Roll the Dice by Wayne Avrashow

On today's episode of the GSMC Book Review Podcast I speak with Wayne Avrashow about his debut novel, Roll the Dice.  The book tells the story of Tyler Sloan, a middle-aged rock star who decides to run for political office.

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Roll the Dice is the story of Tyler Sloan, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee who exits the Las Vegas stage to campaign as Nevada’s next United States Senator. The off-season special election captivates the nation as the winner will decide control of the evenly-divided Senate. He wages a nontraditional campaign independent of the two political parties. Sloan relies on his charisma and instincts, honed by years on stage and by observing his father Mike Sloan, a former California Governor who nearly became President.

The campaign is riddled with problems and controversy. Sloan’s strained relationship with his father permeates the campaign; Sloan has a flirtatious relationship with his young, media advisor Bree Baker; a musician friend blackmails him with a decades-old video sex tape of a ménage a trois between Sloan and two women, one of whom is his Republican opponent; his campaign manager Tony Martino served in the same role for his father, but past legal troubles emerge and Martino surreptitiously wears a listening device for the FBI to entrap elected officials; and Sloan’s attorney, the often-manic Grant Zimmer, is a trusted advisor while protecting his own self interests.

Throughout the political headaches, Sloan seeks to shield his thirteen year-old daughter Riley from the myriad of allegations, while reasoning with his unpredictable ex-wife, Riley’s mother, who is increasingly dependent on prescription drugs.

Roll the Dice recounts the unpredictable external forces that impact a campaign as well as the candidate’s internal struggles, hopes, and fears. It also illustrates and showcases the unique contrast between the dazzling city of Las Vegas, the rugged, yet urban Reno, and all the small towns, ranches and desert throughout Nevada.

I wasn't sure about this book when I first received it.  Nothing against Wayne as an author, just my own concern that I might not enjoy a book set in the political sphere.  It's not a topic I'm drawn to naturally, and I wouldn't normally pick up this type of book.  Which, of course, is why I enjoy doing this podcast so much, because it introduces me to books I wouldn't read otherwise.  Yes, the book is set in the world of politics, but Wayne writes the story, and the main character Tyler Sloan, in such a way that draws the reader in and makes them root for Sloan as a candidate.

The book isn't simply about Sloan's campaign, either.  Rather, we get insight into Sloan, his career, his reasons for running, and his relationships, most of which are complicated.  It's almost more of a character study than a book about a political campaign.  There's also the element of intrigue and suspense, which helps to move the story along and keep the reader engaged.

Genres:

• Political Fiction
• Suspense
• Mystery

What I enjoyed:

• The unexpected elements of humor sprinkled throughout the story.
• Watching Sloan's story and character unfold throughout the book, and seeing his relationships evolve as he navigates through the campaign.
• The stubborn nature of Sloan as a character and a political candidate.  He's determined to run the campaign as he chooses, not giving in to what is expected and what is the norm.

Who should read Roll the Dice?

• Fans of politics and behind the scenes looks at campaigns.
• Fans of books with elements of intrigue.

Quotes:

• "Sloan studied her as she bolstered her words with gestures, timely pauses, and full smiles - a performance that held all the spontaneity of an Olympic synchronized swimmer."
• "At 8 a.m., the desert sun was soft and innocent. The Strip’s casino gamblers were crashing from alcohol with dashed dreams and the mental grime of sleep deprivation. Slot machine addicts were numb after an all-night binge of mesmerizing sounds and lights that had slowly but surely drained last week’s paycheck. Sloan dabbed perspiration as he walked out of the batting cage. Bree’s crew and a horde of media filmed every gesture."
  

Where you can find Wayne online:
Website: https://www.wayneavrashow.com/
Facebook: @wayneavrashowauthor
Twitter: @wayneavrashow
Instagram: @wavrashow

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Author Bio:

Wayne Avrashow knows all about politics.    He was the campaign manager for two successful Los Angeles City Council campaigns and a Deputy/Chief of Staff to those two elected City Council members. He served as a senior advisor for a successful city-wide referendum in the City of Los Angeles, co-authored ballot arguments on Los Angeles County-wide measures, served as Chairman for a Los Angeles County ballot measure, and was a Los Angeles government Commissioner for nearly twenty years. He currently serves as a Board Member of the Yaroslavsky Institute, a public policy institute founded by long time Southern California elected official, and now UCLA professor, Zev Yaroslavsky.

A practicing attorney, he specializes in government advocacy, real estate, and business law. Formerly, he was an officer in two real estate development firms.  As a lawyer-lobbyist, he has represented clients before numerous California municipalities and in Nevada and Idaho. His background in politics, government, business, and law provides unique insight into the machinations and characters that populate political campaigns.

He has lectured at his law school and taught at Woodbury University in Los Angeles. He has also authored numerous op-ed articles that appeared in daily newspapers, legal, business, and real estate publications.  In addition, he is the author of a self-published book for the legal community, Success at Mediation—10 Strategic Tools for Attorneys. (Source)

For my interview with Wayne please click here.