Monday, September 2, 2013

What Would Your Story Sound Like?

Music and I have a very serious relationship; as in I seriously couldn't live without it. The radio goes on in the morning first thing while I'm getting ready for the day. I may not be a morning person, and carrying on a conversation doesn't work for at least the first hour, but music can be the ultimate kick starter.

The music continues on the car ride into work. Not having the radio on would never, ever occur to me. The idea of a broken car radio might just induce a mental meltdown on par with a two year old's tantrum. Thankfully it's never happened.

At work I alternate between the radio, (when the stations will cooperate and come in), Cd's, and my iPod. The iPod is my favorite option; shuffle mixes things up for me, or I can choose exactly what I want to hear. You know the days I want to go from Metallica to the Les Miserable soundtrack. Or the days I feel that one song is speaking to me; to what I'm feeling right at that very moment. Like the day last week when stress could have been my middle name. The only song that kept my last nerve from being shredded was Jimmy Buffet's Boat Drinks, in particular the line, "I've got to fly to Saint Somewhere. I'm close to bodily harm." See how helpful music can be?

I noticed a long time ago that whenever I'm watching a movie trailer, or a promo for a television show, my reaction to it is highly dependent on the music they use in the background. I literally started watching Roswell because of their use of Dido's Here With Me. Grey's Anatomy put The Fray and Snow Patrol on the map. Certain songs give you such a visceral reaction to a scene. It can literally make or break it. Would Lloyd Dobler holding the radio over his head been as memorable with any song other than In Your Eyes?

I realize that you can't have music playing in a book, but it doesn't mean that it can't influence the words, help me to create the scene that I want to set for the reader. I read an interview by the Twilight author Stephenie Meyer's in which she said she listened to the music of Muse (ironic no?), while writing her best selling novel. I listened to their music after reading Twilight and I could see the connection; literally hear the influence. I started thinking, dreaming, what songs would play when my book is turned into a movie? So, I created a play list, my own personal book soundtrack. Want a sneak peek?

The Day Before the Day - Dido

I Will Love You - Fisher

Happy Phantom - Tori Amos

Feels Like Rain - John Hiatt

Irvine - Kelly Clarkson

In This Room - Leslie Tucker

10.000 Miles - Mary Chapin Carpenter

Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men

The Difficult Kind - Sheryl Crow

Let it Be Me - Ray LaMontagne

Beloved Wife - Natalie Merchant

I Will Wait - Mumford & Sons


So, any guesses on what I'm writing about? 
How about my other writer's out there? What would make your book soundtrack?




~ Adrienne