Bert Murray's Blog - Posts Tagged "john-lennon"

Meredith Sue Willis's

Books for Readers # 139

February 10, 2011

MSW ON COLIN PRESTON ROCKED AND ROLLED

COLIN PRESTON ROCKED AND ROLLED by "Bert Murray" is a novel that does a wonderful job of capturing the voices and lives of a certain time and place. The use of music– both music contemporary to the characters and Colin's beloved Beatles (already, of course, at the time of the novel, classic)– works especially well. Instead of using words, Colin, when in the grip of a strong emotion, puts on an appropriate song. Overall, the compactness of the story and the ease with which one identifies with Colin and his situation create an inevitability about the events that has an almost tragic quality as well as a strong structure. I felt I experienced it all with Colin, and it was a pleasure to read.

About Meredith Sue Willis:

A well-known speaker and writer about the teaching of writing, her own novels include A Space Apart, Higher Ground, Only Great Changes, Trespassers, and Oradell at Sea. Her short story collections are In the Mountains of America and Dwight's House and Other Stories. Her work has been praised in periodicals like The New York Times Book Review, The Nation, The San Francisco Chronicle, and many other periodicals.

She has won major awards including literary fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the arts, and her fiction has won prizes like the PEN Syndicated Fiction Award and the West Virginia Library Association Award (1980), as well as the Chaffin Award for fiction.

Colin Preston’s Favorite Ten Songs:

1. “Hey Jude” – Beatles

2. “Strawberry Fields Forever” – Beatles

3. “Let It Be” – Beatles

4. “All You Need Is Love” – Beatles

5. “Imagine” – John Lennon

6. “Maybe I’m Amazed” – Paul McCartney

7. “Helter Skelter” – Beatles

8. “Gimme Some Truth” – John Lennon

9. “All Things Must Pass” – George Harrison

10. “I’m Looking Through You” – Beatles

Dear Goodreads members,

For a limited time, the kindle version of Colin Preston Rocked And Rolled is available on Amazon for just 99 cents.

Thanks,

Bert Murray

Author, Colin Preston Rocked And Rolled

Amber rated it 4 stars
Shelves: 2011, main-floor-books, own, reviewed, won
**I received this book through Good Reads first reads.**

Totally brainless, a quick read. That means I enjoyed it! I need a book that I don't have to think about every once in a while. :)

I liked the male perspective in this book, and I really liked Colin. I was a college student once and I liked the idea that I was seeing into the college age male mind. Although I don't think that Colin was the norm in college. I think that Karl's thinking processes were more what college boys act like and think like.

I loved the references to the Beatles. On more than one occasion, I had to go to iTunes and find a Beatles song that I hadn't heard before.

My college experience consisted of people more like Chester-strung out weirdos with not much on their mind but sex, drugs and rock & roll, namely Pink Floyd. I have a picture in my mind of Shaney-a good friend of mine in college always high or drunk. But let me tell you that he is one of my favorite memories of college and that made me love Chester. Colin's a good guy for trying to help him and staying friends with him through everything.

Overall, an entertaining read. A fun debut novel.

Please send me your email address so I can gift you the Kindle version of Colin Preston Rocked And Rolled. I will only gift the first five Goodreads members who write to me today. (May 17, 2011)

Bert Murray

Author, Colin Preston Rocked And Rolled

(Free Kindle copy for first 10 Goodreads members to respond!)

Colin Preston Rocked And Rolled

Write to me (Bert Murray) on Goodreads or send me an email to bertmurray2@gmail.com

Please provide your email address so I can send you a free Kindle gift copy from Amazon

I only ask that you rate the novel on Goodreads & write a short review (just a couple of sentences is fine)

Colin Preston Rocked and Rolled

Update: June 9, 2011

Hi Goodreads members,

I sent out a number of free Kindle copies to Goodreads members yesterday! But I still have some more to give away!

Write to me (Bert Murray) on Goodreads or send me an email to bertmurray2@gmail.com

Please provide your first name and email address so I can send you a free Kindle gift copy from Amazon.

I only ask that you rate the novel on Goodreads & write a short review (just a couple of sentences is fine).

Thanks,

Bert Murray

Colin Preston Rocked and Rolled

I am looking for reviewers for Colin Preston Rocked And Rolled.

(14 five stars ratings on Goodreads so far!)

Title: Colin Preston Rocked And Rolled

Genre: Romantic Comedy/General Fiction

Blurb:

Meet Colin Preston.
19 years old and a student at Elerby University in upstate New York.
He drinks too much.
Lives for the Beatles, John Lennon and classic rock.
Falls for the most beautiful sophomore on campus.
His life is about to change forever.
Funny. Moving. Honest. Raw.
An entertaining coming of age novel about friendship,
music, first love and betrayal.

Contact Link:

Write to me on Goodreads or at bertmurray2@gmail.com

I can provide a gift Kindle review copy if you send me your name and email address.

Thanks,

Bert Murray

Colin Preston Rocked and Rolled

Colin Preston is a quick read. Everything happens so fast that sometimes I was wondering what exactly was going on, and I had to go back a couple of pages to get the full gist of the situation. That being said, once I got used to the writing style, I fully enjoyed this novel. It definitely reminded me of the college experience, where drama was abound and events such as stealing someone else's boyfriend were common but still devastating to all parties involved. When you're in college, you have the task of finding yourself, and some people can do it easier than others. Sometimes, it takes a good long while, especially if there are many bumps in the path, like there seemed to be for Colin.

I thought the novel ended fairly abruptly, however, it made me want to break out all my Beatles cds and listen to them over and over. Once I did, I gained a new appreciation for the music, all thanks to Colin Preston Rocked and Rolled. Having it set in the 80s was a brilliant choice, and it was almost like I could smell the Aquanet and feel the sizzle of a crimper while I read about Colin's life away at school. Pick this up if you want to get a glimpse of college life from as far away from the Gossip Girl point of view as possible.

(From Brenna's Goodreads review of Colin Preston Rocked And Rolled)

Update: June 11, 2011

Hi Goodreads members,

I sent out a number of free Kindle copies to Goodreads members yesterday! But I still have some more to give away!

Write to me (Bert Murray) on Goodreads or send me an email to bertmurray2@gmail.com

Please provide your first name and email address so I can send you a free Kindle gift copy from Amazon.

I only ask that you rate the novel on Goodreads & write a short review (just a couple of sentences is fine).

Thanks,

Bert Murray