**for Quravin**

It's the summer of 2010, and Evan Barker's older brother Jason has just committed suicide. His devastated parents are reeling from the Recession, his friends are shiftless drunks, and his younger sister has been committed after discovering Jason's body. In an attempt to assuage the trauma his family has experienced and break away from his own shitty existence, Evan decides to grab his portion of the modern American Dream by trying out for that year's American Idol auditions in Nashville.

Never mind that Evan's a 21-year-old virgin with a self-image as poor as his social skills. Never mind that he's never even attempted to sing before. In 21st century America, anything is possible, or so Evan's been told by a cultural upbringing of "Follow your dreams" and "Everyone is special" and "True love awaits".

Speaking of true love, Evan asks Lily Trent to accompany him on the journey. Lily is a childhood acquaintance with whom he's recently reconnected and developed a crush on. Lately Lily's been working as a stripper, a cynical and jaded young woman who may or may not have her own motivations for joining Evan on the trip.

Evan hopes the time alone will spark reciprocal affections in Lily, and an improbable come-from-nowhere triumph on national TV will not only free his family from their blue collar burdens, but win him the respect and love he craves-- not just from others, but from himself.

Together, Evan and Lily discover why learning how to fail may be their generation's greatest lesson.

Cover art by Gerry Siorek