Hello, I'm back again. They haven't managed to rescue me off this island yet, but heck, I'm not complaining. The cabana boys are delightful and very attentive. I never have to worry about my glass going empty. I don't believe I've moved from my lounge chair since I arrived two days ago. Got a little bit of crick in my neck from sleeping out here last night. Thank God, there weren't any mosquitoes.
Enough babbling. Today, I want to talk about music. I love any kind of music. No really, I'll listen to just about anything. On my Touch, you'll find heavy metal, instrumental, country, pop, alternative rock, opera. The list goes on and on. And I've found that those songs can inspire characters or story lines if I keep my mind open to the possibilities. So many lyrics have spawned scenes in my head. Some of which work and some that will never be used in a story, but still any creation can only better my writing skills.
If you follow my blog at all, you know that I posted a list of theme songs for each of my books out so far...well, except for the stories in the anthologies...lol. Not sure why I skipped those. Oh well...Any way.
Nowhere Diner: Finding Love is my up-coming July release from Amber Quill/Amber Allure. Two songs inspired this story and it's a story that had been stewing in the back of my mind ever since I first heard "White Trash Beautiful" by Everlast. I wanted to write a story about a man working at a diner whose lover is a truck driver. Then I heard "Bound for Nowhere" by Miranda Lambert and something clicked in my head. Why not use the ideas in both songs for one story? A man leaves his home town because his lover has gotten married and he's not willing to be the man's dirty little secret. He travels as far away as he can and gets a job at a diner, where he meets a truck driver. Perfect. Finding Love was written, a little quicker than my usual stories.
Ghost of a Chance, my March release from Loose-Id, had two different songs to go with it, but they both go along with the story. "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence. How fitting is that song when one of the heroes starts out as a ghost? "This Time" by Jonathan Rhys Meyers from the August Rush soundtrack was another song that fit this fairy tale love story. The lyrics "I've been sitting watching life pass from the sidelines" suit Padraig's life up until that fateful St. Patrick's Day. Every time I hear that song, I think I bet Padraig felt this way while he was a ghost. (Of course, that's if Padraig had been a real person..lol)
Tabloid Star (up-coming Sept. release from Samhain) and High Line, my February release from Samhain, have similar themes, so their songs could be interchangeable, I guess. And the songs are an interesting mix, Dixie Chicks, Chris Issak, Nickleback, and 3 Doors Down.
I could go on and on, but as you can tell, music serves as a huge inspiration for me. Any song I hear could either inspire a story or a character...which is probably why I listen to music when I write and I'm always looking for new artists. I will tell you that you'll find almost every song ever sung by Chris LeDoux, Nickelback, Blue October and Linkin Park on my Touch. The rest of my stuff is very eclectic.
Thank you, Wave and the rest of the ladies at DIK. I had a lot of fun, hanging out on the island with you all. I hope I wasn't too much of an idiot...lol.
Leave me a comment about what music means to you or what songs inspire you. I'll pick a name from the comments and you'll get a book (or there might be an option of some special music CDs, depending on what the winner wants.)
Saturday, April 11, 2009
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16 comments:
TA
Music means everything to me - from the time I wake up in the morning to when I go to bed at night. Couldn't live without it.
I love most types of music except the "head banging" type and my favourites are too numerous to mention but the Rolling Stones are right up there - have seen them every time they visited Toronto and have even gone to their concerts in NY. I have so many favourite songs but "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding, "Young Americans" by David Bowie, "Worried About You" the Stones, anything by K.D. Lang, Alicia Keyes, Norah Jones, Sam Cooke, "Imagine" by John Lennon ...... the list is endless. *g*
I hope you enjoyed your stay on the island and that the ladies treated you well. TTYL
I gotta agree, I listen to music all the time, even as I go to sleep I have "Delilah after Dark" show on the radio. My music tastes have changed through the years, not that I start hating things that I used to like, but I start liking things that I used to be ambivalent about. I listened to Heavy Metal as a young teen, then Alternative Rock, pop, R & B, New Age stuff (I really like Enya) when I want to mellow out, Fifties and Sixties music when I want to dance (even though I'm in my early 30's and I missed this time frame I love this music). Now it's mostly country and rock with some opera thrown in (who doesn't like Phantom of the Opera?). The only thing thst I really don't like is the hardcore "Gangster Rap" but that's more because I find the lyrics degrading to women than because I don't like the music.
I'd love to see a story based on Stay by Sugarland or Don't think I don't Think About It by Darius Rucker or If you ever wanted to do a beach themed one I'd love Under the Boardwalk. It's always beenone of my favorites and it's such a sly, sexy song.
