"Golden Strings" is a literary odyssey, that takes place in the heady summer of 1974. Gary Sapling is an eighteen-year-old singer-songwriter, who consider his acoustic guitar his most prized possession. He works at the local mall in (fictitious) Panville, California, but secretly dreams of musical stardom. An invitation to spend time with his divorced uncle Karl, who lives in a rural part of California, is the beginning of a new life for Gary. The two of them take a impromptu visit by car to San Francisco, at Gary's urging. Once there, they check into a hotel, for what was meant to be a brief overnight visit. A chance meeting with a member of a local guerilla theatre troupe called the 'frisco Freedom Collective leads to a quick but deep bonding between Gary and the troupe. He ends up moving in with them in their communal apartment in the city. He performs in their live shows, and finds himself in a loose love triangle with two of the young female members of the Collective. As the summer unfolds, Gary books a key live gig at a local club, plays the lead in an experimental short film, and has other small but exciting adventures. His life's motto is "There is no yesterday, there is only tomorrow".
"Golden Strings" is mainly influenced by "Hair", "Boogie Nights", and "Almost Famous". It's designed for mature, open-minded readers.