Nina Crespo | Behind the Playlist of The First Rule of Hook-ups

Music is a big part of my writing experience, along with
dancing, whenever the mood strikes. My playlists are an eclectic mix of genres. Hip-hop, pop,
rap, reggaeton, jazz, country, classical—they’re all part of my music selections. The perfect
song can put me in the right headspace and drown out any competing thoughts that get in the
way of my productivity. I become lost in the music as well as the story while I’m writing. From
a practical standpoint, it also blocks out my upstairs neighbors when they get too loud.

A killer playlist becomes the soundtrack for my story and often reflects the attitudes of my characters, along with the ups and downs they face. For instance, in THE FIRST RULE OF HOOK-UPS, as I thought about Alexa and her friends at the Breakup Bash—a party held at Club Escapade to help women get over one man and move onto a better one—a few of Beyoncé’s songs about women and empowerment came to mind. And in the book, when the DJ cues up a line dance song and Alexa joins in, the “Cupid Shuffle” was playing through my headphones.

Music also helped in imagining Raphael, a retired male
dancer and co-owner of Club Escapade, going back on stage to save the club. In the story,
months earlier, he’d met Alexa on her bachelorette night at the club, and he hasn’t forgotten
her or the supposedly innocent, all-in-fun kiss they shared. As I wrote about him dancing his
cowboy routine, listening to country music provided the visual of him confidently working his
assets on stage. I must admit, by the end of writing that scene, I was drooling over him, right
along with Alexa.

My playlist for this book contained quite a few songs, but
here are five of them that kept the words flowing onto the page.

1. Best Friend – Sofi Tukker https://youtu.be/4Vx7MTU-UVE

Girlfriends aka side-chicks are an important part of THE
FIRST RULE OF HOOK-UPS. Alexa’s friends, Nat and Cori, are there for her and never let her
down. They are also going through tough times with their own breakups. Their stories are up
next in the Breakup Bash series.

2. Crying in the Club – Camila Cabello https://youtu.be/NlrYn_dZdqk (Skip the intro and start at 1:42)

Alexa attending the Breakup Bash isn’t about crying over the
past. She’s ready for a better future.

3. Shape of You – Ed Sheeran (*Major Lazer Remix feat. Nyla & Kranium) https://youtu.be/rNeDSn1Octc

At first, Alexa is convinced that avoiding entanglements,
even short-term ones, is the answer, but one night with Raphael changed everything.

4. New Rules – Dua Lipa https://youtu.be/k2qgadSvNyU

But breaking the rules never felt so good!

5. Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars https://youtu.be/LjhCEhWiKXk

Remaining authentic to who you are in life and in love is
important.

Well, that’s the end of my playlist. I hope you enjoy the music along with getting to know Raphael and Alexa in THE FIRST RULE OF HOOK-UPS .