Touted by the tabloids as the biggest rock star of our generation, Abigail Kelly is used to being in the spotlight. But beyond the glam of Hollywood, her world is falling apart. Still reeling from the death of her brother and wilting under the iron fist of Max, her manager, Abby banishes herself to the secluded beaches of Florida for the summer, thinking some anonymity and sunshine are just what she needs. What she finds, instead, is Todd, an ex-marine eager to embrace life after war. Together, Abby and Todd find the balance Abby’s life has been missing.
That is, until Max resurfaces, demanding Abby return to Los Angeles to record her band’s newest album. As the pressures of public appearances, paparazzi, and late-night recordings start to mount, Abby will have to risk everything or lose the life she always dreamed of.
Ophelia London’s ABBY ROAD is a love letter to music—both the kind you cherish and the kind you create—as well as a beautiful love story that proves even when everyone in the world can recognize your face, the only people who matter are those who can see inside your heart
We’re so happy to welcome author, Ophelia London, to our site for a chat about her book!
How long did it take you to write Abby Road? What was the process like?
Hi there! Thanks for having me on your blog. Lovely place you have here. J I wrote the first draft of Abby Road about ten years ago. I wasn’t a very disciplined writer back then, so it took maybe six months to make it to the end. When I started out, I didn’t have a clear story in my head, and since I rarely do any kind of outline first, I was just kind of going with the flow. The basic plot hasn’t changed all that much. I did manage to lose a few characters and scenes in over years of editing, but it was all for the good of the story!
Music plays a very important role in the storyline of your book. Does music inspire you? Do you have a favorite genre you enjoy listening to while you write? Maybe a favorite band?
Yes! Music is one of my biggest inspirations. I’ll hear a song and think “Hmm, that might make a cool character motivation.” With Abby Road, my heroine, Abigail Kelly, is the singer in a band and she’s obsessed with the Beatles. So there was a double whammy of music right there. I usually don’t listen to lyrical music when I’m writing. (I had to turn off Bruno Mars to write this. Tragic!), but I love to have classical going in the background. However, I always make playlists for my stories, and Abby Road’s is my biggest so far. Lots of Beatles for Abby!
Some of the songs from the Abby Road playlist!
Mustang Sally…………….The Committments
City……………………………………Sara Bareilles
Circus.……………………………..Britney Spears
Hollywood’s Not America………………Ferras
4 in the Morning.…………………Gwen Stefani
Kids……..Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da……………..The Bealtes
Which do you feel is more difficult to write: dialogue or a love scene? And what was your favorite scene/chapter/paragraph/phrase to write in Abby Road?
Dialogue used to be the hardest for me. In fact, in college, I purposefully wrote a stage play just so I could hone my dialogue skills. Now, dialogue is my favorite to write. The love scenes are fun too, I must admit. Heehee. I loved writing the scene when Abby and Todd meet for the first time. We get to see a different side of Abby. She’s famous, but when she comes face to face with a super-hot guy, she’s just like any other chick. I hope readers can relate to that. And also, Todd is just so sexy; I was excited to finally get to write him!
How did the idea of your book first come to surface? Do you remember what you were doing?
Oh yes, I remember it very well. I had been toying with the idea of writing about a pop singer for a while. I was really into American Idol and the band No Doubt was huge. I thought it would be fun to live in their world for a while.
If you had the opportunity to attend any concert (or music festival – in the past or present), who would you go see and why?
Well, as a Beatles fan, I have to say their concert at Shea Stadium in 1965. They were at their mop-top peak then. From what I’ve read, it was a pretty short concert and because of all the screaming, no one could hear much of the music. But still, it sounds pretty epic. If I had to choose a contemporary concert, it would be Maroon 5. I’ve seen them a few times but had to miss their visit this year. I’m feeling weepy just thinking about it! I’d also love to see Linkin Park. They’ve been on my to-see list for years.
How do you feel about the cover of your book? Does it represent the book well? What was your reaction when you saw it for the first time?
I love my cover! My editor and I talked about its concept a lot. She knew I wanted an illustration and for it to show both sides of Abby’s conflict. I think we hit a homerun. It depicts the perfect blending of Abby’s one-foot-in-the-spotlight, and one-foot-on-vacation. I love it so much that I had a copy of it matted and framed. It’s a true work of art and I couldn’t be happier. It will look fabulous on any bookshelf!
About The AuthorOphelia London was born and raised among the redwood trees in beautiful northern California. Once she was fully educated, she decided to settle in Florida, but her car broke down in Texas and she’s lived in Dallas ever since. A cupcake and treadmill aficionado (obviously those things are connected), she spends her time watching arthouse movies and impossibly trashy TV, while living vicariously through the characters in the books she writes. Ophelia is the author of PLAYING AT LOVE, SPEAKING OF LOVE… and ABBY ROAD. Visit her at http://ophelia-london.blogspot.com. But don’t call when The Vampire Diaries is on.
