#Music, My Muse: part 5, the finale by Toi Thomas #OurAuthorGang

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So, today, in part 5, the finale, of the Music My Muse series, I’ll be sharing some brief thoughts on musical scores and settings. (see part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4 here).

While it’s quite possible that not many remember, or ever even knew (I’m guilty), the names of the songs that made up some of the most iconic musical scores in history, the impact of these works is no less important or legendary. When people hear “Also sprach Zarathustra” they automatically think of monoliths, deep space, and killer A.I., aka 2001 Space Odyssey. When people hear “Speak Softly, Love” they imagine large Italian American families, mobsters, and a horse’s head, aka The Godfather.

I think there is a musical score out there for every imaginable setting if you’re willing and open to it. Sometimes, though, it doesn’t have to be a score. There are popular songs that can also help shape the setting or world you’re creating, if you know where to look.

While I admit that my Legend of the Boy story isn’t nearly as sweet, the score for E.T. helped me when I was trying to develop an adult-driven sci-fi world where a boy could save or destroy it. To this day, I haven’t been able to figure out why a good slow waltz helped me carve out the settings for my It’s Like the Full Moon book, but it is what it is. There are so many songs and scores that have helped me develop the world of Eternal Curse that I can’t begin to mention them all now.

Even outside of my writing, I find the right score can set the mood in my life. Sometimes when I’m sad, and it’s a time when it’s okay to be sad and express those feelings, I find myself listening to "La Boheme". When I’m trying to hype myself up, when I’m trying to get into the right mindset to do something a little crazy that might be fun, but could totally end up badly, the Rocky theme usually works. And when I’m preparing a meal for a friend for the first time, I find Disney tunes keep me in high spirits as I toil to delight. I hope you’ve enjoyed this series on music and writing and hope that you’ve maybe found some inspiration along the way.

Good music, creative writing, and happy reading.

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Find out more about me, my work, and my inspiration at the following links:

Amazon | Goodreads | The ToiBox of Words | YouTube | See a list of my other posts here.

#themesong #score, #soundtrack, #music, #Pinterest

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For anyone who’s interested, I’m sharing a new short story for the W.E.P. challenge over at The ToiBox of Words.

COMMENTS

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Sherry Ellis

10 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

John Williams is probably my favorite film score composer.

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Trisha F.

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Film scores are some of the best, most inspiring music, I agree!

 

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Ruth de Jauregui via Google+

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Toi shares her love of music and how it inspires her writing. A fantastic close to her series.

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Ruth de Jauregui

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Fantastic. I love music and I do write better when I turn the boob tube off and put on Pandora. Thank you for reminding me.

 

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Joe Bonadonna via Google+

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Today on A Small Gang of Authors, Toinette Thomas brings to a conclusion her wonderful 5-part article on music: "Music, My Muse."

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Joe Bonadonna

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

This is great, Toi. Sad to see your 5-part series come to an end.

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View all 4 replies

Toi Thomas

11 months ago

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+Joe Bonadonna Cool.

Joe Bonadonna

11 months ago

 

 

+Toi Thomas -- thanks. I think you'll like the books i talk about.

Toi Thomas via Google+

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

I'm so happy to share part 5, the finale, of my series on music and writing. I hope you've enjoyed Music, My Muse.

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Mary Anne Yarde

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Lovely post! I always listen to music when I write!!

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Toi Thomas

11 months ago

 

 

Thank you.

Grace Au

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Sorry to see this series of blog posts end. Thanks so much for your take on music and writing, Toi. Brilliant!

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Toi Thomas

11 months ago

 

 

Thank you. Even if it didn't help with my writing, I'd still love music.

Rebecca Tran

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

I still remember my dad when I hear certain songs on the radio and he's been gone over 20 years now. But he'd sing them at the top of his lungs and I can see his face clearly with every lyric as if he were right there singing terribly in my ear.

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Toi Thomas

11 months ago

 

 

I love this. What a wonderful memory and testament to just how much music stays with us and even connects us to others.

Rebecca Tran

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Find out how music influences your writing and your life with this great post by Toi Thomas on Our Author Gang.

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Erika M Szabo via Google+

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

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Erika M Szabo

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

It's been a great series Toi, I really enjoyed every part of it :)

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Toi Thomas

11 months ago

 

 

Thank you.

Nikki McDonagh

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Great post. Music is a huge part of my life as my husband is a professional musician and composer, so there is always a tune being played whilst I write.

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Toi Thomas

11 months ago

 

 

How cool is that. Two creative people sharing words and tunes together. Love it.

Rich Feitelberg

11 months ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Interesting post. I recently had to write an elven lullaby for my fantasy series. The words were easy. It was the melody I struggled with.

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Toi Thomas

11 months ago

 

 

As much as I love music, if I had to write it, I'm sure it would be a disaster. That's great that you have the skill to do it.

Inspiration - part two - Nature #OurAuthorGang

When I struggle to find something to write about, my inspiration often comes from the visual side of life. As a photographer, I suppose that is only natural. Nature has always inspired me. I live in the Suffolk countryside and am surrounded by fields and wildlife. I only need to look out of a window to see or hear something fascinating and beautiful.

One of my short stories, Scarecrow, from the anthology, Glimmer, was based on a rundown smallholding I went to look at when searching for a new house. The dilapidated interior, weathered outbuildings, and surrounding fields gave me an idea for what became a tale of a runaway girl and a lonely old man.

