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ShapeShifter: The Demo Tapes
Shapeshifter: The Demo Tapes - Year 3
The popular Demo Tapes series continues with The Demo Tapes: Year 3. It's the same format you've come to know and love: short fiction previously posted on The Meet and Greet at West of Mars, and intros to each that let you, the reader, look into the mind of the author and creator of the indomitable Trevor Wolff.
Trevor and his best friend Mitchell Voss are in fine form in these stories, first published online between March 2008 and April 2009. From Thanksgiving to Halloween and a few new characters who help round out The Musical Hanukkah Celebration, we once again get to watch the guys go from kids into the men who ride the wave of being rock's biggest band: ShapeShifter.
Trevor and his best friend Mitchell Voss are in fine form in these stories, first published online between March 2008 and April 2009. From Thanksgiving to Halloween and a few new characters who help round out The Musical Hanukkah Celebration, we once again get to watch the guys go from kids into the men who ride the wave of being rock's biggest band: ShapeShifter.
- GenresMusic
First published June 11, 2011
22 people want to read
About the author
Susan Helene Gottfried
28 books160 followersSusan Helene Gottfried is the heavy-metal-loving, not-disabled-enough divorced Jewish mother of two. A freelance line editor to authors of fiction by day, her select roster of clients tend to hit bestseller lists, and more than a few have quit their day jobs. It’s not entirely her doing, but like does attract like.
Susan holds a BA (University of Pittsburgh) and MFA (Bowling Green State University) in English Writing and Fiction, respectively.
She lives with a couple cats in the Pittsburgh suburbs, just West of Mars. Visit her at http://WestofMars.com and http://TalesFromTheSheepFarm.com.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
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July 13, 2011Demo Tapes 3 is a collection of short stories and micro fiction featuring the rock band Shapeshifter, which main characters are Trevor (the main character) and Mitchell (the band leader and Trevor’s best friend). All Demo Tapes anthology refer to the novel Trevor Song, in which Trevor’s and the Shapeshifter’s story is further developed.
The whole Demo Tapes concept is very interesting. It gives the reader snippets of intimate moments of the characters that would slow down the reading if introduced in a single piece but are very interesting as separated stories. It’s very possible to read any Demo Tape isolated, as I did, since the author takes care of introducing each story and informing the reader where in the band’s story each short story fits. It was a bit disconcerting, at first, to be introduced to so many characters and viewpoints at once, but Susan’s characters are very well rounded so it soon becomes easy to identify the protagonists and to welcome new people as they are introduced.
These short introductions to each story also create a connection with readers and fellow writers, as she addresses them directly. She shares elements of her writing process, her blogging history an even some personal aspects of her life that explain why her descriptions and the situations depicted on her stories ring so true. Her experience in the business show may not have provided her the most fulfilling happening in her professional life -- as her character Jen came to realize in “Backstage with Jen” -- but it’s certainly paid off. Susan has a very effective and engaging way of killing our curiosity about what is it like to be a rock star, and also about how does it feel to be around them, and worship them. That makes quite a complete profile of the “rock’n roll people”.
The Demo Tapes gives hints about their inner conflicts and successes spiking my curiosity about Trevor's complicated family history, Mitchell's love life, and the secondary character's personality. Despite my initial disorientation, the book achieved its goal and I’m caught up in what the author likes to call the “Trevolution”. That is, I’d love to learn more about Trevor and his band, and specially to read a longer and complete piece about these grumpy and ill-mouthed guys. (Just a final warning for the purists.)
The whole Demo Tapes concept is very interesting. It gives the reader snippets of intimate moments of the characters that would slow down the reading if introduced in a single piece but are very interesting as separated stories. It’s very possible to read any Demo Tape isolated, as I did, since the author takes care of introducing each story and informing the reader where in the band’s story each short story fits. It was a bit disconcerting, at first, to be introduced to so many characters and viewpoints at once, but Susan’s characters are very well rounded so it soon becomes easy to identify the protagonists and to welcome new people as they are introduced.
