Music II: 3 Songs That Inspired My Stories

Welcome to part two of this three-part series! Song number two that connects so well with one of my stories is:

• Ryder by Madison Beer

First of all, this album is just chef’s kiss. It’s pop, but it’s also theatrical which is a sweet spot for me. (Another artist that creates music like this is Isak Danielson!)

By the time I heard this song, I’d already added my new character and POV to ADOBS 2. So it wasn’t the song that inspired my character, Aine’s, story. Rather it was the shocking mirror the song holds to Aine’s arc that instantly pinned this as Aine’s song. Actually, not just Aine’s song, but Aine and Arawn’s.

If you hadn’t found my blog at the time I mentioned it, I had a couple of posts here where I go into adding a new POV to the ADOBS trilogy that I’d never planned for. Since then, Aine and I have been having an absolute blast! Ish… hehe.

Anyway, the lyrics of this song talks about the singer and someone else who could be her brother or her friend. About how their life growing up together had been hard, and they were: “Just two kids caught in a crossfire.”

This line could not more accurately describe Aine and Arawn’s situation if it tried. In every literal way this can be interpreted, this is the foundation of Aine and Arawn’s story.

“Cracks in the windows, Castles in pillows…”

Aine and Arawn were two dreamers in the worst of situations, who would wake at midnight and imagine finding a better world together.

“All the years that were stolen, you were still in that house; I shouldn’t have left you behind…”

This part breaks my heart to pieces because their story does not end well. And describing it would be horrible spoilers, but both in books 2 and 3, this line depicts their trials perfectly.

I listen to the song and I see images in my head. It gives me a contemporary picture of what Aine and Arawn would look like, if they were born in the 1990s. The somber yet fond tone of the song is fitting. The lyrics feels amazingly like the singer read my book and decided to write a musical version of these two characters.

It’s just such a lovely and rare experience for me, and it enhances the whole creative process. 🙂 I’m so glad I get to experience it!

Check back for the 3rd and final song next!