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