Welcome to Wednesday’s Blue Light Special. Today, I am hosting Amber West who will be sharing the playlist for her recent release, The Ruth Valley Missing.
I met Amber when I started this blog in May 2011. She made me laugh, but she also made me think. Amber is not afraid to speak her mind. She is good hearted. She is interesting. I found myself drawn to her, even though we don’t “hang out.” I like reading what she has to say.
Amber and I have had several discussions about music. Her wide range of tastes in music impressed me. When Amber launched her debut novel, The Ruth Valley Missing, I knew I had to ask her to do a Celebrity Author Playlist. Luckily, she agreed.
First, let’s talk about the book:
The Ruth Valley Missing
Summary:
Jameson Quinn is sick of trying to find herself in the big city. After a gallery opening ends in a trip to the ER and an argument with her self-involved boyfriend, she decides to take off for the peace and quiet of a small town — Ruth Valley.
The small town has everything Brooklyn lacked: simple people, peaceful surroundings, and a feeling of safety. Jameson even finds the perfect house to rent from the town’s most eligible bachelor, Sheriff Jack. Life is finally headed in a promising direction.
But something isn’t right. A young man is mysteriously injured, then disappears — and Jameson finds he isn’t the only person to suddenly vanish. The suspicious behavior of an abrasive nun and a creepy priest set her off on an investigation of what’s really happening. Will she figure out the secrets of Ruth Valley before she’s the next to go missing?
Sounds great, right? Click here to check it out on Amazon.com.
Without further delay…
Heeeeeere’s Amber!
There is always music playing around me. Whether I am handling the day job, taking care of household chores, cooking, or writing, I’ve always got something playing. My musical tastes are pretty varied, so when I write, the playlist can be all over the place.
The songs here are a just a few that played while I wrote. They are the ones that stood out for creating a mood that worked for the scenes and settings in my novel, and in some cases, they even tell a bit about some of the characters.
When I first heard this song, the mood – both set by the music and lyrics – really struck me. But what really made it perfect for my “soundtrack” is the fact that I found two versions. The original by Alt-J is totally suited to Jameson’s city days, particularly her evening at the art gallery. The cover by Mumford and Sons maintains the mood, but I think it fits better in the small town setting of Ruth Valley.
(Click here to listen to the Mumford and Sons cover)
You could stay here
Make your home here
Hideaway here
I could wrap you up in cotton wool
Here’s somewhere you could let your love run free
Come and give your soul a resting place
Finding someone is like finding yourself a home
If the key fits, just open the door
While The Ruth Valley Missing (TRVM) is often referred to as a mystery, a big part of the main character’s story is how she is trying to find a place in life where she feels like she fits. Where she feels home.
There’s a scene in the story where Jameson is playing her music rather loudly when some unexpected guests drop by her new place in the small town. This is the song I imagined her blasting.
3. Intro by XX
Simple explanation: Jameson likes to run (we do not share this trait). This is her running music.
4. When in Rome by Nickel Creek
Where can a sick man go
When he can’t choke down the medicine the old doc knows
A specialist came to town
But he stays at home
Saying no one knows so I don’t
Honey when in Rome
There were quite a few Nickel Creek songs in rotation. They are progressive bluegrass, for those who don’t know, which felt right for the small town. Since I don’t really listen to country, bluegrass was my go to for getting my head in that small town mode.
Again, this is a case of more than just the music reminding me of the little town. (For those who are wondering, Scotch and Chocolate and Beauty and the Mess were also in my playlist.)
Scraping as I crawl (Your heart can’t hear me)
Tearing bruising fall (Your hands can’t hear me)
Thirsting raging blind (Your eyes can’t hear me)
Racing against time (Your arms can’t hear me)
…And then there were times when I wanted something a little creepy.
6. Little Bird by The Weepies –
Sometimes it’s hard to tell the truth from the lies
Nobody knows what’s in the hold of your minds
We are all buildings and people inside
Never know who walks through the door
This song really resonated with a particular character. But I can’t tell you anything more than that. You’ll just have to read the book and see if you can figure that one out.
7. Roll Away Your Stone by Mumford and Sons – I did mention that I listened to a lot of Mumford and Sons, right? This is another one that I really loved for several of the characters.
8. Falling In Love at a Coffee Shop by Landon Pigg
I think that possibly
Maybe I’ve fallen for you…
This story does have romance in it, so if I had to choose a song for that element, I’d have to go with this one.
9. Golden Slumbers by Ben Folds – My final pick for the playlist had to be from another artist that is always in constant rotation in my playlists, writing and otherwise. Golden Slumbers is actually a cover of a Beatles tune that I always found hauntingly sweet.
There you have it! The songs probably seem to be an odd mix, but that suits my novel (and, well, me) just fine.
Thank you so much for hosting me, Catie, and giving me an excuse to share my playlist with your readers!
You’re quite welcome, Amber. I loved hosting you. One of the things I love about doing Celebrity Author Playlists is that my guests’ music choices are like a window into their souls. I enjoy seeing that not-quite-secret but sort of hidden part of people.
