Wrestling Romance Trilogy

The story for Book 1 of the Wrestling Romance Trilogy came to me in 2008. That was when I wrote the rough draft for Roadie. The synopsis and backstory for Roadie is below.

Roadie Synopsis

“Roadie” is all about following your dreams and shows in life anything can and probably will happen. Have you ever fantasized about any celebrity regardless of their line of work? Luke Turner did. Roadie is one big fantasy turned reality. It all starts with some major bad luck. Which led Luke to apply for his dream job and meet the woman he idolized. A journey quickly began unlike any other. Roadie is a story about life, love, friendship, and all the struggles in between. It follows Luke Turner on his quest to find true happiness. Is there such a thing? 

Roadie Backstory!

I was in a “relationship” “I use that term loosely because here almost 16yrs later I still don’t know what it was?” It is confusing. We hung out. We went to the movies. We went out to eat. Watched wrestling both on TV and at WWE Live Events in Chattanooga/Atlanta but that was it. Nothing romantic went on. She claimed she loved me. I loved her as a friend and that was it. I considered her a friend.  She was somebody I could depend on at the time. I figured she would always be there for me. How was I mistaken….

            On December 27th 2007 we were sitting second row at a WWE Raw Live Event in Chattanooga at the UTC Arena. She continues getting up walking off on her cell phone. After about three or four times of this she comes back crying. Being the nice guy I am on top of being concerned I asked her “What’s wrong?” She goes on to explain to me she had been talking to a guy old enough to be either one of our fathers, and he told her that if she expects for him to have anything to do with her then she had to leave me alone. He was upset she was with me that night at the wrestling event because he apparently told her that she wasn’t allowed to go to the wrestling event with me. This was a wrestling event that I bought ringside seats to several months in advance, and until that night I didn’t know none of this was going on with her and the mall security guard; so 3 years of whatever ended that night and I never looked back.
 

            If I was to say right now that I wasn’t hurt by the incident I would be lying big time! I was hurt! She was my friend during those 3yrs like was mentioned. Friends don’t do something like that to one another. I talked about this situation to anyone with ears that I knew that would listen to me. I am surprised people just didn’t tell me to quit talking about it so much. Mostly I talked about it with my managers at work. The three of us worked together as regular employees before they became managers. One became General Manager one year after I started and the other became Assistant Manager three years after I started. Both are guys in my age range at the time (twenties) and they listened.
 

            Funny thing is this girl worked there too. Well she worked with them too. She quit back up in the year (2007) so she could have Sundays to spend with me. For a short time period (about a year) I worked at O’Charley’s as well as the movie theater, and I usually was off on Sundays. Point being everyone knew one another, and they listened to me with my problem at hand. Nobody agreed with what this girl did but to tell you the truth I am happy that she conducted her actions because I am a happier person today but I will get into that later.
 

            One night in late February of 08 it was a Tuesday Night and WWE’s Version of ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) was on. Kelly Kelly came out to the ring to wrestle, and for a hair line moment I thought “I wonder what my former female friend would think if I wound up on the road going from town to town with Kelly Kelly.” I thought being an assistant to a female professional wrestler could be pretty cool! I would do it in a heart beat! I wouldn’t care what they wanted me to do! Whether it is shining their wrestling boots or going to get them a bottle of water or anything in between; it didn’t matter. Then I thought guy and girl together on the road…. Romance could spark out of these long road trips. Which brought the thought if I was Kelly Kelly’s personal assistant what would I like to have happen. These thought consumed me for days.

Then one day closer to March 1st 2008 I began typing my thoughts out into a story but I then stopped. About a week passed I didn’t touch the untitled story. I guess I had a page typed. I am the type of person that even though I might make notes to what to type and work into my stories I basically just go on thoughts. I was talking to my AM at work, and told him what I was thinking. I told him I didn’t know how to type this story? That it was complicated, and I didn’t know whether to break the story up in chapters (which I have never done before) or to just type it straight out like I was used to doing. He told me to break it up into chapters for sure and if I want to write it then write it and not to let fears or concerns to stop me.
 

