A Life Stage Soundcheck by Rachel Veznaian

If you have a dream, don’t let it go.

Carla Cafaro has loved music from the time she was little. But following the advice her dad gave her as a kid isn’t so easy as an adult. Now twenty-five, Carla is marking time waiting for her life to happen. Caught up in a life of complacency in the same town where she grew up, she has bills to pay, an uninspiring job as a debt collector, weekly family dinners, and one meaningless hookup after another. Worst of all, she hasn’t been able to write a single song lyric in months.

When she meets guitarist Nico, everything she’s always wanted suddenly seems within reach—including the rekindling of her passion for music. But it turns out Nico may not be the answer to all her problems, and before long, everything is spiraling out of control. As the soundtrack of her life plays back the memories of her past, Carla is forced to reexamine what’s really important to her, and decide if she has the courage to change her life… and follow her dreams.