Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Music Music Music!

The other day my friend Ellen made a blog post about a band she listened to in college and the power of one song to take you back in time. (Jump HERE to check out her post.) Then yesterday my friend Janice made a post over on RelentlessWriters about how music can inspire your writing. (Jump HERE for that one.)

I figure since things happen in threes -  and I missed my Monday post because I couldn't come up with anything  - I'll finish the set with a post about how I tend to link specific songs to different writing projects.





I can't say that every novel or short story I've written has a song attached to it. Some draw more from genres of music, and for some I just rely on my trusty Alt-Country Pandora station to keep me motivated. But sometimes the theme song just jumps right out at me...

Take my novella A Vampire's Deadly Delight. The story is basically a Buffy/Spiderman mash-up with some funny bits and a happy ending. The working title was inspired by this Spin Doctors song, which captures the main idea - a heroine with a powerful secret - along with the not-taking-itself-too-seriously vibe.





Want another example? My novel Forever and Ever, Amen started life as Only the Lonely, inspired by The Motel's song.

 

'80s music is featured in the story and this song in particular captures the story's melancholy vibe. Forever and Ever, Amen was recently picked up by AmazonEncore, and will be available 6/9/15 - but you can preorder it now. You know. If you want.

My novel Hell...The Story was a quarterfinalist in last year's Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. It doesn't have a contract - yet - but when it's finally released, I swear I'm going to make a promo video using this Squirrel Nut Zippers song...

 


If there's a theme song for Aqua Follies, my '50s m/m romance currently out on submission, it's Chet Baker's version of My Funny Valentine. Sad and sweet, it captures the undercurrent of sorrow that goes along with telling a story about gay men in the 1950s.


 

And finally, I'm almost afraid to share this song, because I CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD! Adam Lambert's Better Than I Know Myself is the theme for my current WIP, Gregory and Jack. It's a contemporary m/m romance about a couple of stubborn guys who are better together than they ever were apart - if they could just figure it out.


 

So there you have it. The soundtrack to my head. I hope you enjoyed the journey...

Peace,
Liv

Do you make strong connections between books and music? If you want, share an example or two in the comments.

6 comments:

  1. In my mind, Krista and not-Vaughn's story needs an epic theme song. "Believe" by Mumford & Sons fits the bill. McKenna's (of RUN) is "Woke Up In A Car" by Something Corporate. I think Cass needs a theme song...

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    1. Hmm....Cass...it needs to be something hard-edged, maybe techno, or....wait...how 'bout Hole by Hammerbox? THIS IS CASS'S SONG!!

      https://youtu.be/btd2_tPvYis

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  2. << Do you make strong connections between books and music? >> Nope, not at all. I don't have anything like story playlists or listen to music while I'm writing. As a visual spatial, I'm pretty poor with auditory, so I don't relate to music that well. It also didn't help that at the age when most people are forming their music bonds, I was pounded with other playing their music really, really loud, so I often associate music with unpleasant and loud.

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    1. Because really, Linda, if there's more than one way to approach something, you and I will find the opposite. Makes for interesting comments on each other's blog posts, though.
      ;)

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  3. I don't have writing soundtracks either, but I know plenty of people who do. I don't mind a bit of background music (or general noise) but I'm often just as happy with silence. And sometimes I need silence to concentrate.

    As for having a specific song to embody a work - I love that idea, but so far it hasn't happened for me. That Adam Lambert song seems like an ideal one for a contemporary m/m romance. I hadn't heard it before and I really like it!! Probably won't get it out of my head now...

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  4. Be vary careful, Ellen. Adam will take up lodging in your head and he WILL NOT LEAVE. I mean, worse things could happen to you, but...
    ;)

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