            I guess by this time we are about a week into March. I flip open my laptop, and just begin typing and typing and typing. Some people say that Roadie reads like a screenplay. I can agree with that! It came to me as a giant conversation. I knew what I wanted to happen as far as events but it was more of the conversation that happened at those events that took place in the story. Maybe that is good? Maybe it is bad? It confuses me and I can’t get a straight answer to that. Just depends on who I talk to.

I sat at my computer 12hrs + somedays. Taking the adderall that has been prescribed to me so I could concentrate late at night to be able to keep on track with my book. Maybe sleep 3hrs only to get up to do it again. It became an obsession. I go through phases of obsession because right now I am obsessed with my Simply Priceless Universe and the multiple books inside that franchise

Roadie became an obsession. I rarely stopped to eat. I didn’t have to work because business was slow so that was all I focused my time on.

On March 31st 2008 I typed the last paragraph finishing up the initial rough draft manuscript of Roadie right after I watched Wrestlemania 24 on PPV. I was so proud of Roadie I knew I had to publish my first real novel! My doctor told me about a publishing company called Infinity Publishing. I checked into them. Then I sent my work off Mayish 2008 and recieved my first proof book Julyish 2008. I started proofing and proofing and proofing.

Infinity Publishing sent 3 books when they mailed me my first proof book. One book was to proof read, the other book was to send to the Library of Congress and Infinity sent an extra copy.

I proofread the first proof book and sent off for another proof book. I recieved my 2nd proof book in October 2008. I went through the process of editing Roadie by myself, and I finally finished the publishing process for Roadie and Roadie was officially published in January 2010.

            I had my first book sigining at the Book Knook in 2013 because I had some distractions keeping me from pursuing my life as a noveiist. Since 2014 there has been no more distractions and I have scheduled to have a female professional wrestler and former Knockout Champion from Impact Wrestling Jordynne Grace at my book signing on August 14th 2021 at Farley Con. This is my dream signing situation I have planned for years.

Ever since December 2013 at The Book Knook I became The Rated R Novelist Lee T. Lunsford and got serious about being a Full Time Novelist. That signing at Book Knook only lead to me getting a website, and beginning to go sale my work at as many events as I am able to plus moving forward with more writing projects passed the Wrestling Romance Trilogy.

I got two articles written up on me and Roadie online. One was an online article written by The Wrestling News Depot, and another online article with The Johnsons Transcript. I was also front page news on The Daily Citizen Newspaper and part of the @KingofPodcast Wrestling Podcast discussing my Wrestling Romance Novel Roadie!

Roadie turned into a Wrestling Romance Trilogy by 2021 with the second and third book being added behind my original Wrestling Romance Novel Roadie.

Book 2 of the Wrestling Romance Trilogy: “When Dreams Come True!!”

Book 3 of the Wrestling Romance Trilogy: “Happily Ever After??”

            The Complete Wrestling Romance Trilogy premiered together for the First Time Together at the August 14th 2021 Farley Con in East Ridge, TN where I was scheduled to have my Jordynne Grace signing at.

            It has been 16 years since the incident with my friend at the WWE RAW Live Event and I am single technically but I am married to my writing in 2023. I have published multiple books of different genres, and I am a Full Time Novelist who is Finally Happy in Life as I Establish My Legacy as The Rated R Novelist Lee T. Lunsford!

Roadie was first brought to the public with an article on the front page of The Daily Citizen.

Dalton writer self-publishes wrestling romance novel

• By Christopher Smith
  christophersmith@daltoncitizen.com
•  
  • Jan 15, 2014

It’s not Lee Lunsford’s life, but he said he “lived it nonetheless,” if only on the pages of his book.

Lunsford never met a WWE Diva, he doesn’t know what it’s like to work as a diva’s personal assistant and he’s never been married to one. But he lived “the fantasy,” he said, when he wrote his first book “Roadie,” a wrestling-inspired romance.

