Rock My World (35 page)

Alex
summarized a few of Shawn’s career highlights as
stage-hands
scrambled around, setting up guitars and microphones as Shawn walked up to the
stage. The audience stood in ovation, cheering the anarchic moment. Shawn
signaled his old band mates from backstage to come on up and sit in.

As they
re-organized the stage, Jenna found her table and sat in the empty chair next
to Felicity. Frank joined them moments later. Jenna squeezed Felicity’s
shoulders, taking her by surprise.

Alex saw
Jenna in the audience and relaxed seeing the joy on her face. As he stood to
greet his father-in-law, Shawn hugged him, saying, “I’m proud of you,” into his
shoulder.

He picked up
a guitar, raising his hands to the indulgent audience, and sat down in front of
the
mic.
“We’ll play a song we wrote together in just
a minute. First, I have a request for my son-in-law.” Shawn leaned in to Alex,
setting his guitar to the side. Alex took the
mic
and
said, “This was written for my wife, for our anniversary.”

He played
the never-before-heard song—in front of a thousand-person live audience
and an international broadcast—as though it were a private concert just
for Jenna.

By the end
of the song, she was in tears (along with half the audience). Mindy was
elated—it was publicity gold. Felicity didn’t bother to wipe the tears as
she clasped Jenna’s hand, happy that some semblance of normality had crept back
into their lives.

Shawn took
up his guitar and played the first few chords of his biggest hit. The crowd
erupted in cheers and many musicians he’d played with through the years joined
in on the jam. In that moment—if only that one—they were just a
bunch of musicians playing for the hell of it. Playing like no one was
watching. Free.

By the end
of the set, Alex resolved to take Shawn up on his offer to tour together. His
definition of selling out had been flipped on its head, and he realized that
sticking with his family, despite their fame and his pride, was more fulfilling
than anything he could do on his own. Every choice came with a price.

Chapter
67 (Epilogue)

Vanity Fair
,
October

After a controversial year of press, the
Jax
family is set to release the biopic about its
patriarch, Shawn
Jax
. For all you readers of the less
journalistic fare (Ahem! That’s you, tabloids), you may be familiar with the
controversy surrounding Alex Anders and Jenna
Jax
-Anders’
separation and scandal. But for those who aren’t, all we can say (due to the
pending court case involving known porn mogul, Jackson Jones) is that the
rumors of an affair between Alex and Jenna’s best friend,
Airika
,
proved false and, more than that, she turned out to be fighting from their
corner, when she tipped off
Rolling
Stone
to the egregious misstep they
narrowly avoided when they fired the writer, Rose McKenna for trying to print a
fabricated story fed to her by the advertiser, Flesh, Inc. (owned by one
Jackson Jones).

Airika
is also slated to testify against the attorney,
Ira
Stearn
, in the case against he and Mr. Jones on
fifty counts of fraud, including one count against Alex Anders. Though none of
that is in the upcoming film, it’s clear the
Jaxes
are no ordinary family.

I’m sitting here on the
Vanity Fair
cover shoot set with Shawn
Jax’s
granddaughter,
Felicity
Jax
-Anders, who plays his wife Anya (not
opposite her grandpa!) in the film. This is her first feature film and, while
many have called it nepotism, she assures me she had to audition like everyone
else. The Oscar buzz surrounding not only the film,
but
her performance, gives credence to that claim. Her unassuming nature and intellectualism
(when I arrived she was reading ‘Anna Karenina’), not to mention personal
insight into the role, make it easy to see why she was chosen.

VF: “So
how was it playing your own grandmother in this film? Did it feel bizarre or
did you feel like you got to know her better?”

FJ-A: “It
was illuminating, definitely. But honestly, I approached it like I would have
any other role. It is based on real events, but the script takes creative
liberties where needed. I couldn’t show up on set thinking about myself as
Felicity, the granddaughter
.
I had to think like a young Anya—see
the world through her eyes.”

VF: “Does
it bother you when people say you only got the part because they knew it would
garner more publicity for the film?”

