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A Book That Brings Back Memories
The Dead Superstars Bar follows two friends that open up a bar that only plays music from dead artists from the 60s; they didn’t expect those artists to show up. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Interestingly, the answer to that question can be found in the book when Harvey and Conor talk about how the idea for a Dead Superstar Bar developed. Let’s just say that the process involved friends, chess, cold beer, and late nights listening to 60’s music. Details can be found in Chapter 2!
What kind of research did you do for this novel to ensure you captured the essence of the story’s theme?
Most of the research was done on the internet, with a surprising amount done watching YouTube videos. If research can be fun, spending hours watching interviews with 60s musicians, and bands from the 60s perform on YouTube fits the bill. While it is The Dead Superstar Bar, I wanted to also highlight some of the musicians out of the spotlight, the non-Superstars, in particular, studio bands like the Wrecking Crew and the Funk Brothers, among others. These unsung artists contributed mightily to the music we still enjoy today, so getting their names back in front of people was important. Other themes in the book, such as the importance of second, third, or even fourth chances in life, God’s commitment to humanity, the importance of music, lifelong friendships, and meaning in life (not the meaning of life), etc., weren’t dependent on research. Hopefully, this is a book that brings back memories to many people and leaves everyone with a smile on their faces.
Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?
There’s quite a bit from my own life in the story. My wife has said that I’m Harvey Dowd, but in truth, while there are similarities, Harvey is a much nicer guy than me! First off, like Harvey Dowd, I love the movie, Harvey. I hope readers go back and watch the film and listen carefully whenever Jimmy Stewart speaks. Some of the simple lines in the film say more than entire movies.
Life in Baltimore, Catholic school, retirement in Sarasota, time spent in the investment business, enjoying 60s music, an incredible wife and family, and the pseudo-philosophy in the book all also define me. But there are many differences as well, which I won’t enumerate. However, if there was a Dead Superstar Bar movie, in a perfect world, Jimmy Stewart would be Harvey Dowd, and Conor would be played by Jason Alexander.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
My wife and I occasionally walk at a semi-abandoned mall in Sarasota. The movie theater, a Costco, and a handful (one hand) of stores remain open. The rest of the mall is a ghost town with signs of deterioration everywhere, eerie sounds in the corridors, creepy shadows, etc. Somehow, I found this inspiring. So, after a lighthearted, philosophical, feel-good book, i.e., The Dead Superstar Bar, I’ve begun writing a horror novel, Deadfall Mall. The premise—thirteen people trapped overnight on Halloween in a mall that is set to close in a few days. I have a beginning, an end, and a lot of writing to do to fill in the middle. The story has nine victims (not a spoiler, as readers will know this very early), a dollop of humor, no hardcore violence, some twists, and a little moral underpinning. Does it have any connection to The Dead Superstar Bar? There will be music, but no dead musicians and both books have Dead in the title. Also, it will be a stand-alone novel. So, there’s actually very little in common with TDSB.
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The Dead Superstar Bar
The story takes place in a neighborhood bar in Sarasota, The Dead Superstar Bar, a bar like no other. The place definitely lives up to its name, with dead superstars like George Harrison coming to perform nightly. Founded and established by Harvey Dowd with the help of his friend Conor, it’s a one-of-a-kind bar that features only music produced in the 1960s by dead musicians. What begins as a fantastic tale with a hint of nostalgia slowly becomes a mystery when none of the characters know how the bar came to be in the first place. This book shares so much trivia, and details about each musical band introduced to the audience during the daily night performances that it reads nothing short of an encyclopedia on music history.
The Dead Superstar Bar is an entertaining story packed with information and tidbits of music history in the form of a paranormal mystery novel. Although the author has undoubtedly done a respectable amount of research to compile such an enormous quantity of trivia and facts about each band or musician before introducing them to the stage in the bar, it can feel a bit like a music history lesson. However, for those who love reading about the strange facets of the life of a superstar, it is bound to be fantastic entertainment.
What is interesting to note is the odd anecdote behind the protagonist’s name, Harvey, as being given after the name of the six feet three-inch pooka that features in the 1950 movie of the same name. In terms of nostalgia for a time that has passed us by and for the once famous celebrities we have almost forgotten now, this story seems to bring them to our memory and help us reminisce about them, almost like the peculiar silent character of Elwood in the film. Overall, it invites us to take a pleasant journey into the 60s world of music.
The Dead Superstar Bar is a captivating contemporary fantasy novel with metaphysical characters that give the story its unique draw and mystery. Like the music of the 60s, this novel will remain with readers, make them smile, and make them wonder just what could happen next.
Pages: 262 | ASIN : B0BHJFQXVM
LITERARY TITAN 