Blog Tour ~ Tell Me S'more - Book Four of The Campfire Series by Beth Merlin

 

Tell Me S’more
Beth Merlin
(The Campfire Series, #4)
Published by: Firefly Hill Press
Publication date: May 25th 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary

“A beautifully written contemporary romance, with plenty of enjoyable comedy, it challenges us to evaluate our lives and make big decisions on who we want to be and not necessarily what everyone expects us to be.” – Adventures in Lit about The Campfire Series

Camp Chinooka was supposed to be a place of inspiration, the place where Perry Gilman would finally compose his symphonic masterpiece. But four years later, Perry Gillman isn’t any closer to his dream of becoming a world renowned musician. Instead, he fell love in with Gigi Goldstein and he thought that love would be enough. Now, struggling to find the right subject for a new musical while hustling as a piano player at a local jazz bar, he can’t help but measure his own shortcomings to his famous father’s monstrous success. So, when he stumbles onto the idea to write a musical about the life and times of Elizabeth I, everything finally changes. The musical is an international sensation and suddenly, Perry is on the fast track to super stardom.

However, fame and success come at a price. When his relationship with Gigi is thrown into a tailspin, he must decide whether to follow his dream for which he fought for so long or sacrifice it all for true love.

Told from Perry’s perspective, Tell Me S’more shows that there are two sides to every story and a cost to every choice.

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Excerpt:

Randall set down his menu. “Oh, I don’t know? Putting up a successful show is a bit of luck, a bit of will, and a lot of perseverance and determination. So,” he said, leaning into the table, “Elizabeth, tell me more.”

“About the woman or the show?” I asked.
He held up his hands. “Either. Both.”
“There’s a lot of ground to cover. Maybe we should order lunch first,” I joked.
“Good idea,” Randall said, waving the waiter over.

“This place is famous for their suckling pig dish.”
The waiter came to our table. I ordered the Paella Valencia, and Randall ordered

Bacalao, a salted cod, along with a pitcher of red sangria.

“Elizabeth I? Why her? Why now?” Randall asked, after the waiter set off for the kitchen.

“I’ll betray my English upbringing and admit I didn’t know much about her before I started on this project. I knew the bits they teach you in grammar school, the Virgin Queen and all that. What they don’t teach is that she was quick-witted, clever, and able to use feminine wiles. Elizabeth could be as ruthless and calculating as any king before her, but at the same time she was vain, sentimental, and easily swayed by her affections. She was so much more dynamic than the stone-faced paintings would have you believe.”

The waiter came by with the pitcher of red sangria and two large goblets, filling them up to the brim. Randall took a sip and set the glass back down. “You have my attention, that’s for sure.”

“On top of all that, you have the tumultuous relationship between her and Robert Dudley, childhood friends who let ambition and politics derail any chance of happiness they might’ve had. Theirs was a tragic love story, with misunderstandings, missed opportunities, and poorly-timed missteps.”

“A strong female protagonist, scandal, intrigue, and star-crossed lovers sounds like all the ingredients in the making of a hit,” he said, leaning into the table. “Miles sent me a few of the tracks. There was some mind- blowing stuff in there. Some clunkers too, but more good than bad. Who’s your musical director?”

“I am.”

He shook his head. “No, that won’t do. You need another pair of ears. Tomorrow, you’ll come to the Man of La Mancha tech rehearsal and meet Seth D’Arcy, the musical director.”

The waiter set the steaming bowl of paella down in front of me. “I’m not looking for a musical collaborator,” I mumbled.

“What are you so afraid of?” he asked directly. I smirked. “I’m not afraid.”
“No?”
“It’s just, I work best alone.”

He tilted his head to the side. “Your mixtape would suggest otherwise. Look, Perry, I’m going to be straight with you. Theater is a risky business. Only one in about eight shows recoup their initial investment, and that’s if it ever even gets to Broadway or the West End. Most don’t. I wasn’t kidding when I cited luck as a major element of a show’s success. It’s impossible to predict what will resonate with people. If there was a tried-and- true formula it would’ve been cracked long ago.”

“And you think Seth can help Elizabeth get to Broadway?”

“I think at this stage of development you take all the help you are offered and say thank you,” he said bluntly.

I set my fork down. “You’re right. I’d be a fool not to take you up on your offer.”

“Good. Now we can really get started. Let’s start at the very beginning. Walk me through Act One, starting with the opening number.”

 

Author Bio:

Beth Merlin has a BA from The George Washington University where she minored in Creative Writing and a JD from New York Law School. She’s a native New Yorker who loves anything Broadway, rom-coms, her daughter Hadley, and a good maxi dress. She was introduced to her husband through a friend she met at sleepaway camp and considers the eight summers she spent there to be some of the most formative of her life. One S’more Summer is Beth’s debut novel.

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