The Importance of Music

As a child, there was always music playing in out house. From Evita to Cats, The Sound of Music to Fiddler on the Roof, Anne Murray to Styx, we listened to it. To this day I can sing along with the soundtrack to any of the musicals mentioned. Not very well, mind you, but I know the words. My parents love music, and as a result, so do all four of their children. Growing up all of us played at least one musical instrument. Mine? The bass - both upright and electric.

Music has always been an important part of my life. Even when I don't read for a while I always listen to music. I have an MP3 player in my car that plays whatever I tell it to. Literally. Every CD I own is loaded onto the home computer and wired to speakers in every room in my house. Music for me is very important. Nearly as important as books.

And why wouldn't it be? I mean, each song is like a mini novel. Some are comedies, some tragedies, some tales of love lost or love found. Think about it. What story is your favorite song telling?

I'm diving back into book 2 of my Black Phoenix series, Midnight Heat. Music plays a vital role in this book. So vital that for the first time ever, I have been listening to music while writing.

Normally I need silence to write, most likely because I tend to 'hear' my characters conversation in my head and music interferes with this. But I've also found that my mind will begin to follow the story the song is telling, and distract me from what I'm writing. Not so recently. I have two playlists set up: One for book 1 in the series, After Midnight, and another for my WIP, Midnight Heat. Two related yet different stories, two different sets of heroes and two completely different playlists that convey the emotions of each story.

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As an example I'll introduce you to Dominic Price, bassist of the rock band Black Phoenix, and hero of Midnight Heat. Dominic's is a reunion romance. Two and a half years ago Dom walked away from the only woman ever to 'rock his world'. He'd lik nothing more than her forgiveness, but knows that forgiveness is the one thing he doesn's deserve. So, despite constant urgings of his best friend's wife, he stays away from Rebecca. Until an automobile accident lands him in her ER, forcing him to face the cold reality of just what he'd left behind and why.

For each book in this series, there is one song that captures the story, a 'theme song' if you will. After Midnight's theme song is where Noah and Isabeau are at the end of their book. Midnight Heat's theme song exemplifies Dominic's emotional place at the beginning of his story. The first time I heard it...it was uncanny just how closely it speaks of Dominic and Rebecca.

Has that ever happened to you? You hear a song on the radio that 'speaks' to you, almost as if the songwriter tapped into your heart and pulled the words out?

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If You Only Knew
(Songwriters: Dave Bassett, Brent Smith)


If you only knew
I'm hanging by a thread
The web I spin for you
If you only knew
I'd sacrifice my beating
Heart before I'd lose you
I still hold onto the letters
You returned
I swear I've lived and learned

[Chorus]
It's 4:03 and I can't sleep
Without you next to me I
Toss and turn like the sea
If I drown tonight, bring me
Back to life
Breathe your breath in me
The only thing that I still believe
In is you, if you only knew

If you only knew
How many times I counted
All the words that went wrong
If you only knew
How I refuse to let you go,
Even when you're gone
I don't regret any days I
Spent, nights we shared,
Or letters that I sent

[Chorus]
It's 4:03 and I can't sleep
Without you next to me I
Toss and turn like the sea
If I drown tonight, bring me
Back to life
Breathe your breath in me
The only thing that I still believe
In is you, if you only knew
If you only knew

If you only knew
I still hold onto the letters
You returned
You help me live and learn

[Chorus]
It's 4:03 and I can't sleep
Without you next to me I
Toss and turn like the sea
If I drown tonight, bring me
Back to life
Breathe your breath in me
The only thing that I still believe
In is you, believe in is you
I still believe in you
Oh, if you only knew