Rachel Burke - Sound Bites

A Rock & Roll Love Story

Rachel K. Burke

A division of HarperCollins Publishers

www.harpercollins.co.uk

Rachel K. Burke Rachel K. Burke I discovered my passion for writing at the age of ten, when my love of R.L. Stine mystery novels inspired me to write my own. Over a decade later, I read my first music-themed novel, and decided to combine my music journalism experience and rock and roll obsession into a book. I live in Santa Monica, California, a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean. When I’m not at the beach, I can usually be found perusing rock shows on Sunset Boulevard, shopping, at a yoga class, having drinks with friends, or sipping coffee at home and pondering my latest novel. For more information on Rachel and her upcoming fiction, please visit www.rachelkburke.com.

Acknowledgements Many thanks go out to all my family members, friends and people in my life who have followed my journey throughout the years. I am forever grateful for all your encouragement and support. I want to thank my childhood best friend, Liz, for being my biggest fan and supporter ever since the sixth grade, Erin for always making me laugh, Kurt for all his hard graphic design work, Katrina for letting me steal her hysterical one-liners, Jenn for publishing my first review, and Christina for taking the time to put together my kick-ass website. I also want to thank my Mom, Dad, Susan, Nana, and all of my brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who have always believed in me and inspired me. I am very lucky to have such devoted people in my life. Big thanks go out to all the editors, agents, publishers, copywriters and everyone else that has worked hard to help bring my work to life. You are all amazing at what you do, and your dedication and hard work is truly appreciated. To my New York Pitch and Shop writer’s group, you are all incredible, and it’s been a pleasure following all of your careers along the way. Thank you for answering my questions and supporting me in my endeavors. To all the artists, musicians and authors who have mentored and inspired me over the years, this would never have been possible without you. Keep doing what you do. You never know whose life you may change. And lastly, a giant thank you to the team at Harper Impulse for believing in Renee and Dylan and bringing their story to life. You made a lifelong dream come true.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Four

About HarperImpulse

Copyright

About the Publisher

I discovered my passion for writing at the age of ten, when my love of R.L. Stine mystery novels inspired me to write my own. Over a decade later, I read my first music-themed novel, and decided to combine my music journalism experience and rock and roll obsession into a book.

I live in Santa Monica, California, a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean. When I’m not at the beach, I can usually be found perusing rock shows on Sunset Boulevard, shopping, at a yoga class, having drinks with friends, or sipping coffee at home and pondering my latest novel.

For more information on Rachel and her upcoming fiction, please visit www.rachelkburke.com.

Many thanks go out to all my family members, friends and people in my life who have followed my journey throughout the years. I am forever grateful for all your encouragement and support.

I want to thank my childhood best friend, Liz, for being my biggest fan and supporter ever since the sixth grade, Erin for always making me laugh, Kurt for all his hard graphic design work, Katrina for letting me steal her hysterical one-liners, Jenn for publishing my first review, and Christina for taking the time to put together my kick-ass website. I also want to thank my Mom, Dad, Susan, Nana, and all of my brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who have always believed in me and inspired me. I am very lucky to have such devoted people in my life.

Big thanks go out to all the editors, agents, publishers, copywriters and everyone else that has worked hard to help bring my work to life. You are all amazing at what you do, and your dedication and hard work is truly appreciated.

To my New York Pitch and Shop writer’s group, you are all incredible, and it’s been a pleasure following all of your careers along the way. Thank you for answering my questions and supporting me in my endeavors.

To all the artists, musicians and authors who have mentored and inspired me over the years, this would never have been possible without you. Keep doing what you do. You never know whose life you may change.

And lastly, a giant thank you to the team at Harper Impulse for believing in Renee and Dylan and bringing their story to life. You made a lifelong dream come true.

Going from Catholic school to public school is like living in a fishbowl your whole life, and then being dumped into the Mississippi River. The classrooms are bigger, the hallways are wider, and everywhere you look, there are cliques upon cliques of students of all different genres.

It was September of 1997 when I began my freshman year at Rockland High. I can still remember staring at the mass of strange faces – preppy cheerleaders who followed the jocks, stoners in leather who smelled like cigarettes, art kids in an assortment of colors – and wondering where I, Renee Evans, would fit into the equation.

But as soon as I walked into my fifth period English class, I didn’t have to wonder for long.

I spotted her in the back corner, scribbling something on her notebook. She was wearing black combat boots and a yellow T-shirt that said, “Save a Tree. Eat a Beaver.” I was wearing a Nirvana T-shirt and the purple Converse sneakers I’d owned since junior high. I took a seat next to her and we both discreetly eyeballed each other until she broke the ice.

“I like your necklace,” she’d whispered to me. I was wearing a black choker that resembled a dog collar with silver studs. A token of one of my unfortunate, short-lived goth phases.

“Thanks,” I’d whispered back. I pointed to her notebook, where she’d written the words “J.B. 1966 – 1997” with a heart around it. “You’re a Buckley fan, huh?”

Her jaw dropped in disbelief. “You like Jeff Buckley?” She looked me up and down, then narrowed her blue eyes suspiciously. “What’s your favorite song?”

That was an easy one. The day I discovered “Lover You Should’ve Come Over,” music took on a whole new meaning. It was like Jeff Buckley had beamed down from rock and roll heaven to educate society on what music was meant to be. To turn music into more than just a dancy track that saturates the airwaves – into a life-altering event. Into something that makes you view the world differently.

I relayed this information to her, at which point a glorious grin broke out across her face. “I’m Justine,” she said.