Play on Words {1} : Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Hey Remarkable Readers,

     I'm going to try another new feature here on the blog!  It's called "Play on Words."  I've been working on it for a few months now and am finally ready to introduce it in time for the summer.  Did you know that some authors make playlists for their books?  I wanted to have a feature about those awesome playlists and show the impact of music on literature.  I thought this would be the perfect way to do it!  Each post will consist of a playlist and a specific book title.  It will be seperated into three parts: The Book, The Music, and The Interview, (and sometimes The Giveaway ;).  I will then ask the author a few questions and then you can give the music a listen!

Our first author is Wendy Higgins who wrote Sweet Evil.  You can listen to her music using the widget in this post. 

The Book 

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?
Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

The Music

Here are the included songs ( along with a bit of information about each choice) :

“Good Girls Go Bad” by Cobra Starship 

Our heroine, Anna, is warned by her friend Jay not to fall victim to the “good girl syndrome” when she meets Kaidan Rowe. I think we all know he’s wasting his breath.

“Break Your Heart” by Taio Cruz 

Kai attempts to instill a “healthy fear” into Anna, who tends to see the best in people. He gives her an honest and frightful glimpse of his dark nature and his past.

“My First Kiss” by 3OH!3 featuring Ke$ha 

Road trip fun . . . I shall say no more. *wink, wink*

“Let It Rock” by Kevin Rudolf 

Nobody rocks harder or brings a hotter fire than Kaidan Rowe. He’ll make you come alive and take you higher, as Anna learns firsthand.

“Bring Me to Life” by Evanescence 

Just when Anna begins to feel alive for the first time, she’s immersed in the cold truth about how her life must be.

“Whataya Want from Me” by Adam Lambert 

This question is asked in the Halloween chapter, but I imagine Kai feels this way a lot—wanting and needing, but unable to give in return.

“Waiting for the End” by Linkin Park 

This is the song I see Anna playing over and over during those lonely holiday scenes, living at the mercy of the pain and the fear.

“Clocks” by Coldplay 

This song encompasses what Kai experiences in the ending chapters surrounding the summit: cursing missed opportunities, wondering if he’ll always be part of the disease rather than the cure.

The Interview

How do you choose your music for the playlist?

I don't set out to choose songs - when I'm in "writing mode" (that crazy frame of mind where I can't get the story out of my head) and I'm listening to the radio while I drive, certain lines stand out to me and make me think of a scene or how a certain character feels, or the tone of the song fits the mood of my book, etc. Then when I stop at a red light I hunt down a pen and scrap of paper, write down the line/lyrics, and immediately go home and buy the song from iTunes.

Do you choose your songs before or after you know the basic plot of the book?

It's usually while I'm in the middle of the writing process, so I know the basic plot, but it's subject to change. 

Are your songs in chronological order?

Basically, yes

Do you actually write while listening to the music or just use the playlist as inspiration?

Oh, no, no.  I have to have silence to write. And I have to be alone. I'm so weird. Music inspires me during those moments when I'm not able to be in front of my computer. The songs keep my mind close to the story world.

Does one song in particular stand out to you or relate to your book more than the other songs?

Every single time I hear "Let it Rock" Kaidan is there in my mind, front and center, total badass. 

What’s your favorite lyric in any of the music?

From "Let it Rock" this is the effect Kaidan has on Anna:
"Because when I arrive, I, I'll bring the fire,
Make you come alive, I can take you higher."

What’s your favorite song on the playlist?

Besides "Let it Rock"..."Good Girls Go Bad" is so much fun and totally cracks me up with its appropriateness, but I think "Whataya Want from Me" is FULL of frustration and brokenness, so the emotion of that song really hits home for me. 

What’s you favorite song right now (it doesn’t have to be on the playlist)?

I'm loving "Glad You Came" by The Wanted, although I wish they wouldn't overplay it.


I loved having you Wendy!  You've been so nice and I can't wait to read Sweet Evil!  What did you think of my new feature?  Know of any authors I should feature?  Did you enjoy the music?  Let me know in the comments!
 

Interview with Jodi Meadows

The lovely Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate, is stopping by the blog today for an interview!  I hope you enjoy!  My review of Incarnate is here.  Now, onto the questions!


1) How do you think you'd react to being a newsoul if you were Ana?

Probably a lot like Ana! If I grew up the same way she did, I can't imagine I'd have a much better outlook on the world. I can only hope I'd be as tough as her, though!

2) How long did it take to write the first draft of Incarnate?

Actual writing time? Two months. But before that, three years of letting the story stew in the back of my head while I worked on other thing, and then a month of intense planning, worldbuilding, and character developing.

3) How do you stay focused when writing?

I wish I could tell you there's a trick to it, but there's really not. I'm just a very goal-oriented person. I like completing tasks. And I like writing. When I have a story to tell, there's not much else I want to do, so it's easy to stay focused and write.

4) What's one thing you've learned from being published?

There are always new things to worry about. 

I actually knew this before I got published, because I had friends with book deals and books on the shelves, but it's really different knowing that even when you hit a goal (like getting a book published), there will be something else to worry about on the other side.

5) Quick!  You can have one author, alive or not, and one character for dinner!  Who?  What do you eat?  What 3 questions do you ask?!

Robin McKinley.

We eat cinnamon rolls as big as your head. (Of course.)

"How's the knitting?" "I think I ate too much cinnamon roll. What about you?" "Do you want to go to a yarn store?"

6) What scene do you think turned out best in Incarnate?  Which was most fun to write?  Which was hardest to write?

Oh goodness! I hope all the scenes turned out to be the best. Heh. But the one readers respond to the most? The masquerade. That definitely seems to be the favorite, and it was one of the most fun to write, too. 

The hardest scenes for me are action scenes. Making sure everything is clear, keeping up the pace, and making sure it's exciting . . . that's quite a challenge.

Thanks for stopping by Jodi!  What did you guys think of the interview?!  Would you like to see more interviews in the future?