Okay, folks. Amber’s novel, The Ruth Valley Missing, is on sale right now for $2 off the regular purchase price. Please click here to check it out.
Remember: Amber is donating all proceeds from January’s sales of The Ruth Valley Missing to Kids Need To Read. So your purchase price is going to a good cause.
Find Amber on the Wild Wild Web
Blog: http://withoutsushi.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/amberwest
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/111151554608058698055/posts
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/amberwest/
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mairedubhtx said:
The songs are interesting and I will remember them when I read the book.
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Catie Rhodes said:
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks so much for stopping by.
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Amber West said:
So glad you found them interesting! Feel free to pop by my blog once you read the book and let me know what you thought!
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Netta said:
Huge Mumford and Sons fan. What an interesting mix
I love this feature of your blog, Catie.
Nice to meet you, Amber!
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Amber West said:
I was so excited when Catie asked me to do this – I love reading what others listen to when they write. Nice to meet you too, Netta!
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Catie Rhodes said:
I loved this mix, too, Netta. You know I love unusual music choices.
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pjb1943 said:
I haven’t followed you for very long, Cate, but I really like what you’re doing here and the topics you pick for your post are different and interesting vs the everyday mundane.
Paul
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Catie Rhodes said:
Thank you, Paul. I try to be different and interesting. Nice to know I succeed…sometimes.
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Amber West said:
You definitely succeed!
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twbrown said:
This remains my favorite feature. I look forward to Wednesday to see if somebody sends me scrambling for something that I simply HAVE to hear. There is always at least on cut it seems that I have absolutely no idea about.
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Catie Rhodes said:
Todd, discovering that one song (or artist) that I’ve never heard of before is one of the reasons I love hosting this feature. I am so happy you enjoy it, too.
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Amber West said:
That’s what I love about checking this feature out. I only wish there were more of them!
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Lauralynn Elliott said:
I love The Ruth Valley Missing, but I’ll have to admit…I’m not familiar with any of these artists. *sigh* I guess I just listen to too many audio books and not enough music.
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Amber West said:
Lauralynn, first off, thank you!! Second, you’ll have to check out the song links in the post and let me know if any resonated with the story for you.
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Lauralynn Elliott said:
Most of these songs are just a little bit too melancholy for my taste. I kind of liked When in Rome. Although it’s progressive Bluegrass, I think it has a slight Celtic feel to it. Also, I realized I had heard Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop, and I do like that one, too. And Golden Slumbers…YES. I do love that song. But I’ll always pick the Beatles version of any of their songs over a cover. I will admit, though, Ben Folds did a great cover.
As far as songs matching stories, I always have a hard time putting them together. I know writers do playlists all the time, but I have a hard time with it. Maybe I need to do one for The Gnome, since that’s my creepiest story. LOL. Okay, I’m really curious about Little Bird. I have a couple of ideas, but I may be well off the mark.
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Amber West said:
Interesting! This is probably a less melancholy list than others of mine. And I completely agree about the Celtic feel in When in Rome – which is part of why I was drawn to it for Jameson, since she is of Irish descent.
You can message me about Little Bird if you’re curious.
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Catie Rhodes said:
I didn’t know any of them, either Lauralynn. So I had a blast listening. Celebrity Author day is almost as good as Christmas for my iPod.
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Amber West said:
That’s exciting! I love that I could share new stuff with you.
Any standouts for you?
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Catie Rhodes said:
I liked Mumford and Sons’s general sound. But I also liked Nickel Creek. I did not know there was such a thing as progressive bluegrass, but I am not surprised I like it since I like progressive country. (Note: I refuse to listen to Top 40 Country. I will only tolerate progressive country and classic country.)
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susielindau said:
A great mash up of music I am not familiar with. I will check out the book!
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susielindau said:
Ha! Except for Mumford and sons!
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Catie Rhodes said:
I love learning about new music. It’s especially fun (to me) when I hear someone’s specific reasons for liking what they like. Thanks for stopping by.
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Amber West said:
Yay, Susie!
Hope you enjoyed the new tunes. (And, I just love Mumford and sons)
Catie – The lyrics in just about every one of these songs had a strong influence on my choice to feature them in this list. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, I LOVE this feature on your blog.
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Julie Glover said:
I haven’t heard of a single one of those artists. Huh. Interesting stuff, Amber & Catie!
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Catie Rhodes said:
I hadn’t either, Julie. Goes to show how hip we are, doesn’t it? lol
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Amber West said:
Ha! I promise, I’m not hip. I just have music playing ALL the time.
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Tiffany A White said:
Two of my favorite people in one place!!
I’ve been listening to more and more of Mumford and Sons. I like them. Actually, I like a lot of the music selected for The Ruth Valley Missing. I need to broaden my horizons and listen to more music…
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Catie Rhodes said:
Same here, Tiffany. I have an extensive music collection (which makes me love my iPod a whole big bunch). I tend to spend months (if not years) not making an effort to broaden my horizons. And with apps like Pandora, and Songza, and Spotiffy, it is ridiculously easy to hear new artists. I just need to make the effort.
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Amber West said:
Yay! I love how Tiffany and I can be SO different, but still enjoy some of the same things