By Suzan Battah
Well, there is a secret story behind
the book Mad About the Boy. It's not seedy, or even romantic but just the truth
and I'm here to share the secret - music.
Music is a big part of my writing. It
is an inspiration and it beats like a heart in me when I am writing scenes. It
doesn't matter the genre, music is always there to push me forward.
Since I was a little girl, I always
wanted to be swept off my feet by some dashing hero and we'd get married and
live in a castle with plenty of children to follow. I was young! But I was a
lonely child and we didn't have family around, growing up in a quiet suburb. I
was a quiet child and didn't have many friends. Though I loved to read and
always had a fascination with the Medieval Period, Regency Period and anything
Fantasy or Sci Fi. I also dreamed and dreamed about running away to live in
England where I could visit Jane Austen's house, see the massive palaces and
maybe the Queen and lots of castles and walk around in the country and who
cares if it's raining! That was the fantastical world from my eyes as a child
and right into my teens (even now) I still daydream about what it would be like
to have lived in those times or my own world. My imagination runs wild,
seriously I can't help it - so I write.
Music
and writing is a big thing, especially for me. I am very visual and some
particular music can evoke visual scenes, some music brings out the emotional
scenes. Mad About the Boy is named after the delightful song Mad About the Boy
by Dinah Washington and there seems to be a trend in this. I've seen some other
romantic books following along those lines.
I
use contemporary, classical, rock, pop and especially love hearing original
music from youtube. Music is like the words of a book playing out in rhythm.
With all my projects, music plays a big part. So as each project comes to an
end and ready for publishing so too does the playlist that was developed while
making my creation.
Mad About the Boy was born - a
Contemporary Romance with a multicultural couple, the song playlist that was
developed while writing the book can be listened to on my website. I was so
proud of my achievement. I sent out manuscripts, got rejected over a hundred
times had it reviewed by countless agents. I've been shredded to bits in
writer's competitions by my peers, I've also won two awesome awards for the
same manuscript. I've written this beautiful, charismatic love story and wanted
to share it with the world. There was a stigma behind Self-Publishing, other
authors stare down their noses or put you down. It's considered taboo but not
anymore I hope with the great many successes out there. Wonderful authors whose
voices may never have been heard if not for taking their own art form and
business with their own hands. I'm proud of the choice I made and even more so
when the readers tell me how much
they love Mad About the Boy. I write for the readers to entertain.
Blurb:
Julia Mendoza is driven by the success of her business. Since her husband Carlos passed away at such a young age, her business By Design is her number one priority. In her late twenties she works too hard and doesn't take time out for fun. Annoyance with a pesky ex-friend has her begging one of the local surfer's with a cheeky smile in the grocery store to pretend he's her boyfriend. Suddenly, life takes a sudden detour from her business plan; much to the delight of her boisterous Latin American family.
Christophe Augustine is groomed to take over his father's successful chain of luxurious hotels. With a wealthy French-American background, Chris has been given privileges that not many have. He works hard, plays harder but seeks approval and recognition above all else. Family is a top priority for him as he fights for custody of his young brother. His parent's divorce has not diminished his faith in romance. When a gorgeous Latino woman changes one boring morning into an interesting game of role play, though reluctant to help at first, he soon realises she's not like the string of other women he's known.
A romantic first date ending dramatically doesn't stop Chris from wanting to know Julia more. And for Julia, she's all for a bit of fun but when things get too serious she's running the other way. Too alike, in some ways and complete opposites, in others ways, Julia and Chris fumble through fun moments, annoying confrontations, passionate times and heartbreaking revelations.
Love has no boundaries when soul-mates meet but when one is ready to love and the other one isn't....
Buy now at Amazon: Paperback addition or Kindle
Buy now at Barnes and Noble: Paperback or Nook
Suzan Battah
@suzanbattah
8 comments:
I always write to music. I love it. It gets my energy going and I feel inspired.
I always write to classical music, but I listen to Ella Fitzgerald and others or Carole King and others when I'm doing email and promotion. I subscribe to Pandora online radio, and often the artists on the Ella Fitzgerald station includes Dinah Washington. According to those who've researched such things, listening to music while writing adds rhythm to your writing. Don't know if that's true, but it certainly helps me.
Hi, Suzan. Thanks for being my guest today. Great post. I listen to music sometimes, but since I haven't written in months, maybe I should give it a try and see if it helps kick the muse in the backside.
I always listen to music when I write. Lately I've been listening to David Bowie and Barry White. Not classical I know, but it's great stuff to get your groove on when you need to let go.
Also hammered dulcimer music is a fave.
Sometimes I write to music. In my first story Night Angel, my hero plays the violin. I listened to Andre Rieu when I wrote about his playing. Phantom of the Opera music always stirs my muse and gets my characters jabbering when they turn quiet.
Then there is always any Gerard Butler movie that never fails to keep my thoughts creating great heroes. ;)
Hi Anna thanks for having me on your blog, a big hello from downunder. Savannah, Caroline,Paisley - music is great, isn't it and I know it inspires me! Give it a try Anna to set the muse rolling.
Sounds like a fun book! I use music when I write. I use certain music for the different genres I write. For the Spirit books(Native American romance) I listened to Native American music. For the book set in a Mayan dig I listened to Mayan music. For my westerns I listen to bluegrass, for the contemporary westerns I listed to country music.
Very interesting thank you!!
I prefer silence in my life. It has it's own rhythm.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
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