Monday, August 21, 2017

The Music Behind the Words - Nine Authors Talk Inspiration

While you're all waiting for the huge total eclipse event today, I've got something fun to share.

For many writers, music is a huge influencer. Some can't write a word without audio accompaniment and their writing space has to incorporate a sound system as an essential part of their creative environment. Others can't write to music, but often plot or brainstorm to it, the songs helping define the emotions, mood and theme of a particular story or passage.

Curious what music inspires some of my fellow Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 authors, and why? I asked my peers to send me a few brief notes about a favorite piece of music that helps them connect to the story or their writing.

What a fun, thoughtful and diverse round of responses I received!

Susan Grant

Music that inspires:
Highway to the Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins

I chose the epic classic “Highway to the Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins from the Top Gun movie, because the characters are fighter pilots, and the hero likes to push things to the limit, often to the dismay of the heroine. And the guys and gal(s) of the movie reminded me of the crew of Bezos Station where The Prince, The Pilot, and The Puppy (Star Puppy) takes place.



Here’s a quote from the song that’s perfect, and is a glimpse into the hero’s mind:

“Out along the edges
Always where I burn to be
The further on the edge
The hotter the intensity”

The Prince, The Pilot and the Puppy (Star Puppy)
A handsome prince gets a little help from a rescued puppy when he tries to convince a talented starfighter pilot that she is the one for him.

About the Author
NY Times/USA Today bestselling author, RITA® award winner, and USAF vet Susan Grant loves writing action-packed romances featuring gutsy woman and honorable men.

Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/susangrant


Jessica Subject

Music that inspires:
Doesn’t Really Matter by Janet Jackson


 
This song reminds me of the heroine, Vilarra, from Gib and the Tibbar. At first, she doesn’t like the hero at all. But, despite what her friends tell her, and what his friends are saying, they fall in love. What matters is that he treats her well, and nothing else.

Gib and the Tibbar
A fierce alien warrior receives help from a furry friend to convince the woman he loves that she is the one for him.

About the Author
Jessica E. Subject is the author of science fiction romance, mostly alien romances, ranging from sweet to super hot where you can not only meet a sexy alien or two, but also clones and androids. You may be transported to a dystopian world where rebels are fighting to live and love, or to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.



Carol Van Natta

Music that inspires:
Wolf Eyes by Paul Winter



Paul Winter Consort, 2008 Winter Solstice Concert, Live at the Cathedral of St. John The Divine in New York City.

My story in Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 is Pet Trade: A cargo of designer pets forces a damaged veterinarian and a fugitive elite forces veteran to work together to protect the animals from greedy mercenaries.

About the Author
Carol Van Natta writes science fiction and fantasy with advice and support from a resident mad scientist and various cats. Her story includes a genetically engineered dire wolf, so this song seems appropriate. http://author.carolvannatta.com/PetTrade


Pauline Baird Jones

Music that inspires:

Roar by Katy Perry

I did not pick a song that inspired the story, so much as a song that inspired me to dive back into writing.

Last year, in late August, my parents were in a car accident which resulted in both of them passing away. I vaguely knew that it wasn’t going to be easy to get the words flowing again, but I had no idea how challenging that would be. So I would pull this song up on YouTube and try to “ROAR.”



The lovely thing about this song, it helped me find my voice and my sense of humor again. And it opened me up to Sir Rupert, a most unusual parrot and a fun romance between two people who needed each other.

Time Trap
An unusual birthday gift creates more trouble than a USAF Engineer expects when he finds a time traveling rebel and her parrot partner in his arms.

About the Author
Pauline never liked reality, so she writes books. She likes to wander among the genres, rampaging like Godzilla, because she does love peril mixed in her romance. You can always find her at www.paulinebjones.com.


Veronica Scott
 
Music that inspires:
Larger Than Life by The Backstreet Boys

Since my story is an actual rock star romance, science fiction style, I prefer not to cite a video from any one singer, rather than lead readers to believe or assume my entirely fictional singer Karissa is based on a living person. (She’s not!). I do, however, happen to love The Backstreet Boys so I hereby submit their “Larger Than Life” video, which has a nice driving beat and a scifi theme. I like to think about plots while listening to such music turned up LOUD and cruising the SoCal freeways.



My story in the anthology is STAR CRUISE: SONGBIRD, set on my Nebula Zephyr interstellar luxury cruise liner, and here’s the logline:

A security officer aboard a spaceship finds his job complicated by his attraction to the interstellar singer he is assigned to protect and the bird he has inherited.

About the Author
Best Selling Science Fiction and Paranormal Romance author and “SciFi Encounters” columnist for the USA Today Happily Ever After blog, Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything.

