Did you ever start a new job? A new career? What was it like?
When you read the book, you’ll find out what it was like for Brandy’s first day on the job, with this excerpt from Chapter Five:

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The first night on the new job, she broke three beer mugs, learned the difference between scotch and whiskey, and earned seven coins in tips. After being on the streets, Brandy thought she had landed in paradise.

Soon she was working harder than ever. She learned how to juggle multiple glasses in each hand without breaking them. And on her best nights, she earned fifty coins in tips.

She learned how to keep the men at arm’s length. She learned that a “thank you” and a smile goes a long way. She learned that she could turn down marriage proposals as fast as the sailors could propose them—and she had plenty of opportunities to do just that.

All the while, the bar owner watched—sometimes from behind the bar, sometimes from his office in the back. But he made sure he was always watching.

And Brandy knew he was watching, too. It was his constant vigil over her that gave her the confidence she needed to make it through every shift. She knew—and the sailors knew—that as long as the bar owner was within sight, this was one girl who was going to get away untouched.

“Brandy, you’re a fine girl!” She heard that a hundred times. “What a good wife you would be! Why don’t we settle down and ...”

“Thank you. Another round, sailor?” she would say as she swiped the glass from the man’s hand. “Or are you done for the evening?”

The patron would have a choice. To continue this relationship—as tenuous as it was—meant buying another drink. Or he could hit the street. Two options. They were just as likely to pick one over the other. But that was as far as they were going to get with Brandy.

One drunken Irishman thought he would test the limits...

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“Brandy You’re A Fine Girl”, a novel written by Joe DeShon and inspired by the 1972 hit song by Looking Glass, will be available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible formats in Spring, 2019. #BrandyBook

What are the secret contents of the locket? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
For now, here’s a hint, an excerpt from Chapter Eight:

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He turned the locket over, spread the chain between his fingers, and offered it back to Brandy. “Wear this and ye’ll never have me far from your heart. Forever. I promise.”

Brandy’s face flushed. She had experienced the entire gamut of emotions in only a few seconds. She waited in silence for a few moments. Then she realized he was still holding the locket toward her, unmoved.

She cautiously plucked the locket from his hand. The chain went dangling across his fingers and against the table below. Her eyes met his and then returned to the locket.
Instinctively, she planted a tender kiss on the locket—the kiss of a mother healing the supposed wound of a small child—vicariously directed toward the sailor, but firmly placed on the locket.

She branched the chain out in her fingers, unclasped it, and started to reach behind her neck. But the sailor interrupted her actions by getting up, walking around her, and taking the two ends in his fingers. He secured the necklace at the back of her neck, placed his hands on her shoulders, and gently turned her around.

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“Brandy You’re A Fine Girl”, a novel written by Joe DeShon and inspired by the 1972 hit song by Looking Glass, will be available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible formats in Spring, 2019. #BrandyBook

So you want to give a copy of “Brandy You’re A Fine Girl” to your favorite romantic novel fan significant other as a Christmas gift, but it’s not available until spring (cuz of editors!). What do you do?

Well, you can give her Joe’s other book instead. “The Mind of Joe” is available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible versions here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1727354516

Or you can give her an Amazon gift card and let her buy her own copy in a few months.
Either way, yo...u’re sure to make her happy.

And don’t forget to tell all your friends about this group and the upcoming book – especially if her name is “Brandy”. (We love all Brandys here, no matter what her name is!)

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“Brandy You’re A Fine Girl”, a novel written by Joe DeShon and inspired by the 1972 hit song by Looking Glass, will be available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible formats in Spring, 2019. #BrandyBook

Here it is. Framed, hanging above my desk, and providing inspiration as I edit, edit, edit.
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“Brandy You’re A Fine Girl”, a novel written by Joe DeShon and inspired by the 1972 hit song by Looking Glass, will be available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible formats in Spring, 2019. #BrandyBook

Would you like to read a first draft of “Brandy You’re A Fine Girl”, even before it is sent to a professional editor? Would you like to be part of the creative process?

Would you like to receive a FREE, AUTOGRAPHED copy of the final product when it is released this spring?

I have a limited number of Advance Reading Copies (ARCs) of the first draft available. You can get a free copy if you promise to do two things:

...

1. Promise you will READ the book as soon as possible.

2. Promise you will PROVIDE HONEST FEEDBACK after you have read it.

That’s all it takes. Read & give feedback, and a free, autographed copy is yours!

If you want to participate in this project, please send an email with your contact information to the author: joedeshon@yahoo.com.

I’ll get a copy to you right away. And then you can part of bringing Brandy to life!

