Sydney's Soundtrack

I've mentioned before that music is an important part of my writing process. Only when I'm working on a more intense/emotional scene will I skip music and embrace the quiet. And that doesn't happen very often. I almost always need a playlist running in the background, something to keep my brain occupied when I hit the rough patches or run out of words. Without music keeping me motivated, I may be tempted to play a few rounds of Candy Crush, and I usually prefer to play that at night where I can brag to Master Chef about beating his high scores :)

I didn't always need music when I worked. I'm pretty sure that when I wrote my first book--which is safely protected by a dust bunny commune under the bed--I didn't listen to music while I was writing. Somewhere between finishing that first book and my next, I became addicted to making playlists to go with whatever scenes I was working on. 

So here's a little peek at the music behind the books. The videos below often don't suit the movie trailers of my books when they play through my mind, but the lyrics definitely do.  

When I originally wrote Trust Me in 2005 Hanging by a Moment by Lifehouse became the theme song for the book.

I've talked about my mad love for Lifehouse before and they're song Whatever It Takes inspired the title for the third Spellbound book.

Bonnie Tyler's Holding Out for a Hero definitely loosely inspired my vigilante romance, Waitin' on a Hero. I recently found a new version of the song that I love.

Behind These Hazel Eyes by Kelly Clarkson was Jordan's theme song in Unbreakable. It has an edge to the song that really fits with a kickass heroine struggling with the fact that the man she loved didn't actually die in her arms.

For my redo romance, Call Me Cupid (which was the fastest story I've written) I listened to something a little softer, Chantal Kreviazuk's All I Can Do.

I already blogged about what songs I listened to a lot while I was working on Busted. Most recently I replayed Rihanna's Stay while editing a scene from Primal Temptation.

Yes, I've got a slight music addiction and the iTunes account to prove it. :) It's my drug of choice when it comes to writing and I couldn't imagine not listening to it while I work. What about you guys? Do you like to work to music? What songs are your favorites right now?