Y
ou can never have too
much Elvis!’ Three
editors on separate
magazines have
emailed that sentence to me in
the last couple of years. So you
may not be surprised to learn
that I’ve always found it easy
to sell articles about the late
music legend.
Interviews with Presley’s
backing musicians, movie
co-stars, bodyguards, friends
and helpmates have all been
snapped up on the basis that
his fans are still eager to read
whatever new material about
their hero they can get their
hands on.
But would the Elvis factor
also help me sell iction?
The inspiration for my
People’s Friend story All Shook
Up came from last November’s
arena tour Elvis In Concert
with the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra, in which the
classical ensemble provided
live backing for big screen
footage of the singer on stage.
For an article about the show,
I interviewed the conductor
and found myself intrigued by
his insights into life within an
orchestra that regularly turns
its baton to anything from
classical music to pop records.
As part of my research, I
looked up Abbey Road studios
where the RPO frequently
records. The studio is famously
associated with the Beatles,
and I came across the iconic
album cover photo of the Fab
Four walking across the Abbey
Road zebra crossing. I was
also struck by a picture of the
studio’s perimeter wall, which
is covered with well-meaning
graiti by fans who have made
a pilgrimage to the spot.
I thought it would make a
colourful setting for a short
story, and an opening scene
came to mind: a young woman
walks across the famous
crossing carrying a violin case.
She passes the graiti-covered
wall and goes into the studio
to record with an orchestra.
My irst thought was that it
would be a romance set in the
world of classical music.
While I was pondering a
plot, I wondered if I could base
it around the Elvis and the
RPO tour?
The meeting of classical
music and rock then gave me
a better idea: a culture clash
comedy about a classical
player and her dad, who is so
obsessed with Elvis that he
listens to nothing else.
Dad has such an aversion
to classical music that his
daughter sadly despairs of him
ever watching her perform.
The conlict would be resolved
when he comes to watch her
backing his hero.Overture
I often begin with a character
arriving at work, as it’s a good
way to lead the reader into the
world of the story, so I started
with the image that had
originally come into my mind:As Nita Choudhary strode
across the zebra crossing, coffee
in one hand, violin case in the
other, she noticed a trio of youngbackpackers raise their phones
to photograph her. The 26-year-
old musician smiled at what
was becoming a twice-daily
occurrence.
It wasn’t that she was famous- she could only dream of one day
being a world-renowned soloist.
The sightseers were really
snapping the black and white
stripes that John Lennon, Paul
McCartney, George Harrison and
Ringo Starr had walked across
50 years earlier, turning the
crossing into the most recognisable
set of road markings in the world.
From there, we followed
her into the studios where she
passes the grand piano where
Paul McCartney recorded
Yesterday and meets a couple of
her fellow orchestra members:
Rachel, a newbie like herself;
and mentor igure Evelyn, the
matriarch of the string section,
who has played all the world’s
grandest concert venues.
The two supporting
characters were partly there
to make the recording session
feel realistically populated, but
also so that Nita could express
her awe at her surroundings:‘I still get chills thinking about
the music that’s been made in this
room. Everything from Pink Floyd
to Elgar. It’s a lot to live up to.’Her awe was important,
because her sense of
achievement in joiningthe RPO is something any
daughter would want to share
with her dad – and in this case,
she can’t.
I decided not to reveal that
straight away, however, just as
I wouldn‘t mention the Elvis
concert until the very end.
Having originally planned
to write a romance, I decided
there would still be room for
a romantic subplot. So I next
brought on stage a dishy love
interest:‘Look out, Bollywood hunk
alert!’ Rachel jabbed an elbow into
Nita’s ribs with the subtlety of a
ire alarm.
Nita turned and caught
her breath as Jamil, a young
trombonist, wove his way between
the chairs and music stands
towards her.
‘Morning, Nita,’ he grinned.
‘Like a coffee?’
‘I’ve got one, thanks.’ She
showed him her takeaway cup,
and immediately regretted having
bought it.
‘Ah.’ Jamil looked at the steaming
beverage he held in each hand.
‘Looks like I have two, then!’I hoped the awkward
meeting between the shy but
clearly attracted couple would
lead the reader to believe we
were in for a straightforward
romcom, so it would be a nice
twist when I revealed the
heroine’s real problem:‘Are you looking forward to the
tour next week?’
‘Bit nervous, if I’m honest.
Especially Manchester. It’ll be the
irst time Dad’s ever seen me play.’
‘He’s never seen you play
before?’ Rachel looked astounded.
Nita sucked her teeth. ‘It’s notDouglas McPherson explains how he wrote
a People’s Friend story it for The King
I interviewed the conductor and
found myself intrigued by his insights
into life within an orchestra
INSIDE STORY
FICTION MARKET