From the acclaimed author of   Long Bright River  and  Heft , a novel that allows us to take a peek behind the curtain of the music industry Liz Moore shows us the inner workings of an industry we’ve been fascinated with for decades. In these fourteen linked episodes, we meet a cast of characters from all the corners of the industry that we’ve come to glamourize. There’s the arrogantly hip, twenty-six-year-old A&R man; the rising young singer-songwriter; the established, arena-filling rock star on the verge of a midlife crisis; the type-A female executive with the heavy social calendar; and other recognizable figures. Set in the sleek offices, high-tech recording studios, and grungy downtown clubs of New York,  The Words of Every Song  offers an authenticity drawn from Liz Moore’s own experience and brings an insider’s touch to its depiction of the music industry and its denizens. “This is a remarkable novel, elegant, wise, and beautifully constructed. I loved the book, and admired the work and spark that went into it.” —Roddy Doyle “Imagine having happened upon Dylan singing in Harvard Square, or having caught one of Joni Mitchell’s early shows at an empty club. This is how I felt reading Liz Moore’s lyrical and powerful debut novel, like I was witnessing a timeless artist on the verge of transcendence. The Words of Every Song is a virtuoso performance. These beautifully rendered characters are melodies that echo in your head, chords that reverberate in your heart, and, long after you’ve turned the last page, you can still hear the audience calling for an encore.” —Bret Anthony Johnston, author of Corpus Christi “A young veteran of the New York club circuit meditates on music and the people who make it in a confident, affecting debut collection. Theo Brigham is an A&R executive poised between innocence and experience. Jax Powers-Kline, his boss at Titan Records, is about to learn that she long ago ceased to be human. Siobhan O'Hara is the leader of a band that Theo hopes will be big, but most likely won't. Tommy Mays is an indisputable rock star, Titan's most popular, most lucrative act. These are just a few of the characters—some hopeful, some successful, all on the brink of transformation—whose stories are intertwined. Moore is a musician herself, and her depiction of the music industry rings true. But it's the stories concerning adolescence that are the strongest—like "Tia, a Terrible Dancer," about the fattest member of a teen girl group. Moore is, most vitally, a writer capable of capturing a character or a scene with one or two luminous details. As outstanding as this book is, it's almost as remarkable for what it isn't—not an expos, tell-all or satire. The reader isn't forced to extract enjoyment by, say, guessing who Tommy Mays really is. He really is a rock star who sometimes sings songs that he hates because his label likes them. Sweet, wistful, artfully arranged: like the best mix tape anyone ever made for you.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred) Liz Moore  is an author, singer, and songwriter. Her acclaimed novels include  Long Bright River ,  Heft , and  The Unseen World . She has also performed at many revered New York music venues. Liz is a graduate of Barnard College and was once a leader of her own quartet, the Liz Moore Band. She currently lives in Philadelphia. 1. THEO, MOVING FORWARD Eight years in, it feels like you’re gonna die But you get used to anything Sooner or later it becomes your life — BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN , “ Straight Time ” I. Theo Brigham, while walking up Tenth Avenue on his way to meet a band, decides impulsively to visit an art gallery. It is the sort of decision he rarely makes and usually regrets. The gallery itself does not matter, he thinks; it is the idea of it, the surprise, the defiance of his own expectations of himself. He sends furtive glances north and south and then darts left into the first gallery he sees, maintaining his pace as he does so, fairly careening into an open doorway with a rusted–over frame—no, a frame that has been painted to look like rust. He pauses for a moment on the threshold of the place, peering inside, savoring a bit the odd sensation of shyness. He so rarely puts himself in situations like this one. Rarely makes entrances he has not planned on making. From the doorway, he can see various installation pieces, two of which resemble giant greeting cards. One says, “Love! Love!” One says, “Trust? Ho ho!” Then Theo catches the eye of an official–looking woman, who smiles coldly and says, “Welcome to ArtSpace.” Theo walks out. He breathes deeply, congratulating himself on his brief adventure, feeling that he has once again fulfilled some unspoken promise. But now he must turn his mind to other things: he is going to his fourth industry showcase this week, and he has a terrible hangover. In his messenger bag is a planner. Today’s date has written on it, in Theo’s neat handwriting: Edgedwellers. 3 pm Sound – Off. 19 yr old