Strings by Kat Green
The rise of the Black Eagles was meteoric, from band practice in the garage to global stars almost overnight. And Melissa Webb, the beautiful girlfriend of the front man, appeared to have it all. But when Luke Black disappears without a trace and Melissa wakes up in a hospital bed after a savage attack, her perfect world is shattered and their lives are plunged into a potentially deadly crisis. Where is Luke, and can he be found before it is too late?
Encore by Kat Green
The Black Eagles and their loved ones try to recover from the traumatic events that have beset the band, starting to piece together their lives while trying to make sense of everything that happened to them. How can they trust again, after so much betrayal? As they begin a collective healing process, they find that the future has more demons in store for them.
At the centre of it all are Luke and Melissa, only just starting to put their lives back together. As they embark on new adventures, old enemies may not be ready to let them forget
Character Bio
CAREER: Front man
for The Black Eagles.
Full name: Luke
Black
Gender: Male
Age: 22
Birthday: Sept 7th 1991
Nationality:
English
Religion: Music
City or town of
birth: Portsmouth UK
Currently lives:
London
Relationship Status:
Taken
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
Height: Short but has presence bigger than Goliath
Hair colour: Jet
Black
Hairstyle: Short
with a lightening strike fringe
Eye colour:
Sapphire Blue
Tattoos: Eagles
on Left side and both arms
Piercings: None
Preferred style of
clothing: Jeans and Hoody
Frequently worn
jewellery: Leather wristband given to him by his Girlfriend
HEALTH
Smoker? Too much
Drinker? Too much
PERSONALITY
Personality: Perfectionist, Loving but fierce if messed
with.
Likes: Guitars,
Eagles and his girlfriend
Dislikes: Vanity,
Liars and Death Wishes.
Fears/phobias:
Losing his arms so he can’t play guitar
Favourite colour:
Black
Hobbies: Music,
Music and Music
SKILLS
Talents/skills:
Guitarist, Lyricist, Singer and Leader.
Ability to drive a
car? Yes
EATING HABITS
Favourite food(s):
Homemade
Favourite drink(s): Beer, Whiskey and Coffee
Disliked food:
Nothing, eats anything.
Disliked drinks:
Water
HOUSE AND HOME
Describe the
character’s house/home: Top floor Apartment in London
Significant/special
belongings: Chloe, his acoustic Guitar
Parents names:
Debbie and Stuart Black
Siblings? Only
Child
Other Important
Relatives: Ray his manager is like a tour dad to him.
Partner/Spouse:
Melissa Webb (Girlfriend. Soul mate)
Best Friend: Dale
Baxter (Band member)
Other Important
Friends: Toby Maxwell and Tom Lawton (Band members)
Character Interview
Q1: How old were you
when you started playing guitar?
LB: I was Twelve. My
mum gave me Chloe my acoustic guitar on my twelve birthday. That guitar is like
another best friend, if anything ever happened to her it would be tragic. I would sulk for weeks. I have poured my heart out with her, wrote
many a song with that guitar. It’s like a limb that is a part of me. It would
hurt to lose her.
Q2: What was the
first song that you wrote? And, Why?
LB: Pink Ribbons was my first song. It was written about a
girl called Chloe who was my first real friend. We meet when we were 5; even
then I had an eye for the girls. (Luke laughs, but then frowns.) She died in a house fire on her seventh
birthday, her death impacted on me so much. I was 7 years old and I didn’t
understand it. How could she be gone? I had all these things I wanted to say
and I didn’t know how to. So I didn’t and I locked her away, buried the pain.
The guitar came along and suddenly I found an outlet. Turns out, I’m pretty
good at it. It was the only way I could move on and accept it. Writing songs is
how I cope with bad things in a positive way.
Hence naming my Guitar. That is my way of saying that I have never
forgotten her and I never will.
Q3: If you were not
in a band or doing anything music related. What job would you be doing?