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“Brandy You’re A Fine Girl”, a novel written by Joe DeShon and inspired by the 1972 hit song by Looking Glass, will be available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible formats in Spring, 2019. #BrandyBook

I bought this on eBay and it just arrived. I'm going to frame it and hang it up as an inspiration while I go through this editing process. “Brandy You’re A Fine Girl”, a novel by Joe DeShon, will be available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible forms in Spring, 2019. #BrandyBook

What did Brandy do when she got that braided chain? She had it appraised! Check out this excerpt:

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Brandy took a breath and reached back to unclasp the necklace. She gently laid it on the counter in front of the silversmith. He let out a long, long low whistle. He tenderly let it slide through his fingers back and forth, feeling the weight, inspecting the weave. “North of Spain, eh?”

Brandy was surprised he came to that conclusion so quickly. “How did you know?”

He gingerly laid it back on the counter and pointed to one link in the middle. “See that pattern? See how they weaved it in and back and around like that?” Brandy never claimed connoisseur-ship of fine jewelry. 

But if he was impressed, she had no choice but to be impressed.

The silversmith continued without waiting for a reply. “That’s a signature of the north of Spain. They take a lot of pride showing they can fold silver into such intricate patterns. It takes a real touch. Most people don’t appreciate this kind of detail.” Another long, slow whistle once again punctuated the silversmith’s impression of the piece.

“I got it from a friend,” she said, feeling she needed to justify it somehow.

“This is no friend, lady. This is from somebody who is serious.”

Brandy smiled to herself. So, he’s serious, is he? It was a nice thought.

“Come on,” the silversmith continued. “How serious is this? How many dates you been on?”

“Uhm, two.” She counted two meetings, separated by four months.

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“Brandy You’re A Fine Girl”, a novel written by Joe DeShon and inspired by the 1972 hit song by Looking Glass, will be available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible formats in Spring, 2019. #BrandyBook

Do you know a "Brandy"? (I bet she's a "fine girl"!) If she was born between 1972 and 1989, there's a good chance her parents were fans of the song! Why don't you send her an invitation to "Like" our Facebook page and join in the fun? We'd love to have her here!  #BrandyBook

Every element from the song is in the book, including Brandy’s love of the sailor’s stories. Here’s an excerpt:

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Brandy knew that meals on the sea were a pittance compared to what she could provide. For months, the sailors only food consisted of some grain, some potatoes, and perhaps whatever fruit they could scavenge from their last port to ward off the scurvies. The morning’s protein-laden breakfast would be much appreciated. And it would soon be rewarded. But first, there must be the stories.

“Tell me a story,” she said, settling at the table across from the sailor.

“Ye want a happy story, or a sad one?” he asked as he mopped the last of the grease from his plate with a slice of bread.

“I want a true one. Surprise me.”

Brandy knew the story would be true, for she didn’t think the sailor was capable of lying. He was totally transparent. Years away from social life had sheltered him from learning the subtleties of irony and innuendo. He spoke what was on his mind, and that’s all he could do.

She also knew the story would be new, for she had never heard the same story twice. The sailor’s mind was full-to-overflowing with stories of the sea. And she latched on every syllable of them.

“Tell me a story,” she repeated, this time in an anxious whisper.

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Invite your friend to like and follow this page and join in the fun! “Brandy You’re A Fine Girl”, a novel written by Joe DeShon and inspired by the 1972 hit song by Looking Glass, will be available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible formats in Spring, 2019. #BrandyBook

People ask me about the inspiration for my writing. Beyond the obvious (a 1972 hit song about a lovely barmaid named Brandy), much of the inspiration for the narrative of the novel comes from Charles Dickens, specifically, “A Christmas Carol”. Read the first few paragraphs and notice how the narrator argues with himself about the possibility that a doornail can actually be “dead”. That was an inspiration for much of the narrative in “Brandy You’re A Fine Girl.”

The other source of inspiration came from Garrison Keillor. His description of the Lake Wobegon women gathering in the basement of the Lutheran Church with their covered dishes inspired much of descriptions of the town folk in the setting for Brandy.

I don’t claim to be as good a writer as either Dickens or Keillor. But I hope when you read my book, you’ll see me channeling their creativity.

“Brandy You’re A Fine Girl”, a novel written by Joe DeShon and inspired by the 1972 hit song by Looking Glass, will be available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible formats in Spring, 2019. #BrandyBook

The original 1972 song by Looking Glass contained 311 words and lasted 3 minutes. Transforming that into a 30,000-word novel is quite a project. All the original elements from the song are in the book: the port, the braided chain, the locket. A cast of new characters is introduced to help tell the story: the bar owner, the mayor, the priest, the silversmith.

And, of course, Brandy (a fine girl!) and her mysterious sailor-lover finally reveal the details of their unique relationship. What happens when her eyes can steal a sailor from the sea, but his life, his lover, and his lady is the sea?

“Brandy You’re A Fine Girl”, a novel by Joe DeShon, will be available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible forms in Spring, 2019. #BrandyBook