Play It Again

And the Beat Goes On #0.5

by Tracy Krauss

Sparks fly when an ex-rock and roll junkie and a stuffy accountant rendezvous at a local resort, but neither are prepared for the emotional entanglements, family complications, and threat from the past that unexpectedly resurfaces. Set in the 1980s, this story brings two opposing forces together in a clash of romance and danger, while its musical undertones highlight the theme that God can turn anything into beautiful music.Play It Again is the much anticipated prequel to Tracy's debut novel And the Beat Goes On. Find out where Mark Graham's journey began in this, the story of his parents.About the Author: Tracy Krauss is a high school teacher by profession, and a prolific author, artist, playwright and director by choice. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Saskatchewan and has gone on to teach Art, Drama and English - all the things she is passionate about. After raising four children, she and her husband now reside in beautiful Tumbler Ridge, BC, Canada, where she continues to pursue all of her creative interests.Publisher's website: http: //www.sbpra.com/TracyKrauss

Genres: Christian Fiction, Contemporary, Fiction, Music

234 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2009

About the author

Tracy Krauss is an award-winning author, artist, and playwright. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Saskatchewan and has gone on to teach Art, Drama and English – all the things she is passionate about. After raising four children, she and her husband now reside in beautiful Tumbler Ridge, BC where she continues to pursue all of her creative interests. For more information or to check out her published books and plays, visit her website. https://tracykrauss.com

Reviews

[Krisi Keley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars.

In this sensitive romance by author Tracy Krauss, conservative accountant, Russ Graham, finds himself unexpectedly attracted to a vibrant young woman he meets at a resort where her jazz musician father and his band have a gig. Deanie Burton, a former rock singer who is in school studying for what she hopes will be a more stable career, is likewise surprised by her immediate attraction to Russ, and the two share an intimate evening. But a past relationship that still haunts Russ leads to him compounding this passionate mistake with another.

Set in 1980’s Canada, Play It Again is a story about the difficulty of letting go of pain and trusting again, both in others and in the belief that God has a plan for everyone. The two main characters, Russ and Deanie, are very well-drawn and realistic, and author Tracy Krauss does a wonderful job of portraying with honesty and sympathy the heartbreaks of their past and the challenges they must face to overcome them. I also loved the vivid portrayal of all those who shape and impact Russ and Deanie’s lives, from Deanie’s jazz musician father to her former bandmates and friends and the relationship the couple have with Russ’ son, Mark.

While most definitely a Christian novel with themes of redemption and coming to faith in Christ, it can also be enjoyed as simply a spiritually-uplifting contemporary romance because it comes from the character point of view of those who are not starting off with any kind of strong faith perspective, but who are instead just two everyday people who face the struggles, deal with the consequences and must decide how they will heal from the traumas and mistakes all human beings make.

A recommended read for all fans of edgy Christian fiction.

[Teric Darken · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Play It Again, Author Tracy Krauss' jazz-infused prequel to And the Beat Goes On. Each chapter jumped out at me as a musical movement: the pages coming to life with their true-to-form dialogue, vivid imagery, and complicated situations. Whether inside a smokey bar, enjoying each soul-filled note that saxophonist Jack and his jazz band belt out, feeling the strain between Deanie and Russ along their uphill climb via their non-traditional relationship, or simply yearning for Russ' son, Mark, to finally receive the mother and grandfather that he always longed for, Play It Again is a page turner - each chapter paced at just the right rhythm to keep the reader yearning for another encore.

What I especially enjoyed out of this read was the honesty: the author paints vivid pictures of real-life scenery and situations while upholding a very real, redemptive theme. Her works categorized by some as "Edgy Christian Fiction," Tracy Krauss doesn't shy away from placing an expletive where one could expect to find one in an emotional scene - and those scenes deal with all the passion, tension, angst and joy that we've all experienced while traversing through every day life. That redemptive theme is far from preachy: amidst the musical notes ringing out through life's circumstances - tunes of passionate yearnings, of strained relationships, of where-do-I-go-from-here - that redemptive chord is gentle, invitational, and as logical as the next sultry note emitting from the sax in complimenting the harmonic melody. This is real life.

Play It Again... Gladly.

