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What I'm writing in YEAR OF THE DOG

I just finished writing Year of the Dog ! It had a massive plot hole that I had to fix which turned out to be more work than I expected. Here’s a snippet: “Hey, Auntie Nell.” He wrapped his arms around her, bussing her on the cheek and breathing in pikake flowers and shortbread cookies. And suddenly he was nine years old again, and her solid presence had made his chaotic world stable once more. “What are you doing here?” He usually took her to dinner on Wednesday nights, but today was Tuesday. The edges of her smile faltered a little before brightening right back up again. “What, I can’t visit my nephew?” She angled around him to enter his home. “Is this your new house? Looks lovely.” Which was a blatant lie, because the fixer-upper was barely livable, much less acceptable to a neat-freak like his aunt. She also left four matching pink and purple floral suitcases on the stoop behind her. Only then did Ashwin notice the cab driver standing slightly to the side of the walkway. “Can ...
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Suspense writing music?

Captain's Log, Stardate 08.12.2008

Okay, I need suggestions from y’all.

I’m writing my romantic suspense for Steeple Hill and I need good writing music!

For example, my friend MaryLu Tyndall writes pirate historical romances, and she listened to the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack when writing her Legacy of the King’s Pirates series.

My book is set in Sonoma wine country, but it’s set in a day spa.

And it’s got a dead body.

I want nice, suspenseful music to get in the mood.

Suggestions?
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Comments

Anonymous said…
I'm not sure if it'll help at all, but I sure love Adie Camp (Jeremy Camp's wife) and Jeremy Camp. I'm not sure they'd fit with suspense, but they sure INSPIRE me to write. I write YA supernatural with a hint of romance. Whenever I hear YOUR WAY by Adie Camp, my creative juices get flowing.

I stumbled across her song while blogging one night, thought I'd check it out, and it's stuck with me ever since.
Tue Aug 12, 05:10:00 AM 2008
Anonymous said…
Camy,

I listen to Pirates #2, it has some great beats for the suspense. Also, while I was writing book #2 I listened to Matt Bronleewe's Illuminated soundtrack and Micheal W. Smith's Freedom.

If it's really tense, I'll listen to music by Evanscene, but I suggest it only if you don't mind some of the wording. I freaked one night listening to that and writing a scene where my heroine was in big trouble. Had to close up shop til daylight hours. LOL!

I usually listen to something that doesn't have words so I'm less likely to sing with it and has a good hard beat to it.
Tue Aug 12, 11:57:00 AM 2008
Amy said…
Hmm. Is there a Psycho soundtrack? :)
Tue Aug 12, 07:54:00 PM 2008
Gail said…
Carl Orff's Carmina Burana is pretty suspenseful.
Wed Aug 13, 01:02:00 AM 2008
Ausjenny said…
to bad its not in an opera house cos phantom of the Opera would work.
cant think of a pyschotic spa music theme.
I know how music can affect things.
I was reading a series about mormons by Marion Wells and listening to Randy Stonehill at the time and I just cant listen to a couple of songs without feeling a strange reaction. The books were set when the Mormans started adn there was some really nasty stuff in the books.
Wed Aug 13, 04:33:00 AM 2008
Anonymous said…
I really like listening to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack . . . it has romance, scares, wars and laughter built into the songs. Most of the time I can tell where in the movie it came from because the music is sooo descriptive itself. :-) I know it's not anything having to do with Spas or Sonoma but it's very restful and still has plenty of suspenseful sections.
Fri Aug 15, 09:34:00 AM 2008
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