soundtracks

Continuing with my last post about the importance of music in my storytelling process, I thought I'd talk about another role it played in my first novel.

Without divulging many details about the story itself, I can say that several songs play a fun part. In one of my favorite scenes, the main character and some of her friends end up at a post-work happy hour in a honky talk bar that turns into a country karaoke session.

I carefully selected each song performed by each character based on where they were at in their life during this scene in the book. I didn't know much about country music before this. It was one of few genres I had little exposure to growing up.

I don't even think I willingly listened to a country music station until I started traveling for my job in September 2008. I was in West Texas and I hadn't packed along any music. It was either listen to country or static.

Like the main character in this book, I was just a displaced Yankee who had to make the best of it. I opted for country and actually discovered several songs I enjoyed.

From then, I've expanded my knowledge considerably, but I still had to listen to do some research when picking out the karaoke line-up.

Even outside of that scene, I have found several songs that apply to different parts of the book. They match the tone or the moment.

For fun, I've compiled a list of songs that I would put on the soundtrack to this novel if it had one. These songs are either referred to in the book, or I listened to them during its production.

There are many more that didn't make the cut, but I thought this "album" was long enough.

Enjoy!

HHFF the Soundtrack
"Reflections of My Life" by The Maramalade
"I Want You to Want Me" by Cheap Trick
"Somewhere With You" by Kenny Chesney
"No One Needs to Know" by Shania Twain
"Amarillo by Morning" covered by George Strait
"Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum
"Desperado" by The Eagles
"When You Say Nothing at All" covered by Ronan Keating
"I'm Already There" by Lonestar
"Wasted" by Carrie Underwood
"Best I Ever Had" covered by Gary Allen
"White Horse" by Taylor Swift
"Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell
"My Way" by Frank Sinatra

(I listened to a lot of Rascal Flatts, Lee, Brice Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kelly Clarkson and many other talented artists while writing this. Wanted to give them a shout out even though they didn't make the list.)