ICONS ARE Real PEOPLE TOO: SCOTT ERICKSON

Would you rewrite your life and create a different journey if you could? Would you write it the same way, or would you alter and change events? Imagine four icons in the music industry whose lives ended in suicide and death. What would happen if they were allowed one chance to change it all , rethink their final endings because someone is writing a script for a movie starring Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain. Theses icons of music have been made the major characters in an awful movie script and they are not taking it lightly. Author Scott Erickson has taken up their cause bringing it out in the open for readers in his unique and hilarious and thoughtful provoking novel: icons are real people.

Imagine all four of these icons in a dingy bar contemplating their lives , their past mistakes and coming to terms with their untimely deaths. Each one presents their own perspective, but the others elaborate and give them their own take on the other’s lives. Elvis and Kurt go out it in a heated discussion about how rock n roll was invented or cane to be. Elvis considers himself the King of Rock and Roll but Kurt expands on the artists that paved the way and how the craze began and the songs that hit the charts in that genre. Janis has her own sad history as the author shares her tragic life, her non feminine appearance yet her music was American rock and a blues singer writer. One of the most widely known rock stars who ended her life at 27 years old with an overdose of heroin. A self-described misfit and as it is retold in the novel often ostracized by schoolmates her love of painting and folk music were two things she shared with friends.

Creating their own scripts means finding and dealing with their internal ones and the reasons why they fell and left this world by their own hand. Elvis, Janis and Kurt reflect on not being accepted, Janis and Kurt on appearances and what it’s like music choices , friends and Elvis being intimidated by the Colonel. But Marilyn reads the script, and something snaps when the writer and producer add in that she is having a child. Forgetting this is fiction she actually believes what she reads and her actions are odd, self-possessed and destructive as she takes hold of the idea, manages to create her own nursery using things from the bar as Stephanie our brash, harsh and downright no holds barred bartender tries to keep it real, pours their drinks and hopes for tips in the not so filled tip cup.

Every time you enter the bar along with our four icons you are reliving a cornerstone of musical history and the lives of four people whose time on this earth ended too soon.

Things become serious when each of their individual pasts abs biographies are discussed . Elvis just wanted fame and was hooked on the Colonel because he gave him confidence and courage because he lacked drive and was shy.

Marilyn comes to terms with her fictional daughter whose presence introduces many aspects that a real teen would face. This fictional daughter makes some valid points about Marilyn and being a role model. Talks about adult relationships based on denial. She even days that Marilyn rose to fame on the first wave of the sex revolution.

The daughter brings out how rock and roll gave teens an identity and a voice as an outlet for their individual concerns. It’s as it this 17-year-old see each one of these four in a different but realistic light. As Marilyn calls her and accident and she fight back with some harsh truths about her. Marilyn never knew her mother and as the author states through Marilyn: having a mother yet not having a mother. Each one facing something they would choose to forget or maybe now come to terms within their present state.

Then Janis realizes that something changed in the book and now they are up to the second part. The changes are positive and if they succeed, they won’t be stuck in this bar forever if not they might never find their way out. All four must reflect on personal issues that the author relates and all four dealt with rejection, unhappiness, bullying in some form, not bring accepted and the rise to stardom that was fast and ended too soon by their own hand.

Digging deeper into their pasts Kurt, Elvis and Marilyn come to some realizations about feeling unaccepted, abandoned and alone. Fame held Kurt in place, but it did not center him as a person not really make him happy. Instead he used fame to cure his depression and when that failed, he turned to drugs and felt the world didn’t need him anymore. There was no one to show him another way.

Strong issues that not only adults but teens face as author Scott Erickson takes us deep inside the minds of these four icons revealing their innermost fears, strive and discord with life. Marilyn sought help but from the wrong person, Elvis got caught up in the period, the music and wanting fame as Kurt fostered his energies in many destructive directions.

Each one realizes what they really wanted and hoped to rewrite their script to get out of the bad one. Kurt just wanted a loving family and Janis about music, quality music not fame. Marilyn wanted help others and Elvis a happy meaningful full life . Did they achieve their new scripts? Which icons are added to this script that enlightens each one? The powerful yet humorous final chapters will let readers understand the ultimate price that some paid for instant celebrity and fame. What is their final fate? Do they rewrite their scripts? What lessons can be learned? Bad internal scripts, faulty self-concepts, equally a tragic life and ending. What about their fictional daughter what revelations does she impart? The ending will let you know that this writer who read: How to become a famous bestselling screenwriter in 30 days by Mortimer Flook, has an idea, submitted it to a production company called Fly by Night Productions. Read the final script. Find out what happens when four icons decide to take on their personal lives and realize that fame, fortune , beauty and adoration cannot hold up to love, family, acceptance and happiness.

Author Scott Erickson takes each one of the icons and readers on a journey that most would hesitate to travel soul searching, reflecting and realizing who they really are. The research is extensive into their lives as well as in every script the added extras that round out the cast. Icons Are People Too! Aren’t We All! Would you want to rewrite your life if you could? After reading this humorous yet thought provoking novel you decide.

Fran Lewis just reviews