Carl Howell is dead, passing like a wave through the lives of his friends. A brilliant singer, a loved son, a hated rival, a meal ticket, a soulmate, Carl means different things to different people - how can they continue without him? Chinaski takes a look at the music industry, the fans and the vampires, and asks, what can we really know about our icons?

Set in the late 80s/early 90s, during the last gasp of youth subculture, before rave culture came along and made people like each other, before brit pop made indie music mainstream, Chinaski charts the rise of an indie band destined for fame. A realistic account of the seamier side of the music industry told from the point of view of the girlfriend, the band member and the music journalist.

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The only child of parents who worked at a top security psychiatric hospital, Frances Vick grew up receiving disquieting notes and presents from the inmates. Expelled from school, she spent the next few years on the dole, augmenting her income by providing security and crewing for gigs, and being a medical experiment guinea pig. Later jobs included working in a theatre in Manhattan, teaching English in Japanese Junior High Schools, and being a life model in Italy, before coming back to London and working with young offenders and refugees. Chinaski is her first novel. Join in on the conversation at facebook/francesvickauthor or visit francesvick.co.uk