Beside the Music

by B.J. Knapp (2015)

This humorous novel takes place mainly in the fictional Rhode Island town of Westwood, which, according to the author, "is based upon where I live in Western Coventry." The plot concerns a housewife, Brenda Dunkirk, who writes a fan letter to Kieth Kutter, the bass player from her favorite '80s metal band, Hydra. Innocent mid-life fangirling leads to the whole band setting up camp in Brenda's home while they work on their comeback album. As thrilling as the situation is for Brenda, it complicates her life and creates friction between herself and her husband, Tim.

"Tim is a mechanic, and owns his own shop on 'Orchard Street' in Westwood, which is basically Tiogue Ave. in Coventry," Knapp told us in an email. "I never actually specified the name of the town where Brenda works, but it's a mash-up between the old mill building area of East Greenwich, and the bustling fishing boat docks of Point Judith. There is a beach within walking distance of her office where a Portuguese couple runs a clam shack, which is kind of like Blount's Clam Shack in Warren." While most Ocean State references are fictional, "Brenda does buy burritos from Cilantro's. And Cilantro's is a real place, that I happen to love. (You can't go wrong with Mexican Subway!)"

[It was a real place, with seven locations around the state, but in November 2017 they announced on Facebook that they were closing up shop after nearly thirteen years.]

"But," Knapp concludes, "one of the most uniquely RI things about Beside the Music is that the owner of the recording studio, and personal friend of Brenda and Tim, is named Del."