The Song that Inspired Haunted Passions
Note: Today's post is a day late because I've been traveling, but I promise to make it up next week -- next Wednesday, I'm going to blog about my trip to Half Moon Pack territory (aka, The Great Smoky Mountains). I need time to get photos together though, so for today...
Haunted Passions is my only book that was inspired by a song (in addition to being inspired by a classic story -- I guess there was just a whole lot of inspiration going around when I wrote it). That song is 'Closure' by Chevelle. If you haven't heard it (you should listen, it's a great song), or just want to hear it again, here's the music video:
I don't know if it seems a little strange that a modern rock song inspired a story set in historical America shortly after the Revolutionary War, but it did. The way my stories are born usually goes like this: I get a 'seed' of a story in my head -- a scene that grips me, featuring characters I know some basic things about. I let it stay in the back of my mind and it sort of ripens for a while (days, weeks, months or longer) until eventually it just explodes into a more fleshed-out story that demands to be told. The 'seed' of Haunted Passions was John's (attempted) suicide scene. I could see him standing out there alone in the dark with the gun while Brom and Katrina were in the farmhouse at the party, and I knew they were my versions of classic Sleepy Hollow characters, and about the love triangle and the engagement, aka, why John was planning to go through with the suicide. But I left that idea in my mind, untouched, for probably almost a year.
Then, one day I was listening to 'Closure' (a song I love by a band I love). The 'seed' scene came into my mind really, really vividly and I had to write it. Had to. So stayed up 'till the wee hours of the morning writing the opening scene of the book -- details from the rest of the story were also whirling through my mind, but eventually I made myself go to bed and woke up to continue on... Well, obviously I finished and Haunted Passions is now a published novel.
Probably everyone who listens to a song perceives it a little differently, and no one really knows what was going on in the writer's head when they penned the lyrics (certainly, the song isn't about what Haunted Passions is about). But to me, 'Closure' gave me a strong feeling of John's sense of loss and resignation that permeates that opening scene. So strong I think I would have crumbled into tiny pieces if I hadn't written it down.
I think music can be one of the most inspiring and emotionally evocative forces...ever. So it's probably no surprise that I felt so strongly about a scene, and ultimately, book that was inspired by a song. And wow, am I glad that Chevelle wrote and performed 'Closure'. I don't know if Haunted Passions would exist if it weren't for that, and the idea makes me sad because I probably put more passion (excuse the pun) into Haunted Passions than any of my other books (not that I don't get totally obsessed with every single one) and I'm too in love with the characters to tolerate the thought of them not existing.
In other relevant news, Haunted Passions recently received a kick-ass 5 star review from Hearts of Fire Reviews. I couldn't resist sharing because this review has probably made me happier than any other review I've ever received. If you'd like, you can read it here .
Also, Haunted Passions is now available here in the Apple iBooks store. There was a delay with distribution to this venue, but it has been resolved. Soon, Haunted Passions will also be available from B&N for Nook.
Haunted Passions is my only book that was inspired by a song (in addition to being inspired by a classic story -- I guess there was just a whole lot of inspiration going around when I wrote it). That song is 'Closure' by Chevelle. If you haven't heard it (you should listen, it's a great song), or just want to hear it again, here's the music video:
I don't know if it seems a little strange that a modern rock song inspired a story set in historical America shortly after the Revolutionary War, but it did. The way my stories are born usually goes like this: I get a 'seed' of a story in my head -- a scene that grips me, featuring characters I know some basic things about. I let it stay in the back of my mind and it sort of ripens for a while (days, weeks, months or longer) until eventually it just explodes into a more fleshed-out story that demands to be told. The 'seed' of Haunted Passions was John's (attempted) suicide scene. I could see him standing out there alone in the dark with the gun while Brom and Katrina were in the farmhouse at the party, and I knew they were my versions of classic Sleepy Hollow characters, and about the love triangle and the engagement, aka, why John was planning to go through with the suicide. But I left that idea in my mind, untouched, for probably almost a year.
Then, one day I was listening to 'Closure' (a song I love by a band I love). The 'seed' scene came into my mind really, really vividly and I had to write it. Had to. So stayed up 'till the wee hours of the morning writing the opening scene of the book -- details from the rest of the story were also whirling through my mind, but eventually I made myself go to bed and woke up to continue on... Well, obviously I finished and Haunted Passions is now a published novel.
Probably everyone who listens to a song perceives it a little differently, and no one really knows what was going on in the writer's head when they penned the lyrics (certainly, the song isn't about what Haunted Passions is about). But to me, 'Closure' gave me a strong feeling of John's sense of loss and resignation that permeates that opening scene. So strong I think I would have crumbled into tiny pieces if I hadn't written it down.
I think music can be one of the most inspiring and emotionally evocative forces...ever. So it's probably no surprise that I felt so strongly about a scene, and ultimately, book that was inspired by a song. And wow, am I glad that Chevelle wrote and performed 'Closure'. I don't know if Haunted Passions would exist if it weren't for that, and the idea makes me sad because I probably put more passion (excuse the pun) into Haunted Passions than any of my other books (not that I don't get totally obsessed with every single one) and I'm too in love with the characters to tolerate the thought of them not existing.
In other relevant news, Haunted Passions recently received a kick-ass 5 star review from Hearts of Fire Reviews. I couldn't resist sharing because this review has probably made me happier than any other review I've ever received. If you'd like, you can read it here .
Also, Haunted Passions is now available here in the Apple iBooks store. There was a delay with distribution to this venue, but it has been resolved. Soon, Haunted Passions will also be available from B&N for Nook.
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