THE FAME FACTOR
The Fame Factor
Polly Courtney
UK rights: HarperCollins (Avon)
UK publication: August 2010
All other rights available
"I loved reading THE FAME FACTOR as I could relate to Zoe's story. The music industry tries to make a lot of artists into production factories, meanwhile leaving the Zoes of this world broke in the proccess ... A thrilling, fun ride through the ups and downs of the music biz. I could hardly put it down. Spend some dirty money on this book - it's worth it. And luckily Polly will see some of it!" - Victoria Aitken
"An interesting read, combining really quirky characters with an inside look at the music industry ... I would definitely recommend packing this book to read on holiday." - Closer Magazine
Does for the music industry what The Devil Wears Prada did for fashion - Rock Babylon for the Skins generation.
By day, Zoë Kidd lives a tedious existence in a seventh floor office, following orders from pedantic boss Brian and trying to appease her sensible parents. By night, she’s the raucous lead singer of an all-girl rock band called Dirty Money.
For six years, Dirty Money has toured the London scene, playing pubs, clubs, shopping centres and the odd public toilet. Shannon, the band’s feisty Irish drummer, is a perpetual source of ‘useful contacts’ while bass player Kate ensures they make it onto the stage. Ellie, the dope-smoking drifter and Zoë’s loyal best friend, only needs to pick up her guitar for her raw talent to shine through.
They’re gifted, they’re beautiful and they’re determined to make it to the top. So when the American hit-maker Louis Castle appears at one of their gigs with talk of record deals, number ones and stadium tours, it seems as though finally, their dreams are beginning to come true.
But fame turns out to be more elusive and more divisive than any of the girls had imagined, bringing with it decisions that threaten to literally ‘break the band’.
The Fame Factor is a fast-moving story of friendship, resilience and revelation, exposing the darker, less glittery side to an industry surrounded by myths.
Polly Courtney was brought up in London after a brief period in the United States.At sixteen she transferred to an all-boys grammar school, a move which was to stand her in good stead for the years to come.She spent twelve months testing engines and gearboxes at an automotive consultancy in Sussex, then went on to obtain a double first in Engineering from Cambridge. Along with many of her “high flying” peers, she was lured to the City by the promise of a lucrative, fast-paced career in the exciting world of high finance.What she discovered was something very different.
As soon as she set foot in the Square Mile, Polly realised that there was something to shout about.Being someone who doesn't hold back, she decided to write about how it really is for young graduates in the City, hence her first novel, Golden Handcuffs.She started writing in her first (and only) year at Merrill Lynch and quickly realised that words rather than numbers were where her real talent lay.Having quit banking, she is now working in strategy consulting as well as writing.She also devotes considerable time to her semi-professional all-girl string quartet, No Strings Attached, and to playing with a women's football team.
www.pollycourtney.com
