Suzie T. Roos | I Can Name That Tune in Two Notes!

A lot of authors say music inspires them . . . well, I’m definitely in that boat!

When I write (especially, when it’s a more dramatic scene), there must be music playing through my desk speakers. Not just anything either, I’m picky. Very picky. On my playlists, the music ranges from Frank Sinatra to Siouxsie and the Banshees!

As a matter of fact, there’s music playing now—Nik Kershaw’s song, Wouldn’t It Be Good.

Since my books, GIRL SPOKEN FOR & GIRL DIVIDED TWO, are set in the 80’s, this especially helps. No secret I was a teenager during that decade. For instance if Cyndi Lauper or Pat Benatar is playing, I can go back to a certain time in my life and relive those emotions and feelings—whether the music reminds me of the hardship of my rougher teen experiences or the excitement of a hot guy asking me for my phone number.

(*Disclaimer~ any hot guy who ever asked for my number was my husband, we met when I was 15 yrs old. No one besides him has ever asked for my phone number!*)

Then when that special song comes on, watch out…I’m on my feet taking a dance break!

I’ve thrown in random songs throughout the books. If a song works brilliantly with the scene, it’s in the book. If you read book #1, GIRL SPOKEN FOR, you may remember in the book what song played when Tatum had her first real kiss. And that song played over my speakers just as I was writing the scene. The tone, the feeling I got hearing the song just spoke to me. How lucky can an author get to receive free inspiration! That song was not originally intended to be in there—it’s just what played at the right time, right scene for that emotion to be written.

You may also remember what song drove Tatum and her girlfriends to the Homecoming dancefloor? That wasn’t planned either. It just worked for that scene and was realistic.

The crazy thing is sometimes they work. It’s what totally happens in real life. Totally!

When writing YA there’s not much of an opportunity for those “sexy time” scenes (those will be in Tatum’s NA trilogy). But when I have a kiss scene in this YA trilogy, one of my go-to songs is Otis Redding’s, These Arms of Mine. Another one is Try a Little Tenderness, also by Otis. If you can’t feel the soul in these songs, check your pulse!

Here’s an interesting little surprise too . . . years ago, my son’s original iTunes account was linked to my library. As a result, a theme song from a video game will shuffle through once in a while. For example, something from “Call of Duty Black Ops Two” will play. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written Zach’s POV to that kind of music, or my son’s other very cinematic compositions. It doesn’t work all the time obviously, but it does happen.

Now that I think of it, most of the “songs” that are in my books are not the ones I listen to most while I write. Because of the era my books are written in, you won’t get any Neko Case in the YA trilogy (although maybe later in the NA trilogy). And I have a serious girl crush on Neko. Another of my girl crushes from today is Sharon Jones. Met her twice! I would also add Florence from Florence & The Machine. Even though their songs aren’t mentioned, rest assured their music was heavily relied on to help write these books.

What other inspiration could you spot in GIRL SPOKEN FOR? Any songs/artists I didn’t mention above?

GIVEAWAY

Readers, time to bring back the '80's. What is your favorite '80's song? (As if you can pick just one!) Leave a comment below and be entered for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

About Suzie T. Roos

Suzie T. Roos is from, and has settled in, St. Louis with her husband, two children and a number of foster pets at any given time.

She and her husband have lived everywhere from Philadelphia, PA to out West in Santa Monica, CA. They’re thankful they could expose their children to different American lifestyles and cultures.

Besides writing, Suzie’s hobbies include movies, traveling, and especially concert going with her husband and friends.

She’s always been an animal lover and animal rights advocate. She is certified by FEMA in IS-00011.a Animal in Disasters: Community Planning. She’s also an active volunteer at the Humane Society of Missouri.

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About GIRL SPOKEN FOR

What’s the point of making a New Year’s resolution when weeks later your life goes to the toilet anyway?

Sixteen-year-old Tatum Duncan’s life has turned upside down. Her best friend and grandmother has died, her mother is threatening to send her to an all-girls school for defending herself against a bully, and her abusive boyfriend nearly kills hers. 1989 isn’t turning out to be her year.

But just when it seems like all is lost, Tatum is saved by Zach Bertano, her longtime friend and secret crush. Her dormant attraction to him surfaces with his persistent attention. As her love for Zach grows, she comes to learn that he too has skeletons, and his issues could affect Tatum’s life in ways she never imagined.

Zach’s overlooked her baggage—can she overlook his?