Off the Record...

Luca Veste took an idea and went running; give writers a list of classic tunes and have them write short stories inspired by them. 38 writers made the cut, a double vinyl blast from the past. The royalties will benefit two charities on either side of the Atlantic:



In the UK, National Literacy Trust. (http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/)



In the US, Children's Literacy Initiative. (http://www.cliontheweb.org/)



I chose "Free Bird" to develop an idea I've had in my mind for a while, about a Vietnam Vet and his son both dreaming of that "freedom bird" to escape the war they're in. One overseas and one at home. And we've got a hell of a playlist on this amazing collection:



1.Neil White - Stairway To Heaven

2.Col Bury – Respect

3.Steve Mosby – God Moving Over The Face Of Waters

4.Les Edgerton - Small Change

5.Heath Lowrance - I Wanna Be Your Dog

6.AJ Hayes - Light My Fire

7.Sean Patrick Reardon - Redemption Song

8.Ian Ayris - Down In The Tube Station At Midnight

9.Nick Triplow - A New England

10.Charlie Wade - Sheila Take A Bow

11.Iain Rowan - Purple Haze

12.Thomas Pluck - Free Bird

13.Matthew C. Funk - Venus In Furs

14.R Thomas Brown - Dock Of The Bay

15.Chris Rhatigan – Shadowboxer

16.Patti Abbott - Roll Me Away

17.Chad Rhorbacher - I Wanna Be Sedated

18.Court Merrigan - Back In Black

19.Paul D. Brazill - Life On Mars?

20.Nick Boldock – Superstition

21.Vic Watson - Bye Bye Baby

22.Benoit Lelievre - Blood On The Dancefloor

23.Ron Earl Phillips - American Pie

24.Chris La Tray – Detroit Rock City

25.Nigel Bird - Super Trouper

26.Pete Sortwell – So Low, So High

27.Julie Morrigan - Behind Blue Eyes

28.David Barber – Paranoid

29.McDroll - Nights In White Satin

30.Cath Bore - Be My Baby

31.Eric Beetner - California Dreamin'

32.Steve Weddle - A Day In The Life

33.Darren Sant - Karma Police

34.Simon Logan - Smells Like Teen Spirit

35.Luca Veste - Comfortably Numb

36.Nick Quantrill - Death Or Glory

37.Helen FitzGerald - Two Little Boys

38.Ray Banks - God Only Knows



With forewords from UK writer Matt Hilton, and US writer Anthony Neil Smith.





You get 38 great stories by top crime writers and you help kids learn to read. That's what we call a win-win. It will be available in print soon, and the Kindle version is available now:












© 2011 Thomas Pluck