When The Music Inspires You...

Happy Monday Everybody,

Last week on Facebook I revealed one of the songs from Hailey Banks' play list. Hailey's story is the one that's releasing in early summer/late spring this year. To get to know Hailey, read the Immortal Dreams Trilogy--Divine Love, Astral Love, and Immortal Love, she's Laney's best friend.

Play lists can reveal some of the moods of either the author, the scene, and/or the characters involved. To see the play lists from my Immortal Dreams Trilogy, click here.

Music has a way of inspiring a lot of writers. When I wrote my stand-alone Fantasy Romance, All's Fair In Love & Lion, I listened to a lot of Chris de Burgh's music. There was something so beautiful and stirring in his ballads. Interestingly enough, I didn't listen to very much of his music for the Trilogy (except for one song for Immortal Love) but that's because Immortal Dreams novels are a different story. All's Fair In Love & Lion is something of a fairy-tale, and Monroe is a lot more classically romantic than Jason or Laney (think Beauty & The Beast, Cinderella). Where Monroe would probably have a waltz played and dance with Sasha to it, Jason is all rock n' roll.


Several YA authors have play lists (Katie McGarry is one). I've found them useful for inspiration when writing, and to convey to readers a bit more of the characters' personalities.

So what music inspires you? Are you more classical, rock, rap, country, punk, etc.--or a bit of everything?


Have A Merry Musical Monday!

It's One Week Until...

Happy Wednesday All,

While writing this, the Barenaked Ladies song, One Week is playing in my head. Why? Because today marks ONE WEEK before the July 10th release of my debut Romance novel, All's Fair In Love & Lion! (If I hear otherwise, I'll let you know, but I haven't heard that the date is any different).

The Soul Mate Publishing Blog post, and the Four Foxes One Hound are just the first two appearance in the blog tour. For more information on upcoming blog appearances, click here. I've been asked to be on another blog. So far the date is for July 16th, but I'll let you know once all the details get ironed out. I've already put it in the margins--it's Laugh. Love. Read. Blog, and I'll be the guest of NY Times Best Seller, Christie Craig (she's one of my chapter mates, and I think the world of her. Very talented writer, and really sweet). 

This Thursday is also the 4th of July Independence Day for the USA. We don't have any special plans, however I got a fun light up spin-around toy thing that I think we'll have fun with in the evening. Offspring likes fireworks. I'm not always big on seeing them in person (traffic can be a real pain) but we'll see. We often watch the specials on TV, or stand outside and watch the fireworks our neighbors set off.  Do you have any special plans for the 4th of July?

Anyway...thank you to everyone who has come out to the blogs so far and commented. Each blog post is going to be different, so please don't fail to come out. Each comment on the blog on the various blogs (and this one) is also a big show of support and I appreciate each and every one them. Thank you!

Have A Tip-Top Tuesday!

The Stars Still Shine

Happy Friday All,


Okay, before I get to today's subject, let me just say up front, it's bittersweet. But, it's something that's on my mind, so I figured I'd go ahead and chat about it with y'all today.

Lately I’ve been on a 1950’s music kick; specifically listening to the music of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper. I was watching documentaries about these 3 stars when I realized something…

The anniversary of the plane crash is this Sunday. 54 years ago on  February 3, 1959, three of the biggest stars in Rock n’ Roll history died.

Buddy Holly was a 22 year old from Lubbock, Texas. He’d been a star for a little over a year. He decided (for whatever reason...documentaries say one thing, and this website says something else, however this article as well as this other article both back up the claim that they didn't have much money; so I don't know what's fact or fiction) to go on The Winter Dance Party tour.

Ritchie Valens was barely out of high school as a 17 year old kid from the San Fernando Valley. He had several hits in just 8 months. He went on the Winter Dance Party to promote his music.

J.P. Richardson, aka The Big Bopper, was a 28 year old disc jockey from Beaumont, Texas. He he had wife, a five year old daughter, and his wife was six months pregnant with his son. It was a big opportunity for him, so he joined the Winter Dance Party.

In the early morning hours of February 3, 1959, they took off from a small airport in Clear Lake, Iowa. They weren't in the air very long before their plane crashed in a nearby cornfield.

