“I’ll take that gun and find release
From you
And me”
About The Broken
In November of 1997, two young men make a suicide pact. That night, one of them dies. On the stereo - the song “Where I Go” by infamous rock band, The Broken.
So begins the downward spiral of five childhood friends - Malcolm, Eddie, Heather, Hayley and Johnny - whose only dream was to make music that reflected their thoughts, feelings and emotions. From the origins of the band in suburban New Jersey to their bleak future as social pariahs, “The Broken” follows the band members as they try to come to grips with the realities of stardom, fame, and emotional trauma.
Who is responsible when art begets tragedy? Who should suffer, when suffering is in the nature of the music?
Who is ultimately to blame for suicide?
The Story Behind the Story
When I first started writing “22 Scars”, it never occurred to me that I would want to write more about mental illness and depression. The story of a suicidally depressed teenage girl took a toll on me as I wrote it, and I thought that it would encompass all of what I had to say.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. Whilst “22 Scars” takes on teen depression, self-harm and suicide, I realized that there were a great number of topics that weren’t really touched on - the effect of music on mental wellbeing, for example, which to me is an essential component of mental health.
Growing up as a musician, it was always my dream to be in a band. I wondered what it would be like, touring the world and recording songs that meant everything to me. And the music I listened to during that period was fundamental to my state of mind - the darkness, the despair and the misery of emotional rock and metal was the soundtrack to my youth.
This aspect of growing up - the influence of music on emotion - was something I knew I needed to write about. And being me, there was only one way to do it: in the context of a terrible tragedy. So came into being the story of “The Broken”, a tale of broken music, broken humans, and broken hearts.
Select Reviews
“Holy crap, this book kind of broke my heart.
The Broken follow the rise and fall of a band of the same name; however, much of the novel centers around Malcolm, the lead singer. Barely an adult and living in a less-than-ideal household, he is consistently fighting the anger and resentment that surges inside him. His only outlet is the music he shares with his friends. Together, they fight to break into the industry all the while battling their own demons as well.
Wow, there is so much to this book. Subject matter is definitely heavy – LGBTQ, homophobia, suicide, depression and drugs are only a few of the serious topics covered in The Broken and I found the author did a great job presenting these issues in a thoughtful and respectful way. I thought he did well with the pacing and while I wasn’t the biggest fan of the story jumping back and forth, I still found myself completely drawn into the plot. I had previously enjoyed CM North’s 22 Scars and was so happy to see this was just as carefully written. An excellent read.”
— Mc Chanster, Goodreads
