It’s a Music Thing…. Well, Sort Of – with Shira Anthony
Thanks, J.P., for letting me babble about my three favorite subjects: gay romance, music, and love (okay, sex too)! Even better, thanks for letting me share a bit about the fourth book in my Blue Notes Series of classical music themed gay romances, Prelude, just released by Dreamspinner Press on May 6th. Prelude is Book 4 in the Blue Notes Series. Each book is a standalone story and the series books can be read in any order. Prelude is chronologically the first, even though it’s the fourth book in the series.
So of course I have giveaway contests when I’ve got a new book releasing, right? Everyone likes free stuff. T-shirts, books, you name it. Leave a comment, enter to win. Last week, I got a very interesting comment from one reader on my website about the second book in the series: “Just finished The Melody Thief, and I loved it! Even though I have no musical background, this story brought it all alive for me.” Of course, I’m thrilled when I hear directly from a reader that they enjoyed it. Even more that they have no music background and loved the book.
Which got me thinking (dangerous thing!)… What is it about music that connects with people? What is it in my books they can connect with? I think Prelude answers both questions. I hadn’t thought about it really, not at that level, when I was writing the book. Let me explain.
I’m a former professional musician (violinist and opera singer). Music is in my blood, in my bones, and my gut. I hear music and I get an ear worm. You know, like when you hear “It’s a Small World” at Disney and the stupid (yes stupid!) song repeats over and over ad infinitum in your mind? Yep. That’s me. The protagonist in Prelude is me times a thousand. David Somers, the fictional conductor of the Chicago Symphony, hears music in every person he meets and in every deep emotional reaction he has. And that’s the key. Music=emotion.
That’s what makes you get excited when your favorite song plays on the radio. It’s what gives you goose bumps when you sing in a choir, perform in an orchestra, or just crank the volume up on your stereo and listen to the latest release from your favorite indie band. It’s what chokes you up when you hear the national anthem played. Emotion. And that’s the connection I’m trying to share in the Blue Notes books.
You may not be able to read a note of music. You may be tone deaf (my dad is tone deaf, but he still loves to listen to music). You may love rock, classical, hip-hop, or rap. Doesn’t matter. The way humans connect to music is through their hearts and souls. That’s what Prelude is all about. David looks at Alex Bishop for the first time and sees only his tats and his rough exterior. But when Alex plays his violin, David hears the music of Alex’s soul, and it forges a connection between them that’s strong enough to give David the courage to take a chance on getting hurt again.
The Blue Notes books aren’t about music. Not really. They’re about human emotion and the connections humans form. Music as sex (yes, explicit sex, by the way). Music as pain. Music as joy. Music as promise. Music, as the bridge between human beings.
Want to read an excerpt from the first time David sees Alex? Click on this link (my website) and scroll down to the excerpt tab.-Shira
PS: Want to win some Blue Notes swag? I’ll be giving away winner’s choice of a paperback or ebook of one of the Blue Notes novels as well as a Blue Notes Series t-shirt (winner’s choice of cover) at the end of the Blue Notes blog tour. To enter, comment on this post and the other blog posts to win!
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Prelude by Shira Anthony and Venona Keyes – available from Dreamspinner Press
Summary: World-renowned conductor David Somers never wanted the investment firm he inherited from his domineering grandfather. He only wanted to be a composer. But no matter how he struggles, David can’t translate the music in his head into notes on paper.
When a guest violinist at the Chicago Symphony falls ill, David meets Alex Bishop, a last-minute substitute. Alex’s fame and outrageous tattoos fail to move David. Then Alex puts bow to string, and David hears the brilliance of Alex’s soul.
David has sworn off relationships, believing he will eventually drive away those he loves, or that he’ll lose them as he lost his wife and parents. But Alex is outgoing, relaxed, and congenial—everything David is not—and soon makes dents in the armor around David’s heart. David begins to dream of Alex, wonderful dreams full of music. Becoming a composer suddenly feels attainable.
David’s fragile ego, worn away by years of his grandfather’s disdain, makes losing control difficult. When David’s structured world comes crashing down, his fledgling relationship with Alex is the first casualty. Still, David hears Alex’s music, haunting and beautiful. David wants to love Alex, but first he must find the strength to acknowledge himself.
NOTE: Each Blue Notes novel is a standalone story and books in the series can be read in any order.
Want to buy the Blue Notes Series books? You can find them all here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=54_673
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In her last incarnation, Shira Anthony was a professional opera singer, performing roles in such operas as Tosca, Pagliacci, and La Traviata, among others. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.
Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs, and when she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found aboard a 35’ catamaran at the Carolina coast with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel.
Shira can be found on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shira.anthony
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4641776.Shira_Anthony
Twitter: @WriterShira
Website: http://www.shiraanthony.com
E-mail: shiraanthony@hotmail.com