The self-published novel is available online at Infinity Publishing (tinyurl.com/lunsfordroadie) for $19.95.

When Lunsford, a Dalton native, started writing the book he said he was “depressed” after a double whammy in 2009 that left him on the ropes: a breakup and being laid off from work. So he filed for unemployment and spent 12 hours a day writing a novel based on what he wished his life looked like.

After three weeks, he had a 400-page book about Luke Turner, Lunsford’s fictional alter ego who, after also being laid off and facing hardship, becomes a wrestling diva’s personal assistant and eventually marries her. A few years after finishing his book, Lunsford got it online for people to buy in September 2013.

So far, the book has sold enough to “make a small living and support myself,” Lunsford said.

“I’m just now really getting serious about this,” he said. “I’m really trying to get the word out about the book. I haven’t really been focused on writing as much as maybe I should be. It’s hard. Life sidetracks you sometimes. But you know what? There’s always a way around it.”

Lunsford said one struggle he had to fight was writing with attention deficit disorder.

“I just dug in deep with this book,” he said. “It was something that really meant something to me. It was me thinking, ‘You know what? What if this actually happened? What would that be like?’ Asking those questions just took me into the story.”

But the story isn’t all “happy fantasy” where everything is blissful for the characters, Lunsford said. There’s plenty of conflict and struggle.

Lunsford said he is working on his second novel and is attending Chattanooga State Community College to pursue a journalism degree. His dream, if his self-publishing career doesn’t take off, is to be a creative writer with the WWE. Wrestling has been a passion of Lunsford’s since childhood, he said. He’s still a Hulk Hogan fan at age 30.

“I was a Hulkamaniac since I was 3,” he said. “I still like him.”

Around the same time this The Daily Citizen article was published the following articles were published online.

WWE Editorial: Have You Ever Dreamed Of Being With A WWE Diva, Someones Dream Came True
 By Richard Silver | richard.silver@powerelitemedia.com

September 19, 2014

Many male wrestling fans around the world have at least once fantasized about being with one of the beautiful Divas that stroll across your tv screen every week. Maybe you were lucky enough to meet one of your favorite wrestling divas, or had the chance to see them at a live wrestling event.

Really that’s the closest you have ever gotten to them, right? Yeah, but your fanasty lives on. Big time wrestling fan and now a newly published writer took his fanasty to the next level, he wrote a book about it.

I had the chance to talk to Lee T. Lunsford from Dalton, Georgia, He is the author of a great book called “Roadie”. When I spoke to him about his book he graciously gave me a little back story on the book before he sent me my own personlized copy. The following is what he told me.

“In 2007 on December 27th no joke I was at a WWE House Show with a girl I considered a Best Friend. Well that night ended whatever it was we had when she chose another guy over our friendship. I was upset for weeks, and then one night I saw Kelly Kelly coming to the ring on ECW on the Sci-Fi Channel. Looking at her coming to the ring with her “Holla” ring entrance music playing I thought, “What would my former friend think if I was able to get a job traveling the road with Kelly Kelly.” So I plotted and planned then started writing “Roadie” a few days later.”

“Roadie” is all about following your dreams, and shows in life anything can and probably will happen. Have you ever fantasized about any celebrity regardless of their line of work? Luke Turner did. Roadie is one big fantasy turned reality. It all starts with some major bad luck. Which led Luke to apply for his dream job and meet the woman he idolized. A journey quickly began unlike any other. Roadie is a story about life, love, friendship, and all the struggles in between. It follows Luke Turner on his quest to find true happiness. Is there such a thing?

Lee also told me that he knew he couldn’t use the Kelly Kelly name in his book, but he got as close to her real name as he could. What he did was he combined Kelly Kelly with Former TNA Knockout Payton Banks creating Kelly Banks.

