Some bands save lives. This one almost destroyed them.
For twenty-year-old Micah, Mammoth on Fire has been everything: friendship, purpose, and the only place loud enough to drown out the rest of the world.
But after his dad dies, he receives a letter that changes everything. His dad’s last wish is the one thing Micah never wanted to do—leave the band and go to college.
As Micah prepares to walk away, Timmy, the band’s volatile frontman, refuses to let Mammoth on Fire die. For Timmy, the band isn’t just a dream. It’s his identity. Devastated by Micah’s decision, he’ll do anything to keep the band together. Meanwhile, Broadhawk, their drummer, seems more interested in partying than saving it.
Just as Micah is ready to leave, Mammoth on Fire lands the opportunity every punk band dreams of: opening for two of the scene’s biggest names on a weeklong tour.
As the friendships that once seemed unbreakable begin to splinter, they pile into a van and hit the road, hoping one last tour can save more than their future.
Filled with humor, heart, and the energy of the early-2000s punk scene, Mammoth on Fire is a coming-of-age novel about friendship, music, and what happens when growing up means leaving part of yourself behind.
Available on Amazon!
They came for the music. They stayed for each other.
Seventeen-year-old Isabella has always felt like an outsider. Stuck in a judgmental Virginia town after her parents’ divorce, she’s counting down the days until graduation—when she can escape back to Los Angeles, the last place that truly felt like home.
But after a humiliating incident at a concert, Isabella becomes the target of relentless bullying. Just when she’s ready to disappear completely, she meets Caroline—a bold feminist zine-maker out to disrupt the scene. Along with Caroline’s musically gifted sister, they form a punk band called The Matriarchy.
Their band is more than just music—it’s rebellion, feminism, and sisterhood. But not everyone is ready for their revolution. A gang of gatekeeping punks aims to shut them down, determined to prove girls like them don’t belong in punk.
When tensions within the band and attacks from the scene collide, Isabella must decide—will she keep running from the spotlight, or fight to prove she belongs center stage?
The Matriarchy is a coming-of-age story of what it means to find yourself, fight for what you believe in, and discovering where you truly belong.
Available on Amazon!
About
Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin lives in Baltimore with his wife and two cats, Aviendha and Milo—the toothless menace. His writing is inspired by growing up in the DC punk scene and his time as a touring musician in punk bands.
Let’s be friends!