T.A. thanks for sharing the past three days with all of us. I am a regular visitor to your blog; I’m usually the sneaky silent type. I can’t wait for Bitter Creek! Hello…cowboys! I am also somewhat eclectic in my music taste. It helps when you have an 18 and 19 year old keeping you current. Okay maybe current isn’t always right. The other day I was riding with my son and an old Steve Miller song was playing. I was singing along without even realizing it, and my son says, “Wow! You know that song?” My father was a musician and played steel guitar in a country band. I thought all kids went to bed listening to their dad’s band playing in the living room. I think I can catalog my life by songs. Certain songs play and I find myself going back in time. Sometimes it’s a good time, sometimes not so much, but always there is the music. I must say if music gives you inspiration, please keep on listening; I love your work!
Wow. So Bring Me to Life was on your tracklist when you wrote Ghost of a Chance.
I always happy to read little facts about your writing.
My profession is music, more accurately classical music. So i can say it's a big part in my life.
I almost like every tyoe of music, except very hard death metal, and free-jazz. Normal jazz is ok, though.
I love veriety, and i also love to dance, or just jumping and moving when music is around.
But since i am surrounded with music almost all day, i can be very happy when there is silence in a room. But it's rare, so i often go and have a walk in a nearby little forest. The birds are awesome! :)
The sound of nature can be a very beautiful and artistic music too.
Edmee
Sorry profession is not the right word. I meant that my job is teaching and writing about music.
TA,
I love hearing what music you listen to for which books. I mainly listen to country music with some rock mixed in.
Wow I think I need to read High Line and Tabloid Star as I love all of the artists that you mentioned that inspired the writing of those stories. It's an interesting mix - I love it.
I grew up in a house with singers - with my dad playing the piano and my mother playing the organ and piano. My 3 siblings all play instruments as well (no, I don't play anything but the radio) so music has always been something that I need to have around me. It feels unnatural to have quiet.
Some of my favorites are Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, Skillet, Buckcherry, etc. I love the Dixie Chicks as well and of course there's my unexplained love of disco. I know, it's crazy. lol My husband can't quite understand my varying tastes but puts up with me anyway. :)
Thanks again for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come visit the Island. We've loved having you.
I *heart* music with a big smooshy hug. :D Music has been a part of my life since I was born. My mom has always been a fan of music and we always had something playing on the record player when I was a kid.
For my current WIP there are a few songs that have been playing over and over on my MP3 player. This Love by Pantera, The Mission by Puscifer & Addicted by Saving Abel have been the biggies.
I find it interesting how music DOES mean so much to my writing. I cannot write in quiet. It drives me batty. *sigh* And when I'm done, I will put down the list of all of the songs that have been playing over and over and over again. :)
How awesome of an idea is that? I guess you can draw inspiration from everywhere. Love the blog :)
By the way, LOVE that Miranda Lambert song. I look forward to reading your story :)
I am less about the group and more about individual songs. Many of the songs that I like are country or pop music. If I had to name singers, Celine Dion, Enya, Rhianna, Josh Groban, Toby Keith, Rascal Flats, Shakira. Some are boy bands which drives my family crazy! They are more into Metallica.
Hi, TA. Another great post. Music is so important and inspiring to me. I like most all types of music, except country. (I think it was a rebellion thing because I grew up in a very rural area where everyone listened to country.) I have very eclectic tastes. My favorite music is usually something angry or alternative. It's just very calming. Perfect going to work music. :) Some of my favorite artists are Incubus, Linkin Park, a little Rage Against the Machine sometimes, or some Daughtry. For mellow times there is Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians, They Might Be Giants, Sarah McLachlan, Macy Gray, Regina Specktor, Melissa Ethridge. I could go on and on.
I do love classical music as well. One of my favorite pieces is Claire de Lune by Debussy. Fabulous. I always imagine that I'm flying when I hear this song.
Thanks, TA.
Music is almost as important to me as books. I listen to mainly rock - hard & alternative are my favourites. Its amazing how you can hear a song and the memories just start to flow. Music is like a really good author. It can make you laugh or cry it can get you angry or contemplative.
Some of my favourite bands are: Rush, 3 Doors Down, Hinder, Staind, Linkin Park, Nickleback, The Tragically Hip, Stone Sour, Everlast, Seether, Three Days Grace, Jann Arden, Great Big Sea.
If have noticed that I don't listen to music that often. Well, I have radio on when I'm driving a car, but I don't have to listen to anything while I'm at home. But I do have my favorites, e.g. Josh Groban. And in special cases (for example after a really good book) I try to find some very good songs from Youtube which would have meaningful words that relate to that special book.
Music is everything to me.
I love writing with music in the background. It helps me focus. Of course I've used songs for inspiration as well.
I love all kinds of music too and following your blog has turned me on to some new artist I hadn't heard of before.
It is amazing how lyrics can spark a story and really make it come alive.
Music plays a very big role in my life. I absolutely could not live without it. There are lots of different types I listen to, some definitely more than others. My core is hard rock, though, Aerosmith my all time favorite band.
I don't have theme songs for stories when I write, but rather a selection of mood music. I find it helps gel the story while I'm working.
I have discovered a few new artists from your posts about music and songs in the past, like Chris Ledoux. I put some of his songs on my iPod.
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