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D'MOLLS DRUMMER BILLY MCCARTHY SIGNS BOOK DEAL: CHICAGO ROCKER BILLY McCARTHY SIGNS BOOK DEAL WITH INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER BENBELLA BOOKS; THE DEVIL OF SHAKESPEARE IS A FASCINATING COMMENTARY ON THE UNDERBELLY OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY; MCCARTHY'S HOT DEBUT THRILLER ALREADY HAS MUSIC AND BOOK INDUSTRY INSIDERS BUZZING; "Billy McCarthy's a genius!" -C.C DeVille, Multi-Platinum Band, Poison. Chicago musician Billy McCarthy, who frequently works with elite members of the music industry, has started singing a whole new tune and is focusing his creative energy in a new direction. Novels. Billy McCarthy, who has signed a deal with BenBella Books, is about to release his much-anticipated first novel, THE DEVIL OF SHAKESPEARE. For McCarthy, going from drummer to author hasn't been a leap, but the next natural step in the evolution of his creative instincts. "It's all about beat, drama and timing," McCarthy explains. "Storytelling, like rock & roll, has to have a pulse. When I write, I hear the rhythm of the narrative in my head, just like I hear the rhythm of the music when I play. My goal is always the same whether I'm the musician trying to excite an audience or the author trying to engage the reader-keeping it straight and simple, but keeping it thunderous." THE DEVIL OF SHAKESPEARE, is already generating a buzz with critics and is receiving a great deal of attention from insiders. Before the manuscript was even complete, one of Chicago's top local papers, The Daily Southtown did a feature on McCarthy's pending contribution to the local literary scene. After trading in the roller coaster ride of the recording business for the grassroots comforts of the Midwest, Billy McCarthy is turning his inside knowledge of the celebrity world into one of the hottest new thrillers of the season. In THE DEVIL OF SHAKESPEARE, McCarthy's acclaimed literary debut, he exposes the toxic underbelly of the entertainment industry with wit, humor and insight as only someone who has been there and tasted its allures can know. Set in the near future, this dark coming of age fable tells the story of David Faulkner, whose dysfunctional family fuels his ambition to escape his rough blue collar neighborhood on Chicago's Southside. His angelic good looks coupled with his ethereal talent make him a box office legend, and the most sought after actor of his generation. This is an era in which everything is magnified, where once leading movie stars made twenty million a picture, David nee Darian Fable commands five times that amount. His decision to abandon Hollywood, a fabulous career, the untold riches, and retreat to a bucolic estate in Connecticut, sets in motion a chain of events that threatens both the lives and careers of some of the most important powers in the entertainment industry…including his own. Writing this book has not only allowed McCarthy to explore a new creative side, but also given him the chance to shed insight into the world of celebrities and media, with which so many people in this society are obsessed. "This book, though I wrote it to be entertaining, also communicates a strong message about fame. I wanted it to inspire readers to look deep inside their own psyches when it comes to who they look up to and why," said McCarthy. BenBella Books is an independent press specializing in the best in science fiction and popular culture. BenBella Books can be found at www.benbellabooks.com. BenBella Books is distributed by Independent Publishers Group. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Former Atlantic Records recording artist Billy McCarthy (A.K.A Billy Dior) is one of the most respected musicians to come out of Chicago's rock scene. A founding member of the popular band D'Molls, Billy has also shared the stage with such legendary rock & rollers as Guns & Roses, Cheap Trick, Kiss, and many others. Billy McCarthy lives in the south suburbs of Chicago where he is currently immersed on future books, FUNNYMAN JACK SMACK, DEAR EDDIE, and SARAH GOODING. For more information about Billy McCarthy, please visit his website at www.billymccarthy.com. THE DEVIL OF SHAKESPEARE Author: Billy McCarthy Pub date: June 2004 Trim: 6"x9", Cloth Pages: 272 ISBN: 1-932100-26-1 Publisher: BenBella Books To Order: IPG 1-800-888-4741 Maggie Sokolowski courtesy of billymccarthy.com