Almost a year ago my post offered links to music from YouTube, Get Your Free Music Sample Here. Then in July, 2023, I asked, “Does your protagonist have a music ID? Maybe she should.”
That post was prompted by hearing Michael Connelly, author of the Harry Bosch series, saying at ThrillerFest that he wanted to give the character a “music identity.” My protagonists go to music to recharge and to wind down, to have a good time, and to enjoy having the blues. I love music, so I guess that’s why it seeps into the books.
Here’s some music for you to enjoy the next time you sit down with your protagonist to bounce plotting ideas around. They’re older, but still fresh as ever.
Guramayle by Gigi
Starlit Hour by Ella Fitzgerald
Little Lies by Fleetwood Mac
Lay Down by Melanie
I hope you’ll enjoy listening to these amazing women and that you will consider giving more women musicians (and a woman-fronted band) a shout-out in your work.
Stay in touch,
Lane
PS Sorry about the ads, but you know, free.
Lane Stone
Lane Stone is the author of the art thrillers, THE COLLECTOR and THE CANVAS, plus DEAD MEN DON’T DECORATE. Her first series was the “Tiara Investigation Mysteries,” followed by a co-written standalone romantic suspense, MALTIPOOS ARE MURDER. Next, she wrote the “Pet Palace Mysteries” series.
When not writing, Lane enjoys traveling. Antarctica and Oberammergau in 2022 and Panama Canal and Norway in 2023. Volunteering for worthy causes has always been a part of her life. She is the Virginia state president of the American Association of University Women, and the immediate past co-president of AAUW-Alexandria. In that capacity she was one of the originators of their human trafficking rescue program. (A portion of the proceeds from DEAD MEN DON’T DECORATE is donated to that project.) She serves on the Board of Directors of the Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation. She is a graduate of Georgia State University and serves on the university’s political science department advisory board. She has a post-graduate certificate in Antiquities Theft and Art Crime.
I am a member of Ellie Alexander’s (The Bakeshop Mysteries for a start) Author Academy, and one of the things she says is almost “top of the list important” is her protagonists play list for that adventure. I have a play list for my protagonist, but it includes so pretty rough stuff that only a certain segment of readers may be familiar with (Lacuna Coil and Evanescence for starters), but the rest is mostly stuff I listened to in college in the ’70’s–English punk rock, Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, The Clash, The Ramones…you get my drift! LOL! Protagonist has a lot of stuff to work through. : )
Thank you, Sharon! But now I have Should I Stay or Should I Go? in my head! And I love Ellie Alexander’s books, too.
Love that song! My absolute favorite that can throw me back to college days is London Calling. Those first chords give me goosebumps every time!
These are great, Lane! Ella Fitzgerald is one of my faves~
See you at Malice!