On April 22, the day Penn State alumnus Steven Kurutz's book was published, he walked aimlessly around the streets of New York clutching it in his hands.

"The entire day seemed unreal," the first-time author said. "It is an amazing rush when you

feel like your one vision has finally become a reality."

Kurutz, Class of 1998, is the author of Like a Rolling Stone: The Strange Life of a Tribute Band, a nonfiction account documenting the travels of Sticky Fingers, a Rolling Stones tribute band.

Kurutz, a one-time arts reporter for The Daily Collegian who graduated with a degree in English, said being a writer wasn't his original dream.

"Initially I had aspirations of being a musician," he said. "I played guitar, wrote songs and basically goofed off in college. It wasn't until I realized that I had no talent that I rearranged my dream and discovered that I really cared about writing."

Kurutz managed to combine both his passions in his book, which closely observes life at the "lower altitudes of the music industry" by taking a close look at the slightly amusing life of tribute bands. Specifically, the book follows Sticky Fingers as the Rolling Stones knock-off follows the legendary English rockers during the North American leg of its 2005-2006 tour.

The book takes a strikingly different look at the world of tribute bands. Throughout the narrative, Kurutz examines how their commitment, their struggle to find work and their band obligations lead the members of the Sticky Fingers to one ultimate heartache -- coming to terms with the fact that they will never be as famous as their rock heroes.

The writing process took Kurutz a little more than three years, though he conceived the original idea about nine years ago while working at Details magazine. At the magazine, Kurutz wrote a long, well-researched piece about five different tribute bands (including Sticky Fingers). To his disappointment, the article was cut back so much he decided the topic could use further attention.

"When I wrote the original article, I interviewed Glen [Carroll], the lead singer of Sticky Fingers," he said. "I remembered how surreal the experience was. He lived in a huge house with nice cars. It felt as if I was meeting a real rock star. Glen was so colorful and the topic was so rich. When I decided to revisit the concept for a book I knew Sticky Fingers was the band I wanted to write about."

Before writing his first book, Kurutz honed his craft by working for Details and freelancing for W, Playboy, Spin and the city section of The New York Times.

"Steve has a rare ability to paint situations as straightforward as possible," said Brian Raftery, a freelance journalist and one of Kurutz's former editors at the Collegian. "To his credit, he portrays things as they are. He does not sugarcoat it or try to make it amusing. He has an uncanny ability to go out in a crowd and report what others fail to see. This gift truly shows throughout the book."

Raftery said that Kurutz's love for 1970s rock also shines throughout Like a Rolling Stone and that his knowledge of the genre makes for a book that reads like a lengthy piece from The New Yorker.

Now that Kurutz is done with his book, he's looking to get back into the news business.

"I really love writing for papers," Kurutz said. "I love that you can write about almost anything. Newspapers allow you so much chance and so many opportunities."

In the meantime, Kurutz will be promoting his book at various locations for the next month. Although he is unable to make a stop in State College, Kurutz is holding a book signing from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 9, at D. Dashem Books, 109 E Main St., in Lock Haven. As of now, that book signing is Kurutz's only nearby appearance.

Despite the fact a trip to Happy Valley is not in Kurutz's plans anytime soon, he says his memories of Penn State are extremely fond.

"Penn State exposed me to things I had never seen before," he said. "It expanded my horizons, allowed me to find my niche and gave me the tools to discover what I wanted to pursue."

After the commotion from his hardcover release winds down, Kurutz said he will be busy coming up with an idea for his next book.

"It's all about going after what you want," he said. "A lot of people get discouraged when things don't work out and they shouldn't. Don't be afraid to start small or to try something new; if you have a good idea you will never fail. I am proof of that."