Sometimes when I am writing, I wonder if there were ever a soundtrack to a book, what would mine sound like?
I usually do that when I am working on something, and my upcoming novel was no different. As I wrote The Dark Proposal, I could hear either rock/heavy metal sounds or even female singer-songwriter songs, depending on the scene. If there were a way I could create a soundtrack album to my book, it would sound like this:
Since my story is about a college graduate named Claire McCormick, I could hear the music of Swedish indie artist Lykke Li as I wrote about her. Yes, that singer had contributed the song “Possibility” to one of the soundtracks of the Twilight series, New Moon, but that is not why I think her music would work with Claire. Lykke Li’s voice sounds young and has a ring of innocence to it. Maybe that’s because it’s kind of high pitched. But either way, the upbeat songs of Lykke Li would work with Claire’s emotions over falling in love with Daniel Bertrand, and at the same time, the sad, dark tunes would echo Claire’s depression and terror over Daniel’s revelation that he is a vampire who wants to make her one too…or else.
For the intense vampire scenes, there were will a lot of rock music, particularly by Sleigh Bells, a new favorite act of mine. This hipster heavy metal duo literally shred at their guitars and bash at their percussion instruments. When I listen to their two albums Treats and Reign of Terror on my iTunes, I could envision the vampires in my book hitting the streets of New York City, looking for their next prey. Their fangs are growing out and they focus on the veins of passerby’s necks. Just the act of jabbing their fangs into someone in an alleyway, the victim’s blood pouring into their mouths, creates the sound of Sleigh Bells.
Along with that group would be Evanescence. The goth rock band would work because lead singer Amy Lee was inspired by the Underworld movies to create the songs from her band’s second album, The Open Door. Plus, there is some sadness and anguish towards the end of my novel, so that group definitely works – as well as Within Temptation. The Dutch symphonic-metal band have a soaring sound to their work, which seems to resonate emotions from both a long time ago, and the current times. Since vampires are immortal, they are creatures from bygone eras living in our days. Classical music mixed with heavy rock sounds would work perfectly with the vampire characters in my book.
I can’t help but wonder if someday books will come with music soundtracks. Hey, who knows? Technology is evolving, and there are video trailers for books – meaning, a medium that uses images and sounds for another medium that only relies on words across paper or a screen. I guess it is safe to say anything is possible.
What about you? Can you hear certain artists in your head while you write? What sort of music soundtrack would you create if your book needed one?
Megan Cashman 