The Unclean Playlist

As many of you know, whenever I write a book, I put together a playlist whose songs reflect various aspects or themes of the work. My playlist for Unclean (which drops February 19th!) is just about finished. You can follow it on Spotify and both enjoy the songs and keep up to date on any future additions to the list. In this post, I'll discuss the meaning behind my choices for a few of my fave songs on the list. In case you don't have Spotify, I'll also list all the songs at the end of this post, and you can find them on the streaming service of your choice.

I recently discovered The Secret Sisters, and I adore this song, "He's Fine." It's about pining for a lost/stolen love, and it makes me think of my character Daved Jennin, who loves Shiloh passionately but lost her to Silas when Silas arranged his marriage to Shiloh.

When I was young, Death Cab for Cutie (once known as The Postal Service) was all the rage. "You've Haunted Me All My Life" makes me think of the connection between Silas and Shiloh that began when Silas killed her mother on the occasion of Shiloh's birth, when Silas, himself, was barely more than a child.

Now, not all of the song fits, but take a look at these lyrics:

You've haunted me all my life

Through endless days and countless nights

There was a storm when I was just a kid

Stripped the last code of innocence . . .

And there's a flaw in my heart's design

For I keep trying to make you mine

Sound like a certain Lord Northgate we know and love?

Unclean finds the somewhat formal and strained relationship between Shiloh and Silas begin to develop a more romantic character. That prompted me to include another Secret Sisters song, "Rattle My Bones."

Lastly for today, a Laura Marling cover of "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall" represent's Shiloh's avenging angel determination through much of the story in Unclean.

Here's a full list for your listening pleasure, and don't forget to order your copy of Unclean!

"Fast and Slow" by Sons of the East

"Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" by Cage the Elephant

"Hard Time" by Seinabo Say

"Electric Bones" by Findlay

"I Will Follow You Into The Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie

"Kid Fears" by the Indigo Girls

"Laughing With" by Regina Spektor

"Blue Lips" by Regina Spektor

"You've Haunted Me All My Life" by Death Cab for Cutie

"Far Away My Love" by Old Bear Mountain

"A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall" by Laura Marling

"The River Song" by Old Bear Mountain

"Medicine" by Old Bear Mountain

"Pilgrim (You Can't Go Home)" by Dave Rawlings Machine

"Long Time Traveller" by The Wailin' Jennys

"Ain't No Grave" by Crooked Still

"The Littlest Birds" by The Be Good Tanyas

"He's Fine" by The Secret Sisters

"Tomorrow Will Be Kinder" by The Secret Sisters

"If I Don't" by The Secret Sisters

"Motherless Child" by The Wailin' Jennys

"Away But Never Gone" by The Wailin' Jennys

"The Times They Are A-Changin'" by Bob Dylan

Hexborn Playlist: Music to Read By

Hexborn is out today!  To celebrate, and to enhance your reading experience, I'm sharing with you some music to read by.

I love all kinds of music.  I'm a singer, and while I'm in the process of writing and editing a book, I often run across songs that touch me and speak to a particular aspect of the story I'm in the midst of creating.  Gradually, I accumulate a list of songs that go along with the novel in some way.

This time, the list was also influenced by the sudden death of my father last fall.  Since he died, I've been listening to a lot of blues and bluegrass, two genres he exposed me to as a child.  You'll see that this Hexborn list is heavily composed of bluegrass and alternative country with a few Blues songs and a couple of more pop tunes.  The bluegrass emphasis is appropriate to the story, since Shiloh, my main character, comes from a small mountain community.

I'll highlight just a few songs for you here.

I chose "Grinnin' in Your Face" by Son House because I adore Son House and because Shiloh, my main character, is the victim of a lot of insults and gossip.  She is bullied because she was born with a medical condition that renders her unclean in the eyes of her neighbors.  She does her best not to allow it to get to her, as advised by Son House in this tune, and she is comforted by the steadfast support of a few treasured loved ones.

"The Water" always makes me cry these days.  To me, it is a song about death and dying.  Shiloh is mourning both her father and her mentor when the book begins, and as I am mourning my own dad, it really speaks to me.

"Love is All" always brings to my mind the character of Silas Hatch, aka "the Hatchet."  He's a man who has hardened his heart in order to be able to fulfill what he sees as his duty, but there is enough of that heart left to contain some very strong loyalties and sentimental ties.