FJ-A:
(laughs) “No, not really. If I’ve learned anything this past year, it’s to not
take other people’s opinions too seriously. Whether we earn every opportunity
we get or are lucky enough to have it handed to us, we still have to know what
to do with it. My hope is that when people see the film, they’ll be able to
tell I’m serious about the craft of acting. I did the best job I could with the
experience and skill I have, and feel honored to have had the opportunity.”

VF: “You
seem incredibly mature for someone who just turned eighteen. How do you stay so
grounded when so many of your generation fall victim to temptation?”

FJ-A:
“Well, I’ve had a lot more life experience in the past year than many of my
contemporaries (pauses) and I’m just lucky to have such a loving, supportive
family. They made me who I am.”

VF: “Yes,
there has been a lot written about your parents in the last year. How are they
doing now that the separation rumors have abated?”

FJ-A: “They’re
great. I make fun of them, saying they act like a couple of teenagers dating,
but it’s cute. My dad is taking some time off touring to help my mom with the
launch of her new line of home décor. She designed every piece and even
photographed them for the catalogue. Proceeds from every sale will go to a
charity that provides no-interest loans to low-income women starting their own
businesses.”

VF: “Wow,
it seems like you’ve got the perfect Hollywood fairytale.”

FJ-A:
(chuckles) “If life were perfect it wouldn’t be half as interesting.
Appearances only account for part of the story. But right now I’m in a great
place. I feel lucky.”

VF:
“Lucky and talented. Thanks for talking to me, Felicity. I wish you the best
for the upcoming award season. I have a feeling this is just the beginning for
you.”

Acknowledgments

Thank you,
first and foremost, to my amazing husband, who not only gave me the time and
space to write this novel, but was also my first reader, trusted
feedback-giver, and emotional support through the entire process and beyond. To
my son, who makes me laugh every day, and without whom I may have never made
the time to get this story out. A very special thanks to Donna Watts, my
writing buddy and friend, who helped me through the nitty-gritty details of the
first draft
.
I’m certain it’s a better book because of
her. I would also like to thank Sierra Spitzer for her friendship,
encouragement and help with the legal details. A big huge thank you to Randy
and Jody Fraser; the kind of friends everyone wishes they had, always there to
help, willing to take a chance on reading an early draft and offer feedback,
having no basis to believe in my writing. You guys are awesome. Thank you to
Chelsea Starling for your encouragement, and for including me in the most
incredible collective of female writers at Indie-Visible.com. Thanks to my
fantastic copy editor, Susanna Rosen, for your laser focus and working with my
crazy quick timeline. I owe a magnificent debt of gratitude to John and Cindy
Lynch for their kindness, generosity, and belief in this crazy life that Lee and
I have endeavored on. I’d also like to thank Mike and Michelle McGill, Grant
and Shawna
Korgan
, Elyse Marshall, Amber
Anderson-Richter, Jesse
Windle
, Daryl Vickers, Patsy
Trudel
and Ashley
Trudel
. And
finally, a very special thanks to the strong independent women in my life,
starting with my mom and grandmother who shaped the woman I am today and
instilled in me a lifelong love of reading. And thank YOU, for reading my book,
and if you’re still reading this I hope that means you’re the kind of fan who
can’t wait to read more. And there will be more. I promise.

About
The Author

Sharisse Coulter started with a smidge
of college in Paris (not Texas), a dash in Australia and, voilà! A master’s
degree in Anthropology framed and placed lovingly on a shelf, never to be
dusted off again. Instead, she took the clear path to success, marrying a
musician, becoming his manager and touring the country playing gigs, taking
photos, and making music videos. Finally, she had a son (and subsequent identity
crisis), which fueled the completion of her first novel. Now at work on her
second and third novels, she’s concurrently embarking on a 5 month 55 city
national music/book tour while perfecting the art of Lego and enjoying her
addiction to reading novels on her iPhone.
 
It’s a wonderful life for an insatiable
wanderluster
.

You can follow the adventure at:

anovelmusictour.com
and at
sharissecoulter.com