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In Love with Music by Sara Humphreys

I love music. It can bring me out of the deepest funk, make me smile through tears or take me back to a breathtaking moment in time. Music has the innate ability to call up a plethora of emotions and memories but it can also spark my muse to life.

I drive quite a bit for my gig with The College of Westchester and while I'm doing my road warrior thing, music is constantly flowing through the speakers of my bad-ass mini-van. (I know...a mini-van isn't bad ass but I have to think of it that way in order to tolerate driving it.)


I use this drive time to do much of the plotting for my books and the songs inevitably help me along.  As I plot, certain songs are more helpful than others and these songs end up compiling a soundtrack for each book. Within each soundtrack, there is a theme song that I end up using as the music for the book trailers. Amy Petty, whom I've blogged about before, is my primary musical muse for the Amoveo Legend series. She and her record label Red Pill Entertainment have allowed me to use Amy's music for the trailers-how cool are they? The answer: Way cool.

I just finished the edits for Untamed and the theme song for that one is Promise's Demise. It captured the heroine's personality completely and sparked some great ideas for Layla and William. I'm currently writing Undone, the fourth book in the AL series, and the theme song for Pete and Marianna is Long Way Down, also by Amy Petty.


Here's the soundtrack for Untouched which is Kerry and Dante's story. Their theme song is Honey on the Skin and when I heard it for the first time, it blew the plot wide open and their story flowed freely.

"Honey on the Skin"--Amy Petty *song used in the book trailer for Untouched
"Hurts So Good"--John Cougar Mellencamp
"Teenage Dream"--Katy Perry
"November Rain"--Guns-n-Roses
"Fire Down Below"--Bob Seger
"Lay All Your Love on Me"--Mama Mia Soundtrack
"I'm So into You"--The Strike Nineteens
"Tipitina"--Professor Longhair *this gave me the Louisiana flavor when I needed it






So how about you? What's the theme song for your life right now?
Post it here and I'll select one lucky commenter to win some bookmarks, temporary tattoos of the book cover of Untouched and Amoveo m&m candy.

Comments

  1. Great post, Sara! I have to say that I can really relate with what you said about music. I used to write with movie theme music playing in the background, some New Age also. And it's funny when I hear that music again later, to recall which book I wrote while listening to a particular CD. I love listening to Alexander, the Bourne series, and other instrumental pieces, not so much those that sing in the background as I began to listen to the words and can't "see" my story. :)

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  2. Oh, yes! Lots of plotting goes on while Husband and I are going somewhere and the radio is playing (of course) country music. I listen to the old country artists while I'm writing...love Floyd Kramer's piano music (even have Last Date as the opening music on my website). One of my favorites is still Last Date.

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  3. Great post Sara. Music is an important part of my life and the song "Citizen and soldier" by 3 doors down inspired me to write the book that I am currently writing.

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  4. Whether it's because of the music I listen to, the things I pass along the way, or simply because my mind is more open, some of my best ideas have come to me while I'm behind the wheel. Not sure I have a theme song right now, though. I'll have to think about it. Maybe I'll figure it out while while I'm driving. :)

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  5. I'd have to say the theme song for moi right now is "Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini." Lots of lyricism and sweep, some sadness, but no lack of forward energy and ultimately, imbued with peace.
    My third Scottish Victorian was inspired by "The Last Farewell," of which Elvis did a passable cover: "For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly, more dearly than the spoken word can tell...."

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  6. Right now the song that descibes my life is "Rolling In The Deep" by Adele My life is very busy right now with 2 teenagers and a husband who is starting his own appliance repair business.

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  7. Well, I wouldn't say this song is the theme song for my life, but when I hear it it makes me instantly happy! "Ball and Biscuit" by The White Stripes.

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  8. @Terry-I agree with you about the lyrics. I use the music to get the juices flowing but when I sit down to write...it's got to go.

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  9. @Carolyn--I'll have to check out the Last Date. I've never listened to it. Thanks :)

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  10. @Danny--I adore Three Doors Down! Good luck with your WIP. :)

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  11. @Cheryl--I don't know what I'd do without music in the car. I'm curious to know what your theme song would be for Tarq and Lucy in STUD.

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  12. @Grace--I love Elvis--he could've sung the phonebook and made it sexy.

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  13. @Gail--LOVE that song!! Although Set Fire to the Rain is a close second. She's so talented.

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  14. @CemeterySecrets--I'm not familiar with that song but the title made me smile. I'm going to check it out today. Thanks :)

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  15. hmm, there's always some musical accompaniment to my tales, whether it's a specific song or a type of music.

    but for today, I'd have to say my theme song is Bruno Mars "The Lazy Song".

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  16. @lizzie--I've had a day or two with that as my theme song too ;)

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  17. Sara, I love the way you use the music to help you write. I'm feeling a bit under the weather. So I guess Kelly Clarkson song I hear "(What doesn't kill you) Makes you stronger!!" But right now I'm listening to a collection of Broadway tunes. "Anydream will do" is playing and I think I'm smiling now.

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  18. I love reading about other writers' playlists. I don't really have one for my books. I'd have to say "Elmo's Song" is a constant theme song at the moment.

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  19. Great post! I have theme songs too. Cher's "Just Like Jesse James" kicked off Scrumptious but the rest of the mix was pure country, Tim McGraw, Sugarland, even some Johnny Cash.

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  20. I think the song that best describes what I'm going through right now is "I will survive". We all have our ups and downs but we go on and survive.

    Lynn
    lareynolds0316@gmail.com

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  21. @diva donna--I'm loving that Kelly Clarkson song and you're speakin' my language with the braodway tunes. Those songs take me back to my theater days...

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  22. @Shana--LOL! I remember those days very well. My boys were into Elmo and Franklin but I was just grateful they never liked Barney. I love the pics you post of Baby Galen-such a cutie pie.

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  23. @Romance Reader Enthusiast--That is one of amy all-time favorites! It's a standby for me if I happen by a Karaoke bar :)

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  24. Great list! I would have to say Katy Perry's Firework.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  25. @bm100-- That's another favorite and was on my.personal soundtrack last summer!

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  26. Thanks for coming by!! The winner of yesterday's contest is.... Romance Readwr Enthusiast. Check your email.

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  27. Thank you Sara. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend.
    Lynn
    (Romance Reader Enthusiast)

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  28. Love this post! I have book soundtracks too. At first it didn't work as well for my historicals, because I listen to heavy metal, but then I discovered string quartet tributes to my favorite bands.

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  29. Great blog, Sara! :)

    I've recently discovered ELIZAVETA and adore her song, MEANT. I guess that fits my world right now.

    ---now I'm going back to my deadline.

    HUGS!!!

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