LB: I would still be working in a petrol station, dying of
boredom. I try not to think about it. I’m doing the only thing I want to do and
have any skill in and it’s the best thing in the world. I’m the happiest person
in the world when I’m on stage.
Q4: What was it like
to go from playing to 20 people in a pub to what you’re doing now?
LB: Mind blowing, insane and I am still in shock. Everyone
dreams of it but not everyone gets it. I am so thankful for every fan we have,
we have some incredible fans. Some have been with us from the very start. Some
have become friends. It’s nice and I will never take them for granted.
Q5: What song is your
favourite to perform?
LB: That’s easy
‘Weekend High’ I wrote that when I was twenty after a really bad relationship.
It wasn’t really a relationship but at the time I didn’t see it. It was just convenience and there was no love
there we argued more than anything else. I love the fact the fans go insane to it. My
work is done and it’s what I set out to achieve.
Q6: Which song don’t
you like?
LB: Hmmm.. I don’t really dislike any but I guess ‘Just
another day wishing’ I think it’s quite slow for us and I sound like such a
moaning old git. I was quite down when I wrote that. I don’t mind it but none
of us really get excited about playing it. We drop it from sets sometimes, if
I’m in a bad mood and I don’t want to do it, I won’t. Not a good song for me if
I’m in a strop already. We get away with it as it isn’t a fan fave, some seemed
to like it but not everyone. My mum loves it.
Q7: Which gig has
been your favorite so far?
LB: That is harder to answer because every gig is amazing
for all kinds of reasons. I don’t think it would be fair to choose one. That is
like saying to one set of fans ‘Oh you were great’ and make other fans feel
like you didn’t enjoy their show. For
sentimental reasons our third gig at Ruby’s back home will always be special. I
meet my girlfriend there and it was what changed everything for me and us as a
band.
Q9: There is story at
the moment saying you proposed to Melissa? True or False?
LB: What? News to me. No, not true. She’s amazing though,
one day, maybe. Right now I’m concentrating on my career and she is so
supportive.
Q8: It’s a Saturday
night and you’re not on tour. What would you be doing?
LB: I don’t see my girlfriend very much so we would either
be catching up at home. (Luke winks and laughs) or I would be writing new
material. I don’t really have spare time. I feel like I always have something
to work on, or prepare for. When I’m on tour that is my party time, and when
I’m home I calm it down a bit.
Q9: Who is your best
friend?
LB: My band are my best mates but the ultimate title goes to
Dale. He’s always there for me even when I’m being a dick, we’ve know each
other for about 100 years. He’s a fucking ace best friend and he’s not a bad
guitarist either.
Q10: What would you
like to say to your fans about the gossip that surrounds you?
LB: That most of it is complete and utter Bollocks. If you
haven’t heard it from me the chances are it isn’t true. Just to clarify the latest story. The band is
not splitting up. My girlfriend isn’t sleeping with my drummer, doesn’t have a
drink problem and isn’t pregnant. and I haven’t proposed. Amazes me how many lies
fly around. I don’t care what they write
about me as I’m really not that bothered by it.
I do care when my girlfriend is sobbing because people are calling her
all kinds of things in the street or online over lies.
Q11: What annoys you
about being in the limelight?
LB: Just people’s need
to lie. Write the truth or don’t bother. If people want to know something just
ask me. I’ve no problem with having a chat but don’t make stuff up or I will
pull you on it. I’m not scared of standing up for myself. Be warned.
Q12: Do you have any
regrets?
LB: Yes. I would rather not say as it’s something that is
causing me issues currently and I wish I could turn the clocks back so I never
meet this person. That’s all I’m willing
to say.
Q13: What would you
say annoys others about you?
LB: I’m a perfectionist. I drive everyone mad at times. We
could have completely nailed a song but I will be thinking about making it
better. I worry about things more than the others. There have been times where
I’m trying to change a set list minutes before a show and that winds people up.