“Stumbling and falling, she headed towards a low privet hedge at the end of an overgrown meadow. When she reached it, she stopped and peered over the picket fence. The girl saw a house half hidden behind two large fir trees. The garden was overgrown, and the lawn strewn with rusty barrels, ripped tarpaulins, and dented oil drums. She climbed over the fence and looked around. There was a dilapidated outbuilding a few feet away with a large stack of wood propped up against it. The girl ran towards the building and ducked down behind a water butt attached to a cracked drainpipe.
When her breathing slowed and the pounding in her chest eased, she tilted her head to one side and listened. A strange shuffling noise like someone brushing up dead leaves made the girl hold her breath. It was not leaves, though, but footsteps heading her way.”

Once, I found a complete skeleton of a bird. I took a picture of it and the skull became the cover for my second anthology of short stories - Crow Bones. It didn’t inspire a poem or a piece of prose, but it did give me an eye-catching book cover.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6CT8PZ

The moon has been a favourite with writers for years. Whether in poetry or prose, it has a special meaning and been the subject of folklore, superstitions, and female empowerment. Apparently, it can even drive you mad or turn you into a werewolf. Not surprising it is used frequently in literature. Indeed, our beautiful celestial orb has given  authors something to write about for thousands of years.  One of my favourite moon quotes is by the 17th Century Japanese poet, Matsuo Basho: 

"The moon lives in the lining of your skin."   

It has a strange face that seems to stare at us in wonder at what the heck we humans will do next. Does she judge us from afar? Or merely condemn us with her round-mouthed, wide-eyed look?

In my Dystopian novel, A Silence Heard, the moon is a source of inspiration for the heroine, guiding her with its light, and giving her hope that she will win the battle ahead:

“The moon shone bright. A shock-faced ball in the black sky that looked down on the three of us as if to shout, “Prevail. Stand steady.” The wind whipped around our feet and legs and a swirl of ash and dry earth spiralled up before us. I coughed and spat out the filthy soil that bore the taste of Agro boot.”

But it’s not just the moon that inspires me. Recently, a herd of red deer stumbled into the field opposite my house. They stayed there for about an hour just staring at the cars that went past. They didn’t move until the alpha stag raised his head and let out a hoarse-like moo sound, and as quick as a blink, they were gone leaving heart-shaped indents in the churned up earth. Now, there has to be a story in that.

To end this post on Inspiration, a photograph of my cat Storm, because his beauty, grace, and quirky face will always give me pause for thought.

If you want to know more about my work, please visit my Amazon page:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nicola-McDonagh/e/B00D4NAH0S/

All photographs are by Nicola McDonagh.

The Grande Dames of Classic Science Fiction

By Ruth de Jauregui

While there are many wonderful women writers in speculative fiction, the Grande Dames remain the classic science fiction writers Andre Norton and Octavia Butler. Both, sadly, have left the building, but their wildly imaginative worlds remain for us to read and reread.

Norton had been a huge influence on my reading and writing. Honestly, I can't remember which book I read first, I just know I was hooked from day one. Today her books would be considered YA, and what a great start for any reader!

Norton wrote wonderful coming of age stories of intrepid characters, including Dane Thorson as he blasts off into adventure on the Solar Queen; Troy Horan, who escapes the slum of the Dipple with his enhanced animal companions; Murdoc Jern, whose life spins into chaos when his mentor is killed and he meets the mutant alien Eet; and Simsa, who was unique amid the inhabitants of the Burrows and found her truths in the unknown ruins hidden in the wastelands of her world. In addition, Norton's Witch World series is the archetype of the modern fantasy novel.

When Norton began writing science fiction, the science fiction magazines were considered trashy. The field was dominated by men, so Norton used pen names Andre Norton and Andrew North. (Though among her favorite authors were Leigh Brackett and C.L. Moore.)

The publishing business changed dramatically during her career. Once writers took a smaller advance and received royalties for years. Later, books were barely on the shelves before they were remaindered and new books took their place, which pretty much devastated the mid-list market.

In a 1996 interview with John L. Coker III for Tangent Magazine, she said, "Getting published depends a great deal on luck. It involves getting the right type of book to the right editor at the right time. I lost out on sales twice because they had already bought a book on the same subject. It also depends on networking. When one hears that a company is interested in certain kind of books, you can try your book out there, since since you know that the editor would read it. If you offered it to an editor who was not in favor of that type of book, no matter how well it was written, it wouldn't go. They don't bring out books just because they are well written, it's all about how much money they can make."

She also foresaw today's market, saying, "A good way to start these days, if you want to sell, is to write in the Young Adult field. It's not as crowded. I also think that the small press today provides a chance for writers to get started."

I would tell any new author that's focused on the speculative fiction market to read Norton's works (not the ones written with other authors – stick to her earlier works) and peruse the estate-authorized website, Andre Norton Books. Fortunately, some of her books that are out of print are available as ebooks or bindups through Baen.

In addition, yes, go ahead and submit to Tor, Baen and other publishers, but if you can't get a foot in the door, hire an editor, formatter and a cover designer and go indie.

Next time, I'm going to focus on the other Grande Dame of Science Fiction, Octavia Butler.

Norton's full interview: http://andre-norton-books.com/index.php/18-biography/interviews-with-a-lady/6-days-of-wonder

Norton's books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Andre-Norton/e/B000APZD0M

#AndreNorton  #GrandeDameOfScienceFiction  #OurAuthorGang  #ASmallGangOfAuthors  #RuthDJ