These short introductions to each story also create a connection with readers and fellow writers, as she addresses them directly. She shares elements of her writing process, her blogging history an even some personal aspects of her life that explain why her descriptions and the situations depicted on her stories ring so true. Her experience in the business show may not have provided her the most fulfilling happening in her professional life -- as her character Jen came to realize in “Backstage with Jen” -- but it’s certainly paid off. Susan has a very effective and engaging way of killing our curiosity about what is it like to be a rock star, and also about how does it feel to be around them, and worship them. That makes quite a complete profile of the “rock’n roll people”.
The Demo Tapes gives hints about their inner conflicts and successes spiking my curiosity about Trevor's complicated family history, Mitchell's love life, and the secondary character's personality. Despite my initial disorientation, the book achieved its goal and I’m caught up in what the author likes to call the “Trevolution”. That is, I’d love to learn more about Trevor and his band, and specially to read a longer and complete piece about these grumpy and ill-mouthed guys. (Just a final warning for the purists.)
June 20, 2011
I'll be the first to admit that I'm a big fan of this series of books. I've been following this author for a while - heck, before she even had books, I was a fan of her online work. It should be no surprise that I loved this series.
I read most of the entries a couple of years ago when they were first online, but I love that she's taken them, given us some background, edited them and put them together in a cohesive collection.
The basics are that she writes about the birth and success of a rock band. Trevor (*swoon*), the lead singer and Mitchell, the guitar guy are the main characters. The depth of the characters always impresses me. Susan doesn't write, she creates. She has created some beautiful deep characters in a light and funny way that makes it so that I don't even really realize how much I know about them.
The stories themselves... well, they are what we've learned to expect from Susan. Fun, light, deep, intriguing and everything in between.
I highly recommend this series to those that enjoy a fun read and to those of us that still carry around a little bit of the 80s and 90s in our hearts.
I read most of the entries a couple of years ago when they were first online, but I love that she's taken them, given us some background, edited them and put them together in a cohesive collection.
The basics are that she writes about the birth and success of a rock band. Trevor (*swoon*), the lead singer and Mitchell, the guitar guy are the main characters. The depth of the characters always impresses me. Susan doesn't write, she creates. She has created some beautiful deep characters in a light and funny way that makes it so that I don't even really realize how much I know about them.
The stories themselves... well, they are what we've learned to expect from Susan. Fun, light, deep, intriguing and everything in between.
I highly recommend this series to those that enjoy a fun read and to those of us that still carry around a little bit of the 80s and 90s in our hearts.
June 14, 2011
The outtakes keep getting better and better. I was laughing out loud at some of Trevor and Mitchell's antics. And the word play with a certain character that I don't want to name here but let's just say he isn't called Dick. And to see my name mentioned in the outtake about Hammer, Wrench and Torque made me smile.
January 7, 2012
I'm a big fan of Susan Helene Gottfried's ShapeShifter series, and this was the only work I hadn't read. I'm so glad that I finally got around to it.
This book shares little tidbits of information that fill in gaps around other stories and give us more insight into Trevor, Eric, Kerri, Mitchell and the rest of the gang.
For those who, like me, have worked in the music business, the well-drawn characters (from the groupies to the harried venue manager) will all be very familiar.
A fun, short read.
This book shares little tidbits of information that fill in gaps around other stories and give us more insight into Trevor, Eric, Kerri, Mitchell and the rest of the gang.
For those who, like me, have worked in the music business, the well-drawn characters (from the groupies to the harried venue manager) will all be very familiar.
A fun, short read.
January 30, 2014
As always Susan's writing draws you into the world of ShapeShifter. This collection of short stories follows Trevor's Song, and fills in some more of the backstory and introduces a, memorably named, shall we say, character.
A solid read.
A solid read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews