True Rock

Heather Fellaway never got to be a kid. Matthew Yin never got over his childhood. Tom Beckett never grew up.Now, in their mid-twenties, Heather, Matthew and Tom lead not-so-satisfying adult lives as teachers (and friends) at Alameda Senior High School. That is, until Tom hatches the so-ridiculous-it-might-just-be-brilliant idea of starting a rock band.But there's a catch: none of them know how to be rock stars...or even musicians for that matter. And a blossoming love triangle between Tom, Heather and the Perfect Guy (TM) threatens to derail their musical dreams altogether.With themes of multicultural identity, overcoming the past and an enduring love for the music of Queen & Shakira (forever), True Rock is a heartfelt coming of age story for grown-ups...with a rock and roll twist.

Thank you for reading my book.In June 2010, at the age of 25, I went to bed one evening with a splitting headache and proceeded to have what Mary Shelley infamously referred to as "an alarmingly vivid dream." The dream showed me - with great detail - the characters of Tom Beckett, Matthew Yin and Heather M. Fellaway. I saw the entire story from beginning to end, I saw the setting...I even saw Principal Louis!As I was waking up, a voice told me that if I wrote and shared this story, it would bring joy to the world. In the wee small hours of that morning, I made a promise to myself that I would do just that.And I did. I spent the next two years writing True Rock. As time passed, it turned into something more than a project: it kept me going. Writing the book became symbolic of holding onto my voice during a time when it felt that my entire existence had become about endless work, overwhelming responsibility, and putting creative dreams on hold.But, like Heather M. Fellaway, I was also a pretty big perfectionist back in those days. I rewrote the book. At least four times. I had my friends read it. I had my neighbor read it. I had an editor give me feedback.But now, almost 13 years later, here I am: sharing the first - and in my opinion, truest and best - version of the book...and on the internet, no less!Since writing True Rock, my life has changed a great deal. The person I am today lives a very different life from the person who wrote the book. Although True Rock is by no means a perfect book, I have great affection for the version of myself who wrote it, and for the characters and story it tells.Sharing it now is also a big FUCK YOU to my perfectionism, which I have made great strides in overcoming in the past decade, but let's face it: I'm always going to be a work in progress. One of the things I've learned in that time, however, is that a piece of art or writing doesn't have to be perfect for it to give inspiration, provide hope - maybe even change a person's life. This book certainly changed mine.Thank you for reading True Rock. It's not perfect, but I hope it brings you joy.Gina Chin-DavisApril 6, 2023Richmond, Calif.