Today I’ve got the Tragic Age blog tour dropping by to share the book’s Playlist! Here’s what The Tragic Age is all about:
The Tragic Age by Stephen Metcalfe
Published by St. Martin's Griffin on March 3rd 2015
Genres: Contemporary, YA
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
This is the story of Billy Kinsey, heir to a lottery fortune, part genius, part philosopher and social critic, full time insomniac and closeted rock drummer. Billy has decided that the best way to deal with an absurd world is to stay away from it. Do not volunteer. Do not join in. Billy will be the first to tell you it doesn’t always work— not when your twin sister, Dorie, has died, not when your unhappy parents are at war with one another, not when frazzled soccer moms in two ton SUVs are more dangerous than atom bombs, and not when your guidance counselor keeps asking why you haven’t applied to college.
Billy’s life changes when two people enter his life. Twom Twomey is a charismatic renegade who believes that truly living means going a little outlaw. Twom and Billy become one another’s mutual benefactor and friend. At the same time, Billy is reintroduced to Gretchen Quinn, an old and adored friend of Dorie’s. It is Gretchen who suggests to Billy that the world can be transformed by creative acts of the soul.
With Twom, Billy visits the dark side. And with Gretchen, Billy experiences possibilities.Billy knows that one path is leading him toward disaster and the other toward happiness. The problem is—Billy doesn’t trust happiness. It's the age he's at. The tragic age.
Stephen Metcalfe's brilliant, debut coming-of-age novel, The Tragic Age, will teach you to learn to love, trust and truly be alive in an absurd world.
The Tragic Age Playlist, by Stephen Metcalfe
- Land of Confusion by Disturbed – orignally by Gennesis with Phil Collins – This is the better version
- Burn it Down – Avenged Sevenfold – Billy’s favorite drummer – The Rev
- Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2 – Pink Floyd – Teacher, leave those kids alone….
- Rebels – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – For Twom
- Talk, Talk, Talk – The Music Machine – 1966 – First garage rock band – “my social life’s a dud – my name is really mud…”
- In Your Eyes – Peter Gabriel – As good a love song as there is
- Put Your Lights on by Everlast w. Carlos Santana – An ominous song for almost empty houses
- Why? – Annie Lenox – A song for Billy’s estranged parents
- Little Girl I’m Gonna Marry You by Bruce Springsteen – A song for Billy’s parents from better days
- Mechanical World – Spirit – Dislocation/isolation/too much tech
- Don’t Know Much – Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville – Also as good a love song as there is
- Blinded in Chains by Avenged Sevenfold. – Billy, drumming till his hands bleed
- Far far away from my heart – the BoDeans – The pain of losing some you love
- Schism – Tool – No doubt written by someone who had gone days without sleep
- Thank You – Alanis Morisette – That which doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger
About the Author
STEPHEN METCALFE wrote the production drafts for Pretty Woman, Dangerous Minds and Mr. Holland’s Opus, among others. His stage plays have been produced in New York and at theaters throughout the US, Europe and Japan. He is an Associate Artist at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego and has been an adjunct professor in dramatic writing at University of California at San Diego, University of San Diego and San Diego State University. The Tragic Age is his debut novel.