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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Guest Blog: Harlie Williams: Music to Listen to When Writing...is it That Necessary?

I’m one of those writers that have to write in complete silence. It confuses me. I get into the song and then I have to sing it and dance around. I have no playlist that is my go-to when writing. No smexy music to get me in the mood when it comes to writing the sex scenes. In fact, when I was writing my sex scenes for The Couple, I had SpongeBob Squarepants on in the background, courtesy of my son. I hate SpongeBob to this day.

So why the post about music? When I need to clear my head, I listen to 80’s hair bands. If you saw my CD collection, you would think that I was a rock club or stripper bar DJ from way back when. I had friends that were in bands when I was in my 20’s and some of them even made it from the regional clubs. During my wild 20’s, I met Zak Wylde from Ozzy’s band, Dangerous Toys (a regional band from Austin, TX), Gary Cherone from Extreme, Peter Frampton and hung out with the guys from Pantera at a club called The Basement whenever they were in town. Yes, I will write about my times then but NOT until my parents and in-laws have passed. My younger brother and I have a pact.

After a really bad day, I turned on the Sirius radio and tuned up the Hair Bands channel. Lita Ford’s sexy song “Hungry” came on and I started to sing. After I listened to it, I downloaded the video to my YouTube channel and then read the lyrics. All of a sudden the light bulb came on and this song was the prefect song for my story.

Lita Ford “Hungry”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A148rQbZ0uk&feature=BFa&list=FL4GHHlBqWYor5GZMEaZdbIQ

Now, I know that there are some people that don’t like rock music and trust me, what I listened to ‘back in the day’ wouldn’t fly now. I miss the days when songs were about partying, sex, drinking and generally have a great time. I HATE Nirvana for killing music. Sigh. I digress.

What makes this song so perfect is that it’s honest, raw and sexy. Plus, come on…its Lita Ford. When I started going through the hardcore critique of my story a couple of more songs popped in my head and wouldn’t leave. For some reason, Rick Springfield’s song “Souls” kept ringing in my ears. I know, Rick Springfield. Hey, I still like him, so sue me. Again, did the same thing with “Souls”, downloaded the video (horrible) but then read the lyrics and BAM…another song for my story.

Rick Springfield “Souls”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhT97glh3zE&feature=BFa&list=FL4GHHlBqWYor5GZMEaZdbIQ

Of course, this song was cleaned up for our virgin…cough, cough…ears then. Listen now and it’s sexy as hell. I will leave you with one more song that I sing every day. It makes me happy and face it…it’s great rock and roll. Crue dude! And keep rocking with Dokken…

Dokken “You Just Got Lucky”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECr98ZOnsig&feature=BFa&list=FL4GHHlBqWYor5GZMEaZdbIQ

Motley Crue “Same Ol’ Situation”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXG0q0qesRw&feature=BFa&list=FL4GHHlBqWYor5GZMEaZdbIQ

BIO:
Reader of everything and writer of romance. Story must have HEA or I will put it down.HFN can apply but it must make sense.

Grew up in Dallas, TX and now I live in East Texas with my own hero and our son.

I love to hear from my readers.
Please email me at harliewilliams25@gmail.com

P.S. Yes, I’m that Harlie from Harlie’s Books

BLURB:
A woman has one thing on her mind tonight…sex. Dirty, sweaty, kinky sex with a cowboy. With her man gone more than he is at home, she needs the release.

After being away for two weeks, a cowboy goes looking for someone to play with for the night. Being away is part of the job but not having someone to come home to is hurting his soul. Feeling disconnected in his love life, the red head will be perfect.

Once they meet, can one night of pure passion led to more than just a one night stand for either of them? Communication is the key to every relationship. Can these two find a way to connect emotionally or are they destined for heartache.

Links:

Author site: http://www.harliewilliams.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marika67
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harlie-Williams-Writer/224885394212458
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/marikaweber25
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/BriansMom
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marika-weber/36/a20/a63
Buy Link from Publisher (MuseItUp)

17 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh sorry Hallie, I have to disagree. I have to have music going. Mostly movie soundtracks from films that inspired some emotion in me to begin with. If I cry, get angry, laugh, whatever during a movie, I will get the official soundtrack and use that in my writing.

And yes, tell our age, I'm a die-hard 80's hair bands girl too! Still love Journey, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Poison and oh I could go on! But I won't.

Most of the time, unless I need inspiration for a specific moment, I put on Jack FM. Once and a while, I'll catch myself chair dancing, but most of the time, it's just noise to help me focus.

Just my two cents worth!

Harlie Williams said...

Oooooo Jack FM is the perfect mix of everything. Old, not so new and some new. Its a great station to listen to.

Jon Bon Jovi was supposed to marry me but he didn't. :)

And do not get me started on Def Leppard. I haven't missed one of their shows since 1983. Oh and Edward Van Halen...forget about it. Haven't missed a Van Halen concert since 1984.