Teric Darken
Author: Wickflicker, KILL FM 100 (Night Shift Edition)
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[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one best comtemporary novels I've read all year. I started reading this book yesterday and read until I had to go to bed last night, then finished it this morning. For me, this is the kind of novel that is very hard to put down. I read into the wee hours. I didn't want to sleep and just wanted to read this book. The tension kept building and building. While some elements of the story are common to romance novels, the author did such a great job putting the elements together and making it compelling. The setting, characters, and dialog brought me back to the 1980s, and parts of the story felt like they could have come from my life.

The dialog was convincing and realistic. I knew some guys who were just like the bunch of band members Deanie hung out with. Is that crazy, or what? Her mentality was pretty 80s, too. I loved how she called it like she saw it. I also loved how the author strung me along until I couldn't see straight. I was so emotionally caught up in this book that I forgot I was reading. I wanted to crawl into the novel a few times and shake some sense in to Russ. At the same time I understood his fear. When you feel so strongly about someone that it terrifies you, well, you do some pretty stupid things sometimes to spare yourself further hurt. Ironically that very wall of protection often causes more hurt, rather than blocking it out. Great illustration of this in Russ and Deanie's relationship.

For me this was the perfect novel for a number of reasons. Not only was it well-written, but it was edgy in that the story dared to be honest. I loved that. The characters thought like people actually think in those unfortunate situations they found themselves in, and not like people--especially Christians--want them to think. I believe that sometimes we, as Christians, forget that we are sinful people in need of a savior and no matter how good we think we are, we're not good enough without Jesus. And even then, it's all about Him and not about us. I remember what my life was like before I became a Christian in the mid 1980s, and it wasn't pretty. But most of the heartache I had caused myself.

I loved Deanie's relationship with Mark, and Russ's conflict about Rita. Those scenarios were very well done. They played out like real life. Russ's mistrust and jealousy were not totally misplaced, nor was the band's overprotectiveness of Deanie. The author set up the situations so they made total sense, rather than feeling contrived. The faith element also felt natural and real to me. There were no easy conversions, and the way the characters saw Christianity when they were standing on the outside looking in rang true to me. When people get a taste of what it's really like to have a saving relationship with Christ, it's compelling. There was nothing sappy about this novel. People who have no faith in Jesus may not "get" it, but I can see this touching a lot of people who have thought about God but have been afraid to move forward. In fact, it reminded me of just how much people need to know Jesus and that He can and does change hearts. Heart-wrenching, and yet beautifully written. This story will stick with me for a long time.

[TWJ Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The tension in Play it Again kept building and building until I thought there would be an explosion around the bend. While a number of elements in the story are common to romance novels, the author did such a great job putting them together and making the plot compelling. The setting, characters, and dialog brought me back to the 1980s, and parts of the story felt like they could have come from my life. The dialog was convincing and realistic. I knew some guys who were just like the bunch of band members Deanie hung out with. Is that crazy, or what? Her mentality was pretty 80s, too. I loved how the heroine called it like she saw it.

I also loved how the author strung me along until I couldn't see straight. I was so emotionally caught up in this book that I forgot I was reading. I wanted to crawl into the novel a few times and shake some sense in to Russ. At the same time I understood his fear. When you feel so strongly about someone that it terrifies you, well, you do some pretty stupid things sometimes to spare yourself further hurt. Ironically that very wall of protection often causes more hurt, rather than blocking it out. Great illustration of this in Russ and Deanie's relationship.

For me this was the perfect novel for a number of reasons. Not only was it well-written, but it was edgy in that the story dared to be honest. I loved that. The characters thought like people actually think in those unfortunate situations they found themselves in, and not like people--especially Christians--want them to think. I believe that sometimes we, as Christians, forget that we are sinful people in need of a savior and no matter how good we think we are, we're not good enough without Jesus. And even then, it's all about Him and not about us. I remember what my life was like before I became a Christian in the mid 1980s, and it wasn't pretty. But most of the heartache I had caused myself.

I loved Deanie's relationship with Mark, and Russ's conflict about Rita. Those scenarios were very well done. They played out like real life. Russ's mistrust and jealousy were not totally misplaced, nor was the band's overprotectiveness of Deanie. The author set up the situations so they made total sense, rather than feeling contrived. The faith element also felt natural and real to me. There were no easy conversions, and the way the characters saw Christianity when they were standing on the outside looking in rang true to me. When people get a taste of what it's really like to have a saving relationship with Christ, it's compelling.

