It’s the mid 90s; sleepy British suburbia. Will Green is a teenage songwriter who wants nothing more than to be on Top of the Pops and gracing the cover of the NME with his band SharpShooter. Still reeling from his father’s death, being on stage provides him with vital escapism from the day-to-day reality of dealing with his heavy-drinking mother and caring for his little sister Izzy.
When it comes to relationships, Will is living in the shadow of best friend and tempestuous lead singer Jake. That’s until he meets Amy, a girl with headstrong aspirations of her own, who seemingly sees him for who he really is.
As SharpShooter embark on a riotous tour of the UK, Will must navigate tragedy and temptation to keep both his band together and first love alive.
Richard Williams grew up on Mersea Island in Essex and currently lives in Kingston upon Thames. Having graduated from University of Roehampton with a degree in Creative Writing, this is his first full-length work. His hobbies include playing guitar and following Colchester United Football Club.
Richard says, “Having played guitar in a semi-successful indie band in the early 00’s, ‘the toilet-venue circuit’ (as it’s affectionately known) is a world that I know well and one I thought was under-explored in fiction. It might be a cliché, but I decided to write a book that I would love to read, one that captures the ups and downs of being in a band, the cut-throat music industry, as well as the normal trials and tribulations of being a teenager and trying to find your way in life.”
He continues, “I set the tale in the mid 90s, as for me it is still the halcyon days of music and television; where summers seemed to last forever. I hope that the book will resonate especially with music-lovers – those familiar with the cider-stained dancefloors and sweaty mosh pits. But at the heart of it is a universal love story, between Will and Amy, and their resolve in the face of tragedy and adversity.”
ISBN 9781915352415
Price £8.99
