Vivianne's Rachel takes the floor

Viviane Brentanos

Vivianne, before Rachel takes the floor, please will you tell us a little more about yourself?
I was born in Reading Uk in 1958. My father is English and my mother is French although there is a strong vein of Spanish on my maternal grandmothers side. I was educated at various schools before completing Sixth Form College at St Peter's Huntingdon. I somehow managed to collect A levels in English, French and History and I subsequently won a place at Sheffield University where I decided to read Classical Civilization. Once there, however, I decided that I had had enough of the academic life; I found the student mentality rather false and having been brought up in student circles, rather boring. Much to my mother's horror, I gave up my studies and went to London to begin a course as a Canine Beautician.

In 1984, my first husband and I parted ways amicably and I decided to visit the Ionian island of Corfu to celebrate my new freedom. It proved to be a life-changing decision. I still remember to this day, sitting in a café-bar, overlooking the crystal clear azure sea and saying to my friend. "I never want to leave here". And here, I still am. I am now married again, to a Greek, Alexander {not the Great}, and I have two teenage children, 2 dogs and 4 cats and a lion-head white rabbit masquerading as my literary agent. I absolutely love the life-style here. I would recommend it to anyone.

Blurb:
Daniel Haynes has the world at his feet- fame, fortune, so why does he feel so empty inside? What is his interest in Rachel Warner, a girl from a quiet Home Counties English town? Why does she hold the key to his happiness?

But Rachel Warner is scared. Daniel's interest in her threatens her ordered yet unsatisfying life because she has to live with the shadow of her ex-father-in-law breathing over her shoulder. Can she let go of her fears?

Rachel
Oh hello,
You just caught me on a coffee break. It’s been a helluva morning. Late for work, files not where they should be and the early arrival of yet another rock band on the executive floor. I met them all earlier. Typical lot, except their boss and singer, Daniel Haines unnerved me a tad but not as much as his PA, some intense Japanese Kill Bill wannabee called Mai.

But back to this Daniel. I really don’t know what is going on with him. He is one weird guy, the weirdest famous person - guest I have ever met. He waltzed into my office as if he owned it and proceeded to interrogate me about my marriage – or should I say, failed marriage. Strange, really. I got the impression he really cared which is completely nuts. Why on earth would Daniel Haines mega star be interested in me? Okay, I am not quite on the scrap heap but I might as well be. My lovely ex and his father make sure of that. I have to live my life like a nun. It’s worth the sacrifice because I will not risk losing my son Alexander to them but I digress.

So back to Daniel. Yes, he is drop dead gorgeous, the best thing since sliced bread, if my mad Irish friend Lynn, is to be believed. He is also very intelligent, well spoken and obviously comes from old money. It is odd. I feel this strange connection to him. Am I attracted to him? I think you’d have to be a nun not to be but my feelings scare me. I have no business being attracted to him. I don’t belong in his world and it’s too dangerous to let him into mine. Alright, I hear you; I am an emotional coward but if you knew my story you would see I have no choice. He wants me to go to his show. I have two complimentary tickets burning a hole in my pocket. I can’t go, of course – or can I? Should I? Oh what the hell. It’s only a music gig and it is not as if he’s Death Metal or anything and I doubt my ex will find out and this Daniel will be gone in two days so no harm done….you think?

Excerpt:
The lights dimmed again and a crescendo of noise crashed over her head as fifty thousand people leapt to their feet and Daniel’s band ran out on stage.

“Come on!” Grabbing her by the hand, Lynn dragged Rachel from the comfort and security of her seat and plunged her into the screaming multitudes already surging up against the metal barrier. It was okay for Lynn. Years of rugby scrumming with her huge Belfast shipyard brothers and cousins stood her in good stead. She pushed and clawed her way to the front with Rachel clinging to her hand for dear life. Before she could scream an angry protest, a massive tsunami roar erupted and Daniel stepped out on stage.

In the midst of the Brazilian wave of fans, Rachel found she could not move. This man who strutted and danced from one end of the stage to the other, working the crowd, playing and teasing the girls into a frenzy as he smiled down, flirting, seducing the adoring audience into a state of near-hysteria—this was not the same man who, hours before, had been in her office, sitting at her desk, drinking coffee and listening to her trials and tribulations. As she watched him now, the worshipped idol of thousands, it all seemed like a dream.

He approached the edge of the stage and for one heart-stopping moment he seemed to stare right at her. A warm flush spread up from her toes to the roots of her hair. At her side, Lynn, in a state of near collapse, jumped up and down, screaming and twisting Rachel's arm. “Did you see that?”

Above the pounding beat of drums and guitars, Rachel just about made out her ravings.

“He looked at me! Oh, I think I'm going to have an orgasm.”

For the next hour, Rachel was pushed prodded and kicked (more often than not by Lynn). She was desperate to get back to her seat. It was impossible. Wedged tight against the barrier, hordes of screaming girls hemmed them in. With hands stretched up, they cried out for their god to touch them.

By now the Golden Boy had removed his leather jacket—much to the collective joy of thirty thousand or more females—displaying a toned torso beneath a tight-fitting, V-neck T-shirt that didn't quite meet hipster jeans: black naturally! Lynn retrieved a pair of her weeniest knickers from her pocket.

“You dare, Lynn Hudson!” Rachel shrieked in her ear. Grabbing the scrap of black lace, she stuffed it back where it came from.

“You are so not fun! Everyone does it. Oh, I can't believe it!” She dug her nails into Rachel's by now black and blue arm. “This is my favorite.”

So far every song had been her ‘favorite.’ Lynn could still do groupie with the best of them.

Slowly Rachel relaxed, caught up in the magic of Daniel Haines. The lights dimmed and when he moved to sit at a magnificent grand piano, her enjoyment turned to rapture. He mesmerized her. His fingers flew over the keys and the cacophony of noise abated. Hushed silence filled the auditorium. He held the crowd spellbound as his beautiful but powerful voice delivered a haunting ballad. The hairs on the back of her neck lifted when the pure notes soared up into the roof. She wanted to cry. She wanted to stay in the moment forever.

All too soon the romantic interlude ended and the crowd let out a roar of appreciation when the pony tailed guitarist let rip with the opening riff of “Never You.”

“Now it’s definitely my favorite,” Lynn gasped, by now well and truly “Lost in Music.”


My links:
http://corfu-author.tripod.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Viviane-Brentanos-Author-of-Womens-contemporary-Romantic-fiction/78109311746

http://myspace.com/chicholina

http://viviane-brentanos.blogspot.com

http://museithotpublishing.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68&Itemid=82

Please come back tomorrow and hear what Lynn has to say.