Yep, I'm a diehard and I will not grow up.

Music soundtracks are my guilty pleasure when it comes to music. Anything that Michael Kamen did, I've bought. :)

Harlie

Molly Daniels said...

I was thrilled when I sang 'Don't Stop Believing' by Journey at karaoke and it actually sounded decent:)

I also love REO Speedwagon (just heard Time For Me To Fly yesterday), and wrote the ending to one of my books to a Bon Jovi CD set on 'repeat'.

Was lucky enough to catch the Journey/Def Leppard concert in 2006:) (swoon)

Nikki said...

Music and writing go hand in hand for me. Both have been my expression on my feelings. I put headphones on while writing, so that I can tune out the world. With extra people living in my house, I need that distraction or I'll have to throttle one of them when I'm trying to write. Complete silence at times freaks me out. I need some background noise.

PS- I can't STAND Spongebob! Never could! BLECH. lol

Maria D. said...

I love music too but I can't listen to music and read at the same time either....I can email and listen to music though ....go figure....lol

Harlie Williams said...

@Molly - Journey and REO. I was playing piano when I discovered REO Speedwagon and for a time, that's what I wanted to do...play piano for a rock band. He made it look sexy!

@Nikki - SpongeBob is the bane of my life. I make Brian shut his bedroom door when he watches. Ugh! Now, The Fairly Oddparents...that's a funny show.

@Maria - I read in total silence too. Now, I can write a review with music on. Weird...

Melissa Keir said...

I'm also a complete silence person. I can't handle the noise of the hubby watching TV or the sounds of the teens arguing. I do love hiding in my bed to write.

80's music rocked! I was more of a punk girl and still love to listen to the music. There's nothing like finding a song that will inspire a story.

Harlie Williams said...

@Melissa - I loved punk, too. I saw the original, yes, original Sex Pistols in 1995 and I was completely blown away. Huge fan of the movie Sid and Nancy, too. Graphic but poignant.

Also, HUGE fan of the Goo Goo Dolls before they went mainstream. Great band and Johnny is easy on the eyes.

That said, one of the "punkish" new bands I like...Green Day. Don't ask but I like them.

Unknown said...

Loved your music choices and reasoning...especially Rick Springfield...still love him!

Now, I have always been a country girl (but know some rock, especially 80's Hair Bands, from being around friends who hated country. ;)

See I could come up with a whole country playlist for The Couple. It was SO hot! It was like a slice of life view into their weekend and I loved it.

Fun post...Oh and love me some Adam Ant and Def Leppard's Pour Some Sugar on Me. Me and my taste in music! lol

Harlie Williams said...

@liberty - You know I would totally love to see that playlist. :)

PSSOM is the ultimate stripper song and one that you either love or hate. Personally...LOVE!

Nicole Morgan said...

I like to have music get me started, but am far too whacky to concentrate on my writing if I keep it going. LOL... but, I admit I am also a Bon Jovi fan. :)

Cara Marsi said...

I enjoyed your post, Harlie. I need complete silence when I write. Can't have TV on or anything that makes noise. I know many authors who listen to music as they write and are inspired by it and I think that's great. The only time I've used music to help me write was when I was writing my story set in Italy. I listened to a CD of Italian opera music my cousin's boyfriend did for me. He's an internatinal tenor. I have to say I was inspired. My music taste runs to Classic Rock-Stones, Beatles, Led Zepellin, etc.

Harlie Williams said...

Thanks Cara and Nicole. I can see where authors would need music to write by but for me, its silence. When I'm alone during the day, the television doesn't even come on. I love the silence.

Of course, chaos reigns as soon as I pick up the kid from school.

This is why silence is golden to me when writing. I learned that from SpongeBob. Ugh!

Liza O'Connor said...

I turn on music sometimes when writing, but it needs to be low enough that I can hear the words. Otherwise, I'll start typing the songs into my story. Like, hey momma rock me shows up in the middle of a fight. I like Bruuuuuuuce too. But don't sue me.

Harlie Williams said...

@Liza - no worries about Bruce! My dad still cranks in the car and he's 72!

Harlie

Courtney J. Hall said...

I'm a weird mix between the music person and the complete silence person. I can't have music on when I write. It's too distracting. Even the Spotify station I created to listen to while writing, which is mainly just Renaissance lute recordings and church music, is too much. I do have songs that inspire me, and create playlists after the fact, but I can't have them on while I'm writing. I just listen to them to get in the mood to start writing, then I turn them off.

However, I do most of my writing at my day job, where I'm the office manager at a manufacturing plant with a forge. I can write thousands of words while a 2-ton hammer is pounding steel 50 feet away from me. But music? Forget it!

Harlie Williams said...

At my last day job, I started writing The Couple. The phones ringing off the hook, people coming in and out and no problems. To me it was white noise; music, forget it.

Marika/Harlie

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