THE PLAYLIST
Mills Brothers - Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)
Jason Donovan - Sealed With A Kiss
The Mills Brothers - I'll Be Around
The Beach Boys - Don't Worry Baby
Owl City - If My Heart Was a House
The Mills Brothers - Till Then
Showing posts with label playlists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label playlists. Show all posts
Friday, August 26, 2022
Friday, July 22, 2022
DEATH AT THE DEEP DIVE Playlist
We only see the things on the surface…
When Pirate Cove’s favorite mystery bookstore owner and
sometimes-amateur sleuth Ellery Page discovers a vintage diving collection bag
full of antique gold coins tucked away for safe-keeping in the stockroom of the
Crow’s Nest, it sets off a series of increasingly dangerous events, culminating
in Jack Carson trying to cook dinner. Er…culminating in murder.
Mills Brothers - Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)
The Surfaris - Wipe Out
Regina Spektor - The Call
The Beach Boys - I Get Around
Jason Donovan - Sealed With A Kiss
The Mills Brothers - I'll Be Around
One Direction - Fireproof
OneRepublic - Someday
The Beach Boys - Don't Worry, Baby
Dick Dale - Miserlou
Owl City - If My Heart Was a House
The Mills Brothers - Till Then
Friday, February 11, 2022
Hide and Seek Playlist
After all the delays and detours of last year, I'm finally back to work on Hide and Seek.
I'm trying to do a new chapter each week--it's not always possible, but the goal is to do four chapters a month (on all serialized stories) moving forward. I feel like with a more reasonable, less panicked work schedule that's doable.
I believe that I will ultimately make Hide and Seek available for sale in audio. I don't plan, however, to sell it any other formats.
I feel like that's the way to go, moving forward. It' seems like a fair balance between keeping things mostly exclusive for Patreons while still allowing some access to everyone else.
Side note: I've never had a Beatles fan main character before!
The Hide and Seek Playlist
Friday, February 4, 2022
THE MOVIE-TOWN MURDERS Playlist
Now that I've got Fatal Shadows: The Collector's Edition in the can--well, let me clarify! The edits are complete and the book is now being formatted. We have houseguests this weekend, so I'm not sure it will be submitted for publication before the end of the month. Obviously, that's what we're trying for, but I want to keep expectations realistic.
Anyway, now that my part in FSCE is complete, I've started work on The Movie-Town Murders. I've changed quite a bit of my original idea, frankly because I was freaking myself out with certain aspects (i.e. snuff films--the more I researched, the sicker and sadder I felt).
I mean, once upon a time, I think one could argue that snuff films were simply gruesome urban legends. Now? The world is nuts. I take nothing for granted.
So anyway, that was just too much for me, and I've made some major tweaks to the plot. I like the story much better--and I assume you will too.
The goal is to finish at the end of *February. That's what I'm aiming for. However, there's a lot of research involved, and I haven't worked in this world since 2019, so it might take a little bit longer--not a lot!--but this is the project I'm focused on. I'm working as quickly as I can while still trying to make sure this is a book that was worth the wait.
Anyway, as I work I'm listening to my "official" playlist.
The Movie-Town Murders Playlist
What
Led Me to This Town - The Jayhawks
Buried
Treasure - Grant-Lee Phillips
*That was indeed the goal, but it's looking more like March now.
**OR POSSIBLY MAY. yeesh.
Friday, July 16, 2021
BODY AT BUCCANEER BAY Playlist
Back at work again, although I can't pretend it didn't take a few days to regain my focus. In the middle of trying to shake off my... I think the best way to describe it is an extreme mental and emotional fatigue. But anyway, in the middle of that came Fourth of July, which was the first time my entire family has been together for any real celebration since our very careful and cautious Thanksgiving.
So huge preparation was necessary in both home and garden--which was actually great because I had my two nephews over to help, and so there were three days of strenuous yard work and listening to those loonies talk about the stuff they talk about (a LOT of gaming, Star Wars--we watched The Mandalorian each evening when we finished work--and politics). It was good. It was what I needed.
And then the actual Fourth was very good too, despite the best efforts of the dumbasses in the neighborhood to set the world on fire (we live in a extreme fire danger zone so amateur fireworks are forbidden--not that you'd know from the four-hour nonstop display lighting up the sky.). We literally had paper and wood debris raining down from all the fireworks overhead. Happily nothing caught on fire.
It's weird though. I'm really out of the habit of socializing. In fact, we were all saying how tiring even that kind of social situation is now. I'm sure that will pass as life--fingers crossed--returns to normal.
Anyway, I'm back at work on Body at Buccaneer's Bay. The book will probably be out late August--which means everything else will have to be juggled as well, but one thing at a time.
But one good sign is I actually put together the playlist for the book. The process of putting together the playlist allows me to think through the emotional highs and lows of the story versus plot. It's usually a revelation--although sometimes that mood changes (and then so do the songs).
Be that as it may, for your listening enjoyment...