Like I said Lee is a wrestling fan and has met wrestling stars in his life, and he has his own collection of autographs and wrestling memorabilia, but unfortunately he is not really with a dream diva in his personal life, but his character and alter ego “Luke Turner” has lived the dream. So through him Mr. Lunsford has also lived the dream.

LEE T. LUNSFORD INTERVIEW

by Daniel Johnson

Interviewer’s Note: Lee T. Lunsford is a writer based out of Dalton, Georgia  who published his debut novel, Roadie in December 2011 through Infinity Publishing. The story details the journey of Luke Turner, who after running into some bad luck pursues his dream job in the professional wrestling industry. The tale’s other primary character is Kelly Banks, a female wrestler who’s name was created by Lunsford by combining the monikers of former WWE diva, Kelly Kelly and former TNAknockout, Payton Banks. Lunsford’s writing draws inspiration from what he loosely defines as a relationship he had from November 2004 to December 2007. A lifelong wrestling fan Lunsford plans to turn the Roadie world into a trilogy with two upcoming novels, When Dreams Come True! andHappily Ever After???. Lunsford can be found on Twitter @leesspfrancise and his YouTube page can be found here. This interview was completed on October 10, 2014. In this interview Lunsford and I focus on the topic of writing his first wrestling novel.

Daniel Johnson: In a sentence or two how would you describe your book, Roadie?
Lee T. Lunsford: Nicholas Sparks has nothing on me.

Daniel Johnson: For those who have yet to check out the book what would you tell them that may inspire them to check it out and where can it be purchased?
Lee T. Lunsford: It is a true wrestling fan’s fantasy turned reality in print. It can be purchased onAmazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million, buybooksontheweb.com, and eBay. Search Roadie, might have to add my pen name Lee T. Lunsford in the author block.

Daniel Johnson: Going way back before you started to write this book I was wondering when and where were you born and how did you first come to be interested in writing?
Lee T. Lunsford: I was born in Columbus, Ohio, and grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina. I moved to Dalton, Georgia in 1996 after my parents had their divorce. To hear my mom say it I have always been interested in writing, but I am not sure exactly what age I attempted to start.

Daniel Johnson: Who are some authors that interested you from early in your life?
Lee T. Lunsford: I’ve never been one to truly read for fun. I’ve always rather written than read, but when I did read growing up in elementary school I read a bunch of RL Stine.

Daniel Johnson: Likewise, I take it you’ve read some wrestling books. What have been some ones that stick out the most for you? Have any directly influenced you?
Lee T. Lunsford: None have directly influenced me, and I did read some wrestling autobiographies in junior high, but they weren’t an influence with anything in my work or life.

Daniel Johnson: Likewise, wrestling novels are a very niche and intriguing genre. So I was also curious how did you first come to be a wrestling fan?
Lee T. Lunsford: I turned 31 years old on September 6, 2014, and to hear my mom say it I have been watching professional wrestling since I was 2 or 3 years-old. I don’t really know how I got into it.

Daniel Johnson: Who were some characters in wrestling that first really drew you in?
Lee T. Lunsford: Hulk Hogan of course. I began watching wrestling in the 1980s so there were all the iconic 1980 wrestlers.

Daniel Johnson: Getting more into your first book, Roadie I understand it is a very personal story for you. For readers who may be unaware of the history behind the book could you give a brief explanation of it?
Lee T. Lunsford: I was in a friendship with a girl for three years, and after three years she decided to turn her back on me. One night I was watching ECW on Syfy, and Kelly Kelly came out. I thought what would life be like if I could go on the road with Kelly Kelly as her assistant. Like an assistant Hollywood stars have. I later turned that thought into a one of a kind wrestling romance novel. Something that has never existed before that I am aware of.

Daniel Johnson: What was the writing process of Roadie like? I read in an article about you published in The Dalton Daily Citizen you spent 12 hour days working on the book. What did a typical day of writing the book consist of and how long did the process take in total?
Lee T. Lunsford: I worked on Roadie between December 2007 and WrestleMania XXIV in 2008. I did work on it about 12 hours a day, and probably typed the rough draft in about three weeks, but it took from December 2007 to WrestleMania 24 to get everything plotted, typed the rough draft and proof it to the point I sent it off to Infinity Publishing.

