It’s always interesting to hear the inspiration behind a story. For some authors, they consistently conjure up ideas from one area of their life, whether it’s from TV, other books they’ve read, or a person they saw walking down the street. For me, my ideas sprout from a bit of everything, but I often find my inner muse titillated by music. As someone who appreciates songs with rich lyrics, I tend to find myself envisioning a scene that fits the song.
First thing you should know: I have a Pandora station that plays favorite songs from the late ‘90s and early 2000s. I must have created it back when the service first started. With all my likes throughout the years, they somehow crafted the perfect station for me. Lots of songs are full of angst and feeling and excitement. Basically, a soundtrack for my adolescence.
You know, before I became completely jaded and hardened. Back when I was still blissfully open and hopeful. (Kidding...sort of).
Being brought back to that time in my life is both funny and painful. There were a lot of ups and downs, and I felt them all. This music is the gateway to digging deep within myself so I can get to the heart of my characters and stories. Rather than playing it safe, it allows me to get to the raw parts that make us human and shows us the moments that make life worth living.
So what does Third Eye Blind have to do with anything? Well, as you might have guessed, the band is constantly playing on my station. They usually play the hits like “Semi-Charmed Life” and “How’s It Going to Be,” which I mindlessly bop along to. But randomly, they played their song “Blinded” a few months back—a song I hadn’t heard before—and in an instant, a vision of a story popped into my head. I felt like I was transported into someone else’s life, watching as it all panned out.
If you’re not familiar with the song, the beginning lines that sparked this vision go like this:
“Just an old friend coming over now to visit you and
That’s what I’ve become.
I let myself in though I know I’m not supposed to but
I never know when I’m done.”
These lyrics had me imagining two friends who crossed the line into something more, and now the gray area is super murky. They’re skating between what could be, what once was, and the fact that one wrong move could destroy them. They’re not ready to face the shift in their relationship. Not ready to talk it through or label it. And they’re certainly not ready to lose each other.
Just from that simple verse, I found myself with the start of a friends-to-lovers romance that I’ve titled The Pact. As the ideas swirled around in my head these last few months, I couldn’t help smiling to myself. Something about it feels so good. I can’t wait to write their story! Not only did this inspire The Pact but it actually helped me create a whole series with at least four potential books in it.
I’ll share more details about this story as I plan it out. Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on social media to get more behind-the-scenes information and updates!
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