Music Bank Sessions Book 1: The Clique
THE SPOTLIGHT BLINDS. THE SHADOWS WATCH.
It is 1989, and Seattle is a city on the brink of a musical revolution.
Beneath its perennially overcast skies and rain-slicked streets lies the Music Bank-a gritty, concrete sanctuary where the Pacific Northwest's hardest rock bands plug in, create, and chase the neon dream of making it big.
For Stephi, it's a world she's easily swept into. Her boyfriend, Reid, and his band are on the precipice of signing a major recording contract. Stephi is ready to step into the mainstream right alongside the man she loves.
But Seattle's damp darkness hides secrets.
As the band's star rises, a terrifying fixation tightens its grip, threatening to shatter Stephi's life from the inside out. When an obsession runs this deep, how far will someone go to claim the man they believe belongs only to them?
About the Author
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Kristina spent years immersed in the unique energy of the Seattle area before relocating to the red rocks of Southern Utah. Her deep appreciation for the raw, unvarnished music scenes of the late 1980s and 1990s serves as the creative driving force behind her writing. Music Bank Sessions Book 1: The Clique is her debut novel, launching a gripping, character-driven thriller series that explores the fragile line between artistic passion and dangerous obsession. When she isn't writing or working, Kristina can be found exploring the outdoors with her husband, Dave, and their two beloved poodles, Endie and Thor.
Author's Note & Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. While the narrative is inspired by the vibrant energy, real locations, and authentic atmosphere of the late-1980s/1990s Seattle music scene, the characters, dialogue, and specific events are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to specific real-life incidents is purely coincidental.
[MEMORANDUM]TO: Reid, Caleb, Brock, Drew, Danny
FROM: Management
DATE: March 14, 1989
SUBJECT: Promotional Protocol / Media Layouts (THE SINGLE RULE)
CLASSIFICATION: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL / SUBJECT TO ACTIVE NDA---INTERNAL BAND SECURITY DIRECTIVE — DO NOT DUPLICATEGuys,The upcoming showcase dates are completely locked in, and the industry head-hunters are officially descending on Seattle. We have confirmed A&R scouts flying in from two different major labels, plus regional reps from the Sony/Epic international division who are specifically tracking the band's metrics ahead of the proposed Tokyo press dates.Because we are positioning you guys for a major-label bidding war, visual marketability is just as critical as your musical tightness. To maximize the band’s leverage and appeal to the primary target demographic, the "Single Rule" is now in strict effect for all public-facing operations.As a reminder, all internal band directives, promotional strategies, and label pipeline details are strictly covered under the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) signed at the inception of our management contract. Any leak of internal operational strategy to outside parties or the local music press will be treated as a material breach of contract, carrying immediate legal and financial penalties.Effective immediately, please review and execute the following imaging protocols:* Total Public Availability: For all upcoming local print media (The Rocket, The Stranger), radio spots, and venue lobby interviews, every member of the band must explicitly project an unattached, single lifestyle. The female demographic driving our merch and ticket sales needs to believe you are completely available.* Media Frame Discretion: Wives, long-term girlfriends, and inner domestic circles must maintain a strict low profile in public spaces. During high-exposure sets, photo shoots (including hardware/endorsement promos), and backstage press circuits, significant others are to remain entirely off-camera and outside the immediate media frame. Roving photographers must not capture anything that dilutes the "heartthrob fantasy" we are selling.* Public and Backstage Conduct: There are to be absolutely no public displays of affection anywhere within or outside the venue perimeters. This includes local diners, bars, record stores, and street fronts. You cannot discern who in your immediate vicinity is a label executive, an undercover reporter, or a fan with a camera. Assume someone is always watching. Keep all domestic and personal interactions strictly behind closed doors at home.The majors are buying into a specific, high-velocity rock-star fantasy. Do not let personal domestic stability compromise the market edge we have spent months building.Let’s keep the drama at zero, look the part, and lock this international deal down.— Management Office
