MEETING DENNIS WILSON: A novel by Max Harrick Shenk

15-year-old Beach Boys fan Margo LeDoux has a crush on Dennis Wilson and she wants to meet him... except... her boyfriend Scott doesn’t really like the idea: “I don’t want you runnin’ off and bein’ some groupie!” ("So?" replies Margo.)

Meanwhile, Margo’s best friend (and our narrator) Brian Pressley and his girlfriend, Christy Kelly, decide that they’re going to “take steps” toward going all the way, steps which seem to get them into trouble no matter how careful they are.

And then there’s Christy’s big sister Kathy, who’s stricken with a bad case of senioritis and a boyfriend who’s avoiding her just weeks shy of the senior prom... and Brian’s buddy Marty, a shy kid with a Beatles obsession and a crush on Margo... and Margo’s softball catcher Tara Longbaugh, whose parents have a connection that could get Margo closer to meeting her heartthrob... not to mention parents, brothers, sisters, classmates and teachers who just seem to make life harder, not easier.

In Margo’s words: “How do we put UP with all these people?”

And how can a girl with a rockstar-sized crush meet the drummer of her dreams?

MEETING DENNIS WILSON is a coming-of-age novel about love and friendship and growing up, and mostly about the things we do to put distance between ourselves and the things-- and people-- we love and want most.

And music. You can almost hear the car radio playing.

What readers say about MEETING DENNIS WILSON:

“SHENK’S HOME RUN! A great story with subtle undercurrents between the characters that hook the reader... Friendship and the emergence of first love combine with some downright laugh-out-loud writing... a great beach read... an engaging story with a killer soundtrack.... a wonderful book with great details... a story for all ages... I can't wait to read the next one... I started reading and could not stop... I recommend this book to anyone at any age.” (excerpts from reader reviews on Amazon and Goodreads)

MEETING DENNIS WILSON was originally published as a serialized novel, in seven installments, but is also available as a single complete edition.

Available in both softcover print and e-book (Kindle) editions.

Order MEETING DENNIS WILSON online at www.maxshenkwrites.com/meeting_dennis_wilson/ordering_info OR from your favorite local bookshop.

Like the book on Facebook: www.maxshenkwrites.com/meetingdenniswilson

About the author: Max Harrick Shenk is a lifelong Beach Boys fan and a graduate of Goddard College's MFA program in creative writing and MA program in education. MEETING DENNIS WILSON is his first novel. He's also published a collection of short stories (WHAT'S WITH HER?), while his nonfiction book about the Battle of Gettysburg, VERMONT AT GETTYSBURG, is due for publication in May 2014. He's a displaced Vermonter currently living in his native central Pennsylvania.

"...I just got an old copy of your (Beach Boys) album 'Summer Days and Summer Nights' which I love, and on the back of the album you say you like summer because you get to tour and meet all the girls. And that brings me to the subject of my letter. I feel a little funny asking this because I am kind of shy but I know you usually tour with the group every summer and I plan to get tickets as soon as I know where you'll be. And I would love to meet you. I am 16 years old (in June) and a high school sophomore (junior next year) and I am a blonde (but not ditzy) and a softball player (pitcher, a lefty). I am kind of cute but I could probably kick your butt, or at least Mike's or Al's, haha..."