Born Free is
a Rock & Roll Spy Novel

Written by Blair Van Nort

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The Plot

Born Free is the first book in a trilogy that introduces readers to Jackson Blue - the lead singer in an up-and-coming rock and roll band called the Rassle. The band has recently found success with their third album and we travel backstage with the group as they embark on a summer festival tour across Europe.

Zig-zagging from country to country is the perfect cover for Jackson, who doubles as a spy for a secret government task force. On this wild and hilarious journey, readers are transported into the madness of both these worlds. While Jackson is simultaneously tasked with untangling a sinister plot to destroy America - he must also navigate the complicated world of sex, drugs, international banking systems, music festival port-a-potties, new-found fame, old flames, imposter syndrome, zen boredom and rock & roll.

The first-person narrative of this literary thriller gives readers a VIP pass to ride the whirlwind of rock stardom and international espionage. Throughout his adventures, Jackson struggles to find the right balance between being in a band and trying to save the world.

Inspired by

Jack Kerouac & James Bond, Mick Jagger & Jean Luc-Godard, Patti Smith & Tom Wolfe, Easy Rider & Oasis, Kurt Vonnegut & the Clash.

This book will take you on a freewheeling adventure across Europe.

Born Free shakes up the tired old spy genre and rattles it through the modern zeitgeist to create an explosive new type of sonic adventure.

The Author

My name is Blair Van Nort. I’m a Creative Director based in New York City. I’ve helped shape the creative vision for brands like J.Crew, Away Travel and Harry’s Razors. After studying fiction, cinema and cultural studies at the New School with Neil Gordon & McKenzie Wark - I spent my post graduate years playing in rock and roll bands, DJing at popular night clubs and hanging out at downtown dive bars.

My band had a moderate amount of success - with numerous commercial and TV syncs, fashion editorials in fancy magazines and brand campaigns on 50 foot billboards, but we never found mainstream success that led to a career in music. Over the years I learned graphic design - so I could make our posters and websites and album art and those skills helped me transition from music to creative direction. I always wondered what if though… What if I had become a spy instead?

I’ve taken inspiration from my musical past to write this fictional debut novel that imagines an alternate universe where a famous rock and roll star gets caught up in a plot to save the world.