[INTRO: I am a die hard, card carrying Elvis fan and have been for as long as I can remember. There is so much about Elvis to love; his incredible singing voice, his generous spirit, his looks (the most gorgeous man ever), his movies (yes, his movies. They make me happy, so critics can just shush), his service in the army, his magical presence on stage, his transcendent charisma, and…I could go on and on. As a matter of fact, on my 50th post, I believe it was, I DID go on and on. I listed 50 things I love about Elvis. It wasn’t difficult. I am an author and I mention Elvis in almost every story I write. I named my son Presley. I was fortunate to see Elvis in concert three times. I have been to Graceland five times… See? I love Elvis. I have been blogging weekly for more than a year, but going forward, I will blog every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. My life is insanely busy and I found myself missing weeks from time to time. This way, I’m more likely to be consistent. Hopefully, even if you are not an Elvis fan, you appreciate something about him and will find my posts interesting. Feel free to comment. Thank you so much for stopping by!]
Elvis was an avid reader, another reason to admire and respect him. I love that he and I have that in common. 🙂
As an author, I am honored that I can combine my love for Elvis, my love of reading, and my love of writing by mentioning Elvis in my books. For today’s post, I am sharing just a few samples of excerpts where I’ve done so…
It’s a bit challenging to work in mentions of Elvis, since my characters are young and most were not born when he passed away. While I am well aware that all generations, even the one being born now, will produce many Elvis fans, I thought I should sometimes give reasons for my youthful characters being fans.
Here is how I did it in Death Notice:
Excerpt:
“Suspicious Minds” by Elvis came on the radio and I turned it up, feeling my spirits lift. I had inadvertently become an Elvis fan in college while doing a paper on the impact of celebrities on society. Whether or not one appreciated Elvis’ talent, there was no denying he was a phenomenon, the likes of which had never been seen before and would probably never be seen again. Not only did I find I loved his music, I’d discovered why he had the impact he had. He had this boyish, southern charm, but at the same time, a deeply embedded raw sexuality that was powerful and intoxicating. It was fortunate that he only used that power for entertainment. If he’d been a terrorist or a cult leader, he could have easily taken over the world. I was only six when he died, a few years younger than his daughter. Had I been ten years older, I was certain I’d have been a part of the frenzied, screaming masses, fainting and tossing my panties up on stage.
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This was fun, since Eli is a vampire, but Liberty doesn’t yet know it. So, his response is a bit ‘tongue in cheek’.
Excerpt:
Though the music coming from the party was muted, Liberty recognized an Elvis Presley song, “One Night.” She grinned at Eli. “You like Elvis Presley? Isn’t he a little before your time?”
His lips twitched with amusement and he shrugged. “You might say I’m an old soul.”
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(Can you tell I really love ‘Suspicious Minds’? :))
Excerpt:
Jake fell silent and flipped on the radio. “Suspicious Minds” by Elvis was playing. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Did he remember how much she liked Elvis? How he’d teased her unmercifully about it? Nothing showed on his face, but he must remember. Had he shoved every memory of their time together out of his mind?
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And this story holds a very special place in my heart. I was able to really let loose with the Elvis thing, since the story is set in 1957. It was released on Elvis’ 80th birthday…
Chapter One
Mapleton, Tennessee, November, 1957
Toby Lawson closed her eyes and shut out all sounds of the diner, except for Elvis Presley’s voice. He was crooning about how she was the only one for him…no matter where he went or what he did… he’d spend his whole life loving her…
Rough hands landed on her waist and shattered the fantasy. She caught a whiff of hair tonic and too much cologne and snapped her eyes open. Wes Markham’s hateful face replaced the image of Elvis’ beautiful, crooked smile and smoldering blue eyes.
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There are many more, but I won’t bore you with all of them. I just thought it would be fun to share a few. Hope you enjoyed.
Thank you for stopping by…Happy Friday!
**** I just saw that my publisher put the ebook version of Death Notice on sale for 99 cents. Thicker than Water and End of Lonely Street are also 99 cents, and Liberty Awakened is $2.99. I’m sharing the Amazon links below, just in case anyone is interested:
LIBERTY AWAKENED ON AMAZON – $2.99
THICKER THAN WATER ON AMAZON – 99¢
END OF LONELY STREET ON AMAZON – 99¢
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EOLS Charity
Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.
Learn more here, including how to donate:
http://www.graceland.com/epcf/
END OF LONELY STREET – Now Only 99 Cents!
On Elvis’ 80th birthday, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.
All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.
Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.
What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?
Author Alicia Dean 
Very interesting, as always. I also love “Suspicious Minds.” LOL
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Pure genius how you work Elvis into your many books, Alicia. Sometimes subtle, sometimes “in your face.” 🙂 Always good and I always look forward to the moment. Just curious, but in your research have you found what type of reading did Elvis lean toward? I’m thinking maybe historical.
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I always watch for your Elvis mentions. 🙂 Suspicious Minds is one of my top favorites too
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I also love “Suspicious Minds.” A friend karaoked it once and it was hysterical. He added in a “honey-baby.” Still makes me laugh. Great picture of Elvis. I recognized him even in the header without his head! (Or maybe I’m preprogrammed to look for him on your site.) I enjoyed your excerpts and love how you put him in your stories. I bought DEATH NOTICE. as it was one of your books I hadn’t purchased before. Thanks for the heads up on the sale. And I really loved END OF LONELY STREET and recommend it.
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I like him too. Saw an impersonator not long ago, but no one can replace the king. My cousin has curio cabinets filled with Elvis memorabilia. Loved the looks at your books! Linda
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You are certainly clever at weaving Elvis into your contemporary stories. I, too, delight in the fact that Elvis was an avid reader as so many wildly successful celebs appear to be intellectually barren. Another nice post!
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