Body at Buccaneer Bay Playlist
Good Time - Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen
Let's Fall in Love for the Night - Finneas
Jack Was Every Inch a Sailor - Burl Ives
No Body No Crime - Taylor Swift
Oro Se Do Bheatha 'Bhaile - Seo Linn
When Can I See You Again? - Owl City
Friday, February 7, 2020
THE DANGEROUS GROUND SERIES playlist
So there's often a final, revised playlist. But in this case, as I look over the entire series, these are the songs that have always felt like Will and Taylor to me. I mean, even to the point that if I hear them somewhere, I think about Will and Taylor. :-D That's how real characters become to the author. I should say some characters--mostly series characters--because there are plenty of books where I wasn't moved to write a playlist or one particular song was all that really resonated.
Anyway, if I look all the previous playlists for the Dangerous Ground series, these are the songs that really stayed with me.
So for your listening enjoyment...
The Quintessential Dangerous Ground Playlist
Friday, January 24, 2020
BLIND SIDE playlist.2
So the final playlist actually turned out to be something more like this...
So a lot stayed the same, but key things changed.
Friday, August 16, 2019
I BURIED A WITCH Playlist
I wonder if this playlist will change as much as Mainly by Moonlight's playlist changed? Too soon to know! It's the first time I've ever jumped immediately into the second book in a series, and it's an interesting experience. It does simplify things, as far as remembering the details of who drives what car, who went to college where, etc. :-D
Friday, July 19, 2019
MAINLY BY MOONLIGHT Playlist redux
What's really interesting though, is when the playlist begins to feel out-of-sync with the emotional tone of the book, and that's actually what happened here!
Here's the original playlist for Mainly by Moonlight.
Now, a lot of the songs--"Lift Me Up," "Are You Strong Enough to be My Man"--didn't change. Those still feel perfect for the book. But others--"American Witch," for example--began to feel too dark, too ugly for how I wanted this book to read. The deeper I got into the story, the more playful and whimsical it felt.
And then there were points like...why would I have Bryan Ferry's version of "I Put a Spell on You," when John adores Nina Simone?
Anyway, here's the newly revised playlist :-)
I Put a Spell on You - Nina Simone
Lift Me Up - OneRepublic
OU LA LA LA (All Eyes On Us) - NVDES
What if I Told You - Jason Walker
Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered - Ella Fitzgerald
Are You Strong Enough - Stevie Nicks & Sheryl Crow
Bewitched - Steve Lawrence
ME!
Your Hand I Will Never Let it Go
A Sky Full of Stars - Cold Play
Friday, June 21, 2019
THE MONUMENTS MEN MURDERS playlist
Friday, May 24, 2019
FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK Playlist
It's interesting when you're listening to someone else's playlist and you immediately get a very strong feeling for the emotional core of their book. It's even more interesting when you listen and just can't figure out what they heard that you don't. :-D I don't think there's anything more subjective than musical taste.
The exercise of choosing songs for a playlist helps me refine the emotional arc of the book I'm working on. That said, there's always one or two songs that just really seem to capture that book for me and those I'll listen to over and over and over. And afterwards, any time I hear that song, I remember writing that particular story.
Anyway, I asked each of the authors in the FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK anthology to choose a song that seemed to capture the mood or theme or message of their story (or that they just couldn't stop listening to while writing) and the end result is this very eclectic and listenable playlist.
I hope you enjoy it--and I hope it whets your appetite for the book!
FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK Playlist
Entrée to Murder by Nicole Kimberling
Twelve Seconds by
Meg Perry
Reality Bites by
S.C. Wynne
Blind Man’s Buff by L.B. Gregg
A Country for Old Men by Dal MacLean
TAKE ME TO CHURCH (Hozier)
Pepper the Crime Lab by Z.A. Maxfield
Lights, Camera, Murder by C.S. Poe
Stranger in the House by Josh Lanyon
ET L'ON N'Y PEUT RIEN (Jean Jacques Goldman)
Friday, February 1, 2019
MAINLY BY MOONLIGHT Playlist
February. Already February. Yikes!
This year's priority writing project is "Stranger in the House" for the Footsteps in the Dark anthology, but I'm also working on Mainly by Moonlight, the first book in the Bedknobs and Broomsticks trilogy.
My plan is to work on the trilogy all year long between other scheduled projects like The Monuments Men Murders, Blind Side, Haunted Heart: Spring. One of the aspects of Patreon I'm most grateful for is it forces me to be more productive.
Anywhere, I'm listening to this playlist a LOT right now. I hope you enjoy it!
This year's priority writing project is "Stranger in the House" for the Footsteps in the Dark anthology, but I'm also working on Mainly by Moonlight, the first book in the Bedknobs and Broomsticks trilogy.
My plan is to work on the trilogy all year long between other scheduled projects like The Monuments Men Murders, Blind Side, Haunted Heart: Spring. One of the aspects of Patreon I'm most grateful for is it forces me to be more productive.
