My muse
Music can be as much an inspiration when writing a novel as any other muse. The playlist of music I listen to varies for every book. Isn’t that weird? I need different moods of music for different books. While writing Open Your Eyes, I definitely listened to Snow Patrol – one of my all-time Top 10 favorite songs is ‘Chasing Cars’ – it’s just so hauntingly beautiful. And of course their song ‘Open Your Eyes’ was a huge inspiration – the words are very meaningful:
Open Your Eyes
Snow Patrol
All this feels strange and untrueAnd I won't waste a minute without youMy bones ache, my skin feels coldAnd I'm getting so tired and so old
The anger swells in my gutsAnd I won't feel these slices and cutsI want so much to open your eyes'Cos I need you to look into mine
Tell me that you'll open your eyesGet up, get out, get away from these liars'Cos they don't get your soul or your fireTake my hand, knot your fingers through mineAnd we'll walk from this dark room for the last timeEvery minute from this minute nowWe can do what we like anywhereI want so much to open your eyes'Cos I need you to look into mine
Tell me that you'll open your eyesAll this feels strange and untrueAnd I won't waste a minute without you
From the album ‘Eyes Open’ – released May 2006
I think writers can learn a lot from lyrics – the way the words are at the same time poetic andmeaningful and succinct is an art. Trust me on this. It's way more difficult to condense what you want to say into a few words only. Yes, less IS often more. Of course I am referring to music where I can actually hear and understand the lyrics. I know each generation has their own favorites. As a teenager I remember how my taste in music raised the hairs on the back of my parents' necks, much the same way as my kids' music does to me now. Yet books, like music, are universal. They have the power to touch people from all backgrounds and ages. There is a book out there that will ‘speak’ to each one of us. I also believe that the right book finds us when we are ready to read it. OK. Sometimes we are not quite ready, but the message in the book can literally open our eyes to new ideas.
Happy reading.
Open Your Eyes
Snow Patrol
All this feels strange and untrueAnd I won't waste a minute without youMy bones ache, my skin feels coldAnd I'm getting so tired and so old
The anger swells in my gutsAnd I won't feel these slices and cutsI want so much to open your eyes'Cos I need you to look into mine
Tell me that you'll open your eyesGet up, get out, get away from these liars'Cos they don't get your soul or your fireTake my hand, knot your fingers through mineAnd we'll walk from this dark room for the last timeEvery minute from this minute nowWe can do what we like anywhereI want so much to open your eyes'Cos I need you to look into mine
Tell me that you'll open your eyesAll this feels strange and untrueAnd I won't waste a minute without you
From the album ‘Eyes Open’ – released May 2006
I think writers can learn a lot from lyrics – the way the words are at the same time poetic andmeaningful and succinct is an art. Trust me on this. It's way more difficult to condense what you want to say into a few words only. Yes, less IS often more. Of course I am referring to music where I can actually hear and understand the lyrics. I know each generation has their own favorites. As a teenager I remember how my taste in music raised the hairs on the back of my parents' necks, much the same way as my kids' music does to me now. Yet books, like music, are universal. They have the power to touch people from all backgrounds and ages. There is a book out there that will ‘speak’ to each one of us. I also believe that the right book finds us when we are ready to read it. OK. Sometimes we are not quite ready, but the message in the book can literally open our eyes to new ideas.
Happy reading.
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