Sorcha Grace: The Playlist for A Taste of You

Nothing gets me in the mood like the perfect song.  The right tune can rev up your road trip - cruising with your girlfriends is that much better when you're belting out your favorite Britney Spears chart topper (don't judge, I'm a fan). Music can set the scene for a romantic evening - we all know the right soundtrack can literally put you over the edge. It can even make a meal that much more delicious - a little Coldplay for your pizza or Pavarotti for your pasta, anyone?  When I was penning my erotic romance with a culinary twist, A TASTE OF YOU, I found that music provided the inspiration I needed to hit the spot-on emotional chord for a particular scene, to properly describe the tingles of a first kiss, or to write the difficult dialogue I'd been putting off.

Here are a few of my favorite moments of musical inspiration:

1. "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift.  When Cat meets William for the second time, at the opening party for a hip new restaurant, Willowgrass, she's undeniably attracted to him.  But she doesn't think she's ready for a relationship.  She's also not sure she can handle the look in William's hungry eyes - a look that promises complete devastation in the bedroom.  William is definitely trouble, but Cat can't keep away.  Taylor Swift's catchy bad-boy anthem was the ideal soundtrack for this scene since it aptly coveys the push-and-pull Cat feels.
2. "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane.  Every relationship has its ups-and-downs and this Keane tune really sums up what Cat is feeling when she takes a day to herself, packs up her dog, Laird, and heads out of Chicago for some me-time along the North Shore. I heard this song playing as Cat snaps pictures of frozen Lake Michigan and ponders her feelings for William.  
3. "Halo" by Beyonce.  Mrs. Carter knows how to pull on the heartstrings with this ballad, and I needed a tear-jerker to get me through one of the most powerful moments in the book.   The scene where Cat finally says goodbye to her past in Santa Cruz was one of the most difficult to write.  Cat has been holding on to her life in NoCal and it's been holding her back. The only way she will truly be able to give her heart to William is if she looks her baggage in the face - literally - and says goodbye. Of course, this isn't easy for her. Her whole life was turned upside down just a few years ago and she's still reeling.  But, just like the hopeful tone in Queen Bey's song, there is a silver lining to this moment: William. 
Here is the full A TASTE OF YOU Playlist for those who want to add it to their iPods. 1. Everybody's Changing Keane YouTube 2. I Knew You Were Trouble Taylor Swift YouTube 3. Night & Day Frank Sinatra YouTube 4. The Lady is a Tramp Frank Sinatra YouTube 5. Neutron Star Collision (Love is Forever) Muse YouTube 6. Somewhere Only We Know Keane YouTube 7. All I Want is You U2 YouTube 8. Everybody Hurts REM YouTube 9. Cannonball Damien Rice YouTube 10. Halo Beyonce YouTube 11. Stay Rihanna YouTube 12. I Will Wait Mumford & Sons YouTube 13. Just the Way You Are Bruno Mars YouTube 14. By Your Side Sade YouTube 15. Into the Mystic The Swell Season YouTube Sorcha Grace is an adventurous eater, beach lover, and author of scorching contemporary erotic romance. She is also the nom de plume of a nationally bestselling author who publishes in another romance genre. A TASTE OF YOU, the first installment of the The Epicurean series, starts the romantic journey of food photographer Catherine Kelly and billionaire gourmand William Lambourne III. Available in e-book May 7, 2013. Facebook | website | Twitter