here's something you might be interested in.
From Rocking to Writing
From Rocking to Writing
Rock & Roll Rip-Off, the second novel in a San Diego–based rock ’n’ roll mystery trilogy, was released last week. “The first book, Rock & Roll Homicide, introduced Little Italy musician-turned-detective Jason Duffy, investigating the death of a rising rock star,” says author R.J. McDonnell. “The main plot of the new book involves a [fictional] North County emo band called the Tactile Tattoo, looking for a shortcut to a second chance, after their first CD bombed.”
Second chances have been a recurring theme for the guitar-playing author. “I moved to San Diego in 1980,” he says, “with the intent of expanding my weekend club gigs into a full-time job. However, I shattered my left wrist in an accident.… I couldn’t grip the neck of the guitar for more than 15 minutes without severe pain. So, I turned to my other passion, writing.”
McDonnell put down the guitar until around 2006, when he discovered a particularly easy-to-fret Fender. “I found that I could play it for over an hour without pain or cramps, and the 25-year rest seemed to have worked wonders.”
As a result, his current book tour promoting Rock & Roll Rip-Off doubles as a concert tour. “I’m doing bookstores and libraries, where I talk to the parents of 18- to 30-year-olds who rarely read about how to generate interest in books. I perform classic-rock songs to emphasize my points.”
“I decided to incorporate my bachelor’s in psychology and master of social work degree by pulling together a presentation with a dozen songs, which I perform solo in an unplugged format, a must for library venues. For example, I play John Lennon’s ‘Working Class Hero’ after talking about entitlement issues, ‘Cat’s in the Cradle’ [by Harry Chapin] after absentee parenting, and Neil Young’s ‘The Needle and the Damage Done’ after briefly discussing drugs.”
The third rock ’n’ roll mystery novel is slated for 2011.
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