In case Publisher's Weekly needs back-flap copy ...
I'm putting together the submission materials for my newest novel, "The Troubledoers." Here's the summary, as it appears in my cover letter:
In Mediapolis, a future city ruled by the entertainment industry, celebrities and their execs live like gods. Music is generated by software and streamed to the public through sophisticated neural-marketing. Stars owe more to biotech than they do to talent. 17-year-old Briko is the ultimate industry creation. Her soaring celebrity status gives her unlimited power over the citizens.
But she doesn't realize she's in a ticking trap. On the night of her singing career's greatest triumph, on the eve of her 18th birthday, she discovers a plan to retire her persona and erase her memories and identity. With only hours left, she escapes into the slums, where struggling musicians face a hardscrabble existence of starvation and exploitation.
She joins a band of outlaws who take music piracy to its literal extreme. As the newest crew member aboard The Merry Tune (a flying "tour ship"), Briko and her talented friends lead a revolution of orchestral proportions to liberate music.
In Mediapolis, a future city ruled by the entertainment industry, celebrities and their execs live like gods. Music is generated by software and streamed to the public through sophisticated neural-marketing. Stars owe more to biotech than they do to talent. 17-year-old Briko is the ultimate industry creation. Her soaring celebrity status gives her unlimited power over the citizens.
But she doesn't realize she's in a ticking trap. On the night of her singing career's greatest triumph, on the eve of her 18th birthday, she discovers a plan to retire her persona and erase her memories and identity. With only hours left, she escapes into the slums, where struggling musicians face a hardscrabble existence of starvation and exploitation.
She joins a band of outlaws who take music piracy to its literal extreme. As the newest crew member aboard The Merry Tune (a flying "tour ship"), Briko and her talented friends lead a revolution of orchestral proportions to liberate music.