One of my favorite authors has a new book coming out!!!! This week we get to see what’s happening, musically, inside the head of NYT bestseller Anya Bast! EMBRACE OF THE DAMNED comes out tomorrow… so THANK YOU to Anya for taking some “pre-release” time out for us.
I use music all the time when I write. I’ve said more than once that I think my iPod and iTunes purchases should be a tax deduction because they’re tools I use every day. Music seems to help facilitate the firing of my synapses. It helps me daydream less and get into the mood of a scene. My productivity is higher when I’ve got music on, although I do have to keep the sound pretty low. If the music I’m listening to is too loud, it overwhelms me and breaks my concentration.
Sometimes I make specific playlists for the books I write and sometimes I just use my main playlist. It depends. The type of book I’m writing usually influences the music I buy at any given time. For example, when I was writing my Dark Magick series (dark paranormal faerie romance), I purchased a lot of Angelzoom and Apocalyptica, along with other bands that produce a haunting, darkly fantastical, yet edgy sort of a sound.
I typically go for alternative bands or bands that are lesser known with a grungy rock type of sound, sometimes with a classic sort of feel. I almost never will choose a slow, romantic song or ballad, and I’m really, really picky about the music I buy. I know the sound I like and don’t want to waste my time on anything else. Can I classify the sound I like? I wish, but not really. I know it when I hear it. That said, I have everything from Billie Holliday to Nine Inch Nails on my iPod. My all time favorite song is Three Little Birds (Bob Marley) and I think it always will be.
Here’s a sample of the songs I’m listening to the most these days. Some of these songs have been on my most played list for a long time, but a lot of the music seems to shift around over time:
- Abraham’s Daughter – Arcade Fire
- Broken – Amy Lee and Seether
- Stop a Bullet – Black Light Burns
- Icky Thump – The White Stripes
- Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
- The Anthem – Good Charlotte
- Know Your Enemy – Green Day
- Fuck You – Lily Allen
- A Case of You – Joni Mitchell
- Cokkha — Apocalyptica
- Bang Pop – Free Energy
- You Got Me – Crash Kings
- Calling All Angels – Jane Siberry and K.D. Lang
This is a pretty good representation of the kind of music I listened to when I was writing Embraced of the Damned (May 1st). The paranormal romance that I write tends to be pretty action-packed, dark, and have a fast pace.
I think most of the music I listen to helps me to maintain the energy in my stories. If they took away my iPod tomorrow I don’t know what I would do!
Want a shot at winning an autographed copy of Embrace of the Damned? Leave a comment with one of your favorite songs.
