After my debut novel Hope of Glory, a comprehensive story about middle echelon horse racing, I started a sequel to that book. When it looked like the sequel was going to be as long as that first saga (700+ pages), I stopped writing it and started The Famous One.
The Famous One is written like a fictional biography from the omniscient point of view gradually morphing to third person. I did some research for the novel since the story tracked the life of a young man from a dysfunctional home who was "discovered" at a bar where he sang the blues with a band who smuggled him in to sing with them since he was underage. I'm sure by this time things have changed in Hollywood dare I say "dramatically"? However, the real story is about Joey Parr's life . . .
Some review comments of The Famous One:
Petrino-Salter creates a three dimensional man that each reader can understand and relate to. I felt his frustration and depression and yearned for him to find the true love of his life. I cheered his successes and mourned his losses.
It wasn't the constant overnight thunderstorms responsible for only 3 hours' sleep last night, I was with Joey Parr! At first it was because he reminded me of someone I know in the dysfunctional family, "artsy" personality, even the scarf!
Beautiful development of a troubled life. Joey is such a reflection of today's society. The Author took us into the soul of this child to adult, the pain, the fear, the emptiness, the joy the love and finally the meaning of life.
A great look at a life that is messed up on the inside but looks like he has everything on the outside. Makes a Hollywood superstar into a relatable person.
The lessons he learned and that I learned through his life were very powerful and unforgettable. This is the kind of book you don't rush through, it's one that you savor.
Make no doubt about it: this book is the story of Joey Parr. It begins with his childhood and progresses throughout his life and career, oftentimes reading like the most intense, gripping, and intriguing biography I had ever read.
In The Famous One, Nicole Petrino-Salter digs into the heart of a man who's continuously searching for meaning in his life. Even when he has everything, there's a hole, a sense of worthlessness. Salter deftly takes us through Joey's entire life. We see him grow and change, but it's so subtle the reader is unaware that it's happening. And on this journey, we learn to love this passionate man and root for him even when he's making terrible choices.
Now that's excellent storytelling.
I loved writing this novel. It was one of those experiences where you were inside it, feeling the joy and pain. Maybe you might too.
Special deep gratitude to all who've read it and enjoyed it and took the time to write such generous reviews.
Father, thank you so much for each story. Apart from you, I can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.