Yet, their music lives on.

And, what is it about their music that excites us? Sparks the imagination? Makes us feel?

In some ways, it's the snappy beats, such as Bopper's Chantilly Lace, or Ritchie Valens's La Bamba. Or it can make us fall in love, like Buddy Holly's True Love Ways. Sometimes it's just plain fun. Whatever the reasons, their music, and music in general, can touch us...inspire us, make us dance, cry, laugh, set a romantic mood, or just make us feel content.

These 3 rockers inspired many, many musicians, and continue to do so.

They've been immortalized in books and movies, and even music. Back in the 1970's, Don McLean wrote the song, American Pie (a song I happen to like, by the way).

So on and off I like to sit and listen to their music. They've inspired me, made me laugh, made me feel, and sometimes, it's just pure fun.

So...you tell me...

Has their music, or any music for that matter, inspired you? If so, how and who inspires you?

Have A Fabulous Friday!

Growing Up, Musically

Happy Wednesday Everyone,

Recently a friend of mine asked some help with a project. This friend is trying to come up with songs that talk about growing up and different stages of life.

The project got me thinking about songs that define my childhood. Music that either makes me think of particular instances, or memories I cherish.

There's the mental snapshots of my Dad strumming away at his guitar while singing songs from Peter, Paul & Mary, Paul Anka, and the Kingston Trio. Or times when one of my uncles would join in with his guitar and we'd sit around singing The Beach Boys' Sloop John B.

Or the many family reunions at one of my other aunt and uncle's lake house, where another uncle brought out his collection of microphones, guitars, kazoos and whatever other musical instruments he happened to have with him and we'd have these amazing family singalongs.

I recall singing Walking On A Wire by Lowen & Navarro one year, while my younger brother played one of the electric guitars.

There's simple things I also remember (and at times, still get to enjoy) like singing harmony while my Dad sings Paul Anka's Diana, or knowing how comforting Dad was growing up while Mark Wills' In My Arms plays on the radio.

There's moments where I'll catch myself singing songs my Mother used to sing to us. Lullabies, an annoying wake up song  (that I now sing to my offspring LOL) or just humming brings back a flood of memories from growing up.

I don't think I'll ever be able to hear The Kingston Trio's Charlie And The MTA without thinking of my Dad and wondering why such a depressing song has such an upbeat tune.

I remember how me and my siblings used to beg for a country-western tune my Dad hated, but would eventually relent and sing the song with an exaggerated southern accent, much to me and my siblings' great delight.

So there's something about looking for songs that define different stages of childhood that make me think back on my own, personal musical history.

What about you? What songs bring back childhood memories?

Have A Whimsical Day!

The Perfect Sound

Happy Thursday All,

I missed posting Wednesday, but don't worry, I'm okay--just busy!

There's a new release! Author of Nocturne, Syrie James, has teamed up with her son, Ryan M. James, to put together a Paranormal YA novel entitled, Forbidden. And, it looks intriguing! It's available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle, as well as Barnes & Noble and Barnes & Noble Nook.

I'm currently reading a novel by an author I hadn't ever read before. The premises really interested me because it's pulled from Shakespeare. I'm not very far into it, but I'm already curious as to what this novel will bring. So we'll see what happens.

On and off I've mentioned music on here. Especially music that sets a tone/mood for one's writing--or inspires. For me, it can be anything from AH-HA's Take On Me to Spin Doctors' Two Princes.  I like a lot of different songs, but those two came to mind because Two Princes always makes me want to dance, and Take On Me is one of my "happy place" songs.

There's a few collaboration songs I like...one such song is the collaboration done by John Waite and Alison Krauss, I Ain't Missing You. This was originally sung only by John Waite, but I think it came out lovely.

Speaking of music and collaborations, I've collaborated with one of my brothers before. He's a music composer and musician. When I was in high school he approached me and said, "Hey, Bethany, I think this piece needs lyrics. I can write music, but lyrics aren't really my thing, and I know you've written some, would you mind working on it?" I said, sure. Unfortunately my lyrics were definitely not on par with how beautiful the piece was, but I tried my best. We'd sometimes do our own version of Heart & Soul on the piano (he is far and away a better musician than me, but I never had the passion for playing instruments that he did). Then when I got married I had a set of lyrics that was a duet. I begged my brother to put the lyrics to music. He was going to play at my wedding, and I had a soprano from the church choir and my brother-in-law who's a tenor. Eventually he got the lyrics arranged and it was gorgeous.

Something music composers and novel writers have in common is the emotion they have for their work. I know my brother spends a lot of time working on his compositions so it sounds just how he wants it to turn out. When I sit down and work at a story I'm asking myself a series of questions, and going over each sentence to make sure it comes out just right--that it is what the character would say. I've sat and talked with my brother about this and I said, "It seems composers and authors have a lot in common in that respect." He said, "Oh definitely." He agreed that like novel writers, composers get attached to their work. They want others to enjoy it and fall in love with the piece as much as they did.

Novel writers are the same. They fall in love with their characters. They giggle over the jokes, agonize over the pivotal scenes, and contemplate whether or not the dialogue works. In music, they have to go over each phrase. Contemplating the key signature, tempo, what instruments would play it and what emotion it would invoke--what the purpose of the piece will be, not to mention a series of other concerns they have about what they're composing.

It's amazing what composers and writers have in common. I may not be able to play Liszt or dazzle with a piano concerto, but put me in with paper and ink and I'll be off on this idea or that idea. Either way...emotions, hopes, dreams, fears, joy, and sorrow all play a part regardless of whether it's Beethoven or if it's Shakespeare.

So, what music makes you happy?

Have A Top-Notch Thursday!

Mood Music

Happy Tuesday Everyone,

As I type this I'm listening to The Cure's Friday I'm In Love. Before that (to wake up), I listened to Ramones' Rock N' Roll Radio (which is really good when you want to rock out, toss your hair around, and get dizzy from doing that LOL).

I think I've talked about this before...but there's something interesting about music. It can affect your mood. Sometimes a song can make you really happy (AH-HA's Take On Me) or it can make you sad (the hymn, How Great Thou Art or The Old Rugged Cross both played at my Grandfather's Memorial Service), or it can remind  you of falling in love (Toby Keith's Rock You Baby--first dance at my wedding reception).

One of the novels I've written I listened to a lot of Chris De Burgh's music because it was very romantic (you can see it in the margin of this blog). It put me in the right mindset to create the "prince charming" for my heroine (he's not actually Prince Charming, and he's not actually a prince either, but he is like Prince Charming in a lot of ways).

Some songs give me flashbacks (Fastball's The Way)--they take me back to a time and place where I can make out the outline of what was going on when I heard a particular song.

I don't know what it is about music, but it elicits emotions much like a story will.

What songs affect you? (Can be positive or negative).

Have A Tune-full Tuesday!

Nostalgia

Happy Tuesday Everyone,

Wow. Monday felt like it was later in the week for some reason. Not sure why, just did.

I finished up Addicted To Love by Lori Wilde (adult Contemporary Romance). It was cute and fun. Interesting take on Romance and true love.

I'm reading Tera Lynn Childs' Goddess Boot Camp (YA) and so far so good (I just barely started but it probably won't take me too long).

Call me nostalgic but Monday afternoon I was listening to Patrick Swayze's She's Like The Wind. It's a good song that was featured in the movie, Dirty Dancing. He actually had a pretty good singing voice and I remember him singing Herman's Hermits' I'm Henry The VIIIth I Am in Ghost.

Generally I don't listen to She's Like The Wind when I'm feeling nostalgic, but this time it made me feel that way a little. Generally I listen to songs that are associated with family members or past relationships or some other memory when I feel nostalgic. Sometimes I look at photos, or read books I've read many times before.

What do you do when you get an onslaught of nostalgia?

Have A Terrific Tuesday!

The Book Is Singing!

Happy Monday All,

Hope everyone had a good weekend. Mine was pretty good.

The Tonys were last night, so in honor of that and some things I've thought about...I've got a question...

Lately it seems like everything is becoming a musical? Now, don't get me wrong...I love musicals. In fact, some of my favorite movies are musicals. However, I never thought so many movies, and books would become a musical. I mean, I don't have a problem with it, I love musicals, but it makes me wonder what story is next? 

Cases in point regarding books and musicals:

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy became a musical in the late 1990's.

I recently learned that back in 2000, the book by Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre became a musical.

Jekyll & Hyde is based off of the book by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Some people aren't aware that Phantom Of The Opera is based off the book by Gaston Leroux (I read the book before I saw the musical, and I ended up reading the book like 2-3 times).

Wicked was a book by Gregory Maguire before Idina Menzel donned green make up and belted out Defying Gravity.

But now the newest thing is pop culture...including movies (that are less than 60 years old) and comic books...

Sister Act is a musical. Based on what I can tell it seems to follow the movie's storyline pretty well.

Here's the comic book one:  Spider-Man is one of my favorite super-heroes. Not too long ago I found out there's a musical being made centering around the Spider-Man story. I've heard some of the music, which sounds good. So, we'll see what happens.

Now, maybe I'm living under a rock or something, but recently I found out Ghost is becoming a musical. It looks like it's following the movie's storyline and has good singing, so I could see it doing well.

So...what books would you like to see become musicals? If you're a writer, would you want to see your book as a musical? (Somehow I'm no sure I can picture the hero of my novel, Surreal, dancing across the stage...but, hey, anything's possible!)

Have A Melodious Monday!

Characters, Contest, & Fun

Happy Memorial Day,

**Edits 11:29 a.m. (I remembered it was Memorial Day, but I should've posted this earlier):  Here's to all the USA's service men and women, both past and present, fallen or alive. Thank you for your service to the USA and God bless you and your families. (Note:  If I tried to do actual white, it wouldn't show up).


Everybody have a good weekend? My weekend was fairly nice. Mostly quiet, which was just fine with me.

For all you C.C. Hunter fans, tomorrow she's starting a very special contest. I'll reveal more details tomorrow, so be sure to come back tomorrow to see what those details are.

Hope everyone enjoyed Tess St. John's author interview on Friday. I had fun having her on my blog. She's an incredibly talented author. Be sure to watch for her Romantic Suspense novels. I'll also probably let you know about those releases here. 

Did you all follow the link to Tess St. John's blog on Friday and meet the hero of one of my novels? Monroe would be angry if he went through me interviewing him and you didn't go have a peek!

I'm still reading Georgette Heyer's Lady Of Quality and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. Annis is a very lively character and I just recently met Oliver Carleton and they're in the middle of verbally sparring with each other.

Recently I've gotten interested in the musical of The Scarlet Pimpernel. I've read the novel by Baroness Orczy, but only within the last week or so found out there was a musical based on the book. The musical also seems to have gotten some influence from the movie that was based off of Baroness Orczy's book and the sequels. The movie stars Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour. By the way, I do really like that movie and if the musical ever has a professional tour in my area again, I'll have to go see it.

What movies are you interested in these days?

Have A Marvelous Monday!

Getting On Pointe

Happy Tuesday Everyone,

How do you feel about ballet? Growing up, I took ballet lessons (on my demi pointes) for a few years. I wasn't great at it, but at the time I could pirouette pretty well. Anyway, it was fun while it lasted--first time in my life I felt truly graceful.

I've also seen a number of professional ballets over the years:  Swan Lake, Coppelia, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Romeo & Juliet and one where there was different kinds of ballets.

So, do you like ballet? If you've watched/enjoyed ballet, which ones have you seen?

Have A Thrilling Tuesday!

Merrily We Sing Along

Happy Tuesday All,


So, I'm moving on from talking about quotable movies to show tunes. Why? Because I've got a song from the musical, Anything Goes playing in my head. ("And if this ditty, is not so pretty, at least it'll tell you how great you are."--You're The Top from Anything Goes).


Show tunes often play in my head. Either that or I'm singing them. I've been known to sit in the car, turn off the radio and start singing The Impossible Dream from Man Of La Mancha. ("This is my quest, to follow that star...")


One of the things that inspires me is the song This Is The Moment from Jekyll & Hyde. ("...destiny beckons and I never reckoned second best..."--see why I find it inspirational? Lyrics like that and the music just makes you feel you can do anything).


