Writers Who Kill

 

The WWK Playlist and How to Create One for Your Book

by Heather Weidner

Music has always been a huge part of my life, and there is some kind of music on when I work, write, read, or travel. I asked the Writers Who Kill authors to help me create a playlist of songs they listen to when they write or songs that represent their characters. Here’s a link to our list on Spotify. Check out this amazing, eclectic mix.

Judy L. Murray likes the soundtrack from Manhattan Murder Mystery.

Nancy Eady likes anything for instruments by Mozart, anything by Vincent Igala, Peter Cincotti’s “Country Life with You” and “Palermo, and Jimmy Buffett’s “Pacing the Cage” and “Island.”

Susan Van Kirk uses “Chapel of Love” by the Dixie Cups and “Come to Me” by the Goo Goo Dolls for inspiration for her next Endurance book. Her favorites for her Art Center Mysteries is Joan Baez’s “Forever Young.”

Korina Moss’s theme song is “Tubthumping” by Chumbawumba. She also likes “The Cheese Song (I Love Cheese)” by Hmm That’s Strange and “California Dreamin’ by the Mamas and Papas because her series takes place in Sonoma Valley, California.

James M. Jackson’s muse’s favorites are “The World’s Not Falling Apart” and “When I Was a Boy” by Dar Williams.

Lori Roberts Herbst’s favorites are “Rocky Mountain High” by John Denver for her Callie Cassidy series, “Galveston” by Glenn Campbell for her Seahorse Bay series, and “Black Water” by the Doobie Brothers that reminds her to relax.

Grace Topping listens to “Proud Mary” by Creedance Clearwater Revival, Camille Saint-Saen’s “Third Symphony” (the “Organ Symphony from Babe), and “First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” by Edward Woodward.

Kait Carson listens to Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville,” “Creola,” and “Everyone Has a Cousin in Miami” because her Hayden Kent series is set in the Florida Keys.

K. M. Rockwood’s favorites are “The Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised” and “Take This Job and Shove It” by Johnny Paycheck, “Indiana Wants Me” by R. Dean Taylor, “Highway Patrol” by Junior Brown, and “Mama Tried” by Merle Haggard.

Shari Randall used “Long Cool Woman” by the Hollies to get inspired to write about Riley Rhoes in her Meri Allen Ice Cream Shop series.

Molly MacRae listened to Runrig’s “The Story” and “Somewhere” before and after her writing sessions.

Martha Reed listened to Diana Krall’s version of “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” while she was writing The Choking Game. (And when she edits, she listens to Watercolors Jazz on Sirius radio.)

Teresa Inge listened to Van Morrison’s “Brown-eyed Girl” when she wrote “Maid of Murder.”

Debra H. Goldstein listened to “They’re Playing Our Song” and “The Rothchilds” while writing her first book. She listened to the score from Wicked while writing her second book. She listened to cuts from Hamilton (“The Shuyler Sisters” and “Who Lives, Who Dies” and “Who Writes Our Story.” She also likes “Opening up” and “You Matter to Me” from the Waitress and “I’m Sorry” and “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver.

Margaret S. Hamilton listened to “There She Goes” by Six Pence None the Richer when she was working on her last short story. And after a really hard day of writing, she plays “We are The Champions” by Queen as she reviews her progress.

When Mary Dutta was writing a music-themed short story for the Bouchercon anthology, she listed to Elvis’ “Blue Suede Shoes” and later the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want it That Way.”

And my theme songs are “Goody Two Shoes” by Adam Ant, “We’re Not Going to Take It” by Twisted Sister, and “We Didn’t Start the Fire” both the Billy Joel and Fall Out Boy versions.

 

To Create Your Own Playlist for Your Books

1.     Login to your favorite streaming service and search for the “playlist” feature. Spotify requires a login for the free and paid services, but you can create playlists with each.

2.     Click the “Create a New Playlist” option and name it.

3.     Then search for your favorite songs and add them.

4.     Make sure to save your list.

5.     When you’re done, click on the name of the playlist and copy the URL. You can share this in your newsletter or on your blog or social media sites.

 Do you listen to music when you write or read? Let us know the songs that would be on your playlist.

 

Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She writes the Pearly Girls Mysteries, the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries.