25 Facts About “Broken Promise Records” that you (Probably) Didn’t Know

Let me begin by saying this: if you bought the book, thank you for your love and support. I get overwhelmed thinking about the selflessness of the people who bought it just because they are my friends or family. If you haven’t bought the book, what better time than now?

For this week’s blog, I wanted to give the fans of “Broken Promise Records” some mind candy to enjoy, to say “thank you.” I hope these facts make the book even more enjoyable than it was the first time!

[SPOILER ALERT]

1. The original prologue was a scene where Hendrix Wilson was telling the high school guidance counselor that she sucked at her job. The beginning was changed because I didn’t want to start the book with that kind of negativity — the book is supposed to inspire hope, not weigh you down with anger.
2. The house that Echolocation lived in was inspired by an actual house that my uncle owned. While the actual town wasn’t a dump, the house just seemed like the perfect setting.
3. “West Street” was the name of a street that some members of one of my favorite punk band (Mister Monster) lived on, it seemed like a fitting tribute for the fictional band Echolocation.
4. The original name for “The Violet Nightfall” was “The Violet Skyfall.” I changed it to avoid any preconceived connection to Adele.
5. “The Pescadero” was modeled after the Arena, in State College, PA.
6. There are two questions that I’m still waiting for readers to figure out the answer to: 1). What is Hendrix Wilson’s greatest flaw? And 2). Which character from the first chapter of the book was the only one to complete his or her mission?
7. Jace Scarrow was based off of Jax Teller from “Sons of Anarchy.”
8. Hendrix Wilson plays a Fender Telecaster, Danny Goss plays a BC Rich Warlock, Lori Marshall plays a Fender P-Bass, Courtney Black plays a Fender Jazz Bass, Roni Kanagawa plays a PRS Guitar, Taka Minowa plays a Warwick Bass, Dharma Cleary plays a Fender Stratocaster, and Holly Watanabe plays a Korg Keyboard.
9. The scene where the band sets fire to the horse stalls; that scene was based on the coal tipple that was across from the house I grew up in.
10. The book was originally planned to be a trilogy: the first book would have been Hendrix building the label, the second book would have been about Hendrix struggling with being a responsible adult while trying to cling to his youth, and the finale would have been about his daughter Cori taking over the company.
11. I read several books on starting a record label in research or “Broken Promise Records;” I had originally thought about starting a record label of my own.
12. The car accident in the book is based off of a real auto accident that members of my band were in.
13. I had no idea how the book would end until I was actually typing it; when the first draft of the manuscript was done, I was surprised myself.
14. Hendrix’s daughter’s middle name “Aberdeen” is taken from the city where Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain lived most of his young life.
15. Antics’ job of filling cups with worms was an actual position that a local bait shop would pay high school kids to do.
16. Hendrix’s employer, “Bullseye,” is a play on Target, where I worked many years ago. I felt that connecting Hendrix to that job would help amplify his rebellion and struggle against authority.
17. The music store where Courtney works is based off of “Rainbow Music” in State College, PA. That store is where I bought my favorite guitar (a Fender Telecaster).
18. The Guilty Lizard (where Hendrix meets American Mayhem) is based off of “McGarvey’s Bar & Grill” in Altoona, PA.
19. Hendrix, Antics, Danny, and Lori graduated from Duncannon Junior / Senior High School in 2003; their class song as “Midnight Rider” by Duane Alleman. (Not Disclosed in the Book)
20. Hendrix Wilson’s favorite band is the Misfits, his favorite Misfits album is “American Psycho.”
21. It’s never stated in the book, but the women in the band the Violet Nightfall did not go to the same high school as Hendrix and company. They were in the “Murray Hills” school district; Murray Hills was a more well-to-do district than Duncannon Valley, sports rivals even.
22. Five literary agents passed on “Broken Promise Records” before I decided to self publish.
23. Because of its self published status, you’ll likely never see Broken Promise Records in a major book store.
24. Registering to self publish the book was one of the most anxious things I’d ever done — the tax implications are absolutely terrifying.
25. Hendrix Wilson has a first cousin named Simon Bellinger — remember this fact when my next book comes out.

And there you have it, twenty-five facts about Broken Promise Records that you probably didn’t know!