19 Jul 2018

Music and Writing

by | posted in: on writing, Uncategorized | 0

Warning: This post contains spoilers (The E Series).  Please be especially careful if you are reading this on social media, as the accordion formatting that will protect the spoiler content on my blog most likely will not transfer through to social media channels.

Most of the time when I’m writing, I prefer to have it quiet.  I am not one of those authors who constantly has music going during work time.  But every once in a while I do like to listen to music while I’m working, and sometimes that music can be incredibly inspiring and helpful to the creative process.

I was on Youtube the other day and happened to come across a music compilation that I listened to when I was writing Elegy and Endgame.  It’s called “World’s Most Emotional Music: 2 Hours Epic Music Mix: Volume 2” by Epic Music World.  The whole thing is great, and has definitely provided me with a lot of inspiration.  I thought you guys might enjoy having a listen, too.  Click here to go to the Youtube compilation.  (As an aside, that gorgeous thumbnail art on the compilation is by an artist that goes by the tag WLOP and writes graphic novels.  I am so drooling over this art.  WLOP, if you’re reading this, will you make The E Series into a graphic novel for me?)

There are two particular tracks on this compilation that I ended up really connecting to, and they are coincidentally back to back, right at the beginning.  In my head, they will forever be the “Oscar tracks”.  I’ll just point you at tracks two and three, which I can no longer listen to without seeing certain scenes in my head.  And… spoilers…

Track two: “Tears of War” by Collosal Trailer Music/Sup Pub music

This piece of music is so intense, it’s like having your soul pulled out slowly.  I connected to it immediately.  It had such a huge part in inspiring Oscar’s final appearance in DaMoynz.  Those deep, vibrating tones made me see this scene from Chapter 31: Shatter in slow motion:

Oscar…. One hand clutches his side.  Fresh blood rolls down his arm.  A drop gathers on his fingertips, releases, falls.  Cascading to the ground, it lands in a puddle of red that splashes his bare feet

 

Track three: “Fix Me” by Asith Perera

This is not the kind of music I normally find myself drawn to, but something about the lighthearted/heavyhearted feel of this track really got to me.  It was this track that inspired Oscar’s other scene in Elegy: the goodbye.  (Chapter 33: Brief)  When I listen to this track, I feel this undercurrent of grief and acceptance, but on top of all that there is joy and hope.  Also, I love the playfulness that mingles into this piece of music, which made me think of Oscar, and also inspired the leaves.

The wind swirls up, we let the leaves fly, and they spiral into the blue sky, lifting, lifting.  Our hearts go with them.

 

And one more…

Track Ten: “Civilization is Over” by Danny Rayel

This track was more of a thematic inspiration, rather than specifically attached to a scene.  For me, this music is tied into Eden and Apollon’s final stand somewhat (Endgame), but it is more about the overarching ideas of the inspiration behind that… specifically the impact that both Jonas and Oscar (and obviously their loss) had in shaping that future victory.  It’s about determination, grit, and meaning.  The following is from Chapter 37: For Them

I look up at Apollon, strength and emotion surging over me. “For Jonas,” I say.
He nods. “And for Oscar.”

 

What do you guys think?  Do these tracks fit with the scenes for you as a reader?  I’d love to hear your comments.  And if you want to point me toward any inspiring music that you just love, feel free to do that as well.

 

 

31 May 2018

Present and accounted for…

by | posted in: random | 4

Have you ever had one of those years where Murphy’s Law seemed to be the primary force in existence?  One of those years where you actually found yourself pondering exactly which evil dictator you were in a previous life, just so you could understand what you’re being punished for?  One of those years where you constantly flashed back to Jack Nicholson saying stuff about everyone else being on a boat headed for an island, to have a picnic with noodle salad, and you wondered where the hell your own noodle salad was?  Yeah, it’s been one of those years.

Not that I want to get into (or even recall) any of it.  However, for those of you who have been wondering where I’ve been, please reference the above paragraph.

That said, I’m still alive, I’m not locked in a padded room, and I’ve only collected a couple of grey hairs along the way (screw you, universe).  Things are going so much better right now, so I am tentatively dipping one foot back into the neglected, stagnant waters of my blog.  I’m also getting back to writing, or at least editing (and so is my editor, yay!)  My second Fairytale Evolution book was supposed to be out ages ago (it even says so in the back of the first book), and yet… it’s not.  But it should be soon.  I’ll be posting more news on that in the near future.

And so here’s the part where I issue a big, heartfelt apology to those of you who absolutely hate it when an author you follow disappears for a while.  I get it.  I’ve been there.  And I’m sorry.  I can only tell you that I love writing to the depths of my soul, and I plan to do it for as long as I’m capable of it.  So if I’m not here, if I’m not writing, there’s a reason.

As I transition back into writing, I’m planning on keeping everything low-key so that I can focus my efforts on getting some books done.  You probably won’t see much of me on social media, or even on the blog.  I’m pretty sure that if you’re here and reading this, you’d rather I just shut up and write something, anyway.  So I’ll be doing that, and I’ll see you guys around.  🙂