Read This Book: STRUTS & FRETS

I am pumped to welcome fellow DC author Jon Skovron to my blog today to celebrate the release of his debut, STRUTS &  FRETS. Dude authors are definitely under-represented in the YA universe and Jon has a strong, unique voice. You won’t be sorry you picked up STRUTS & FRETS! (Buy it your local bookstore, at IndieBound or on Amazon)…

A bit about STRUTS & FRETS:

More than anything, Sammy wants to play guitar in a famous indie rock band. The problem is that his front man is a jerk who can't sing, his bassist is a burn-out who can't remember the songs, and his drummer is just out to lunch. But Sammy needs this band because it's the only good thing he's got going. His father skipped out before he was born, his mother is an overworked therapist with a drinking problem, his grandfather is slowly losing his mind to Alzheimer's, and the girl of his dreams is dating his jerk lead singer.

Now that jerk lead singer has entered them in a Battle of the Bands contest to win free studio time and guaranteed radio play. Sammy has two weeks to get them to sound like a real band, or face public humiliation in front of the entire local indie music scene.

Jon answered my three fave questions:

--I think teen books can, and should, be read by grown-ups. Tell my grandma Grace why she should read your book.
One of the pivotal relationships in the book is Sammy, a struggling teen indie rocker, and his grandfather, a retired and somewhat senile jazz pianist. The way they are able to bridge the generational gap with music is one of my favorite aspects of the book.
--What would your 16-year-old self say if she read your book?
I think it would have been hard for him to read, because it would have struck really close to home, but in the end he would have loved it. The trick, of course, would be to get him to read it in the first place. At that time, if it wasn't horror, sci-fi, or fantasy, he didn't even give it a chance. Poor guy. He missed out on a lot.
--I am fascinated by writers' inspirations. Tell me about a real-life setting that found its way into your book.
The coffee shop that the characters hang out in is called Idiot Child. it's actually a combination of two different coffee shops I used to hang out at called Idiot Boy and Luna. Luna, in particular, was a special place for me. It's where I had my first real gig. I used to perform at open mics there all the time. I knew the owner and met so many cool people there. It was a safe place to go and be a little dangerous.

And finally, all about Jon:

Jon Skovron is an insatiable music geek who can play eight instruments, but none of them well. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, has lived all over the US, and now resides with his wife and two sons in Washington, DC. His short stories and reviews have appeared in publications like Jim Baen's Universe and Internet Review of Science Fiction. Struts & Frets is his first novel.