And the winner of Ice-Cold Lover is... Cathleen Ross! Cathleen, please email me at melteshco@yahoo.com.au and I'll send you the copy. Happy reading! =)
Reading: Claiming his Bought Bride, Rachel Bailey
Watching: Masterchef
Listening to: Guns N' Roses
Making me smile: Release of Ice-Cold Lover today!!
Listening to: Guns N' Roses
Making me smile: Release of Ice-Cold Lover today!!
Take me down to the Paradise City
Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty....
I was driving in the car the other day on my own - my own!!! A rare occasion for me, and even better I was heading to my mum's to do some serious writing so the vibe was high. With the volume even higher I was listening to a favourite CD I hadn't played for a while, Guns N' Roses, and immediately their songs took me down memory lane, evoked emotions from the past in just the same way a much loved story does.Lets face it, the lyrics to a song is a story too, one that induces emotions and makes us feel good, teary, happy, sad, high, low. Just like a good story should.
Singing at the top of my lungs, a smile on my face, the wind in my hair, geez, it was the best feeling. I had planned to think about my plot, where my characters were heading and how I was going to tie up my loose ends in a most satisfactory (read: splendid) way. Instead I thought of nothing but the music and the road ahead, losing myself in the moment (okay, now I'm getting Bold & Beautiful-ish). But seriously, I do believe that one moment of non-creative thinking actually topped up my creative well.
What about you guys? You understand what I'm talking about, right? =)
In celebration of my just released Ellora's cave novella, Ice-Cold Lover, I'm giving away an e-copy to someone who can tell me their favourtie song and/or favourite story and how it evokes an emotion.
BTW Sweet Child Of Mine is still one of my all-time favourite songs...
Singing at the top of my lungs, a smile on my face, the wind in my hair, geez, it was the best feeling. I had planned to think about my plot, where my characters were heading and how I was going to tie up my loose ends in a most satisfactory (read: splendid) way. Instead I thought of nothing but the music and the road ahead, losing myself in the moment (okay, now I'm getting Bold & Beautiful-ish). But seriously, I do believe that one moment of non-creative thinking actually topped up my creative well.
What about you guys? You understand what I'm talking about, right? =)
In celebration of my just released Ellora's cave novella, Ice-Cold Lover, I'm giving away an e-copy to someone who can tell me their favourtie song and/or favourite story and how it evokes an emotion.
BTW Sweet Child Of Mine is still one of my all-time favourite songs...
She's got a smile that it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories...
Reminds me of childhood memories...
Hi Mel --
ReplyDeleteHuge congrats for your new release!
I understand what you're talking about. Often for me it comes from a really great movie or book...but songs work too.
I love Beautiful Day by U2 - it's so full of promise.
Congrats Mel on your new release!
ReplyDeleteI love Fix You by Coldplay. It was already a fave and then as CD random play luck would have it, it was playing during the moment of birth of bubs #1 and #2!! I love the 'lights will guide you home' part of the song. For a similar reason i love Pink's 'So What'. Bub #3 came too fast for any music but while i paced my room trying to decide if i was having contractions (thankfully I did and made it to the hospital in time to push) I was singing it. Strangely enough it kinda suits her independant drama queen baby personality!
=)
Hi Anna,
ReplyDeleteand thanks so much! And I love Beautful Day too, it's a song that just comes together perfectly in every way =)
Becca - wow!! what are the chances of that!!?? Isn't it amazing how songs relate to our kids. I always remember "nothing compares to you" when I was in hospital a few weeks before I had baby number 1, it was on the music channels constantly =)
ReplyDeleteAnd by the sounds of it you were singing the perfect song for your baby number 3!
WOOHOO!!! Release party day! Yay, Mel!!! Love that cover - she looks very pensive sitting there with her beautiful wings!
ReplyDeleteThere's something very therapeutic about singing loudly - but only when you're on your own. You don't have to worry about little things like, ahem, not being able to sing in tune!
My fav song - gee that's a toughie... so many wonderful songs to chose from... I do love Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive. Now that's a song that lends itself to top-of-your-lungs singing!
Have a fabulous day!
:)
Sharon
ARGH! Mel... my comment just went into the nasty big cyber-shredder never to seen again... of course I'm afraid if I type it in again the darned thing will confound me by magically appearing after all....
ReplyDeleteso in the interim... just in case there is some magic waiting to publish my comment...
MEL! I'd just like to say - WOOHOOOOOOO! Happy Release Day!
:)
Sharon
(sigh) I was right, Mel - cyber-limbo rather than cyber-shredder.
ReplyDeleteStill, a Release Day is worth celebrating with extra comments! So WOOHOO! again!
:)
Sharon
LOL!!! Thank you Sharon!! Your comments that were lost in limbo were singing "I will survive". Great song!
ReplyDeleteHey Mel
ReplyDeleteWell done, happy release day! What a cool looking book.
Favourite songs are always hard to pick but I had a bad moment the other day. Having always loved "Father and Son" by Cat Stevens, I played it for my 18 year old and for the first time in my life, I was suddenly sounding rather like the father......Ah me.
