How A Rainbow Like You Came to Life
It was inevitable, really.
I caught the concert bug as a teenager and ever since, have travelled the globe to see my favorite bands play in the world’s most iconic musical venues. In other words…it was my destiny to write a story set against the backdrop of a touring rock band!
But why this story now?
I’m a firm believer characters and ideas percolate to the surface at certain times for specific reasons. There is a lesson or some deeper issue I need to reconcile within myself. Little did I know how deep this story would take me.
TAKING THE PLUNGE
With any novel, the ultimate question is: what am I trying to say as an author? This harkens back to theme; the reason why any character sets off on their journey. When I start to write my novels, in the back of my mind, I sense the initial flicker of inspiration. The reason why I’m telling this tale. I don’t fully understand how theme impacts characters however, until words hit the page. Until then, I just know there is something. And it’s my job to wrangle what I know is there.
This is the joy in writing.
Sleuthing. Digging. Uncovering.
How to make it sing.
How to make it deep and memorable.
And for me, I get there every time through the same entry point: character.
ADRIAN
I originally conceived Adrian as a character for a TV series, the spoiled brat son of an Ozzy-Osbourne type rock star. The series didn’t get picked up, but I never forgot him. One June morning, shortly after I sent my first novel off for its final edit, the voice of Adrian hit me. But it was a different voice. In the TV show he was a teenager. Now, he was an adult. His voice was so strong and clear, I wrote 30% of the first draft in three weeks. But I didn’t find Adrian’s wings, his complexity, until draft two.
How exactly did Adrian change?
Initially, he was more flippant with a hefty dose of swagger. After the first draft, I realized his personality was actually someone else’s. Every story needs a great antagonist and Adrian’s foil is his bass player, Norman Hunger. Norm is an abrasive, tell-it-like-it-is diva, and pushes Adrian’s buttons in both good ways and bad. As I fleshed out their dynamic, many of the fiery lines and attitude I’d attributed to Adrian, became Norm’s. Which made sense because…
Antagonists are are shit disturbers! That’s why they are so much fun to write.
In fact, all the band members were a joy to bring to life. The blood ties of a band run as deep as any family unit. There’s dysfunction. Resentment. Competition. The pressure cooker environment of being on tour for months at a time, only adds to the tension. Exploring these long festering dynamics was incredibly juicy and satisfying.
HASTINGS
If Norm is Adrian’s foil, Hastings is the deuteragonist…which is writer speak for a character who is significant to the story and the protagonist’s journey. These characters push the protagonist in different ways than an antagonist does. As a result, finding the perfect balance for Hastings was tricky. First off, there was the dynamic of a teenaged girl in the presence of a thirty-year-old man. Ensuring that didn’t drift into creepiness was the main goal. Secondly, I didn’t want Hastings to be a standard, Hollywood precocious kid; the one with the perfect answers to everything. She’s as complicated as Adrian; not a one note, sassy wonder. Lastly, her synesthesia was a unique counter to Adrian’s color blindness and ripe with opportunity. Initially, I explored that angle differently. It all changed when I nailed down the thematic elements of the novel.
Another important detail about Hastings changed in the latter stages of the first draft. I realized she was African American! I can’t pinpoint exactly why or how that came to me. It’s part of the secret sauce of writing. It just made sense. Only later did I realize why my subconscious steered me to that decision.
SASHA-RAE
Every struggling, sexy protagonist needs a worthy love interest and when Adrian literally crashes into Sasha-Rae, his world pivots. Like Hastings, I created Sasha-Rae with an end game in mind. I wanted her to be as strong as, if not stronger than, Adrian in certain ways. Vulnerable in others. She shows us a different side of Adrian, and his character reveals through their interactions are some of the most profound in the story. The most important aspect was ensuring their blossoming relationship felt real. And urgent. And of course, sexy! Bombshell meets bombshell. Smoking!
THE SETTING
As a concert fan, I wondered what road life must be like for musicians. Being on tour seemed like a grind. It’s an isolating, nomadic experience, punctuated with extreme highs and lows. In the research phase of the story, I interviewed several musicians. They shed light on how the touring life wreaks havoc on mind and soul. The irony is, bands make most of their money these days via touring. It’s a necessary evil.
For Adrian, not only does he suffer from OCD and is a control freak, he’s also a home body. For him, “touring is a special kind of hell.” For someone who craves stability, it’s a lifestyle that quickly becomes impossible to reconcile.
With that friction constantly rubbing up against Adrian, I knew I had a winning formula.
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
I love the natural sense of movement inherent in the story: readers swept along, going from city to city with the band as the drama unfolds. Within this movement, a kaleidoscope of characters is introduced, so finding the right balance and interplay to the storylines was critical. Many layers at play.
Lastly, every story needs a good twist or two, and I thought long and hard about creating these. If I do say so myself, they worked out pretty well!
FINAL WORDS
A Rainbow Like You is a redemptive story about hope, healing and facing the music in way you never have before, literally and figuratively. It’s also my most personal work. While writing it, my own long-term relationship started to break down. It took me longer to complete the book as a result, but it made me dig deep. In fact, my personal upheaval made the story come alive in ways I never imagined.
Channeling my own emotions and frustrations into the fabric of the story made Adrian’s struggles that much richer. When I say he’s my most intricate character to date, it means he and I went on a similar journey. Deep within ourselves.
And came out on the other side reinvented.
Rock On!
xo
PS I love hearing from all my fans. What did you think of the story? Have any questions? I’m here for you!
