Welcome to the Sing Like No One’s Listening Blog Tour!
To celebrate the release of Sing Like No One’s Listening by Vanessa Jones on September 1st, blogs across the web are featuring original content from Vanessa, as well as 10 chances to win a finished copy plus a grand prize giveaway!
How Big a Theatre Kid Are You?
by Vanessa Jones
by Vanessa Jones
It was all I ever wanted to do, be in musicals. Well, that, and write books. Happily for me, I got to do both, first as a performer in the West End and now as an author. Unsurprisingly, my first book, Sing Like No One’s Listening, is set in a performing arts college! I wanted to capture the excitement of that world, the competitive atmosphere, the intensity—the excitement of what it feels like to be living your dream, and I guess the cost of that, too. Writing about the world of theatre is like stepping straight back into it, although now that I’m a little older I can see it from both sides, which hopefully gives me a better perspective!
Although I loved to write when I was young and dreamed of one day seeing my own novel in bookstores, I was definitely a theatre kid, first and foremost. Like, I was obsessed. If I wasn’t singing, dancing, or acting, I was basically asleep, and even then I was probably dreaming of it. So, in true Sing style, I thought I’d make a quiz to see if you’re truly a theatre kid!
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Blog Tour Schedule:
8/31 – BookhoundsYA
9/1 – A Dream Within A Dream
9/2 – The Fandom
9/3 – WordSpelunking
9/4 – Christy’s Cozy Corners
9/7 – I’m All Booked Up
9/8 – Book Briefs
9/10 – Wishful Endings
9/11 – Diva Book Nerd
“Jones’ novel has the expected Fame vibes that will delight any reader who loves stories of aspiring young stars learning their craft, but its exploration of Nettie’s complexities makes the story unique…. Jones offsets the narrative’s weightier
moments with light and quirky ones, making it a fast read with staying power.”
— Booklist
“Anglophiles, music and theater nerds, and those looking for some classic will-they-won’t-they romance will all find something to enjoy here. Jones writes her subject matter authentically, with obvious passion to balance the professional arts’ not-so-pretty struggles…. A touching portrait of healing after loss.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Buy: Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
A moving story of grief and healing – sure to be a pure joy for any musical theater aficionado.
Nettie Delaney has just been accepted into a prestigious performing arts school―the very same school her superstar mother attended. With her mother’s shadow hanging over her, Nettie has her work cut out for her―and everyone is watching. To make matters worse, Nettie hasn’t been able to sing a single note since her mother died. Whenever she tries, she just clams up. But if Nettie’s going to survive a demanding first year and keep her place in a highly coveted program, she’ll have to work through her grief and deliver a showstopper or face expulsion.
All may not be lost, however, when Nettie stumbles upon a mysterious piano player in an empty studio after class. Masked behind a curtain, can Nettie summon the courage to find her voice? Or will the pressure and anxiety of performing come crashing down?
All about finding and raising your voice, and not throwing away your shot, Vanessa Jones’s well-crafted journey of grief and healing will pull readers along with its strong narrative voice and satisfying sense of mystery.
About the Author
Vanessa Jones trained at Laine Theatre Arts and went on to be a musical theater actor in West End Shows, including Sister Act, Grease, Guys and Dolls, Annie Get Your Gun, and Mary Poppins. She began her writing career with a stage play for a fringe theater and also works as a freelance copywriter and editor. She lives in England with her fellow chimney sweep.
GIVEAWAY
- 1 winner will receive a finished copy of Sing Like No One’s Listening. Check out the other tour stops for more chances to win.
- US/Canada only
- Ends 11:59pm ET on 9/13
GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY
- 1 winner will receive a finished copy of Sing Like No One’s Listening and a Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone!
- US/Canada only
- Ends 11:59pm ET on 9/13
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I have always wanted to see this one, but still have not had the chance. watched the movie but everyone tells me the theater is so much more powerful! Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
@tisonlyme143
We love Hamilton so much! I’d love the see the Xanadu musical! I got You’re a Long Shot!
Hamilton is my new favorite musical. I didn’t do well on the quiz. “Eh, not so much.”
Results on the quiz – not so much. My favorite musical is The Phantom of the Opera.
You’re a triple threat theatre kid! And you’re on your way to Duke’s! Who knew? What a fun quiz!
I would like to see “Cats” and “Phantom of the Opera”(again). I have not seen “Cats” before.
I’m a triple threat & would love to see Hamilton.
Learn more about Sing Like No One’s Listening is the quiz result I received.
I have always wanted to see ‘Cats’ but could never afford the tickets.
got “Eh, not so much.”
My favorite musical instrument is the guitar.