The Story Behind the Story - Sound Effects
Sound Effects, Jamie and Mel’s story, was sort of an accidental one. Over the course of writing Ripple Effects, I absolutely fell in love with this couple. I couldn’t not write their story. But I had two challenges: First, I had to go back 12 years because by the time we meet them in Ripple Effects, they are long married and have two kids. Thus, 2004.
My first inclination was to write Sound Effects in such a way that it could take place any time. That meant no texting, no iPhones, no markers of any kind that would tie the story to a certain time.
But as I began researching the music industry, I realized that 2004 was an incredibly interesting year for music. (Jamie being an aspiring musician, and all.) The iTunes Music Store (now just iTunes) was dragging the music industry kicking and screaming into the digital age of downloadable singles. Its profound impact on the industry cannot be overstated. It was also the year that 360-contracts were taking hold. These were recording contracts that aimed to make up for the revenue lost by a sharp decline in album sales by charging back to the artist every conceivable cost. They were really a nightmare for artists then, and remain so today. And finally, 2004 was the year that MySpace was officially launched. Few may recall that music industry veterans created MySpace as a way to connect artists directly with fans. It became much more than that, but its influence on the music industry was significant.
So how could I not take advantage of this incredibly interesting time in music history? I had to. But it is worth noting that Sound Effects is not a novel about the music industry in 2004. It is a romance novel, first and foremost. And thus, the character arcs take precedence over everything else. I loved the scenes that pertained to the record industry, but the real essence for me was how the events of the book shaped each character’s growth, and their growth as a couple.
The second challenge was that Jamie is Irish. Curse my wild imagination while dreaming up Ripple Effects, and curse my inherent loyalty to an idea once it pops into my head!
For more experienced writers, his Irishness would be no problem. For me–I’m going to be honest here–it was intimidating. And yet, after listening to and reading countless interviews of native Irish speakers, Jamie’s voice came easily–maybe more easily than any character I’ve ever written. Did I take liberties? Absolutely. And any inaccuracies are completely on me. But I wanted to make Jamie as authentic as possible, and also give him a voice that was distinct.
Now, let’s not forget Mel. She was a little easier for me because we share a great love of music and an absolute lack of talent for creating it. And like Mel, I’m a sucker for a good sale. But Mel is a strong heroine with her own vulnerabilities that I think many of us would relate to. I certainly did. And because of that, she will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Finally, I want to say this: as an author, you have a crossover point with every character you create that resonates (or stings, as it may be) with something very real in your own life. That’s what makes a character feel real, rather than cartoonish. This book has many of those points for me. But as wonderfully enjoyable and cathartic as it has been to write Sound Effects, sharing it with others just multiplies the effect. And I’m grateful beyond words for the opportunity to do so.
So, once again, I thank you for welcoming these characters into your lives. Reading is something we do because we want to, and it is my joy and my honor that you have allowed me me a part of your ‘me time.’ I don’t take that gift lightly.
As Jamie would say, you’re magic.
My first inclination was to write Sound Effects in such a way that it could take place any time. That meant no texting, no iPhones, no markers of any kind that would tie the story to a certain time.
But as I began researching the music industry, I realized that 2004 was an incredibly interesting year for music. (Jamie being an aspiring musician, and all.) The iTunes Music Store (now just iTunes) was dragging the music industry kicking and screaming into the digital age of downloadable singles. Its profound impact on the industry cannot be overstated. It was also the year that 360-contracts were taking hold. These were recording contracts that aimed to make up for the revenue lost by a sharp decline in album sales by charging back to the artist every conceivable cost. They were really a nightmare for artists then, and remain so today. And finally, 2004 was the year that MySpace was officially launched. Few may recall that music industry veterans created MySpace as a way to connect artists directly with fans. It became much more than that, but its influence on the music industry was significant.
So how could I not take advantage of this incredibly interesting time in music history? I had to. But it is worth noting that Sound Effects is not a novel about the music industry in 2004. It is a romance novel, first and foremost. And thus, the character arcs take precedence over everything else. I loved the scenes that pertained to the record industry, but the real essence for me was how the events of the book shaped each character’s growth, and their growth as a couple.
The second challenge was that Jamie is Irish. Curse my wild imagination while dreaming up Ripple Effects, and curse my inherent loyalty to an idea once it pops into my head!
For more experienced writers, his Irishness would be no problem. For me–I’m going to be honest here–it was intimidating. And yet, after listening to and reading countless interviews of native Irish speakers, Jamie’s voice came easily–maybe more easily than any character I’ve ever written. Did I take liberties? Absolutely. And any inaccuracies are completely on me. But I wanted to make Jamie as authentic as possible, and also give him a voice that was distinct.
Now, let’s not forget Mel. She was a little easier for me because we share a great love of music and an absolute lack of talent for creating it. And like Mel, I’m a sucker for a good sale. But Mel is a strong heroine with her own vulnerabilities that I think many of us would relate to. I certainly did. And because of that, she will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Finally, I want to say this: as an author, you have a crossover point with every character you create that resonates (or stings, as it may be) with something very real in your own life. That’s what makes a character feel real, rather than cartoonish. This book has many of those points for me. But as wonderfully enjoyable and cathartic as it has been to write Sound Effects, sharing it with others just multiplies the effect. And I’m grateful beyond words for the opportunity to do so.
So, once again, I thank you for welcoming these characters into your lives. Reading is something we do because we want to, and it is my joy and my honor that you have allowed me me a part of your ‘me time.’ I don’t take that gift lightly.
As Jamie would say, you’re magic.
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