Adventures in Book Tour Land, Day 5: STORMCHASERS, the soundtrack

Hi, Readers:

Greetings from Iowa City, where tonight I had the great fun and pleasure of being a repeat-offender reader at the famous Prairie Lights bookstore (they hosted me on my tour in 2004 for THOSE WHO SAVE US), and where I heard for the second time on *this* tour a question that made me blush:

“You mentioned you have a soundtrack for your novel.  What is it?”

Apparently, while in the happy delusional state I get into while speaking, I confessed I’ve listened to certain songs to get myself psyched up to write, and to stay in the book’s world–and that sometimes, while walking and listening to the soundtrack on my iPod, I conduct.  Mercifully, I have not demonstrated the conducting at readings, nor sung anything (yet), but I do blush to confess I have a musical lineup that captures the flavor of my book’s atmospheres.  Why the uncharacteristic modesty?

Well, for one thing, music is so personal–the auditory embodiment of our hopes and dreams.  And because, especially for ‘CHASERS, the soundtrack is eclectic.  Since Charles and Karena, my hero and heroine in the ‘CHASERS, came of age in the ’80s, much of the soundtrack consists of 80s tunes.  My highschool and college friends will stand by me on this, I suspect.  They might even give me a fist-pump.  The rest of you might think I am a big dork.

‘CHASERS does have a main classical theme song:  Copland’s Appalachian Spring, Allegro movement.

Listen to Appalachian Spring

Why Appalachian Spring?  Because it is dissonant and crashing and colorful and lively, like Charles when he’s chasing, and because there is a tender coda toward the end that I think of as Karena’s theme.  And because it’s so quintessentially American, as is the novel.

Here is the rest of the ‘CHASERS soundtrack–entitled “Charles’s Mix” on my iPod.  If you think I’m a big dork, please don’t tell me.

CHARLES’S MIX

Kyrie Eleison–Mister Mister
I Go To Extremes–Billy Joel
The Freshemen–The Verve Pipe
St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion)–John Parr
Midnight Blue–Lou Gramm
Walking in Memphis–Mark Cohn
Never Die Young–James Taylor
Over The Rainbow–Judy Garland
Code of Silence–Billy Joel
Pride (In The Name Of Love)–U2
Playmates–Kay Kyser
Darling Pretty–Mark Knopfler
I Sing The Body Electric–Fame
Every Time You Go Away–Paul Young
Never Surrender–Corey Hart
I’ll Be Missing You–Faith Evans
We’ve Got Tonight–Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton
Glory Of Love–Peter Cetera (this is Charles & Karena’s prom song)
Angel–Sarah McLaughlan
Missing You–Alison Krauss & John Waite
We Belong–Pat Benetar
Copland’s Appalachian Spring

What’s your book’s soundtrack?

xoxo,

Jenna.