Daniel Johnson: What was the most challenging part of writing this book?
Lee T. Lunsford: I wrote it with an ease. Not to be cocky, but I just used my fantasy to lead the way. I wasn’t working much at the movie theater at the time because they were cutting hours so I got to dedicate all my time to it.

Daniel Johnson: I also read on a piece about Roadie published by wrestlingnewsdepot.com that you got the female characters name, Kelly Banks from combining the names of former WWE wrestler, Kelly Kelly and former TNA wrestler, Payton Banks. What was it about these two performers that stuck out enough to you to name your character after them?

Lee T. Lunsford: I won’t lie I was attracted to both, and I have a thing for blondes. So Kelly Kelly’s physical looks play into Kelly Banks. I used to talk to Ms. Banks on MySpace at the time when that was the hottest thing at the time. She was fun to talk to, and I even sent her the first signed copy of Roadie, along with an article I wrote on wrestling for the Chattanooga State Communicator which was the school newspaper I wrote for when I was attending there [Chattanooga State Community College]. I got to interview Consequences Creed, and attend the first TNA live event in Dalton, Georgia for free. We talked up to the point MySpace just crashed out. I combined the two names, and added in personality traits of my dream girl, to create the fictional character of Kelly Banks.

Daniel Johnson: This is kind of a side question, but given the WWE and TNA influence I was wondering if you stick to these promotions as a fan or if you are into indie wrestling as well?
Lee T. Lunsford: I’ve never been to an indie wrestling event.

Daniel Johnson: Speaking of wrestling in general and also getting back to your book in that aforementioned wrestlingnewsdepot.com article I understand Mick Foley gave you some advice when you had the chance to meet him. I was curious have you gotten any other feedback from those in the wrestling industry?
Lee T. Lunsford: No, I haven’t.

Daniel Johnson: Looking to the future I understand Roadie will be part of a trilogy along with two upcoming books, When Dreams Come True! and Happily Ever After??? When can readers expect to see these books released and how can they get them?
Lee T. Lunsford: They are a work in progress. It will be down the road because I have other work I am working on currently, and I just want to get them right.

Daniel Johnson: Can you tell us anymore about these two books currently?
Lee T. Lunsford: Slowly, but surely they drift away from professional wrestling and focus more on their lives.

Daniel Johnson: Looking beyond this trilogy are there any further projects you are working on? If so then what are they? Also, do you have any interest in writing non-wrestling books?
Lee T. Lunsford: Yes, Simply Priceless, my superhero genre book. I like to refer to it as 1980’s action meets modern superhero adventure, it is kind of like the Lethal Weapon franchise meetsSupergirl. I am in the editing faze of that book right now. Yes, I have interest in writing non-wrestling books.

Daniel Johnson: To wind down interviews I always like to ask a few non-wrestling questions then a few more wrestling relevant questions. First, what is your favorite movie to come out in the last year?
Lee T. Lunsford: Well, I don’t know if it counts, and maybe I am being a bit of a smart ass, but my favorite movie of all time is Ghostbusters, and it was just re-released back in September for its thirtieth anniversary.

Daniel Johnson: What do you most enjoy watching on TV these days?

Lee T. Lunsford: Wrestling of course I watch the majority of the time, but I love The Big Bang Theory other than that. I watch some of the shows on TruTV and A&E such as Hardcore Pawn,Lizard Lick Towing and Impractical Jokers. Then on A&E, Epic Ink, Shipping Wars, Wahlburgers,Brandi & Jarrod and such but the majority of things I watch are Big Bang Theory reruns and wrestling. I also watch Law and Order: SVU, Friends reruns and Duck Dynasty. I can’t watch TNA anymore because my cable provider dropped Spike.