Anywhere, I'm listening to this playlist a LOT right now. I hope you enjoy it!
Mainly by Moonlight - Playlist
Friday, December 7, 2018
Advent Calendar Day 7
Are you a fan of holiday music? Share one or two of your favorite holiday songs in the comment section below and I'll randomly select a couple of people for an audio book download code. :-)
Friday, June 1, 2018
IN OTHER WORDS...MURDER playlist
I don't know about you, but May was a bit of a weird month for me. There were just a lot of...things that happened. Normal but unpredictable things. Family health crises, family job crises...the kind of stuff that pops up eventually in every life, but can't really be planned for. Or at least, I have trouble doing that kind of planning--probably because I don't like to, well, open the door to dark possibility. (I think that's called hiding your head in the sand, but whatever.)
Anyway, it was a trying month, and that's a fact. But now it's June and summer is just about here, and on we go, one foot in front of the other, and little by little we make progress.
Anyway, I thought I'd share the playlist for IN OTHER WORDS...MURDER. I don't think it contains spoilers, but maybe it does.
Anyway, I think of it as my easy, breezy murder music. ;-)
Friday, April 6, 2018
MURDER TAKES THE HIGH ROAD - Playlist
Anyway, this music seems perfect for this book, for a number of reasons--which I hope will be clear once you've read the book. :-) It comes out April 23rd from Carina Press.
Friday, March 2, 2018
The Magician Murders - Playlist
But eventually I always hit a point where I am longing for something a bit peppy--and emotional. I go back to One Republic and Lifehouse and Muse and start to develop a playlist that keeps me in the right mood for each phase of the story. I'm at that point in the creative phase of The Magician Murders. The point where I am driving the SO and Marlowe the Mutt crazy playing the same songs over and over. ;-)
I like this phase though because it means the story is becoming real to me and I'm thinking less about the order of words and more about how the characters feel about each other and all the dreadful things happening to them.
Anyway, here's the official unveiling of The Magician Murders playlist.
Friday, July 7, 2017
The Blind Side playlist
Since the series was already in audio (narrated by the wonderfully talented Adrian Bisson), you might be wondering why I decided to re-record it, and I suppose it's like remaking a favorite movie. Just because you have a great version, doesn't mean that you wouldn't enjoy another director's take or seeing another actor play the part of some beloved character. I like Derrick's work a lot and I thought it would be interesting to see what he brought to the series. I'm really enjoying listening, and I think you will too.
Meanwhile, here's the blurb for Blind Side.
With resources already overstretched, the last thing Will and Taylor need is another client.
And the last thing Will needs is for that client to turn out to be an old boyfriend of Taylor's.
But Ashe Dekker believes someone is trying to kill him, and Taylor is determined to help--whatever the cost.
Safe to say there will be some heartbreak this time around, but Will kind of brought it on himself. ;-)
And here's the playlist...
BLIND SIDE PLAY LIST
Hello, Hurricane - Switchfoot
No, I Won't Back Down - Tom Petty
It is What it Is - Lifehouse
Scar that Never Heals - Jeremy Fisher
Run Down a Dream - Petty
Let's Go to War
Let's Go to War
Runaway Train - Soul Asylum
Trying Not to Love You - Nickelback
Where I Come From - Lifehouse
History - One Direction
Hurricane - Lifehouse
Something I Need - OneRepublic
Together Again - Emmy Lou Harris
Together Again - Emmy Lou Harris
Meanwhile, I don't have a firm release date for Point Blank in audio or even Blind Side, to be honest. After the fiasco of The Monet Murders release I'm a little skittish about preorders. But I'll keep you posted!
Friday, April 7, 2017
Sunday, August 25, 2013
The Haunted Heart Playlist
The revised edition of The Haunted Heart: Winter is complete and ready to be uploaded. The final version is nearly 10,000 words longer than the original. It's still pretty much the same story, only better (I hope) than the version you read for free on Wattpad.
In honor of that new release, I'm sharing the official Haunted Heart Playlist. Well, it's not official official until I can get onto iTunes and make it official with a link and everything, but these are the songs anyway. (And thank you to the Goodreads gang for helping me come up with them!)
Somewhere in Between - Lifehouse
Is It Any Wonder - Keane
Dear Friend - Laura Browne Sorenson
Home - Phillip Phillips
Shadow of the Day - Linkin Park
Creole Love Call - Duke Ellington
Believe - K's Choice
First Time - Lifehouse
Black Velvet - Alannah Myles
I Will Wait for You - Mumford & Sons
So the Wind Won't Blow it All Away - John Mills
Is It Any Wonder - Keane
Dear Friend - Laura Browne Sorenson
Home - Phillip Phillips
Shadow of the Day - Linkin Park
Creole Love Call - Duke Ellington
Believe - K's Choice
First Time - Lifehouse
Black Velvet - Alannah Myles
I Will Wait for You - Mumford & Sons
So the Wind Won't Blow it All Away - John Mills
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