'Songs About Us' - a cover reveal AND chapter 1!

I am both gleefully fangirlishly squealingly overjoyed and most sensibly humbly honoured to have been given the chance to unveil not only the cover for the hot new #boybandlit release 'Songs About Us', sequel to Chris Russell's totally gorgeous 2016 novel 'Songs About a Girl', but also to be treating you lucky readers to a snippet of the first chapter! Oh yes, you guys are getting a deluxe VIP backstage pass to the hottest show in town right now... 

Book trailer for 'Songs About a Girl'!

For those of you who don't know, 'Songs About a Girl' came into the world of UKYA last year (under the watchful eye of the total babes at Hachette) and soon we were all hearing the hot goss about quiet teen girl Charlie Bloom, the amateur photographer suddenly called in to shoot the Fire&Lights lads backstage on their tour...and getting more than she bargained for between snaps. 

Also, the book had a soundtrack! If you wanna know all about that, be sure to read this guest post by the fabulous author and get listening to the jams. 

'Songs About Us' is due out on the 13th of July 2017. But surely we cannot be expected to wait until then to see what it'll look like?! Oh, no. 

Enough teasing now, I think. Let's have a look at the cover, shall we...?? 

In 3, 2, 1...

I know. Gorgeous, right? I won't lie guys, I didn't think anything could match up to the first cover...and I've been very happily proven wrong! And yes, I do dream of being 'with the band'. Maybe someday... 

But the juicy reveals aren't over yet! This just in – a Chapter 1 preview! Enjoy, devoted fans...

1.

I stared into Gabriel’s eyes, heart pounding in my throat. Memories were rushing back to me in broken fragments, the smell of his skin, lines from his songs. My feet were rooted to the ground. 

‘You know this toothpaste is on two-for-one, don’t you?’ said the check-out lady, waving for my attention. I tugged my gaze from Gabriel’s face on the magazine rack.

‘Sorry?’

She was pointing a tube of Colgate at me.

‘Two-for-one,’ she repeated.

‘Oh. Right.’

I moved a block of cheese on to the conveyor belt, fighting a blush. Meanwhile, the check-out lady clicked her fingers at a lank-haired boy stacking baskets at the end of the aisle. He looked up, like a startled bird.

‘Mav’ll get it for you.’

The boy nodded, then shuffled off towards the toiletries. The woman went back to scanning my shopping.

‘Sexy, isn’t he?’ she said. I watched the lank-haired boy scratching his bum as he wandered past the meat counter.

‘Who, Mav?’

She snorted, and dropped a box of tampons.

‘No, not Mav.’ She nodded at the magazine rack. ‘That Gabriel West.’

My eyes returned to the row of magazines. Ten Gabriels, standing side by side, gazing back at me from underneath the headline: ‘GABRIEL WEST TOPS OUR SPRING HOTTIES LIST!! GET IN LINE, GIRLS!!’

‘Um, yeah, I suppose.’ I unfolded one of my tote bags. ‘If you like that sort of thing.’

The check-out lady made a funny sound, a sort of ‘mmm’ mixed with a ‘yeeeah’, and stared off into the distance. Then she picked up a cucumber, and started waving it around.

‘Mind you, that other one, Olly Samson, he’s got a pretty face and all. He’s from round here, you know.’

My phone beeped loudly in my pocket. The woman nodded at my hip. ‘Who’s that, your boyfriend?’ she asked nosily. My mouth dropped open as I read the name on the screen.

‘It’s . . . Olly Samson.’

The woman froze, a bag of satsumas dangling from her hand. I realised I’d said the words out loud, and a quiet panic gathered inside me. I hadn’t been recognised as ‘that random groupie’ for months – the world had, thankfully, forgotten about me entirely – but even so, it was a stupid mistake to make.

She was staring at me, her forehead crinkled. Eventually, her features broke into a smile.

‘Aaah, that’s a good one, that is! “I got a text from Olly Samson”.’ She shook her head, and passed the satsumas through the scanner. ‘And I suppose you’ve got Gabriel West on speed-dial, right?’

Relieved, I began filling my bag with shopping.

‘Something like that, yeah.’

‘I’d take any one of them, myself,’ she said, with a musical sigh. ‘But let’s face it . . . popstars don’t exactly fall for people like us, do they?’

On the way out through the car park, shopping bags in one hand, phone in the other, I read Olly’s message.

Hey, Charlie!! It’s been a while. How are you? :) x

I tapped back a reply.

I’m good. Great to hear from you. How’s the tour? x

Exhausting, but SO much fun.

I hadn’t heard from Olly since December. After that night at the Rochester, he had sent me a single Facebook message – If you ever need to talk, I’m here – but I hadn’t replied. I’m not sure he expected me to. And then the band went away on tour, and he didn’t make contact again. If I knew Olly, he’d simply been waiting patiently, while I drifted back to normal life.

Hearing from him again like this, out of the blue, was giving me an unexpected rush.

So where are you now? I replied.

Hotel in Tokyo. People keep bringing us sushi! You?

Been to the shops. We ran out of dishwasher salt. I waited a moment, then added: Sometimes I can’t take the glamour.

:) :) :)

I searched around for Dad’s car, and spotted it by the trolley rank. Another message hit my screen.

So . . . do you have any plans on Friday?

I picked up speed, typing as I walked. Why would he be asking that?

Don’t think so. Why?

Thirty seconds passed. I reached the car and dropped the bags into the boot. He still hadn’t replied.

Olly?

Sorry, Sian’s just arrived – I have to go. TV interview!!

I walked round to the passenger door, clicked it open and dropped inside. Dad was still on the phone to a client.

So what’s happening on Friday? I wrote.

I’ll tell you later – but keep it free if you can. I promise it’ll be worth it :) x

By the time I’d shut the door behind me, Olly had already gone offline. 

***

There we have it, my fellow fangirls and hardcore #boybandlit lovers! Are you intrigued? I know I am. Bring on July 13th! 

Thank you to Chris and Hachette for trusting me with this major reveal. I guess I'll try and stop pestering you guys to write me into the series as Olly's girlf now...maybe.