Happy Monday, angels! It's the beginning of a new week (hooray!) and today I have a treat for all of your pretty little ears - the song I've officially dubbed as the theme song for Book Three of the Captivated Series. And yes, I'm still hard at work to bring you a killer conclusion to the series, but I had to take a break from my writing dungeon to share this with you.
Why is this song so perfect, you ask? Because it's about deciding not to run from the dark anymore and face it head on. How incredibly perfect, right???
So have a little listen below, and don't forget to hop on over to my Facebook page and check out the giveaway for it (you'll have to scroll down a bit)! GAITS is offering over a free download of the song! How amazing are they?
Happy Monday, Angels! Okay... so there's this song I found on You Tube by Ruelle that I've officially dubbed as the theme song for Lilliana. Just LOOK at these lyrics:
Like lead in my veins,
Darkness is sinking
Darkness is sinking me
Commanding my soul
I am under the surface
Where the blackness burns beneath
WHAAAAT? How amazingly appropriate for Lilliana's journey. Now have a little listen below ;)
xoxo
SJ
Deep End by Ruelle
(Written by Jeff Bowman, Ruelle, and Josh Williams)
Happy Monday, Angels! As we gear up for the release of Lilliana, I wanted to share a song that fits pretty dang perfectly with a small piece of who Lilliana is. We see touches of it in Iris, but this time around we're getting up close and personal with not only who she is as a person, but what she's been going through in the wake of losing her sisters, as well as with some of her vices... like men and alcohol. Devastation has a way of making us want to escape into something else, even if it isn't the healthiest. Miranda Lambert even has blonde like Lilliana and has that 'bad girl' air about her. Too perfect! So have yourself a little listen below and check back on October 1st for when Lilliana is officially released...
Love to all
xoxo
SJ
Another vice, another town, where my past can't run me down
Another life, another call, another bed I shouldn't crawl out of
One of my favorite things when releasing a novel - releasing the list of songs that inspired me as I wrote!!! Here are my picks for Spectacle, and did I mention? It officially releases next Monday! Find links to purchase your copy here.
Happy Easter, Angels!!! Tomorrow we'll be headed out of town so no more Spectacle Web Series posts or book reviews until I return. But don't worry, I'll be posting first thing next Monday the 13th, so you'll find out then why Mira passed out!!! Also, here are some reviews to look forward to:
Until then, I leave you with a song that inspired a scene in the Spectacle Web Series, but don't try reading into it too much. I'm mostly posting because it's about Mary, Jesus' mother, and her loss the day He was crucified. The song is for all mothers who've lost a son.
Morning, my lovelies! Sorry I've been out of touch for a month. Bad, Susan... bad!!! In all honesty, I've been knee deep in my newest project (something I'll reveal soon :D) and working on promoting my first two books of the Captivated Series. Not to mention holiday stuff, kid stuff, and other kinds of "stuff" I'm sure you all can relate to. lol It never ends!
Anyhow, speaking of Captivate Me, I heard this song on the radio this morning and instantly thought of Kat and her friends. Love it!!!
Enjoy :)
God Made Girls
Raelynn
"He needed something soft and loud and sweet and proud, but tough enough to break a heart. Something beautiful and breakable that lights up in the dark."
Been listening to Kenny Chesney's "American Kids" over and over lately. I'm usually not much of a Chesney fan when it comes to country music, but this one has such a lighthearted feel-good kind of sound, it's infectious!!! Exactly what I need on Mondays. Enjoy :)
As you know, playlists are my thing. I have some for when I'm writing, editing, working out and cleaning. And even though I typically don't put together an official playlist for novellas, today I've decided to come up with a mini-playlist for Iris because, well... it's fun. :)
Enjoy!
xoxo
SJ
Latch by Sam Smith
(Kai's song to Iris)
You lift my heart up when the rest of me is down
You, you enchant me even when you're not around
If there are boundaries, I will try and knock them down
I'm latching on, babe, now I know what I have found
Dark Horse by Katy Perry
(Iris and Kai's song)
So you wanna play with magic
Boy, you should know what you're falling for
Baby, do you dare to do this?
