Today’s post by our very own Marybeth Whalen | @MarybethWhalen

Marybeth Whalen

I always listen to music when I write. I have a Pandora station that inspires a reaction like Pavlov’s dog– I hear that music and my mind thinks, “Write!”

With my new book, The Wishing Tree, I had a soundtrack that went with the book, a collection of songs that meant something to the characters; songs that encapsulated the range of emotions they experienced as the events of the book played out. I thought today I would share some of those songs with you, to give you a better idea of what the book is about. And maybe inspire you to check out the book that inspired the soundtrack. Or was it the other way around?

Back To December by Taylor Swift:

This was Ivy and Michael’s song. If you listen to it (and read the book), I think you’ll agree.

Everything You Want by Vertical Horizon:

Ok, so this is one of my running songs. But during the time that I was writing the book I would run and think about how this song best describes Ivy and Elliott’s relationship. Michael said all of the right things at exactly the right time. And yet, he meant nothing to her, but she didn’t know why.

If He Should Break Your Heart by Journey:

A perfect encapsulation of what Michael felt for Ivy back when they broke up. If you don’t know it, listen to it. I suspect I will always think of Michael’s broken heart whenever I hear this song from now on.

Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye:

This is the song I thought of as I wrote the parts where Michael was over Ivy. He was confident and in charge, and I was happy for him. Ivy is now just somebody that he used to know.

The Man Who Can’t Be Moved by The Script:

My husband is a huge Script fan, which means I’ve listened to them a lot. This is one of their songs that I actually have on my own iPod. To me this song describes Elliott. Even though he’s not physically sitting on a corner, he stakes out his own little corner of the internet via Twitter and begins broadcasting his apology to his wife when she won’t listen, hoping that he’ll wear her down. He’s not moving.

Leaving Me Now by Level 42:

One morning while I was writing this book I woke up and thought of this song– an old song from my teen years that I hadn’t thought of in a very long time. I found it and played it and was surprised by how fitting it was for the scene when Ivy leaves after learning of Elliott’s betrayal. The despondency communicated by this song to me fits how Elliott feels as he watches her go. Does she come back? Should she? Or does she decide to go back to Michael?

Well, now, I guess you’ll just have to read the book…

About Ariel Lawhon

Ariel Lawhon is the co-founder of She Reads, novelist, blogger, storyteller, and life-long reader. She lives in Texas with her husband and four young sons (aka The Wild Rumpus). Ariel believes that Story is the shortest distance to the human heart.

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Today’s post by our very own Marybeth Whalen | @MarybethWhalen

Marybeth Whalen

One of the things I most love to read about when I read about authors’ work is the music that inspired or sustained them as they wrote. So far in my writing, each of my books has gained a theme song along the way—a song that I listened to often to help me get into the spirit of the story. In fact, that’s one of my benchmark moments in my writing process: when I realize I have a theme song for the novel.

For anyone who knows me, you already know of my sincere and devoted love of 80’s music. So when I’m writing I’m usually listening to at least some 80’s music. And my 80’s taste tends towards the lesser-known songs. None of that overplayed pop music for me. I like the songs no one remembers.

One band that I listened to all through the 80’s was Icehouse, an Australian band I discovered as a teenager in a music store in 1985. In 1988 Icehouse had their biggest commercial US success with a song called Electric Blue, a single from the album Man Of Colours. It was the title track from that album that became the theme song of The Guest Book. A few lines from the lyrics served as the epigraph for the book:

He says I keep my life in this paintbox
I keep your face in this picture frame
When I speak to this faded canvas, it tells me
We have no need for words anyway.

So here is the video of Man Of Colours, a song that tells a story itself. A bit of trivia before you watch it: The old man in the video is the lead singer of Icehouse, Iva Davies’, father, a fact that makes me like the song—and Icehouse—all the more.

Marybeth’s latest novel, THE GUEST BOOK, is this month’s featured book club selection and as a way to celebrate we’re giving away a number of prizes including a trip for two to Sunset Beach, North Carolina, handcrafted sea glass jewelry, and organic soap from Southern Soap Factory. Read this post for entry details.

About Ariel Lawhon

Ariel Lawhon is the co-founder of She Reads, novelist, blogger, storyteller, and life-long reader. She lives in Texas with her husband and four young sons (aka The Wild Rumpus). Ariel believes that Story is the shortest distance to the human heart.

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