Issues Raised in PLAY IT AGAIN

Wednesday is my regular column entitled 'The Issue'. For the last two weeks I've been looking at issues raised in my published work. I've looked at swearing, sex, prostitution and pornography, among other things, as it has related to MY MOTHER THE MAN-EATER and AND THE BEAT GOES ON.

Today I'm going to take a look at my soon to be released book PLAY IT AGAIN. In many ways, the old phrase, "Sex, Drugs, and Rock n' Roll" apply to this novel. It is set in the 1980's, after the sexual revolution was well established, but before the fear of Aids was commonplace. It was a time when hard rock bands still ruled the airwaves, drugs were prevalent, and young people had come to expect the social 'freedoms' that had emerged during the sixties.

It was a time, however, of displacement. The civil rights movement had fizzled to some degree, as racial equality had been won (at least on paper) and there were no wars on which to hang one's revolutionary hat. In many ways, the young found themselves to be 'rebels without a cause' - a situation that led to the emergence of 'Generation X'. Add to this the fact that many previously accepted social norms were still very much intact (such as getting married if you got pregnant), which made for a time of great paradox.

I'd better move along before this becomes an all out social sciences lecture! This is the backdrop for the novel, as the main characters struggle with these paradoxes. Casual sex, drug use, and living a 'Bohemian' lifestyle are in stark contrast to a still prevalent adherence to strict moral codes of conduct. The struggle is particularly difficult for Russ Graham, who tries to live by his Judeo-Christian upbringing, but ends up dabbling in the a fore mentioned 'forbidden' arena. The fact that he knows better is part of what gives this book its tension. There are many people out there who know better - who may even have given their lives to God - but then end up following their flesh instead of the narrow way.

As with my other work, this novel is not graphic in its portrayal, but it does delve into the realm of violence, abuse, casual sex, and drugs as we follow the lives of Deanie Burton, rock and roll groupie and her unlikely beau, Russ Graham, a well to do divorcee with an eleven year old son. My aim was to remain true to the time period as well as human nature in general, while still allowing God's redemptive power to transform lives. So far I have had very positive feedback from preliminary readers. The book will be releasing soon - I'll definitely keep you posted.

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