Some of my favorite songs come from 1776 (hey I told you in a previous post that my family can quote that movie). It's John Adams' song, Is Anybody There? ("They want me to quit, they say John give up the fight!")


So, what musicals/songs from movies do you like?


Have A Triumphant Tuesday!

It's Worth A Fortune

Happy Tuesday Everyone,

Does anyone remember the song If I Had A Million Dollars by Barenaked Ladies?

I can't remember when or how I was first introduced to this song, but it's a fun song.

So, how about if you had a million dollars? What would you do with it?

Of course there's the responsible things to do with a million dollars--pay off debts, and such like that.

Then there's the question of whether or not you give to charities, and how much.

But, suppose you answered all those questions and you still had quite a lot left; what would you do with it?

Maybe I'd go to Disney World. I've wanted to go, and I've never been able to. Or, perhaps I'd go to Germany and England, and Belgium (three of the countries my ancestors are from). Travel around seeing family and friends I don't see often. There's all kinds of possibilities.

So, what about you? What would you do with a million dollars?

Have A Tremendous Tuesday!

"Whistle While You Work"

Happy Tuesday All,

For those who are wracking their brain about where the quote from my title comes from, it's from Disney's Snow White And The Seven Dwarves.

I know this post is a bit late in the day for me to post, but at the time when I normally post I wasn't completely satisfied with any of the ideas that I had. (Although, I think some of you might've enjoyed talking about cakes, ice cream and donuts, right?)

In any case, looking at the margin of my blog sparked any idea. If you look on the right hand side (where my big margin is on here) and arrow down a bit, you'll find my play list for my novel, SURREAL. 

Now, I don't always listen to music while I work, but every now and again it comes in handy. Like one day I was listening to The Cure's Friday I'm In Love while I worked on one of my novels. (Yeah, I really like 1980's music...I like some other music, too, of course, but there are several titles from the 1980's that I really like).

Another position music holds in my writing is encouragement/motivitation. Anyone who's been to my Facebook page (and viewed it last week) knows I really like a song from the musical, Jekyll & Hyde called This Is The Moment. I find it very motiviating (and thrilling). I haven't seen the musical (I don't know if I will, but I do like that song from it).

In any case, music is very important to me. It envokes emotion, it inspires, it thrills. Although I will never been a concert pianoist, or a famous singer, I do love music and I'm glad to have it be a part of my life :-)

What music do you like and why?

Have A Thrilling Tuesday!

Go To Your Musical Happy Place

Happy Friday One And All,

No, I'm not talking about musicals, as in the plays with songs, I'm talking about actual music.

While writing Surreal I listened to Chris De Burgh, Ramones, Paul Anka, Buddy Holly, REM, Henry Purcell Clark (Trumpet Voluntary), The Righteous Brothers, They Might Be Giants, Optional 2, Roxette (It Must've Been Love), Bonnie Taylor, Neil Diamond, The Everly Brothers, Lowen & Navarro, Eric Genius, Kci & Jo Jo, and Savage Garden. Quite a motley crew, especially considering that the They Might Be Giants songs I listened to were from one of their kids' albums (they have 2 out that I know about), Optional 2 a mish-mash of musical stylings and hip hop, and Ramones...well, Ramones is punk rock.

Considering that I was writing a paranormal romance, some of this might seem a bit out of place. In all honesty, sometimes it was just something was playing while I was writing and other times, the mood just hit me to go ahead and put it on.

But my musical happy place goes beyond listening to music while writing. It's about finding some music that just makes you happy, relieves stress and puts you in a good mood.

So, what's my musical happy place? UB40's version of Red, Red Wine; REM Stand; CCR's Have You Ever Seen The Rain and The Archies' Sugar, Sugar. Although, UB40 always comes first.

I get dizzy swinging my head from side to side while listening to Red, Red Wine...the stress just seems to drip out of me. I don't know why. I don't even drink wine (red wine actually gives me a headache, and my stomach doesn't react well to white wine).

But there's something about the way music makes you feel that matters. It creates a mood. Depending on what your tastes are, the mood can be happy, sad, anger, romance.

The list of songs and groups of my musical happy place do just that. They make me happy. They make me feel good. It's a great stress reliever.

So...what's your musical happy place?

Have A Fun Friday!