SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About TLT
  • Reviews
    • Book Reviews
    • A to Z Book Lists
    • Book Review Policy
  • Teen Issues
  • Middle Grade Mondays
  • Programs
    • TPiB
    • Tech Talk
  • Professional
    • Teen Services 101
    • Things We Didn’t Learn in Library School
  • MakerSpace
  • Projects
    • #SVYALit
    • #FSYALit
    • #MHYALit
    • #Poverty in YA Lit

February 12, 2013 by Karen Jensen, MLS

The Power of Music, a guest post by author Melissa Darnell

February 12, 2013 by Karen Jensen, MLS   1 comments

Crave, book 1 in The Clann Series

Thank you for having me here today!

The recent movie premier of “Les Miserables” has made me really think about the power of music lately. I realize that for some, having music in their lives every day isn’t that big a deal. But for me, I have always been extremely drawn to music and have to listen to at least an hour or two of it every day or I just don’t “feel right”. Strangely though, if I were a superhero, music would be both my kryptonite AND my power enhancer. Different songs have the ability to instantly make me feel hopeful for the future (like “30 Seconds to Mars’” music video for Closer to the Edge) or make me sob like a baby (Katy Perry’s music video for “The One That Got Away” does it to me every time!). And while I still can’t manage to recall the entire basic multiplication table, I can somehow remember all the words to the classic old school rock n’ roll songs my dad used to play in his automotive repair shop when I was a kid! Maybe that stubborn, gaping disparity in the way my subconscious works explains why I always preferred dancing to trigonometry?
Although my competitive dancing days are long past, music still plays a huge role in my daily life, and this is never truer than when I write.  I’m one of those writers who needs specific music to listen to for every book I write so I can stay in the right mood for each scene…a challenge made even tougher when the hubby and kids do their best to crack me up (which usually happens right when I’m in the middle of writing extra tense conflict!)  So once I’ve plotted out a new novel’s outline, I always sit down and spend a day or two creating a unique playlist for it before I get going on the rough draft.
Consume by Melissa Darnell, book 3 in The Clann Series
Published by Harlequin Teen, 2013
In the case of Consume, book three in my Clann series, I included a few songs from the previous two Clann Series books’ playlists along with new songs. This helped me remember that this story is both a continuation of their romantic saga as well as its conclusion and helped emotionally bring it all around full circle, so to speak.
While the full length, official playlist for Consume won’t be revealed until the novel’s release in September 2013, I can give you a sneak peek at a few of the fairly eclectic mix of songs that will be included, which also hint at some of the major moments to come for Tristan, Savannah, Emily, and the entire Clann Series cast of characters. If you’re a movie soundtrack lover like me, you might also recognize the movies several of these songs were featured in!
“You Must Love Me” by Madonna
“Safe and Sound” by Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars
“Disenchanted” by My Chemical Romance
“I Don’t Care” by Apocalyptica featuring Adam Gontier
“No One Moves, No One Gets Hurt” by Bedouin Soundclash
“The Son Never Shines (On Closed Doors)” by Flogging Molly
“Ungodly Hour” by The Fray
“Falling” by The Civil Wars
“Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by Emily Browning
“Heaven” by O.A.R.
“Stand” by Rascal Flatts
“Vox Populi” by 30 Seconds to Mars
“Born to Die” by Lana Del Rey
“Without You” (piano/cello cover version) by The Piano Guys
Of course, the official playlist for Consume is much longer because I usually have one song for every scene and even two or three for the major ones.  But this sneak peek will give you an idea of what’s coming for Tristan and Savannah later this year. 😉
Want to suggest a song of your own for Consume’s playlist? Sometimes I discover the best new-to-me songs for my next book’s playlist because of readers. (For instance, “Bloodstream” by Stateless, the first song listed in Covet’s playlist, was recommended to me by a fan on Facebook.) If you’ve got a favorite song you think is the perfect fit for Tristan and Savannah, I would love to hear from you at www.MelissaDarnell.com, or on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/TheClannSeries) or Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/theclannseries).
Once Consume goes on sale in September 2013, its full length playlist, excerpts, and links to its print and ebook versions in the US and abroad will be posted at www.TheClannSeries.com, where you can already find excerpts, playlists, and sales info for the U.S. and international versions of Crave (Clann Series book #1) and Covet (Clann Series book #2), the histories of the Clann and vamp factions, and a whole lot more. Be sure to also follow me at Twitter or Facebook for updates on Consume’s release and full length playlist, which could include YOUR suggested songs too!
For more on book playlists, read this post on The Soundtrack of Your Books

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed under: Consumer, Harlequin Teen, Melissa Darnell, Music, Playlists, The Clann Series

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Karen Jensen, MLS

Karen Jensen has been a Teen Services Librarian for almost 30 years. She created TLT in 2011 and is the co-editor of The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services with Heather Booth (ALA Editions, 2014).

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

November 2011

The Soundtrack of Your Books: When Music and Books Collide

by Karen Jensen, MLS

February 2019

Fight the Power: Music as a Social Force, a guest post by Lisa Krok

by Karen Jensen, MLS

April 2015

We Call Upon the Author: A Literary Playlist

by Karen Jensen, MLS

April 2015

Teenage Anthems: The Soundtrack to TLT's Teen Years

by Karen Jensen, MLS

April 2015

This Song Will Save Your Life: Push by Matchbox Twenty, a guest post by author Leila Sales (Blog Tour)

by Karen Jensen, MLS

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Sydney Taylor Blog Tour: THE TOWER OF LIFE by Chana Stiefel and Susan Gal

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Abecedarian Movement and Dance: A Q&A with Corinna Luyken About ABC and You and Me!

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Haley Newsome on Unfamiliar | Interview

by J. Caleb Mozzocco

Heavy Medal

What’s Coming in 2023, A Feedback Poll, and Goodbye for Now…

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Writing Trans Joy in Spite of Everything, a guest post by Edward Underhill

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

A Book 25 Years in the Making: Marla Frazee Visits The Yarn

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

WATCH: Kekla Magoon Talks to Ibi Zoboi About Family, Identity, and Diverse Books

Five Debut YA Authors On Their Challenges, Surprises, and Advice for Teens

Great Joy and Self-Love: Renée Watson on "Love Is a Revolution"

Q&A: Kacen Callender on Self-Love, the Pandemic, and 'Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution'

Diverse Mentorship: Angeline Boulley and Diana Ma in Conversation

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Olya Olegovna says

    February 19, 2013 at 1:56 pm

    This is so cool..thanks so much for the info. Love it! questmp3

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2023


COPYRIGHT © 2023