Blog Tour Guest Post ~ Toni Kenyon

WHEN TWO WORLDS COLLIDE

So, Cath asked me the following question:

"How does the rock star life you've written about differ from the rock star life you've experienced"

I really wanted to say, "In every way."

The End!

But I didn't think I could get away with that ;-)

When I was a new writer (more years ago now than I care to think about) there was a saying doing the rounds that went something along the lines of "Write what you know."

Now, I'd always written, but I came to creative writing as an outlet to help me deal with a massively traumatic life experience. We can talk about that trauma another day when I have the courage to release the book, which is a product of that healing process.  After I'd finished that book, I thought to myself, what else do I know?

I was working in law at the time, I'd recently separated from my husband (who was a lawyer) and being a romance writer, I just didn't fancy writing a love story about a lawyer!

So I sat down and thought about what else I loved and knew. I looked around the tiny bedsit I was living in at the time and saw my cherished music collection. It dawned on me that my father was a musician and my earliest memories of him were of spending my Saturday morning's gaffa taping down cables for gigs he was playing in the evening.

I also grew up with a VOX amp and a double bass in my bedroom and I can remember as a young child, crawling out of bed an unzipping the green case on the double bass so I could smell it. Hey, I'm a weirdo, I know!

Many an afternoon was spent with my father at home, him playing the bass in the lounge and me, standing on my stage (the sofa) accompanying him by singing into a hairbrush. I also spent a lot of time with my extended family who are also musicians and played in bands for years.

I was (well, still am) obsessed with Robbie Williams and I thought, well really he's no different than the musicians I know, he's just more famous.  I started to think about what it must be like trying to be an ordinary man, living with that much fame.

Then I thought, why not combine my experiences of living with musicians with what I believe it must be like to be on the road with someone like Robbie and the germ of an idea was born. Of course, every hero needs his heroine and Mags came along for the journey that has turned into the Private Love series.

Just after I'd finished the first book, I fell in love with my own bass player and ended up in a band myself. I'm always grateful I wasn't writing about a zombie apocalypse!

When I actually sat down and thought about Cath's question, I guess I'd have to say that there's not a huge amount of difference between the rock star life I've experienced and the rock star life I write about.

Maybe that's my point of difference.

Certainly, I'm adding a layer of fantasy to the underlying lifestyle. But really musicians, no matter who they are, what stage they're on or how many people they are performing in front of, sing and/or play because they love music. They love what they do and in my experience, they are unfulfilled unless they do what they love.

In my experience, it's also a special kind of a person who can love a musician.

Private Love in a Public Place
Published August 28th 2012 by Apeople Publishing
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15823105-private-love-in-a-public-place

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Private-Love-Public-Place

Mags O'Brien lives on the alcohol-soaked, drug-enhanced concert circuit, managing out-of-control rocker Julian MacAvoy. She helps him spread his musical gospel to his adoring followers, despite the fast-spinning turnstile on his bedroom door, and the broken hearts he leaves in his wake.

Mags believes she’s immune to Julian’s magnetic personality but when controversy hits the tour, she finds herself in danger of falling at his feet, slave to his appetites and her own desire and need.

Julian refuses to be tamed, but the pressure of the ravenous crowds clamps tighter and tighter around him. His chaotic world starts to crumble when he realizes his motivation to continue touring comes from an unobtainable woman. Can he force her to make the agonizing choice between himself and her estranged husband?

An erotic and candid look at life on the road.

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The Fan
Published April 18th 2013 by Apeople Publishing
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17348248-the-fan

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fan-Rockstar-Romance-Private-Love

"Have you ever lusted after a famous musician? Or maybe you've fantasized about being 'the one' to be plucked from the audience. What really happens when the lights go down?

With a fast-spinning turnstile on his bedroom door, Julian MacAvoy spreads his musical gospel to his adoring followers, leaving broken hearts in his wake. What did happen between Julian, Barbie and Young Elvis that one night after the gig?

THE FAN is a short explicit romp - written for those of you who desperately need to know what happened in that bathroom - or for anyone else who has lusted after a famous musician!"

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Public Love in a Private Place
Published May 21st 2015 by Apeople Publishing
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18008139-public-love-in-a-private-place

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Public-Private-Place

Having faked his own death to escape his out-of-control lifestyle, Rocker Julian MacAvoy and his beloved Mags are lying low in the Far North of New Zealand.

Enjoying their newfound anonymity, Julian has to come to terms with the prospect of discovery when Mags turns their new life upside down by announcing that she's pregnant.

Will this reformed bad-boy be forced to return to his rock star roots?

Romantic, erotic and awash in the beauty of the Far North of New Zealand, PUBLIC LOVE IN A PRIVATE PLACE captures the essence of the rock star's dilemma: The Band or The Girl.

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Toni Kenyon lives in Auckland with her husband (and their two dogs) the goldfish are just squatting! She writes romance by day, sings in a band by night and in her spare (yeah, right) time she wrangles difficult heroes into line, so they can star in her next novel. Toni also loves the garden and has a special place in her heart for her fruit trees and her veggie patch. A keen amateur photographer, Toni posts “Mood of the Suburbs” shots across most of her social media profiles. She loves to hear from like-minded people, so pop on over and say 'Hi' any time.
Visit her website and sign up for her newsletter so you can stay informed about her new releases.

Toni can also be found at:
Website: www.tonikenyon.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Toni.Kenyon.author
Twitter: @Toni_Kenyon
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/Toni_Kenyon
Instagram: www.instagram.com/toni_kenyon

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