There was nothing sappy about this novel. People who have no faith in Jesus may not "get" it, but I can see this touching a lot of people who have thought about God but have been afraid to move forward. In fact, it reminded me of just how much people need to know Jesus and that He can and does change hearts. Heart-wrenching, and yet beautifully written. This story will stick with me for a long time. It's making my best fiction list for 2011!

Play it Again was published by Strategic Publishing and released in Nov. 2011.

The Wordsmith Journal strives to guide readers to books of personal interest, with the understanding and respect that what appeals to some may not appeal to others. Therefore we attempt to keep our reviews focused on content, genre and style. The rating is necessary to make use of Goodreads and Amazon. It reflects the reviewer’s own level of enjoyment, but the review is intended to be informative for the benefit of all readers.

[Janet Sketchley · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the 1980’s, a one-night stand between a conservative accountant and a free-spirited younger woman may have been love at first sight, but neither can admit the possibility. Nor can they stop thinking about one another.

Russ Graham is punctual, successful, and always trying to measure up. Deanie Burton is impulsive, direct and never on time. They’ve both got a lot of baggage from disastrous past relationships.

Neither is a Christian, although Russ learned enough of “the rules” as a child to think he knows it’s not for him. His mother is a woman of faith, but she plays the guilt card more than she should and tends to look no deeper than appearances.

Deanie’s father leads a jazz troupe, and Deanie herself has recently quit singing in a rock band. She’d love to go back to it, but she also wants a job with a steady income.

Play it Again is a romance, without the suspense that readers of author Tracy Krauss may expect from her previous novels. There’s still plenty of tension and some elements of danger. It’s very much a relationship story, and a coming-to-faith story.

There’s a fair bit of mild profanity, enough to put the novel into the “edgy Christian fiction” category, definitely enough that the more conservative readers of Christian fiction may want to give it a miss. There isn’t a lot of sexual content, and it’s discreetly “off-camera.”

While the language might make Russ, Deanie and their friends feel more realistic to non-Christian readers, I think those readers might have trouble accepting the number of characters who commit their hearts to Christ by the book’s end. Still, it could be a good book to pass to a non-Christian friend.

The basics of the faith are clearly presented in small portions as the characters themselves begin searching—after readers have watched them dig themselves into messes and have developed sympathy for them. And although the gospel message is very clear, I never felt readers were being preached at.

I found it interesting to look at the Christian characters through Russ and Deanie’s eyes and see how even the best intentions can be misconstrued. Deanie’s friend Holly shows how faith can be lived non-judgmentally but without compromise, and she’s a good example to us all.

Tracy Krauss is a Canadian author whose previous novels include And the Beat Goes On and My Mother the Man-Eater. Play it Again is the prequel to And the Beat Goes On. You can learn more about Tracy at her website or check out her blog, Expressions Express, about the creative process from a Christian perspective.

There’s an interesting interview with Tracy Krauss at Marcy Dyer’s Rollercoaster Suspense blog, where she talks about her philosophy in writing edgy Christian fiction.

[Review copy provided by the author in exchange for a fair review.]

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Krauss’s Play It Again is the awaited prequel to And the Beat Goes On. Built around the nightclub music scene of the 1980s, the story recounts how Russ and Deanie meet and get involved with each other.

This story is hard to classify. It’s gritty and real and doesn’t fit into traditional inspirational category due to adult language and theme. Although I was somewhat surprised by those elements, Krauss tells an elegant love story of characters flawed as much as anyone in contemporary times, finding a way to make do the best they know how given the choices they’ve made. While I admit that much of the ‘80s was kind of a blur while I was raising my kids, I found Krauss’ descriptions and conversation right on target.

Russ, an accountant, is on a business holiday and visiting a hotel bar when his eye catches Deanie, a young woman whom he mistakenly believes is the romantic partner of one of the bar’s entertainers. As their story unfolds in real time with confessions of past events, the reader is drawn into their unconventional family and friends. Deanie’s friends will do anything to protect her. And when Russ makes the same mistake that bought him his first failed marriage, we’re not sure whether we want to shake him or get on our knees for him.

Play It Again is for readers who like ultra-edgy stories with an inspirational undercurrent.

