The
Importance of Autographs
By
Diane
Rinella
I love autographs. It's not a case of star
lust; it's a matter of what I call cosmic, person-to-person contact. A simple
autograph is a way of saying, “I was here.” However, a signed piece of art, be
it a book, album, etc., says, “This is my accomplishment, and I am proud of
it.”
Numerous autographs line the walls of my
office. For the longest time I only wanted those that I had personally obtained
because I was documenting a moment in my life. This holds especially
true with the autographs I got when I was a teenager. Those hold a special
place in my heart because they represent a part of me that has grown.
Today if the right item comes along at the
right price, I’ll purchase it. In celebration of my last birthday I bought a
set of photographs of The Hollies from the 1960’s. Though they were taken long
before my time I’ve loved The Hollies since I can remember. Also, if you've read
my Forbidden Flower series, you know that they served as a bit of inspiration. Those
photographs tell a story of their own. They were taken at an exclusive party
where a few lucky fans got invited to meet their idols. The previous owner met
them twice—once in 1966, when the photos were taken, and again and 1967, when
she had the band sign the backs. I like to imagine the smiles on the band’s
faces as they saw the photographs from their previous journey across the pond
and the happy conversations that may have been had. The connection between
artist and fan is precious, and here I have a little bit of that connection in
my very hands.
Recently my husband surprised me with a
signed copy of one of my favorite books, Jacqueline Susann’s, Valley of the Dolls. While I have always
loved this book it now has special significance. Much like my own plight with
my controversial Forbidden Flower series, publishers told Ms. Susann that no
one would have interest in such a book. Eventually she proved them wrong.
Nearly fifty years later that book is still selling. Though she is long gone, I
get to hold a piece of her sticking her tongue out at naysayers. Through this
signed copy she still screams, “I did something special!”
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Blurb
Scary Modsters…
and Creepy Freaks
A fantastical romance involving a girl, the music that
fuels her, and her Ouija board.
Rosalyn possesses
a sunny personality that is laced with quirks. Although she seeks acceptance in
a world where she lives out of time, what she gets is ridiculed for her
eclectic wardrobe and unconventional music collection.
One fateful night,
Rosalyn bewitches Niles, a stylish man whose offbeat character perfectly
complements her own. Unfortunately, he possesses a critical flaw that means
relationship suicide for him and pretty much anyone.
While under the
influence of insomnia-impaired judgment, Rosalyn summons Rock ‘n Roll deity
Peter Lane back from the dead. Not only does he spin her hormones into a
frenzy, Peter is also the precarious puzzle piece that brings sense into her
world. When Niles learns that he can overcome his life-long challenge by
helping Peter avenge his death, how far will he go to secure Rosalyn’s heart?
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EXCERPT
ROSALYN
A brunette, a raven-haired beauty,
and a girl looking like a peacock all walk into a bar. No, it's not a joke;
it's my not-so-mundane life that generally feels like the setup for a
wisecrack.
No
matter how many times my friends and I claim we are going to do something new,
every Friday night we find our tushes planted at Mulligan's. However, today our
weekly Friday night venture truly seemed out of the cards since my friends were
originally too tired from their workweeks to consider anything short of
collapsing. When you are in your early thirties and single you should be
embracing life, not rotting on a sofa. Thus when my friends bailed I detoured
into Warped Records which is both a second home and how I envision my little
corner of Heaven. Some would call the smell of old album covers a dank stench,
but to me it's a musky perfume that seeps into my pores and comforts me with
the knowledge that no matter what fails me I always have my sanctuary.
Among
the bins of paradise and the blaring Siouxsie the perfect gem captured my gaze
and held it for ransom. Before me was a pair of eyes so unlike any other that
they were nearly indescribable.
Piercing?
No. That implies they shot through my skin and reached my heart; however, these
somehow reached my soul. Captivating? Again that was misleading. While they did
hold my attention they also kept me at bay. Perhaps haunting? Yes, they did
indeed haunt me. They also seemed to follow me to wherever I stood. A true
description was so elusive that the color wasn't easily defined. They were deep
blue, yet also flannel grey with a hint of green. In a certain light they
seemed black with specks of gold.
All
of these emotions and colors were brought forth by just one picture—a picture
on an album that had been slipped into plastic and unceremoniously tacked to
the wall, yet somehow it jumped out at me and begged for worship.
“Who
are those guys?” I asked Shane, the store's clerk. Shane's tight black pants,
white Split Enz T-shirt, black suspenders, and short, curly brown hair made him
look like a skinny, nineteen eighties teenager in a forty-something-year-olds
body. His hot pink English Beat button sold the outfit. In an odd way our
obsessions make us kindred spirits. It may be like we are third cousins, twice
removed, but kindred nonetheless.
“Not
a clue.” Shane absent-mindedly tapped a pencil on a note pad while his hazel
eyes sat on a ragged copy of Rolling Stone that was decades out of date.
“How is it you don't know? You're the super genius that no one can stump.” He
sighed, conceding to the call of duty. “I suppose you want me to halt my
important work and show it to you.”
“If
it's not too much of a bother to pull yourself away from that fascinating
article on INXS that is so old it will soon disintegrate, then yes, please. I
would appreciate your struggle of removing the tack for a lady.”
With
the flick of his wrist, Shane sent the magazine spinning across the counter.
“Geez, you practically live here so I thought you would be more at home yanking
the thing off yourself.”
“Glad
to see that chivalry is alive and well at Warped Records.”
The
album was presented with a bow. “Milady, as per your request.” Shane's smugness
made me grin. “Anyway, it arrived with some other records from a recent estate
sale. Rob seemed to know who they were.”
My
eyes honed in on the price tag. “Six dollars? That's a lot for a potentially
crappy band no one has heard of.”
Shane's
view floated from the magazine to the notepad. “Yep. Six bucks is what this
says. I hung it next to the two hundred dollar, Jagger-signed, Goat's Head
Soup to be funny.”
Four
men, who were partially obscured by a golden overlay of paisleys and swirls,
stared back at me. Their clothes were colorful, slightly Edwardian, and
accented with fur. It was all very fashionable for the nineteen sixty-eight copyright
printed on the back of the cover that held no liner notes. Three of the men
felt so insignificant that they were but mere blurs. All I noticed was the cute
one with the sandy blonde hair and magnetic eyes whose signature started with
the letter P.
My fingers glided over the autograph whose ink
felt as if it were luxurious azure velvet. It also gave off an energy that put
a beat in my head. What really caught my attention was a spot of what appeared
to be dried blood. When I touched it, a fuzz reminiscent of the thrill I get
when hearing a vintage guitar effects pedal vibrated through. I had to have
that album!
Author Bio
Enjoying San Francisco as a backdrop, the ghosts in Diane’s 150-year old
Victorian home augment the chorus in her head. With insomnia as their catalyst,
these voices have become multifarious characters that haunt her well into the
sun’s crowning hours, refusing to let go until they have manipulated her into
succumbing to their whims. Her experiences as an actress, business owner,
artisan cake designer, software project manager, Internet radio disc jockey,
vintage rock n’ roll journalist/fangirl, and lover of dark and quirky
personalities influence her idiosyncratic writing.
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Thank you for running this post. I really appreciate the opportunity to connect with your readers. Your support means so much.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
You're welcome. ;)
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