How much can a used luxury tour bus cost to buy outright?
A) $20,000
B) $75,000
C) $200,000
D) $500,000+
If you guessed D) $500,000+, you’re right!
When I was writing Under the Ink, I wanted to show just how successful Johnny Church (aka J.C. Gibson to his fans) and his band were, and, aside from sold-out arenas, I knew a luxury tour bus—we’re talking top of the line—could communicate that.
In fact, Naomi, viewing the two decks and space, realizes that the bus is “way nicer than the crappy apartment she’d left behind in Winchester.”
I had a lot of fun researching buses and it probably took way more time from my writing than it should—but I watched videos in addition to drooling over interior views on several websites.
But let’s talk numbers, because you might be scoffing at the half-a-million-dollar price. Well, first, Charlie Daniels (you might remember him from the late 70s hit “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”) was selling his luxury bus a few years ago and dropped the price from $249,000 to $200,000 (I don’t know if or when he sold it)—and it’s nice, but what I pictured was even nicer.
But when you look at the type of motorcoach he used and look at newer nicer ones (including some made by Mercedes Benz), that’s when you get to the higher costs. A ten-year-old Prevost can cost well over $500,000—but new ones cost so much, they don’t even give a price on their website—not even for the pre-owned ones! But, if you’re diligent, you can dig and discover that brand-new motorcoaches can cost upwards of $2.5 million (“New builds generally start near $2.5M”).
So I hope I was able to communicate just how successful the band—and Johnny—were in the book, and I hope the tour bus cinched it!
Here’s a little snippet from Under the Ink, seeing the tour bus through Naomi’s eyes:
She tumbled out of the bunk and headed toward the bathroom. She knew, having been on this bus for over a week, that this was indeed a “luxurious” bus. With two decks and lots of space, it was pretty nice—way nicer than the crappy apartment she’d left behind in Winchester—but that didn’t mean she could sleep well.
The bathroom itself felt upscale with its vessel sink, ornate tile, and platinum fixtures. The entire bus, though, was quite lavish, nothing she was used to. Leather seats, a kitchen equipped with more appliances than she’d ever used, flatscreen TVs, videogame systems, and nonstop AC.
While she wouldn’t want to live here, one thing was certain: it felt like she was on a vacation from her life. But, she thought as she washed her hands, she had to remember that this wasn’t a vacation. It was a scouting mission—and, thanks to this job, she was going to discover her new life.
It was out there waiting for her.
Shutting off the bathroom light, she started to head toward her bunk and decided instead to get a quick drink. Having mostly stopped drinking alcohol since starting the job, she’d been craving lots of H2O. There was a supply of bottled water in the fridge, and she could get a drink and take the bottle with her to bed, just capping it so it’d be there overnight.
Soon after she snuck into the kitchen area, though, she realized she was not alone. And what a stupid move to be wandering around the bus like this, considering she’d worn her usual outfit to bed—a tank top and shorts.
So much exposure.
But maybe she could just grab a bottle of water and dart off before anyone realized she was there. Sure, the driver was at the front, but she doubted he’d be paying any attention to her. It was the body up near the “living area” past the kitchen that concerned her.
Quickly, she grabbed a bottle of water and shut the door—but she was too late. “Naomi, what are you doin’ up so late?”
She turned, even though she wished she could just slide behind the door and climb the stairs to the bunk area before jumping back in bed—but she didn’t want to be rude. “Hey, Andy. I could ask you the same question.”
Now that she’d been roped in, she allowed herself to look at him. He was sitting in one of the seats that, together, formed a couch of sorts—and the TV on the opposite wall was playing a DVD but the sound was off. When he stood, there was no mistaking the bottle of vodka in his hand. “I was havin’ a bit of a pity party—but now that you’re here, we can have a real party.”
“Oh, I was just heading—”
“Can I ask you a question, darlin’?”
Had she not already known he was drinking, she wouldn’t have noticed the slight slur in his voice, the softening of the edges of his words. And although his gait was steady as he moved toward her, his steps were deliberate as if he needed to be careful.
Naomi felt the instinct to square her shoulders as if to appear larger, but she fought that urge, because it also had the opposite effect. It would show far more of her body, something she didn’t want to do, especially around this guy. “Sure.” Everything else in her head, she didn’t say…because she wanted to make it quick.
“What you got against me?”
* * *
If this excerpt makes you eager to read more, you can dive into Under the Ink or start the first book to the Tangled Web series!
Every once in a while in my Rockstar Romance Newsletter, I’ll be dropping a little trivia question pulled straight from the research rabbit holes I fall into while writing.
Want more trivia? Join my weekly Rockstar Romance Newsletter →
PAST TRIVIA QUESTIONS:
- Which of these books originated because of something I found in the news?
- Why Most Ponzi Scheme Victims Never Get Their Money Back
- The Real Math Behind Your Favorite Band’s Tour
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions about other scenes in my books that you know required research (or maybe an overactive imagination)!
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