Daniel Johnson: What is the last book you read and would you recommend it?
Lee T. Lunsford: The last book I read was the Supergirl novelization to the Supergirl movie, and it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t much different from the movie. It is just up to the point if the person liked the movie or not whether I would recommend them to reading it.

Daniel Johnson: Have you tried any new foods in the last year? If so what has been your favorite new food you tried in the past year?
Lee T. Lunsford: No, I haven’t.

Daniel Johnson: What is your favorite song to come out in the last year?
Lee T. Lunsford: I don’t really listen to music.

Daniel Johnson: Getting back to wrestling I was curious since writing is such a big part of wrestling these days what is your favorite wrestling angle of all time and why?
Lee T. Lunsford: That question is so hard to answer but the NWO is a classic. And probably because it was one of the most memorable due to all the havoc it caused between the two companies.

Daniel Johnson: Have you ever considered writing/booking for a wrestling promotion at the independent level?
Lee T. Lunsford: No, I haven’t.

Daniel Johnson: I’m always curious about anything people may find odd about their work. So what if anything was the weirdest part about writing a wrestling book for you?
Lee T. Lunsford: Nothing was odd about it because it was all my driven fantasy of what I would love to happen in regards to hooking up with a female professional wrestler.

Daniel Johnson: Is there anything you would like to add?
Lee T. Lunsford: Not at this present time.

Check out a promotional video for Roadie by Lee T. Lunsford here! Former TNA knockout, Payton Banks has expressed support for the work. In 2013 she wrestled against former WWE diva, Jillian Hall for Victory Pro Wrestling (VPW) at VPW Eighty…and Counting:

The first time I debut Roadie to the public was at my first book signing which took place at The Book Knook in Dalton, Ga.

At Roadie’s debut to the General Public at The Book Knook I SOLD OUT of ALL but 4 of my almost 20 Roadie copies I brought with me that day to my first signing. The time I debut Roadie to the Wrestling Community did not take place until Almost Two Years Later. That Wrestling Meet and Greet Type Event was titled Stranglehold Wrestlefest 2015, and took place around Atlanta!

Roadie being sold at Stranglehold Wrestlefest 2015 was thanks to the Stranglehold Championship Wrestling Promoter Eric Nelson taking a chance on me, and making me part of the Stranglehold Army from 2015 to 2020. Pictures from other Stranglehold Championship Wrestling Events The Rated R Novelist Lee T. Lunsford was in attendance at can be found on the

Gallery

webpage.

Roadie became a bigger hit than anyone imagined, and from 2015-2020 multiple people pushed me to complete and publish the other two novels I had planned to write and publish in order to turn Roadie from just being a Wrestling Romance Novel and making the Wrestling Romance Trilogy I always spoke I one day wanted Roadie to be.

The big push for writing and publishing Book 2 of the Wrestling Romance Trilogy When Dreams Come True!! and Book 3 of the Wrestling Romance Trilogy Happily Ever After?? was having my Dream LT_Writing Signing at Farley Con 2021 when The Rated R Novelist Lee T. Lunsford welcomed Impact Wrestling Knockout Jordynne Grace as part of Farley Con 2021 and she sat at my table and signed sold copies of the Wrestling Romance Trilogy and spent time with me while I was a vendor at the 2021 Farley Con event.

This Completed The Wrestling Romance Trilogy Going Into Farley Con 2021.

August 14th 2021 came quickly and I debuted the complete Wrestling Romance Trilogy with Impact Wrestling Knockout Jordynne Grace by my side.

I had the time of my life with Jordynne Grace between selling copies of the Wrestling Romance Trilogy and helping her with her stuff. I was virtually Jordynne Grace’s assistant there at Farley Con 2021 by taking her pictures fans wanted to take with her. She and I also goofed around Farley Con during her time there at Farley Con that day as can be seen on the….

UNKNOWN The Alien Assassin

webpage.

You can move forward to LT_Writing site 2 if you would like to Learn Additional Information on the Wrestling Romance Trilogy!

https://www.ltrealm.com/all-about-roadie