'Cause I'm coming at ya like a dark horse
She's a beast, I call her karma
She'll eat your heart out like Jeffrey Dahmer
Be careful
Try not to lead her on
Shorty's heart is on steroids 'cause her love is so strong
Try by James Shealy/ Jimmy Real
(Kai's song to Iris)
You said yourself it's best to fall and crawl than never try at all
but has your heart been broken way too many times to open up and try
I won't elaborate, but the last few days have been SO overwhelmingly bittersweet... I'll let Sam Smith take it away with one of my favorite songs. His voice makes everything right. <3
In case you guys didn't know, I'm a bit of a music head. :) I come by it honestly; my father used to sing and my younger brother produces music in Nashville. I guess you could say we all have our own little talents. But talented or not, music touches every one of us in one way or another. It inspires and provokes. It lets our emotions breathe. Also... you all know how I LOVE making playlists for each book.
So with that being said, I've decided to share a song with you every Monday that speaks to me for whatever reason. It doesn't even have to be associated with my writing. It could be what's going on in my life at the moment or something that touches me just right.
Today's song is called "Peace" by O.A.R. I love their sound - a mixture of Passenger and Train, but unique in their own way. And the song itself.... beautiful. Who hasn't had trouble in their relationship but loves the other enough to make it want to work?
Everybody needs a place, somewhere that's warm and safe
For shelter from this crazy world we're in
But tonight I let the rain inside, I took away your place to hide
On top daydreaming who I would cast in the movie version, I also like to put together a soundtrack of sorts to go with it. I'll hear songs that hit me just right and listen to them over and over again as I'm writing. These are my picks for Captivate Me, along with YouTube videos if you'd like to have a listen. :)
Much Love and HAPPY NEW YEAR! xoxo
"Everything has Changed" by Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift
(Kat's song to Gabriel)
'Cause all I know is we said "hello,"
and your eyes looking like coming home
All I know is a simple name
Everything has changed.
"Say Something" by A Great Big World
(Levi's song to Kat)
Say something I'm giving up on you I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you Anywhere I would have followed you Say something I'm giving up on you
"Day is Gone" by Noah Gunderson and The Forest Rangers
(Gabriel's song to Kat)
Take it back I would take it back For just another minute Just another chance with you Give it up I would give everything up Every last breath Every first taste, for you Just to make it all right Just to make it all right
"Already Gone" by Kelly Clarkson
(Kat's song to Levi)
Looking at you makes it harder But I know that you'll find another That doesn't always make you want to cry It started with the perfect kiss then We could feel the poison set in "Perfect" couldn't keep this love alive You know that I love you so I love you enough to let you go
"Red" by Taylor Swift
(Kat's song to Gabriel)
Losing him was blue like I'd never known
Missing him was dark grey all alone
Forgetting him was like trying to know someone you never met
But loving him was red
Loving him was red
"Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey
(Kat's song to Gabriel)
Oh, my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above are sizzling like a snare
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothing scares me anymore
"Burn" by Ellie Goulding
(I envisioned this song playing at the end - the prom scene in the gym)
We, we don't have to worry 'bout nothing 'Cause we got the fire, and we're burning one hell of a something They, they gonna see us from outer space, outer space Light it up, like we're the stars of the human race, human race
"Stars" by Grace Potter and The Nocturnals
(Gabriel's song to Kat)
All those times we looked up at the sky
Looking out so far, it felt like we could fly
And now I'm all alone in the dark of night
And the moon is shining, but I can't see the light
"I Won't Go" by Jimmy Real
PS- ironically, the lead singer looks a little like Gabriel, and they both play guitar. Go figure. :)
(Gabriel's song to Kat)
So breathe and show me light If we can bring this back to life, I won't go
"Human" by Christina Perri
(Kat's song)
I can fake a smile
I can force a laugh
I can dance and play the part, if that's what you ask
As an indie artist, I understand the challenges facing publication and distribution to the masses. You have this part of you to share, a big part of you, but need the funds. And I have to admit, I'd never heard of Kickstarter until I learned a band I'm growing to love is using it as a way to raise money for their newest project. What a novel concept - to give others an opportunity to invest in your dreams. As a "backer", you could be a part of something big. Something real. Not only that, but as a "backer" you receive perks in return for your donation. For instance, if you pledge $10 or more, you'll get a digital download of the EP and a free advance copy of a single. So not only are you investing in a dream, but you get the final product of that investment, which is something you would go out and buy anyway once it was released. I might just try this myself for future novels.
