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| Awesome new cover for a Sweet Story |
The book was previously published as The Rock Star Next Door, A Modern Fairytale, by Lily Silver.
Recently, I decided to re-title the book, as it no longer fits into the Rock Star Romance Genre. That means I also had to have a new cover made. My reason for doing this is as follows. The story line is sweet. Yes, the hero is a Rock Star, but he is not the typical wild and crazy type that most rock star romance novels depict. Lex could just as easily have been a CEO of a company, a billionaire, a movie director, or a computer expert. It's the love story, not the hero's career choice that matters. I felt that the main theme of the healing power of love was a better fit with a new title, so that those who enjoy a really wild and erotic read in Rock Star romance would not be disappointed. And those who do not like to read hot and spicy rock star romances would not miss this wonderful and touching story because of it's title.
The story is about Jessie, an adult survivor of childhood emotional abuse. Her desire is to find a true, abiding love that stands the test of time. She's a runner, and yes, she's a rock guitarist in a band called Heartless. She is also the main songwriter and singer in the band, as she does most of the business dealings with their manager and the record company. Jessie rents a beach house in Malibu for the summer and gets finagled into going on a blind date with a reclusive rock star legend who lives next door, as a favor to a friend. Of course, for Jessie, this is exciting as she used to have posters of Lex on her wall and drool over him when she was in high school. She's now 24 years old, a rock success story in her own right, but still struggling with the demons of abuse from childhood.
Enter Lex, an enlightened man who is sure of himself. Lex is confident, successful, rich and handsome. Every woman would sell her soul to the devil to garner his attention, as he's a celebrity hottie. But for Jessie, who has had her share of heartache and abandonment, by her mother as a child, and by men she's dated, it's a dangerous experiment. One she's not sure her heart can survive. Not another rejection or nasty breakup. And certainly not one that will be plastered all over the tabloids.
Lex woos her patiently. He comes on strong at first, but then backs off when she gets skittish. And, when she is threatened by a dark force from their past, he's right there to bear her up and carry her to safety. So, that being said, I felt that the book was not a good fit for the "Rock Star" genre of romance. It's a dark book, but not for the reasons expected in the genre that features bad boy rockers as heroes.
Lex is a good guy, a true hero, and he's on a mission to redeem himself after messing up and losing the love of his life, Jessie, in a past life incarnation. He recognizes Jessie. She doesn't recognize him, and is uncertain if he's not a little crazy. And Jessie has dealt with crazy men in her life, and crazy parents. She's running away from crazy, has been since she was 16 years old. She's not sure if Lex is just another weird guy hitting on her since she's climbed the ladder of fame, or if his penchant for publicity stunts is to feed his ego. She's frightened by his persistence, but when she talks to her friends and her twin brother, they tell her to just go with it and not worry so much. As much as she wants to just let go of control and enjoy life, as her brother suggests, she cannot escape the fears of the past; fear of rejection, fear of getting hurt, fear of having another piece of her heart shaved away by trusting the wrong man.
So, the title "Jessie's Hero" seems to fit the story much more than the rock star theme. Yes, the hero and the heroine are both rock stars, but the main point of the story is sweet, poignant, and it depicts the emotional devastation of childhood abuse. The idea of reincarnation, where two lovers separated by tragedy in one life can find each other in the next, is a very deep spiritual concept.
Jessie is a wounded soul, a battered soul. She's dreaming of finding true love, but frightened at the prospect when a man comes forth claiming to be her soul mate from another age. She longs for a hero. Is Lex, the rock star living next door, her hero? Or is he just a deluded celebrity living on the edge?
If you've bought and read the book as The Rock Star Next Door, nothing has changed in the story. It's the same book, just a different branding, a different wrapping if you will. This has been done so that those who would be interested in the story are not put off by the bad boy rock star stereotype the old title implies.
If you have suffered deep scars of emotional abuse, you will find this story an accurate depiction of the lasting affects of childhood abuse. Many people have written me to say that they felt as if it were their story, and have thanked me for giving their pain a voice. I have also included self-help links for those still struggling with the black cloud of abuse.
I am a survivor of child abuse. My mother was mentally ill, and frequently let myself and my siblings know that we were not wanted. My mother threatened suicide repeatedly, and threatened to leave us. So, like Jessie in the story, I have abandonment issues. Many of the scenes in the story are true. Jessie's story is really my story, only I didn't marry a rock star. My hope is that others suffering the same kind of quiet, hidden abuse will find succor and hope in knowing they are not alone.
Lily Silver, Author, free spirit, artist, and survivor!
