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ISBN: 978-1-942428-92-3
218 pages
$29.95 hardcover
$15.97 softcover
$3.97 in Kindle
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In Those First Bright Days of Elvis
~ The Days of Elvis Series, Book 1 ~
by Josephine Rascoe Keenan
One trivial decision can change your whole life.
On an October night in 1955, fifteen-year-old Julie Morgan decides to attend a free talent
show and concert at the football stadium of her Arkansas hometown. At the concert, Julie
encounters three strangers: a lookalike, who could pass for her twin; a college boy, who
will be the love of her life; and Elvis Presley, who befriends her and whose casual comment
about a light bulb becomes a driving force in her pursuit of love and self-worth.
But in that pursuit, Julie goes down the wrong path, seeking popularity and an older boy's
affection as substitutes for her missing father's guidance and support, unaware that her
longing to feel loved and valued stems from her need to have her father in her life.
Growing up is never easy. The birth of rock 'n' roll, a growing standard of living, and the
culture of automobiles brought a feeling of freedom and ease. But the phrase "Duck and Cover!"
meant the possibility of nuclear war and death was now a fact of everyday life.
Josephine Rascoe Keenan masterfully weaves a story of human anguish and betrayal, love and
loss, recrimination and regret, and shows how choices, once made, can change one's life
forever. She meticulously recreates the "golden days" of drive-in movies, screen-wire
petticoats, and flashy American cars, when the world seemed brighter and more innocent
than today.
But was it?
Praise for In Those First Bright Days of Elvis
"Elvis is back in the building in Keenan's debut novel.
"A warm October evening in El Dorado, Arkansas, signals a series of new beginnings for Julie Morgan.
The young teenager attends an Elvis Presley concert and catches a ride home with the up-and-coming
singer in his shiny pink Cadillac, thus commencing an unlikely friendship between a small-town girl
and a famous rocker. As Elvis Presley's star ascends, Julie's life and relationships in Arkansas
dramatically shift.
- Kirkus Reviews
Don't miss the other books in the Days of Elvis series
by Josephine Keenan
Special! Buy any 3 or more books and get 20% off.
And still with FREE shipping!!
Josephine launched The Days of Elvis, her three-book series of YA novels, in 2016 with In Those First Bright
Days of Elvis. Set in the Deep South in those unforgettable days when rock 'n' roll was born, it tells the
story of Julie Morgan, a young teen girl struggling with the repercussions of a broken home. When she attends
a concert by a new singer named Elvis Presley, the foundation of her world is shaken and her life begins to unravel.
In book II of the series, In Those Dazzling Days of Elvis, readers learn that a secret now rules Julie's life.
Trapped by the consequences of a serious misstep, she faces the shame and rejection doled out to those who break
the rigid social code of the 1950s. When she begins to have hope for the future, though, an unexpected twist of
Fate intervenes, leaving Julie to flounder in the heap of rubble that was once her life.
The final book, In Those Glory Days of Elvis, resolves the dreadful situation created when Julie agreed to go
along with a mind-boggling scheme. Heroically, she fights to restore her identity and find a way to keep the
great love of her life.
Josephine has also had stories and poems published in Cricket magazine and in Modern Maturity. Her plays have
been produced in regional theatres and one of them, The Center of the Universe, was chosen as a winner of Ensemble
Theatre of Cincinnati's New Play Contest.
A member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Josephine attended the Ohioana Library Book
Festival as an author and panelist in 2017 and 2018. She enjoys speaking at salons and book clubs, and is
available for book signings and classroom visits.
When not writing, Josephine enjoys oil painting—in fact, the cover art for her books is from her own paintings.
She also enjoys square dancing and cooking Southern dishes, such as hot water cornbread, little lady peas, and
grandma's champion peach cobbler.
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