Have you ever created playlists on music platforms like Spotify or iTunes? I have on both of those, but I’d never thought of creating a playlist for my characters.
A few weeks ago, my friend and fellow author, Adele Jones, did just that by posting playlists to accompany her YA novels and current work-in-progress. You can read her post here.
That got me thinking about a playlist for Maggie, the main character in my book Scattered, set in Nova Scotia in 1882. These three songs jumped out at me.
I Will Find You
The haunting song ‘I Will Find You’ was originally written by Ciaran Brennan for the soundtrack of the movie ‘The Last of the Mohicans’. I think it also encapsulates Maggie’s quest because she is determined to find her young brother and sister who were mistakenly sent to Canada as home children without her knowledge. Obstacle after obstacle is thrown in her path, but she never gives up. She could easily sing the lines, ‘No matter where you go, I will find you, if it takes a thousand years.’ Click here for the YouTube clip of Clannad performing the song. (This pic shows me fangirling with Moya Brennan, the lead singer of Clannad, after their performance at Brisbane City Hall in 2013.)
Different Worlds
I also wanted a song to capture the love story between Maggie and Nash that bubbles along in the background of the novel. Of all the thousands of love songs, ‘Different Worlds’ resonated with me. It’s about people from different backgrounds who fall in love, and that seems to fit my power couple, with Maggie being from England and Nash being from Nova Scotia, Canada. However, the song also contains imagery about the ocean, lighthouses, waves and fog; which mirror Maggie’s experiences of being shipwrecked on Sable Island and having to face other storms in order to reach her happy ending. Click here for the YouTube clip with lyrics. (The song is written by Steven Stern and George Krikes; and performed by Jes Hudak.)
No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus
Throughout the novel, Maggie also undergoes a faith journey. She’s experienced a lot of loss in her life, but has to come to a point where she realises that Jesus is the one person who will never leave her. Steffany Gretzinger’s song ‘No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus’ really captures Maggie’s heart’s cry. Click here for the YouTube clip with lyrics.
I’d love to know what you think about this playlist. If you’re a writer, have you ever thought of a playlist or theme songs for your books? If you’re a reader, what song/s would best capture the essence of the book you’re currently reading? I’d love to hear your examples.
Photo Credit
Featured photo by Bernd Everding on Pixabay.
2 Responses
Nola, I love the way you’ve included an explanation behind each song selection. Helps make it a little more personal for the listener and strengthens that connection between the song and the story. I find playlists such a great way to visualise the story film-like and every time I hear the songs from my lists, there’s that jolt of significance with the character/story attached to it. Thanks also for the shout out. 🙂
Thanks for that, Adele, especially for giving me the idea! I’m already thinking about the playlist that might go with my new WIP. It certainly does help you to visualise it. If I can find a good one to go with my character’s motivation, I figure it will also help me to stay on track with the main theme. Thanks for taking the time to comment.