Like many writers, I create soundtracks for the novels I write.

Not every novel. But frequently.

The current novel, Spoiled Harvest has had a soundtrack for a very long time. Since the 2015 season of The Voice. (It has a lot of Sawyer Fredricks on it.) (The soundtrack for Tainted Waters was created during a different Voice season, and has lots of Matt McAndrew on it.)

I frequently have music playing in my head. Will often wake up to some song on repeat.

For the Spoiled Harvest soundtrack, more than once, my writer brain told me, “Add this song.”

I had no idea why I was adding that song. What it meant.

Eventually, writer brain would explain how that particular song was indicative of this or that part of the plot.

The soundtrack for Spoiled Harvest really tells the story of the book. Which is why I’m not listing out the songs, not until after the book is published, and even then, with spoiler warnings.

Pan’s Pipes is another novel that I’ll write some year, that already has a soundtrack that’s pretty much the entire character arc of the bad guy. (It’s the sequel to Siren’s Call. And yes, most of the songs are Johnny Cash, the American albums. Starting with, “The Man Comes Around.”)

I can’t listen to the soundtrack for Spoiled Harvest while I’m writing. Almost all the songs have words in them. It’s far too distracting. What I’ll do instead is listen to it while I’m making/eating breakfast, to get me in the mood for the novel. Or sometimes in the evening.

Another novel that had a complete soundtrack was The Raven and the Dancing Tiger. (In fact, all three books in the trilogy had soundtracks.) It included songs like, “Birds” by Elton John, “Dance with Me” by Orleans, “Learning to Fly” by Pink Floyd, “All the Trees of the Field will Clap Their Hands” by Sufjan Stevens. Plus a lot of jazz and swing–Peter was a Lindy Hopper…

The Guardian Hound soundtrack had a lot more instrumental pieces in it–George Winston, Zoot Sims–and even some classical.

The War Among the Crocodiles soundtrack included some Edith Piaf (for Yvette, of course), more Sufjan, some Bela Fleck, and even some Journey.

For all three books, the soundtrack wasn’t about the plot, but just songs that reflected the characters.

If you’re curious about The Raven and the Dancing Tiger, you can pick it up now. It’s part of a story bundle. Pay $5, and get 5 stories. Pay $15, and get all ten (including my novel.) If you pay the suggested retail price of $20, you’ll be supporting a bunch of authors, as well as The Pearl Foundation charity.

You’ll find the bundle here: https://storybundle.com/fantasy

Go! Check it out!