Now, I normally wouldn't post anything like this, but listening to their music, you know immediately that it's not a recycling of everything else that's out there to simply make money. It's evident in their lyrics and passion in their performance that this music is an extension of their soul. There is nothing I understand more than that either. When you truly devote yourself to your art with the purest of intentions, it resonates with those you share it with. That's something worth investing in, if you ask me. We need more of that in every avenue of entertainment.
So what am I asking of you guys? Yesterday I'd posted an update about my newest novel, along with a blurb and one of Jimmy Real's music videos, I Won't Go. Take a minute to listen, and if it moves you the way it moved me, visit their Kickstarter page to watch another video of their lead singer, James Shealy, talking about his reasoning for using the website and his passion for what he loves doing most - making music that is real. And if you're like me, you'll pledge, hold your breath, and pray they make it to their goal. I'm sure I'll be checking it everyday until Thursday, November 28th. lol
Much love, my Angels, and God bless the artists that are fulfilling their purpose in life and blessing those around them by sharing their gifts with the world.
If there were such a thing, I'd say happy Monday. lol So how about Good Morning? :) I'm feeling inspired on this chilly morning to share a blurb from my newest project as well as a song I heard over the weekend by a local indie band, Jimmy Real, who, by the way, is amazingly talented. Not to mention, the moment I heard it I immediately thought of two of my main characters - Kat and Gabriel.
Here's a quick blurb of the first time Kat sees him in her dreams:
Once I had arrived back
at our room, shaking but exhilarated, I stripped down to my shorts and tank top
and slid into bed.
I laid there, gnawing
my lip, twirling the flower between my fingers and thinking of the invisible
boy who had given it to me. I moved to lie on my side. Would he bring me
another tonight? I should still be thoroughly horrified at the thought of
someone sneaking in while Anna and I had slept, but I couldn’t bring myself to
feel the same repulsion. If it was, in fact, the boy from the woods, I knew he
wouldn’t harm me. And in all truth, if he came again I hoped I would wake so I
could feel his presence – his warm, soul-stirring presence. The kind of
presence that kept me there with him when any normal person would have run screaming
for the school.
With a longing sigh, I
closed my eyes.
Despite my excitement,
sleep came swift and sweet, scooping me into its arms and carrying me back into
the darkness of the woods. I stood in the same spot as before – the open space
with flowery bushes. Another form materialized, and I jumped. Black shirt, fair
skin – the silhouette from the woods. My invisible admirer.
Except this time, he
didn’t run from tree to tree; he stood exposed, allowing me to soak in his
beauty, saturating my spirit. He towered over me, which didn’t happen often; I
wasn’t a short girl. His eyes twinkled icy blue, the angular attractive lines
of his face a divine masterpiece. His chestnut hair had been cropped close on
the sides but left longer on top, reminding me of a trendy rock star haircut,
but flattering and oh-so-complementary to his porcelain features. And his lips,
his supple lips drew into a knowing, heart-stopping smile as he plucked another
flower from the bush and placed it into my waiting palm.
Honestly, I could have
cared less about the flower this time, I only wanted to feel him – his flawless skin. I reached out
for his face with my other hand, and he stepped back, his smile wavering.
