Book Title: Divided Road
Author: Anne Barwell
Publisher: LaceDragon Publishing
Cover Artist: Covers by Jo (Jo Clement)
Release Date: October 29, 2024
Tense/POV: 3rd person/past tense
Genres: Contemporary MM Romance, Rock band
Tropes: Small Town Romance
Themes: Fate, Family
Length: 59 000 words/219 pages
Heat Rating: 3 flames
It’s part of The Road to Rocktoberfest, but all books stand alone and do not end on a cliffhanger.
Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited
The chance of a lifetime or their final performance?
Blurb
The chance of a lifetime or their final performance?
Owen Stanton has been a member of the Kiwi band Flightless since high school. So far, he’s managed to walk the fine line between playing fiddle for the band and pursuing his classical violin career.
An opportunity arises to audition for a prestigious string quartet, and Owen takes his family’s advice to go for it. After all, it’s not like he’s going to make the cut, right? And if he does, the decision won’t have to be made until after the band’s highly anticipated performance at a popular New Zealand music festival.
Jared Murphy joins Flightless when their keyboard player faces a family crisis and needs to take a break. Soon he and Owen are writing music together and creating something beautiful between them. It’s a shame it won’t last. After all, Jared’s only standing in.
When the once in a lifetime invitation comes for the band to play at Rocktoberfest, decisions need to be made, even if taking the right path may end up in divided roads.
Divided Road is a book in the multi-author Road to Rocktoberfest 2024 series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not read them all and see what trouble our bands get into next? Hot rockstars and the men who love them, what more could you ask for? Kick back, load up your kindle and enjoy the men of Rocktoberfest!
Jared flipped through a few pages, then put the book down. “I’m supposed to be here to look at some harmonies. Could you play me what you have of the new song so far?”
“It’s very rough.” Owen sat at the piano, played the introduction, and began to sing. “Looking in the mirror. Not loving what I see.” He added what would be a guitar riff in the bass. “What’s that behind me? I turn, and you’re gone. A memory, or more?” He hummed the next bar and stopped.
Jared sat next to him. “Is that all you have? I think it has potential. I love the melody.”
“Melody’s my strength. I hate writing lyrics.” Owen screwed up his face. “This bloody thing has been stressing me out. We need some new songs for Frays, and so far, apart from the couple we’ve already played, this is it.”
“What’s the story you’re telling with the song? I’ve always considered songs to be stories, but with a touch of poetry.” Jared played a few chords in the same key and hummed what Owen had just sung.
“A guy looking in a mirror. He’s torn between who he wants to be and the expectations put upon him by everyone else.” Owen hesitated. The lyrics hit a bit too close to home, but he’d always written what came from his heart and hoped no one looked at the words too closely.
“I know about that one.” Jared chewed at his bottom lip. “And the guy in the mirror? What’s his story?”
“How do you know it’s a guy?” Owen asked cautiously. He’d never hidden he was bi, although he doubted Jared knew, and he did lean more towards relationships with men.
“Just a feeling.” Jared shrugged. “Or maybe I’m projecting.” He gestured at the pile of books. “Those books are mostly gay romance, as are most on my shelf. When I write I….” He trailed off.
“When you write what?” Owen’s curiosity piqued. Excitement rose. Surely the universe hadn’t sent him exactly who he needed?
“I write lyrics sometimes, more poetry than anything, as I struggle with melodies that don’t sound like something I already know. I love words and music, and how they fit, but only when they’re written by other people.”
“I need a lyricist,” Owen said slowly. “How do you feel about writing a song together?”
“I’ll give it a go, but only on the proviso that you’re honest with me if it sucks.” Jared’s eyes lit up. “What I mean is, I’d love to.”
“You don’t have to pretend if you don’t want to. You don’t have to write songs with me to stay in the band. Although that would be great if it works out.” Enthusiasm wasn’t always enough. Owen had found that out the hard way.
“Okay. I’m not pretending, though.” Jared rummaged through his bag and pulled out a notebook and pencil. “I never go anywhere without them,” he answered in reply to Owen’s raised eyebrow. “So, we have a guy and a mirror, and he’s torn between the road he thinks he should travel and the one he wants to take.”
“Yeah, a divided road.” Owen grabbed Jared’s hand before he realised what he’d done. “You’re brilliant. That’s the title of the song. It’s been staring me in the face all along.”
Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She shares her home with kitty siblings Byron and Marigold, who are already running the house and causing havoc.
Anne works in a library, is an avid reader and watcher of a wide range of genres, and is constantly on the look-out for more hours in her day. She likes to write in series and even so called one shots seem to breed more plot bunnies. Her writing is like her reading – across a range of genres, although her favourites are paranormal, fantasy, SF, and historical. Music often plays a part in her stories and/or her characters are musicians.
She also hosts and reviews for other authors, and writes monthly blog posts for Love Bytes. She is the co-founder of the New Zealand Rainbow Romance writers, and a member of RWNZ. Her books have received honourable mentions five times, reached the finals four times—one of which was for best gay book—and been a runner up in the Rainbow Awards.
Social Media Links
Blog/Website | Facebook | Twitter
Instagram | Newsletter Sign-up | Pinterest
Facebook group | The Sleepless City Website | The Sleepless City FB Group
Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win
one of five ebooks from the author’s backlist