Mel - mega happy release day. How awesome. I have far too many fav songs to pick one - and sometimes I don't know it's a fav until I hear it on the radio or tv. And then it will evoke a fantastic memory and I get that gooey feeling.
ReplyDeleteAnd feeding the muse - sometimes you just have to let them have some time where you give them a movie or a song or a book and let them discover why they love inspiring you.
Hi Mel -- Happy Release Day!!
ReplyDeleteIt's weird, but your question immediately made me think of two songs by The Proclaimers. I love the 500 mile one (I'm Gonna Be), which I swear is the most romantic song ever! And then I also love the 'I'm sitting on top of the world' one (I'm On My Way) which always makes me feel so great to be alive!
I must go and listen to them again!
Happy Release Day Mel!!!!! Woohoo!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm like Tracie, so many fantastic songs to choose from...but if I had to choose one it would be Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. Reminds me of growing up (older cousins playing it) and as a teen and my own fascination with 70s music.
Then again when I hear Nutbush City Limits with Tina Turner, I want to boogie...and it's a fave dancing tune at parties.
Then there's Greek songs. Diaspora by Glykeria is about the children of Greece going far and wide. Really emotional.
See told you it was hard to pick on.
What a lovely morning, Mel. And yes, I do know exactly what you mean. =)
ReplyDeleteI make a playlist for each story I write, and I play it over and over and over - till I can listen to it and not hear the words anymore, and the first notes immediately put me into the character's lives.
For the story I'm writing now, some of my fave songs on the soundtrack are: Muse, Exogenisis Part 1; Whitney Houston, I Will Always Love You; Rufus Wainwright, Hallelujah; Chris Isaak, Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing, and Wicked Game; oh, actually, the whole soundtrack is made of favourites, so I'd have to keep going and list them all!
Happy Release Day, Mel!!! Hope you're partying while singing at the top of your lungs!
ReplyDeleteYesterday I was tired, it was raining and I was driving home and Khe Sahn came on. Cold Chisel is my high school days. Luckily there was no one in the car and it got belted out very loud, very out of tune and probably not even the right words all the time! But I got home okay, so it worked to wake me and put me in a good mood!
Cath
Thanks Zana,
ReplyDeleteI know very little about Cat Stevens, but LOL on the father moment!
That's so true Tracie,
ReplyDeletetime out is just what the muse ordered sometimes.
And thanks for the congrats =)
Thanks Emily!
ReplyDeleteThis is another group I know very little about!! Now I'm going to have to check these songs out too! LOL
Hi Eleni,
ReplyDeleteI don't know your Greek songs, but I do love Nut Bush City Limits, now that song brings back some fond/fun memories!! Stairway to Heaven is also a great one!
Rach, what a great idea!
ReplyDeleteAnd love your songs and artists, especially Muse and Chris Isaak!
Hi Catherine,
ReplyDeleteI love Cold Chisel, what a great band and lots of memories there!
And yes I was most definately having a one-person party! LOL
Huge congrats on the release of Ice Cold Lover, Mel (so love that pretty cover!)
ReplyDeleteOne of my all time favourite songs is Meat Loaf's For Crying Out Loud. Those lyrics slay me. I just love and adore that song and it always manages to get me back in the writing mood if I'm having an off moment!!
Mel,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the release Of Ice Cold Lover and I just adore that cover,
And I'm not so much a music person, but I cry over many, many, sad stories.
My real box of tissue stories are the house makeovers for families who really need a helping hand. Did you see the story about the teenage girl with Terrets Syndrome who, before her operation, kicked holes in every wall in the house? When they re-made the house for that family and gave her long-suffering younger brother a new bedroom, the look of amazement and happiness on his face made me cry for an hour.
Have fun with it, Mel,
Suzi
HI Mel
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. That's the best cover. My song is Hotel California because there is no escaping your destiny. We're down here to do the job we promised to do.
Best
Cathleen Ross
Hey Mel!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about how deeply a song from the past can affect you. I also know what you mean about actually being in the car by yourself! Though I think she's fabulous, I am so over Hannah Montana atm.
A song that sends tingles up and down my limbs is Broken Wings by Mister Mister. Always, always does it for me. I was so in love with that guy...
Congrats on your second fabulous release, as well as your creative well overflowing. I'm having one of those days myself!
Robbie x
Hi Christina!
ReplyDeleteWow, Meatloaf!!! We're all really showing our ages now LOL! Yep, another great group =)
And thanks, your new cover isn't half bad either (g)
Hi Suz!
ReplyDeleteAs a mum who had a daughter with a major physical disability, I can really empathise with the siblings who may sometimes unintentionally be overlooked when so much time needs to be devoted to the other child.
Those shows really are tear jerkers!
Hi Cathleen!
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting viewpoint, I'm going to have to listen to the song again now!
Hi Robbie!!
ReplyDeleteLOl - you'd know exactly when I mean about the 'time alone' feeling! Hope you got to play Broken Wings when you were last driving alone?? =)