Music to write to

I’m writing two types of fiction at the moment: historical (set in 7th century Spain); and paranormal romance (vampires, Southern Gothic set in Mississippi).

Both have underlying emotional themes, of love that transcends time and place, and connections to people, animals, and plants that defy logic. I like to write about the internal struggles we face in staying true to ourselves whilst also feeling deeply toward another. 

In my Nightgarden Saga paranormal romance series, my central character, Harper, has a deep connection to her garden, which has many nocturnal plants that play an increasingly important role as the series goes on. I made the Nightgarden Saga playlist to imagine myself sitting by a slow moving river under a full moon, smelling the rich river silt, moon vine, night jasmine, and magnolias. The list is dreamy and romantic. The Child (my stepdaughter, aged 27) calls it my ‘emo’ playlist.

Some of my fave songs from the list:

  1. Still, Matt Nathanson

  2. Terrible Love, The National

  3. Dancing on my own (Robyn Cover), Ruins

  4. More Than Life, Whitley

  5. Wild Country, Wake Owl

  6. Ashes, Lindi Ortega

  7. Get Home, Angus and Julia Stone

  8. Hold Back the River, James Bay

  9. Mercy Now, Mary Gauthier

  10. The Last Day on Earth, Kate Miller-Heidke


I have to stop, or I will be stuck forever!


For writing historical fiction, I have a few albums or playlists I put on and let play through.

  1. Passaggio, Einaudi by Lavinia (actually, anything by Ludocivo Einaudi works for me)

  2. Zaguan, Miguel Poveda (one of my favourite flamenco albums – listen to Clemencia to take you straight to Granada)

  3.  Beethoven Symphonies 1-9

  4. Classic Acoustic

  5. Snatam Kaur, Live in Concert (especially Ong Sohung Live – I could listen to this all day).

 

Some people like to write in silence. But if I’m honest, I need tunes like I need to breathe.

I hope you enjoy these ones 😊


Paula Constant