When in Doubt...Make a Playlist

I'm posting my Spotify playlist here.

The strangest thing about writing to music, for me, is the certain sense of ambience required. Not every book feels the same, which may seem obvious. Generally,  as far as Adam goes, I tried to use songs I thought he'd listen to or else music which put him--his journey, his struggles, his emotional arc--in mind.

When I wrote fantasy, movie soundtracks were perfect. The more bombastic or brassy, the better for battles; reed or string-heavy music I loved for slower, emotional scene work. These days I prefer sensuous instrumentals, a la Eric Whitacre's Water Music, or better soulful, storied vocals. So you'll find Ed Sheeran and Josh Groban and Beyoncé, all of whom have influenced this particular draft. The second draft of this book, for some reason, I wrote to heavy amounts of Boys Like Girls. Tyler Ward's collaboration with Rachel Lampa of Adele's original Someone Like You is a perfect example of the kind of song I needed to flesh out Adam's relationship with Terry. Nick Jonas's Push defines how Evan and Adam view each other; even as their hearts deepen in affection for one another, a definite sexual pull keeps them tied together.

So there's my music. We'll see what happens with the next book.