Just about any music will do, but sometimes I find the perfect song, the perfect album or musician, that captures the heart of my story so well that it leaves me breathless.

I started writing my latest manuscript, THE CELL, to Eli Mattson’s Monsters CD, and as I get further into the story, I’m finding that his music only serves to draw me in deeper and forces me to explore my characters’ hearts and minds in a way that I’ve never done before.

Here’s Blue Ocean one of my favorite Eli Mattson originals. It’s become my hero’s “anthem”, his hope that he’ll find a ‘blue ocean’ to wash him clean of all the unpalatable things he’s done and drown him in forgiveness for the people he’s wronged. And maybe, just maybe, the waves will carry him to a love that will save him before it’s too late.

Such a catchy song, and then I saw this video (before you play the video make sure to press ‘stop’ on the music player in my sidebar):

It’s so Jane-Austenish…the costumes, the feel of it…I just love it!

And speaking of boxes….I thought I’d pass on this cool link for all you music lovers out there:
Pandora Internet Radio
This site lets you create a radio “station” and it will find and let you listen to music that is similiar to the artist you put in.

This is a very cool way to find some new artists, especially some that are lesser known than what’s being played on the radio.

And it just might give you some inspiration for your writing!

I’m off to pack. *sigh* Why doesn’t that sound like fun?

I edited another chapter yesterday which felt great. Especially since I’m pleased with how it turned out. Now, it’s time to pick up where I left off and get some more writing d one

on the story.

Updates on the layout: I did have to redo my header and background images and scale them down, but I think they’re looking good now. Please let me know if you have any issues with the layout on your screen. I’m still tinkering with the blog, though. I want to change the look of my sidebar links, and do a few minor adjustments with font sizes and such, but I’m taking a few days break before I tackle any more CSS headaches. For now, I’m just happy to have it working!

I went back to my classical music roots, listened to tons of violin music and discovered some fabulous violin music that has captivated and inspired me. Did anyone watch the figure skating gala (exhibition performances) of the Olympics? If so, then I’m talking about the man who played violin on the ice while Plushenko (not sure if that’s the correct spelling) performed. His name is Edvin Marton and he makes a Strad sing in a way I’ve never heard before. If I get the chance, I’ll put some clips in my music player at my sidebar.

But, since I need to run and pick up my son from Pre-K, I’ll leave you with a copy of an article I wrote a while back. It was posted on the blog at Romance Divas back in December, but given my newfound inspiration (and my fervent wish that if only I had practiced my violin more I might have actually accomplished something) I’m going to post it below.

Practice Makes Perfect

“Practice makes perfect.”

I can still hear my violin instructor drumming that old adage into my head as he circles the small podium where I stand, losing the battle with a particular passage of dreaded double-stops.

And if I close my eyes, I can smell the distinct chalk-like scent of rosin, feel the fine grooves of the strings beneath my fingers, and recall the heady sensation of sound reverberating through the belly of the violin.

I have a passion for music that has not dimmed over time. Yet, I will never play a concerto before thousands of onlookers at Orchestra Hall. Why? Because, although the violin is one of the great loves of my life, I didn’t set aside enough time for practice.

Today, I looked at my beloved violin, sitting so neglected in the corner of my bedroom, and a wave of nostalgia swept over me. I opened the case, and after all this time, the sweet chalky smell hit me as if I’d rosined my bow only yesterday. I ran my fingers over the burgundy crushed velvet interior and lifted the violin from its safe haven. The strings were all hopelessly out of tune until I took the pegs in hand and tightened them.

And then I took out my old sheet music and played. I played until I lost track of time. When I was done, the muscles in my fingers were sore, my shoulder and neck were stiff, and tiny, dark indentations marred my fingertips where the strings had cut into them. But it was as if I’d found a missing piece of my heart.

“Practice makes perfect,” my violin seemed to whisper to me on some ghostly bittersweet chord.

I gained a new, important understanding of those three tiny words, not just in reference to music, but all aspects of my life — and particularly, my writing.

How can I expect to stand before readers with my published book in my outstretched hands if I don’t contribute a significant amount of time to writing, re-writing and, in essence, perfecting the art of words?

It’s simple. I can’t. All I can ever hope to do is dust off those beloved stories once in a while, and revisit them as if they were forgotten friends, when in truth, they had the opportunity to be so much more. If only I’d practiced.

“Practice makes perfect.” Three little words with such powerful potential.

What will you do with them?

* * *
Okay, I was able to get 3 clips uploaded….click on one and give it a listen.

Really. My house is a mess (post-Christmas ‘stuff’ still litters the floor) and I haven’t got the energy to do anything about it. So, instead, I’ll blog about my children. Works for me!

* * *
My husband’s always expounding to my boys about the wonders of Elvis. It’s funny, but they can no recognize Elvis’ singing voice without a second hesitation.

So, we’re driving in the car a few days back and an Elvis song comes on the ready.

My husband asks, “Who is this?”

My youngest replies, “Elvis. I don’t like Elvis.”

My husband: “WHAT? Who doesn’t like Elvis?!”

My youngest: “Well, I like the instruments, but I don’t like his singing voice.”

Five years old and already a music critic.

Which reminds me, I haven’t added new music to my blog player in quite sometime….maybe I’ll try to do that today.

In my head I have this image of my son holding the moon and it reminds me of that Eric Carle book (the man who authored/illustrated ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’), Papa Please Get the Moon for Me. I have no idea why this would make my son sad, but it was obvious that it upset him quite a bit.

For some reason, as my son got older, he developed a fear of the dark. Many times in bed, he whispers to me about shadows…and how he sees monsters, and I constantly have to reassure him that monsters are pretend, and that mom and dad will always be there for him.

But sometimes, I have this uneasy feeling that one day my boy is gonna whisper, “I see dead people.” Weird.

* * *
I added some new tunes to my player:

Josh Gracin’s “Stay With Me (Brass Bed)”
Gary Allan’s “The Best I Ever Had”
Michael Buble’s “Home”
And I left the Steven Curtis Chapman ones up.

Currently, these are some of my favorite songs. Go ahead, give ‘em a listen.

You know you want to.

But, I wasn’t…So, I uploaded a few of the songs from my current WIP’s “Soundtrack”:

1. Howie Day’s Collide: I have no idea what other songs he sings, but I like the sound of this one and it fits the overall feeling my characters have of their worlds colliding beyond their control.

2. Steven Curtis Chapman’s Soldier: This one comes from the “We Were Soldiers” soundtrack (the movie with Mel Gibson), and it’s for my hero.

3. Steven Curtis Chapman’s When Love Takes You In: This is the song I mentioned in my Resonation post, and I couldn’t resist letting you all have a chance to hear it. It’s so beautiful, it makes me want to cry every time I hear it.

I love it. And I also love Steven Curtis Chapman’s voice…it’s kind of what I imagine Tucker (the hero from my last ms, THIS DARK PLACE) sounding like when he sings.

What do you think? Of the player and the songs?

Enjoy!