Lots of writer's need a muse to get started but some writer's just need a playlist to keep them going.
Because I have two younger children who need to be in bed at prime-time, I don't have the luxury of listening to music most of the time when I write. But I do on occasion get the chance to, like during the summer when they can stay up a tad longer, weekends, and school breaks. And I have to admit...it makes it go down just a little bit easier.
For Valor of a Woman I had a decent mix that kept the story line in order for me and I kept it on loop. Now occasionally I would need a break and hit my dance mix just to even things out. But the following songs and artists are the ones I used for the most part and I have to admit I probably listened to the following songs more than a hundred times each. Mind you I haven't heard many of these since, but when I occasionally catch one or two of these on the radio I have to smile as it takes me back to when I was writing the story.
Ingrid Michaelson's Take Me The Way I am
Train's Hey Soul Sister also the remix version!
The Glee Cast's Version of Poker Face
The ENTIRE soundtrack for Moulin Rogue
(OK I'm a sucker for mash-ups! But Elephant Love Medley ROCKS!)
These songs were on repeat for the two months it took me to bang out the first draft. For old times sake I had to go back and listen to all of these songs again while I wrote this.
Writer's vary on our muse's and what it takes to keep us going. This was just what I needed for this particular story. The next one that makes it this far, I'll definitely post the list for it as well!
--Mel
Release date is August 17, 2012
http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=549&category_id=231&manufacturer_id=263&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1
It's been a crazy past few weeks! Between a mad dash on edits (which I didn't get until the middle of MAY!) After all of the stresses over that in the last few weeks, I've finally been given the green light for a "sparkling manuscript" and for formatting! YAY!
I have my cover art as well. It's beautiful!
My kids have been gone for nearly three weeks. We are all getting misty-eyed when we talk each evening and it's getting more and more difficult for me to talk them into wanting to stay longer. They've never been away from me for longer than eleven days so it's killing them...Mommy too, but I can't let them know that!
Just an interesting summer all the way around. Hopefully I will find out the exact date here soon for when Valor of a Woman comes out and I will be back again to share!
But for now we'll just have to revel in the cover art!
--Mel
Well it seems like I broke my promise of trying to do something weekly with this blog, LOL.
Life has intervened. In the passed year I've changed professions (assistant administrative assistant), moved my tiny family (back to the country), and got a contract! Those are big things! Looking back at that it seems like I've accomplished quite a bit.
My "pour your heart out and bawl like a baby" story that was so emotionally draining...wound up getting a contract and is slotted to come out in August 2012 from MuseItUp Publishing. Valor of a Woman is going through the final stages of edits and soon I should hear from the cover artist.
I'm excited and terrified...and wondering where I should go from here. Should I go back and revisit Walker's Run and finally tear the story apart? Or try and pick up something away from paranormal romance again? There hasn't been enough time away from the emotional density of my contracted work to even think of writing another "real life" story.
I've been kicking around a few ideas, even a joint work with an old friend of mine that seems promising if we can ever manage to get our schedules to even out where we can actually speak to one another.
I have a few weeks of supposed "peace" the kids are with their father in another state...and you would think I'd be able to write...BAH! It's too quiet! A recently acquired kitten has taken up and is driving me crazy, pouncing on the keys as I try to type ANYTHING, or is determined to just pull the laptop from my makeshift table.
Just some babbling all around. I will "try" to make a weekly appearance here. And trust me, I will be posting about how things go during my first month out in the running once Valor of a Woman comes out.
--Mel