[Lynn Dove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edgy Christian Fiction with a Musical Twist

Tracy Krauss, a fellow Canadian author, writes another captivating story set in the bar and music scene of the 80’s. Russ Graham meets Deanie Burton at a resort where her father is performing with his jazz band. Instantly attracted to one another, the two share an intimate evening together but Russ is still suffering the consequences of poor choices and a failed marriage and for the most part unable to emotionally commit to a new relationship.

Edgy and raw at times, my conservative Baptist sensibilities cringed when reading some of the language but admittedly, the language was not entirely out of place for the characters. Tracy writes about flawed, sinful, real characters, who make mistakes, live imperfect lives and are in need of a Savior.

If you are looking for edgy Christian fiction at its best, Tracy Krauss’ books definitely deliver.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've gotta tell you, Play It Again is definitely a story worth reading. Yeah, it takes you through some rough scenes, but life isn't always sweet and easy. And the path we choose to follow isn't either.

Ms. Krauss did a great job of making the characters real - so real that I thoroughly disliked Russ through much of the story. Deanie on the other hand is definitely someone I could be friends with. She's so real, so willing to take on the world and accept her own faults and just deal with things as they come.

Play It Again is a wonderful story with a whole lot of life lessons within those pages! And the real message is laid out plain and simple for all to see - that yes, salvation is for all, that it's not about who we are, but about who He is.

This is one of the best gospel messages I have read in a story!

[Barbara Derksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straight-laced accountant, Russ Graham, meets effervescent, college student, Deanie Burton, the daughter of a jazz musician,  while on a business trip at Hecla Island Resort near Winnipeg, Manitoba. A confirmed bachelor raising his 11 year old son, Russ is overwhelmed with the emotions that this girl-woman, as he calls her, resurrects in him. The ensuing story relates the battle within, as well as the conflict that seems to surrounds both their lives, together and separately.

Tracy Krauss has written another winner, as far as I'm concerned. The story is compelling, has just the right amount of tension and mystery, and keeps one reading well past the midnight hour.  It tingles the romantic bug inside us all but isn't mushy like some romance novels. I highly recommend it.

[Tom Blubaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracy has done a masterful job of weaving this story into my mind. I became very attached to the characters. Not just the protagonist, but all of them. It is an edgy story, but not out of line for the characters. Some of them reminded me of me when I was in my twenties. I wanted to punch Russ in the nose more than once and have a man-to-man talk with him. I fell in love with Deanie. She became my daughter. I wanted to protect her. Dorothy reminded me of my own mother. I understood the frustration Russ felt whenever she questioned him. It was difficult for me to put the book down and go to sleep. I've got her sequel, And the Beat Goes On, on my list to read. Great writing, Tracy.

[Andi Tubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book that I have read of Tracy's and it is the best of the three! I couldn't put this down. The characters were real and I love that! This is going to be one of my tops for the year! This is a definite must read!

[Nona King · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read. the characters are believable and endearing (i love mark!). there is just enough conflict and miscommunication to keep you turning the pages. my one wish was for more tenderness between the two, but the ride to get there was awesome.

[Tracy Krauss · Rating 5 out of 5]

PLAY IT AGAIN is the much anticipate prequel to AND THE BEAT GOES ON. Set in the 1980s music scene, this romantic suspense finds two unlikely people inexplicably attracted to one another, despite their obvious differences. After a one night stand at a resort, they go their separate ways, but despite their best efforts they continue to be drawn together. Deanie is a free spirit - an ex rock and roll junkie, the daughter of a traveling jazz musician and still involved with her 'music friends'. Russ is a conservative accountant who thrives on staying in control. he's a divorcee with an eleven year old son to look after. See what happens when these opposites attract. The book is loosely formatted in the from of a symphony with four 'movements'. Its the story of Mark Grahma's parents from the archeOlogical thriller, AND THE BEAT GOES ON.

[Susan B · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd like to have given this book at least a 3-star rating, but due to the volume of spelling and grammar errors, I couldn't. They distracted from what otherwise was an engaging story with well-developed main characters. I did find Russ's son, Mark, to be somewhat one-dimensional and a little unbelievable for an 11-year-old, but I suppose there are some extremely obedient and well-behaved boys out there, and he is a minor character, after all.

'Play it Again' was published by a vanity press. While the acknowledgements mention that there was an 'editing process' and the author blurb states that Krauss has taught English, the book would have benefited from a thorough copy edit.