Phases of the Moon

By Julia Watts and Watts J.

Book Overview

The rhythms of music course through Glenda Mooney's veins. Born in a coal mine town and with a talent for song, her life is filled with the sweet harmonies of gospel and bluegrass--and love of the preacher's daughter. Her talent is raw, but there are no limits on her determination to succeed.

Success for a wrong-side-of-the-tracks woman in the man's world of the 1950s is impossible, but no one can tell Glenda that. When faithless love and heart wrenching tragedy take their toll, and the powerful see her talent as nothing more than a mine they can strip, Glenda only has herself and her voice to survive...and triumph.

Lambda Literary Award-winner Julia Watts takes readers on an inspiring journey filled with passion, humor and undaunted artistic spirit in Phases of the Moon.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1931513929
• ISBN13: 9781931513920
• Release Date: November 2003
• Publisher: Bella Books
• Length: 181 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 8.7"
• Age Range: 18 years and up

Customer Reviews

blown away

I love it! This is the second book I picked up by Julia Watts and she hasn't let me down yet. Being a gay male some might say its kind of odd to be reading a lesbian genre book but this one is for everyone. I love the way Ms Watt's crafts the characters. I think everyone can relate to Lilly, being put into a tough situation and doing what you can to get out. I can't wait for her next one.

Glenda Mooney...whew...

After I read Piece of my Heart, i had to find another Julia Watts book. This book is about finding ones self through love, music, friendships, and pain. Glenda Mooney is one fiesty person who has no idea about life beyond the coal mines, but finds out that it isn't what she dreamed it would be...or is it? The true friendships with some of the characters is what made this book a true romance.

Another Appalachian classic

We take classes at college to have our eyes opened and Julia Watts made my Appalachian lit class worth its tuition. Phases of the Moon is her "serious piece of literature" I guess as it seems to have won awards and stuff. It certainly deserves them. Glenda Mooney is a 50s rockabilly artist and a lesbian working class woman. She is forced to cope with the tenuousness of stardom when she has a child by the King of Rock, the pseudonymous Xagus Peavely (I love Watts's names, I might write a paper about them).As with all of Watts's books it features great humor (the funniest woman writing today?) and subtly drawn characterizations (though she kills her Little Richard character too soon). I wouldn't start here, but you'll want them all anyway.

a funny, intelligent book about the early days of rock

Julia Watts has written a funny and intelligent book about the early days of rock music, life in Appalachia, and coming to terms with being "a member of the family." A fantastic read for anyone concerned with any of those three topics. Watts is a writer to be reckoned with. Expect big things from her for a long time.

A classic book about the early days of rock and roll.

This book had been recommended to me and I didn't think I'd like it, but it strikes me as one of the best written and most accurate books about the women who made rockabilly music in the 1950s. I thought it was beautifully done and Glenda Mooney is one of the most real characters in all of recent literature. I can't wait to read Watts's other books.