Q14: Would you change
anything about the band?
LB: Hell no! We’re in a good place and there’s nobody else I
would consider doing this with. They are my best mates and we have a laugh and
without them I would be nowhere. Anyway, I don’t think anyone else would put up
with me.
Q15: You have 48 hours
to live. What would you do?
LB: I would put on the biggest show and say goodbye to my
fans before spending whatever time I have left with the people I love.
Hopefully write a song that will go down in history so I live on forever. Have
a massive party and go out with a smile on face.
Teaser 1
She felt as though they were never going to let her recover in private – the vultures were already circling, and picking for information as to what had happened. Jean had dodged two of them as she’d come into the hospital and that wasn’t even the beginning. There would be more – lots more. She wanted to scream at them to leave her daughter alone, but what would be the point? She was an intelligent woman and she knew that the lifestyle Melissa and Luke had chosen came at a price. But surely there had to be a limit? Apparently, her broken and terrified daughter was even more exciting to them than she was before. It was just another scoop for them to sell their trash, she thought. They didn’t care that two families and their friends were going through a terrible time, which would only get worse if he didn’t return. Millions of fans around the world waited to discover the fate of their idol. But to Melissa he was her boyfriend, her soul mate, her world.
Melissa went deathly white and the sound that came from within her made her parents jump; it was like an animal being tortured. She was hysterical, and had to be restrained as she threw herself on the floor screaming for Luke. Her parents struggled with her, begging her to calm down but she had snapped. Everything she had been subjected to rushed to the surface and boiled over. She was unable to control herself any more.
Her medical team rushed in and quickly assessed the situation. Due to her state of mind, they decided that sedation was the only way to calm her down and prevent her from causing herself harm.
‘Do it, doctor – now!’ Jean yelled as she struggled to hold her broken daughter.
Teaser 2
‘You look beautiful, as always.’ She barely had to try, he thought.
He was in his usual dark blue jeans and black hoody.
‘Do I look fat?’ she asked.
‘Shut up and stop fishing for compliments!’ he joked, but she pulled a sad face.
‘Of course you don’t!’
‘That’s the right answer.’
‘I’ve something for you too, to bring you luck today.’ She opened her travel bag and pulled out a small package.
‘You didn’t have to. It’s your birthday, not mine!’
She waved his protest away; it was a big day for him, and she felt that it would be right to give him a gift too. It was a brown leather cuff which she’d seen in a music shop. She’d thought it would suit him and look good while he played. She placed it on his wrist carefully, winding the strap around several times so there were three layers, then fastened the small silver buckle at the side to secure it.
‘It’s great – thanks, babe,’ he said gratefully as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Even though he tried to hide it, she could tell he was nervous.
‘Play for me – don’t worry about anyone else,’ she whispered. The next few words came out of her mouth without her even thinking, ‘I love you ...’ She immediately realised that this was a big moment because they hadn’t said it to each other before, even though everyone else could see they were head over heels in love. She held her breath, waiting for him to react, hoping he felt the same. It hadn’t been planned, and she’d surprised herself as well as him, but desperately hoped she hadn’t picked the wrong moment or said it too soon and scared him off.
Kat Green was born Nov 1979 into a military family and moved around a lot during her childhood. This shaped her into the person she is today. She is at ease with meeting new people and adapting to new surroundings. Her family roots are from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Kat now lives with her husband and son on the south coast of England, Portsmouth. She doesn't pretend to be the best and is still growing as a writer and having fun along the way. She loves books and has a busy imagination. Her love for music plays a big part in her first novel called Strings. Kat loves to watch live bands and can usually be found at gigs around the UK. In 2010 she lost her mother to blood cancer and it was time to put her words on a page and stop worrying about what people might say 'Life is too short and precious to waste' is her motto. Writing is her passion and her escape.
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Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters. The family also consists of two boxers; Destiny and Dolce and a ragdoll cat named Colby. Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students. 
