How I hear my books, Jaye Wells talks music.

I am really please to welcome Jaye Wells to the Music Series, she is one of my favorite author types, and we talk music on a regular basis. Here are her thoughts on music and writing.

It always confuses me when writers say they can’t listen to music when they’re writing. It just doesn’t compute. For me, listening to music is the quickest and best way to achieve specific states of emotion that I need to access to write.

To me, writing is a lot like method acting. I don’t just transcribe things on to the page. I generally have to tap into emotions that relate either specifically or generally to the ones my characters are facing. To do that I recall times when I felt that way or similar and I heighten it by playing music that evokes the same.

So when Synde asked me to write how music affects my writing, it was a little overwhelming because I can’t separate the two. Music is story to me and story evokes music.

I decided the best way to show you what I mean is to list some of my favorite songs for different types of scenes.

Fight Scenes:

“Temptation Waits” Garbage

“Clap for the Killers” Street Sweeper

“Heriarate Mich” Rammstein

“Killing IN The Name Of” Rage Against the Machine

Sex Scenes

“Bloodsport” Sneaker Pimps

“Ringfinger” Nine Inch Nails

“Fade Into You” Mazzy Star

“Paradise Circus” Massive Attack Featuring Hope Sandoval

“I Put a Spell on You” Marilyn Manson

Black Moments

“Hurt” Johnny Cash cover

“Brake” Melissa McLelland

“If I Was Your Vampire” Mariyln Manson

“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” Guns N Roses

“Everybody Knows” Leonard Cohen

“The Trick Is To Keep Breathing” Garbage

“Hallelujiah” k.d. Lang version

I also have specific songs that reflect different characters. Early on in the series, Sabina Kane had a lot of Garbage and Hole kinds of songs, for example, but as the series progressed the songs became less angsty and more rock n roll tough chick-- Joan Jett and Chrissie Hynde.

I’m working on something new now and the songs are less shiny black metal and more rusty and gritty blues and Americana. But one thing is certain, I do not write a book until I have started compiling my playlist. I write my books using all my senses, so I can’t imagine writing without sounds to inspire me.

If you’d like to hear the soundtracks of the five Sabina Kane novels, check out my web site. 
Jaye Wells

After several years as a magazine editor and freelance writer, Jaye Wells finally decided to leave the facts behind and make up her own reality. Her overactive imagination and life-long fascination with the arcane and freakish blended nicely with this new career path. Her Sabina Kane urban fantasy series is a blend of dark themes, grave stakes and wicked humor. Jaye lives in Texas with her saintly husband and devilish son. Her work is represented by Rebecca Strauss of McIntosh & Otis.