The Frontman

by Jon Frechette

For Brooklyn musician Will Jarrett, the open road and sweaty clubs are the only home he's ever known. But after his drummer gets pregnant and his long-time band breaks up, Will, now on the wrong side of thirty, struggles to define what matters more to him: the pursuit of an increasingly unlikely dream, or the family life he watches those around him embrace and which he recognizes the potential for with Leah, a realtor at loose ends about the path her own life has taken. After booking an opening slot for a rising New York band, Will takes one last shot at making it as he's forced to reconcile what success means to him... and if there comes a time when dreams must end.

124 pages, Paperback

First published December 11, 2012

About the author

Jon Frechette was born in the Philippines and raised in Tokyo and San Francisco. After a youth spent playing guitar in punk bands, Jon moved to Southern California to study film at Chapman University, from which he graduated summa cum laude. An avid cyclist, Jon now lives in Los Angeles, where he tries to avoid being hit by cars. THE FRONTMAN is his first novella.

Reviews

[Todd Croak-Falen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most insightful books I've ever read about the balancing act of being an artist. (Any kind of artist, although in this case the focus is on music.) There is a cost to staying true to one's artistic integrity, and sometimes that cost is success, relationships, or even happiness. At times you have to wonder if it's worth it.

"The Frontman" captures this beautifully, walking the fine line of being poignant but not depressing. The characters (and their dialogue) are realistic, and their inner thoughts are concise and insightful throughout the entire story. My feelings for them evolved over the course of the story as I identified with them more and more, truly caring how things would turn out for each of them. There's an honesty here that not every book contains. It's well worth your time.