Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Behind the Book

I am a collector of soundtracks.

Lord of the Rings. Tears of the Sun. Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. 300.

Music is such a vital element of a movie…almost as important as the film itself.

Imagine Dirty Dancing without the score.

Or The Color Purple without the soul-stirring blues and gospel tracks. Who didn’t recognize that when the tribal percussions rumbled and the African voices soared that Celie was getting ready to “shave Mista”!

The songs or melodies of a film touch the moviegoer, evoke emotion, and tell a story. It’s another character in the movie.

For me, it’s the same with writing.

I remember while in college I couldn’t start a paper unless my dorm room was clean and I had a CD in the radio…today I don’t necessarily need the clean room (hee-hee-hee!) but the music is a must. Like author Laura Hayden, I create a “soundtrack” when I start a book. Each song places me in the scene and stirs my imagination. Like“Broken Wings” by Mr. Mister never fails to elicit images of a steamy, hot love scene. Or “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns ‘N Roses just screams a bloody, gritty battle.

Music lives, breathes. It paints a picture and records a culture’s history. Music entertains and it educates. It uplifts.

Does that sound familiar?

It should. When we write, don’t we paint a picture with words that bring a story to life so our characters live in the reader’s imagination? Though we write romantic fiction, we take historical time periods, cultures and traditions and intertwine them into the story so they’re rich and real. Even as we entertain we educate.

Our stories provide joy, satisfaction, thrills…they uplift.

Below, please enjoy an example of how I—and many authors—incorporate music and books together by viewing the book trailer for my release with Ellora’s Cave, “Sweet Ultimatum”.

8 comments:

Wynter said...

Love the trailer! I'm one of the few who must write in silence, or perhaps instrumental only music. Maybe I have a touch of ADD;-)

Naima Simone said...

LOL! Not at all! Christy Reece, a romantic suspense author in my chapter, has to write in silence, too! So I now know two people who do! LOL! Instrumental music? If you're up for it, try LOTR: Return of the King soundtrack. Awesome music!! Or for those fight scenes, the 300 soundtrack!! That one will get you in the killing mood, pun definitely intended! Hee-hee-hee!!

Savannah Stuart said...

I'm like you! I usually create a mini-soundtrack for when I'm writing. I listened to Shakira's She Wolf a lot when writing my recently contracted erotic paranormal. It always put me in the right frame of mind :) And good Lord, I cannot imagine Dirty Dancing w/out the music. Love that movie! :)

Naima Simone said...

Shakira's She Wolf!! Wow! Didn't think of that! I have to pass that along to my critique partner. She writes paranormal, too!

Dirty Dancing is one of my all time favorites. Doesn't "I've Had the Time of My Life" give you as much of a thrill as the lift at the end? Especially when he mouths the words to her...*sigh*

Wynter said...

Thanks for the suggestions!

Naima Simone said...

And ooh! The Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon soundtrack! Bea-u-ti-ful!! Can you tell I've been thinking about it?? Hee-hee-hee!

Jina Bacarr said...

I, too, love soundtracks when I write. Memoirs of a Geisha is a favorite--I especially love the "Becoming a Geisha" segment where the older geisha teaches the younger maiko how to dance and become geisha. A stirring and inspiring piece of music.

Naima Simone said...

Oh, I would love to have that soundtrack, Jina! I didn't even think of "Memoirs of a Geisha". And the movie is so beautiful. Guess what's going on my Christmas list!!