Love is a Donkey

A Rock Star, a Curse, and One Very Unlikely Second Chance

Julian Blaire is the self-proclaimed Contemporary King—a world-rocking musician with the ego, fame, and fanbase to prove it. Then a mysterious warning he refuses to take seriously leaves him transformed into an actual donkey. Suddenly unable to explain who he is, Julian finds himself passed from one humiliating situation to another while the world moves on without him.

There is a way back: perform a truly selfless act before the curse becomes permanent. But for a man who has built his life around attention, admiration, and his own legacy, selflessness may be harder than any performance he has ever given. As Julian loses the fame and control he once took for granted, an unexpected friendship forces him to notice the people around him—and decide what really matters when there is no audience left to impress.

Funny, irreverent, and unexpectedly heartfelt, Love Is a Donkey by Meghan Parks is a contemporary tale of pride, second chances, family, and discovering that losing everything can sometimes lead you to something far more important.

Discover Love Is a Donkey and follow Julian Blaire’s unforgettable journey from rock-star ego to unlikely redemption.

Excerpt from the book

A thousand eyes peered through the pitch blackness, all straining for a glimpse of a true legend. Silence weighed thicker than a hundred pounds of cheese dip. Then, one note pierced the stillness.

My silky croon amplified through the speakers and flowed over the audience. The instant the fans picked up my voice, they erupted in a surge of barely contained energy. The amphitheater vibrated with their screams. I pressed closer to the microphone. The soft fabric tickled my upper lip as I sucked in my breath for the real performance. The floor beneath me jerked and lifted, raising me to the stage above as I launched into my first verse of the evening.

Oh, love is a donkey

A stubborn braying fool

But if it makes you happy

I’ll go donkey for you

I’ll go donkey for you-oo-oo

I rose above stage level into a concentration of twirling white lasers. The lights danced off my iconic purple jacket and electric guitar. The roar of fans surged to a deafening peak, overwhelming my last line. Too bad. That final note had some perfect pitch. My sound crew would have to play it back later. The stage quaked under the force of countless stomping feet. Teenage girls shrieked and waved their grasping hands over the stage. It was a good thing I added sunglasses to the act, otherwise those flashing iPhones would’ve blinded me months ago. The overhead speakers quivered as they blasted the bass for one of my best hits. My fingers danced across the guitar board, the electric notes filling the empty stage with life. Throwing my head back, I howled a werewolf’s howl and leaped into motion.

Since I met you, baby

I’ve lost my marbles and I’m loving it!

With the crowd’s enthusiasm fueling my veins, I whipped on my heel and cartwheeled across the stage. Pausing in the left corner to sing a few lines, I let the lucky ducks in the front row soak in my profile. The fans screeched loud enough to rupture a voice box. What morons. Still, who was I to deny them the highlight of their life?

I reached out with my boot and brushed the fingers of a reaching girl. Her eyeballs bugged out of her head. I spun with a dramatic twist and pranced to the opposite corner, all the while belting out flawless verses of poetic genius. Colorful lasers flickered around my flying feet, keeping tempo with my guitar. The bass pounded so hard I swore the scaffolding almost caved. Each thud coursed through my inner organs like a second heartbeat. I slowed as I neared the last line. My glorious hurrah.