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Veronica-Scott/e/B006CUCJ92


S.E. Smith

Music that inspires:
Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

Somewhere over the Rainbow sung by Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole was the perfect match for Pearl and Asim. The story is about finding love later in life. In many ways, Pearl traveled over the rainbow to another world to discover that you are never too old for love. This song is about hope, believing, and finding out that there is so much more to life than we know - if we are willing to open our eyes and our hearts.



Pearl's Dragon
When sixty-something year old Pearl St. Claire traveled to a far off alien world with her granddaughters, she never expected to be caught up in the adventure – or in the grasp of a dragon warrior who insists she is his true mate!

About the Author
S.E. Smith is a New York Times, USA TODAY, International, and Award-Winning Bestselling author of science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary works for adults, young adults, and children. She enjoys writing a wide variety of genres that pull her readers into worlds that take them away.

Readers can check out her website at http://sesmithfl.com and chat with her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/se.smith.5 or her Amazon author page link, https://www.amazon.com/S.-E.-Smith/e/B007Y85YQG.


Cara Bristol

Music that inspires:
I Need a Hero by Bonnie Tyler

My song is "I Need a Hero," sung by Bonnie Tyler. Rescued by the Cyborg is part of the Cy-Ops Sci-fi Romance series about a secret organization of cyborgs who fight terrorism in the galaxy. They aren't just romance novel main characters, they are heroes in the true sense of the word, men who risk their lives to save others. The series theme is "Saving the girl and the galaxy one mission at a time."



Rescued by the Cyborg
A cyborg agent, haunted by his past, risks everything for an injured alien woman.

About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Cara Bristol writes steamy science fiction romance with an emphasis on the characters and their romance, with a little humor, heat, and danger added for fun. She is the author of three science fiction romance series: sexy cyborg Cy-Ops Scifi Romance series, the dark erotic Breeder series, and the new humorous Alien Mate series. She likes to say that she writes science fiction for readers who don’t like sci-fi. Cara lives in Missouri with her alpha hero, her husband, and Hannah, her cat and writing supervisor. Link: http://carabristol.com/


Sabine Priestley

Music that inspires:
Fly ft. Rihanna by Nicki Minaj



I love this song because it's so uplifting. My PISA pet is an owl. An owl that didn't start out that way. If you could choose an alternate body what would it be? Me? I'd fly!

Sensate
A scientist must decide if she can trust the man who once betrayed her if she is to help his sentient com unit gain a physical form.

About the Author
Sabine lives in the nexus between passion and technology. Come with her to another world!
http://sabinepriestley.com/ZonAuthor


And finally, my own musical inspiration.

Laurie A. Green

Music that inspires:
Collide by Howie Day



For those of you who've read Inherit the Stars, Captain Navene Jagger returns in Courting Disaster, still living with past regrets and surviving lost love by transforming into a military space monk.

Another character from the novel, the ever-charming Ketsia Tayah, is now older, wiser and determined to overcome her own heart-breaking history. A history that has some painful ties to Jagger’s own tribulations.

When their paths collide on a what looks like a suicide mission in a very dangerous sector of space, it seems like a match made in purgatory, until they are forced to pose as mates and rely on each other for survival. And the feisty little StarDog who's along for the ride? She might just be the catalyst for a whole lot more than just a ship-load of trouble.

The soulful lyrics of Collide seemed a perfect accompaniment for this story of two lost souls finding redemption and a possible future together...if they can just survive the present.

Courting Disaster: StarDog2
A commander of a spaceship faces the toughest decision of his life when he vows to protect the woman and her StarDog that he is escorting through a dangerous section of space.

Visit my website here: www.laurieagreen.com.

More About Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2


All the authors are gearing up for the big release of Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 on October 10th, but you can preorder the book now at multiple vendors:
Preorder Page--All Vendors

10% of all preorder and the first month's profits go to support Hero-Dogs.org!

And you can grab an *Instafreebie* advanced copy of all the first chapters here:
FREE Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 First Chapter Sample

You're invited to join our Facebook group for fun, chat and news here:
Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 Facebook Group

Now it's Your Turn

Is music important in your life, too? Any of your favorite songs in this eclectic mix? Find any new-to-you songs that you love? Tell us what songs are your favorites or that carry special meaning for you.

Have a great week and enjoy your Total Eclipse Day!

4 comments:

  1. So much fun to see which songs everyone else picked! Fun post :)

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  2. Thanks, Veronica! It was fascinating to see each author's response and the variety of the music that motivates them.

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  3. Very nice to read this and listen to each song. Inspiring to read and listen. Well done

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  4. Thanks, David. It was fun to put together.

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