I'm John Howard, and about three years ago I decided to write my memoir. My story spans a five and a half year time frame from 1980 to 1986 when I worked as a concert merchandiser for some of the greatest rock and roll bands of that era. Bands like The Police, U2,The Clash, Billy Idol, John Mellencamp, Aerosmith, REM and Motely Crue. There were also some other bands and events that are not as well known.
In the years following my rock and roll odyssey, numerous friends had told me I should write a book about my experiences. Well, it took me 25 + years, but I did it!
From day one, the thought process of how I was going to structure my book took many twists and turns. It went from, do I write a standard already been done format rock and roll book, or should I write straight from my heart and detail my personal experience and growth on my new career path. So, I wrote two stories entwined in one book. I wrote about the time I spent working for each band and then I wrote about personal growth while trying to be the best at my new profession.
When I started this project, I let a few close friends read a rough draft of my book. I was startled by their feed back, "it's not gritty enough, it's this, it's that." After five days of listening to their opinions, I realized I wasn't going to please everyone and that my original idea of writing two books in one was correct. Because, in the end, I have to live with what I wrote, not them, and to be honest, opinions are like assholes, everyone's got one! So, my book is not a tell all rock and roll book, it's a book that sheds light on these bands, some in a good light, some not so good. The core of the book is about self belief and going full bore after your goals and dreams and making them turn into reality.
I have a lot of things to express in this blog, like dealing with book agents, the emotions of writing a book about yourself, and exposing many facets of myself and being judged. But in the end, I wrote a true story about who I was many years ago, and how that part of my life helped me evolve into the person I am today. Hopefully you'll read my book and as I move forward in writing this blog every two weeks, you'll have a deeper understanding, and you'll enjoy the journey we'll share. My book is entitled ROCK MY WORLD. It is available only as an e-book on Amazon's Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook and soon to be on Apple's I-Pad/I-Phone.
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I'm thrilled & proud to announce that the The Golden Notebook Bookstore| 29 Tinker Street | Woodstock, NY 12498 | 845-679-8000 is now selling the paperback version of my book ROCK MY WORLD