You can listen to the whole playlist on Spotify, but if you don't have Spotify, here is a list of songs and artists:

• "Jolene" by Rhoda Vincent
• "Dance Upon Your Grave" by The Brothers Comatose
• "Troubles" by Anne and Elizabeth
• "Heaven's Gate" by Dawn Landes & Piers Faccini
• "Twitch and Tug" by Hugo
• "Once Was Lost" by Old Bear Mountain
• "Sing to the Mountain" by Elephant Revival
• "Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor" by Mississippi John Hurt
• "Blue Ridge Mountain" by Hurray for the Riff Raff
• "The Body Electric" by Hooray for the Ridd Raff
• "Love is All" by The Tallest Man on Earth
• "The Captain and the Hourglass" by Laura Marling
• "Wrong Black Mare" by Brown Bird
• "Little Sadie" by Doc Watson
• "From Finner" by Of Monsters and Men
• "Hit 'Em Up Style" by Carolina Chocolate Drops
• "The Water" by Johnny Flynn & Laura Marling
• "Spirits" by The Strumbellas
• "The River Song" by Old Bear Mountain
• "Grinnin' in Your Face" by Son House
• "Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac
• "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes
• "Can't Catch Me" by Avicii

I hope you enjoy listening as you read!  Grab your copy today, in either ebook or paperback.

Day 2 of Girl Power Songs

Today's girl power installment, "Run the World (Girls)" by Beyonce.

Two Weeks of Girl Power

In honor of the upcoming election, in which it appears we will elect our first president with two X chromosomes, I will be sharing a girl power song each day on my social media accounts.  I am certain that November Snow, girl vampire extraordinaire, would approve.  Even if you're not a Hillary fan, enjoy the music.

Here's today's offering, from the Muddy Magnolias: American Woman.

Moment of Gratitude for Singing in the Car

I was singing along to the car stereo the other day, and I had a revelation: I hadn't enjoyed that simple pleasure in months.  Months, people.  Like, at least six of them.  I've been feeling so cruddy this year that I hadn't even had the energy to sing in the car.

Those of you who know me know how much I love music.  I've been singing in groups and choirs since I was a kid.  But before my surgery, I was so anemic that I couldn't get through a hymn without getting dizzy from shortness of breath.

So, here's to you, Dr. Nguyen, gynecologic surgeon extraordinaire, and thank God for modern medicine.  

Music to Read and Write By

Writer and musicians live to evoke emotion.  When I'm in the process of writing a book, I often notice songs that possess the same feelings being experienced by the characters about whom I'm writing that day.  So, as I go along, I gradually build up a playlist that goes with the book.  I did this with the my first book, She Dies at the End (click here for the playlist), as well as with the upcoming sequel, She Lights Up the Dark.

You can find the Spotify playlist for She Lights Up the Dark here.  It is quite an eclectic mix.  I'm going to highlight a few of my favorite selections and how they tie to the book.

"Twisted Little Man" by Michael Sheehy is creepy warning of a song, with overtones of desperation and longing for redemption.  It always makes me think of Ilyn and Luka and their strange relationships with November.  I first heard it while watching Deadwood, where it was used during the ending credits one episode, and fans of that show will remember how well it applied to Al and the Sheriff alike.

Regina Spektor's "Apres Moi" calls to mind November's strength and her need to just keep fighting no matter how tired she gets.

"Me, Myself and I" from G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha is the anthem of someone who just feels like saying goodbye to love and to friends and going it alone instead.  I think we all feel that way sometimes.  One of the new characters in the novel has a history of disappearing and trying to sever connections.  Fair warning: there is a lot of swearing in this one.

Joni Mitchell's iconic "Both Sides Now" makes me think of Ilyn, who has seen it all and then some.

In case you don't have Spotify but you still want to listen, here is the complete list of tracks, in no particular order:

Me, Myself, & I by G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha
It's Too Late by Wild Belle
Astronauts by Rachel Platten
Mr. Midnight by The Devil Makes Three
Straightline by Pete Bernhard
Graveyard by The Devil Makes Three
The Bullet by The Devil Makes Three
Ne Me Quitte Pas by Regina Spektor
Two Birds by Regina Spektor
Apres Moi by Regina Spektor
Like a Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan
Mr. Tambourine Man covered by Judy Collins
Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell
Paper Bag by Fiona Apple
Waiting Around to Die by The Be Good Tanyas
Twisted Little Man by Michael Sheehy
Broken Arrows by Avicii
Can't Catch Me by Avicii
Dark Eyes covered by Dawn Landes
Hands to Myself by Selena Gomez
Adore by Jasmine Thompson
Learn to Love by W. Darling
Fast Car - Radio Edit by Jonas Blue, Dakota
Ex's and Oh's by Elle King
Run Run Run by Celeste Buckingham


I'll let you guys try to figure out the ties between this music and my characters and their experiences.  I'm sure you'll come up with some that I missed.  Download the playlist and pre-order your copy of She Lights Up the Dark, and you'll be all ready to listen as you read on April 19.