Twang: A Novel

Exactly what’s hidden under all those rhinestones, sweet harmonies, and down-home clichés of the billion-dollar Country Music Industry? You’re about to find out…BIG TIME!

Twang takes you backstage of the sold-out concerts, inside the homes of Nashville’s elite, and introduces you to a side of show business that has yet to be revealed. Prepare to be whisked away on a wild ride to a provocative place with fictional characters, who seem strikingly familiar, and who will leave you shocked, titillated, laughing, and realizing that the real world of Country Music is far more scandal-ridden than you could ever have imagined.

Country Music Legend Salome Field and her younger sister, Willa Field, clawed their way to the top of the music charts where they dominated as The Field Sisters.  This was in spite of a devastating secret buried deep beneath carefully-crafted images, infamous catfights, and before a brush with death forced Salome to retire and left Willa struggling with a solo career, estranged husband, and new love interest.  Now “cured,” Salome, with her womanizing husband/manager Derk by her side, positions herself and a reluctant Willa for an unforgettable comeback, unless the revelation she’s been desperately hiding finally destroys their lives and careers forever.

Across town…Not since Tim and Faith has a couple so captivated fans as have Thad Evans and Hope Tanner.  With that bankable girl-next-door look and angelic voice, Hope is about to make a shocking announcement that will send the entertainment world into a tailspin.  Her Country heartthrob husband, Thad, becomes increasingly annoyed by his wife’s actions as he closely guards a few of his own red-hot skeletons in the closet.

On the flip side of the celebrity machine is Nat Oldham, the former Southern beauty queen turned publicist, whose company, Headline Publicity, currently represents the eccentric and savvy firebrand Salome Field.  Nat’s ultimate goal, however, is to promote an unknown act to superstar status and become Publicist of the Year.  Enter The Border Babes, a wild, sexy, and untamed quartet of Country Music chicks who are about to turn Nashville on its head.

Meanwhile, Salome’s ego-driven son, Ashley Field, strives to establish himself as a serious actor in “Hollywacked” (as his mother calls it), contrary to a type-cast, A-List status that depends more on his last name than on his mediocre acting abilities and an insatiable desire to screw practically anything that moves.

Finally, there’s Billie Blotter, the famous columnist for Country Crooners Magazine, who has earned the trust of every superstar in town.  Working under the public premise that he’s compiling the ultimate “tribute” book in the industry, Billie secretly begins to write the ultimate tell-all that will shatter the squeaky-clean image of Music City USA once and for all.

Reviews:

“…hilariously-scandalous…Twang is the perfect soap opera in a book, a Jackie Collins-style pot boiler, with a hint of Dominick Dunne thrown in for good measure.” ~PopConfidential.com & DaytimeConfidential.com

“…deliciously fun…campy and addictive fictional romp…jaw-dropping and scandalous writing in the tradition of Jackie Collins.” ~Halli Casser-Jayne, The Halli Casser-Jayne Show with MoJoe

Hot eBook of Summer: a country Twang:  “Doesn’t matter if you’re a country music fan, John Schlimm’s debut novel Twang…is a sizzling and laugh-out-loud read for any pop culture junkie or music aficionado looking for a surefire beach read…A juicy, fun eBook to download on your eReader.  Who knew the world of country music was so compelling, quirky and scandal-ridden?  And are these characters really fictional? Fun!” ~SheKnows.com

“John Schlimm blurs the line between fact and fiction…Scandalous love triangles, illegitimate children, drunken binges, and broken trusts tie the seemingly unrelated tales together…revealing a side of Nashville many will wonder exists…Readers will be guessing who’s who and what’s true in no time.” ~CountryMusicTattleTale.com

4 STAR Review:  “John Schlimm gave me gossip and then some, to the point I was guessing who these stories were based on…Drama people, Twang is chock full of juicy goodness!…Quirks, drama, warts and all, Twang is a fast, fun-filled ride through Nashville.  Hope you have your boots on!…reminiscent of a Jackie Collins novel…Twang is one hell of a page turner, I loved it and couldn’t put it down…the storyline sucks you in from the first page.” ~WickedLilPixie.com

Entertaining E-Books of the Summer:  “I love me some country music.  So this e-book about what it’s like being a part of this billion dollar music industry was right up my alley.” ~Unabashedly Bookish: The BN Community Blog

“Intriguing…tantalizing…provocative page-turner…For anyone who enjoys TMZ, gossip rags or E!, this rousing read is for you.  Try to put it down as Schlimm weaves the storylines tightly together into a saucy and stimulating summer read.  Will you guess the secrets before they are revealed?” ~CarrieBlogshaw.com

“Chick lit fans, pop culture junkies, Country Music lovers — I’ve got a quick, funny and scandalous beach reach for you this summer. Anyone who says that truth is stranger than fiction, hasn’t read John Schlimm’s debut novel Twang...” ~ChickLitPlus.com

“…seriously diggin’ this e-book from former Country Music publicist John Schlimm.  But it doesn’t matter if you’re a country music fan because Twang: a novel is a scandalous and LOL read for any pop culture junkie looking for a surefire beach read…a comical and unforgettable tale…” ~ChickLitIsNotDead.com

“Twang” and treats!:  “…a seamier side of show business that has yet to be revealed… Twang will leave readers guessing who’s who in this southern, down-home and not so subtle tell-all.” ~Chick Lit Central: The Blog!

“Backstage with the Field Sisters is as dramatic as it gets — screaming, hitting, swearing, and scratching is just a sample of the infamous sisterly fights rumored to occur before they take the stage.  Twang by John Schlimm gives readers an intimate look into country music royalty, going behind-the-scenes with the legendary Field Sisters, superstar newlyweds Hope and Thad, and on a dirt-hunt with gossip columnist Billie Blotter.” ~ChickLitandWine.com

“As a former celebrity publicist who worked with several country music megastars during his whirlwind tenure in Nashville, Schlimm’s eyes were opened wide, leaving him with an unmatched perspective of what really lies beneath the popular world of entertainment.  What resulted is a comical and unforgettable tale that follows several fictionalized stars through the most dramatic and life-changing year in their careers…Readers will also be tempted into the ultimate guessing game by the provocative antics of [the] characters…” ~ConversationCrossroad.com

“Twang hits a high note and harmonizes perfectly!…It shows you the glamorous and not so glamorous life of a country star.” ~CherylsBookNook.blogspot.com