Griffin and the Spurious Correlations

by Krista Wallace

The sugar leapt up and twisted itself until it formed a castle with turrets as perky as meerkats...

Griffin's rock band is about to have their big break. But when her lead guitarist and soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend throws a drug- and alcohol-induced El Screamo Thrasher Solo Temper Tantrum, he gets the band kicked out of the gig. She is devastated, and minus a lead guitarist.

Enter the mysterious Rickenbacker, a restaurant manager with a tempting offer: if Griffin works in his restaurant making desserts, she can play in the house band, the Spurious Correlations, alongside Matteo: a super-talented lead guitarist.

What Griffin doesn't know is Rickenbacker is a competitor in an Other Worldly Live Action Role Playing tournament. In order to win the championship, he has just two weeks to push her to the limit with dessert-making mayhem, enough to drive her to perform an unthinkable task, all without letting her suspect she's a pawn in his scheme.

Griffin is yanked unwittingly into a frenzied fantastical world of music, magic and baking. She gets to make music with Matteo, the most perfect guy she has ever met, and she has never played with such a terrific band. It seems too good to be true!

But making desserts for Rickenbacker is a nightmare. Is Matteo worth it?

Well, he is awfully dreamy . . .

Paperback

Published July 1, 2022

About the author

I am a writer, actor and musician. I have a Theatre degree from UVic, and sing jazz in two bands (FAT Jazz and the Itty Bitty Big Band). I have sung in rock bands for years, too, and also spent many years as Musical Director for the local middle and high schools. (Seussical, Les Mis, Urinetown, Rent, Anything Goes, Rock of Ages, etc.)
I write mostly fantasy, in novel length and short fiction. I dabble in other genres... My short fiction becomes whatever it needs to be.
My work can be found in Pulp Literature, Heart's Kiss, 49th Parallels--an anthology of alternate Canadian histories and futures (from Bundoran Press), and electricspec.
I produce a podcast called [Totally Fantastic Title], and do audiobook narration.

Reviews

[Cait Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love humour, and the more absurdist, the better! Toss some baking and a romantic subplot, and I’m so in! This was so much fun and oh, my little Classic Rock heart! There were so many song references of tunes I loved that I totally need to make a Griffin playlist!

If you want a topsy-turvy urban fantasy where a musician from Earth has no idea she’s been roped into a continuous role-playing game from a parallel universe, complete with a magically-generated hunk of a guitarist, then dive into this book. I got dizzy trying to keep up with Griffin trying to keep up! But I couldn’t put it down, and the ending is so satisfying.

Cozy up and enjoy!

Then go make that playlist.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wallace’s is distinctive, colourful, and descriptive. The world for Griffin is today and otherworldly. Poor Griffin is having a tough go and it take her a while to realize it. But when she does…look out! First book Ive read that has an accompanying Spotify playlist to listen to while reading. Awesome! It is romance, it is fantasy, it is baking and it is unrelentingly intense.

[Malita Eck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a genius little story. Griffin just wants to play music and good music too. Enter a gig gone wrong thanks to an idiot soon to be ex. Leaving room for an opportunist to enter and offer her the chance of a lifetime. The perfect band, the perfect guitarist. What’s the catch she’s found herself in an other world larping competition.

Krista Wallace is brilliant in the way she navigates between Griffin’s interactions and where is that music coming from?

[Sally Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in one day, and then spent the next two weeks singing songs on my way to the bakery. It’s truly hard to put down.

[Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

In lesser hands this would not have work, but Krista Wallace is too skilled to allow it to be less. Highly enjoyable read, deserving wider recognition.