Persistent, I tried again, and he took a bigger step back. Why couldn’t I touch
him? I could see him, feel his presence… but I wanted to experience more of
him.
I searched his eyes
with a scowl, and his own expression melted into a frown. He didn’t like the
distance, either. “What’s your name?” I asked. If I couldn’t touch him, perhaps
I could hear him as a consolation.
He only stared back at
me, sad and apologetic.
My eyes welled with
tears. So not fair.
I looked down to my
flower and held it to my chest. When I looked back up at him, he’d disappeared,
and a foreign ache pierced my heart in agony. I’d only seen him, really seen him for a matter of a short
moment, and he’d left me.
I have to admit, these characters have already settled into my blood. I love them and their unique circumstances, and my hope is that you do too. Love can be unconventional and surprising, which is why I'm so enthralled with their love story. I can't wait to share it with the world! :)
Now for the song; the lyrics beautifully convey a relationship in peril, on the edge of permanent destruction, but the singer desperately pleads with his love that if there is any hope, he won't go.
I'm a sucker for many things, music being one of them! Sometimes I can't quite articulate why certain songs touch me the way they do, but I'll try with this one. First off, I'm also a sucker for folk rock, so when I first heard of Mumford and Sons a few months ago (I know, I'm a little late to the party! They've been around since 2007) I knew it would be a love-at-first-sight kind of thing, and boy was it ever! My first introduction to their work was with "I Will Wait", and holy cow, what an awesome song. Like any great piece of art, it can be interpreted in many ways, but knowing Marcus Mumford's background and that he cowrote the song, I'll assume it has to do with faith.
My favorite lines are the the first ones:
Well I came home like a stone
And I fell heavy into your arms
These days of dust, which we've known
Will blow away with this new sun
Who can't relate to being "heavy" with burden and needing a "new sun" for rest and redemption? What beautiful similes and imagery he uses. As a writer, I'm smitten. My second favorite lines?
So break my step, and relent
Well you forgave, and I won't forget
To relent is to give in, yield, surrender yourself, but why? The power of forgiveness, in any form, is transcendent; it's a selfless act to relieve another of their transgressions against you. I like how he follows "well you forgave" with "and I won't forget." Beautiful.
And last, but certainly not least, are these lines:
But I'll kneel down, wait for now
I'll kneel down, know my ground
Raise my hands, paint my spirit gold
Bow my head, keep my heart slow
Again, with the imagery! "Raise my hands, paint my spirit gold" I interpret that to mean purifying and cleansing. For me, it ties into the "new sun" from the beginning. I also like how he ends the song with the humble words of "bow my head, keep my heart slow." That is the nature of worship - self-humbling.
Quite frankly, no matter what this band chooses to sing about, they know how to write and convey the condition of their hearts exquisitely... this is the mark of a true artist. Consider me a fan for life! :-)
Listening to music as I'm writing my third and final book of the Alyx Rayer Series, Destined for Fire, and Alicia Keys' "Girl on Fire" song came on and I thought to myself, now THAT would be a great soundtrack song for this book!
Like I've mentioned before, music and writing go hand in hand for me, so I've decided to share at least one song that particularly inspired me while writing each book in the series:
I usually don't post about things like this, but what I saw last night moved me to tears!
As I settled down to watch TV before bed, my remote stopped on the American Idol auditions toward the end of the show. Their last contestant was a man named Lazaro Arbos who's originally from Cuba. My first impression of him was "wow... handsome" and he had such a sweet spirit about him.
When he began introducing himself, you could tell he struggled with a speech impediment (it brought to mind when I watched the King's Speech, but a lot worse) and it broke your heart to watch him standing there in front of the judges and millions of viewers, vulnerable and humble. I found myself rooting for him, wanting so badly for him to blow them away with his singing... and boy did he ever!
See the video below to see what I mean! It just further proves how therapeutic and cleansing music is for the soul. Amazing.
