Book Review A Right Fine Life

An inspiring story with relatable characters and an engaging plotline captured my attention with Gency Brown's debut novel, “A Right Fine Life." It's a contemporary novel about a young man, Randy Walters, who dreams of becoming a country western recording artist star in Nashville and wants to pursue opportunities to write his own music. His determination to succeed is admirable. But Walters's journey to stardom is not what he envisioned. The challenges of being on the road touring for extended periods and playing at different gigs and venues ultimately keep him away from his family, necessitating a change to have a more balanced personal and professional life. Liquor and fatigue frequently are his demons. While Randy does make friends in the business, he still yearns for deeper and closer relationships. Themes of love, family, friends, and the working man prevail in Brown's novel.

Brown writes a credible story, having been well-versed in the music industry. Growing up, music has always been a huge part of her life. She has been a music performer and, in addition, a long-standing member of several music organizations. For years, Brown has been around music artists focused on finding success in Nashville's music arena. Thus, the characters she has crafted and the settings appear realistic, with references to venues, recording companies, and artists accurate for the time period covered in her book. I enjoyed the back story of the music industry and stories of the musicians's struggles and successes.    

The dialogue moves the reader at a comfortable pace. As Randy climbs the music ladder of stardom, becoming a country artist, his songwriting skills improve, but he soon learns there's a high price to pay for success. Realizing he needs to make changes to survive in the industry, Randy comes up with some impressive creative problem-solving despite the risks involved. 

Randy strives to create “a real fine life” for himself. His family and friends provide the necessary support to ensure the continuation of his success.

Gency Brown's writing shines in her debut novel. I am looking forward to what comes next for this budding author. 

ALL ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

GENCY BROWN (gencybrown.com)

As an Oklahoma native, I take a down-to-earth look at life and can comfortably exist on the page with the fictional characters I create. A career in retail management across America gave me a life enriched by various personalities and cultures. Since retirement in the Albuquerque, NM, area, those characters and stories have jumped from memory to the written page. I am a member of Southwest Writers and Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. My performances and leadership roles with music organizations, such as the International Western Music Association, Oklahoma City Traditional Music Association, and Southern California Bluegrass Association, afford me an in-depth look into the world and story of a young man striving for success in music.