The Only Song Worth Singing

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Title: The Only Song Worth Singing
Series: ,
Published by: Caezik/Arc Manor
Release Date: April 8, 2025
Pages: 250
ISBN13: 978-1647101572

 

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Purchase via Doylestown Bookstore.

Childhood friends Patrick, Ciaran, and Malachi would've been happy to play music for coins on the streets of Dublin, but when their sound – a blend of traditional tunes and rock styling – lands them a record deal, they also get their first tour of America. As they gather fans, however, they also get the attention of three sídhe, fairies straight out of Irish tradition who play by their own rules.

Mal finds himself beleaguered by a prankster whose malicious tricks make him think he's losing his mind, while Ciaran falls hard for a hanger-on whose primal sexuality saps the life from him. Patrick can save them – if he's willing to trust the superstitions he learned during a painful childhood he thought he'd left behind long ago.

But the only thing that matters more than music to Patrick? His friends.

The Only Song Worth Singing is an upmarket mythic novel about blood, craic, and rock and roll. Set in the 90s at the height of the Celtic rock boom, it should appeal to fans of Alex Bledsoe and Alice Hoffman alike.

Note: This is a standalone book that has loose connections to the upcoming 2025 novel Leave No Trace but can be read entirely separate from that book or any future Green Place books.

 

"Blends myth with the power of music and a brotherly bond to tell a story that's suspenseful and extremely romantic in all possible directions. I loved it!" — Delia Sherman, author of Changeling

"Easily the most entertaining and truthful representation of the music touring world I’ve ever read. And to top it off, Randee Dawn has made me believe there really are mystical creatures on tour. ... The Only Song Worth Singing has forged in fire the heart of Daisy Jones and the Six with the soul of A Court of Thorns and Roses. Randee Dawn pulls off this feat with great aplomb, delivering a scintillating plot and an emotional wallop." — Adian Prewett, author of Woodstock at 50: Anatomy of a Revolution; To Know John Lennon; and Our Jimi

"A dark, parasitical fairy tale, The Only Song Worth Singing is sex, myth, and rock and roll all the way down to its bass-beating heart. It’s a story of faith, friendship, and brotherhood—of learning your roots, and finding your place, even if that means standing between one world and the next." — C. S. E. Cooney, World Fantasy Award-winning author of Saint Death’s Daughter

"When you hear a song you love so much that you wish you could live inside it for weeks, feeling it rush through you and touch you in ways only art can, this book can scratch that itch with long nails." — Meg Elison, author of Number One Fan

"Randee Dawn’s rich Hiberno-English narrative — interspersed with Irish Gaelic — brings The Only Song Worth Singing a vibrant dimension without affectation. Music is a living thing that makes magic feel real — and Dawn knocks this elusive aspect out of the park. Her story of a touring band provides an authentic illustration of the hardships and joys of the road, including the interpersonal tension between band members. Her story proves that whether in speech, song — or a work of fiction — words have tremendous power. — Beth W. Patterson, award-winning recording artist, road warrior, film music infiltrator

Press for The Only Song Worth Singing:

Every Book a Doorway Cover Reveal and Excerpt (PDF) 1/24/25)