PLAYLIST

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Music's a major source of inspiration for me.

No, I'm not a musician. I don't sing, either (except to myself ... and not very successfully). But, I DO write to music.

It's funny. I can't stand to have music on when I'm concentrating at work; but when I'm writing? I crave it. Music helps me tap into the emotions that make my stories tick. Nine times out of ten, if I'm writing, I'm wearing earphones and listening to a carefully curated playlist tailored to the story at hand. Another benefit? I have kids, god love 'em, and music helps drown out the sound of cartoons or squabbles while I'm trying to write :).

So, if you've read — and hopefully enjoyed — However Long the Night, you might be interested in the soundtrack to my story. Scroll down, maybe download some songs and give it a listen. And when you do? Spare a fond thought for Will, Skye, Josh and everyone in Reese.

PLEASE NOTE:
If you haven't finished HLTN, the playlist below contains spoilers. Read at your own risk. Also note: not every song correlates to a specific scene, but there are a few in particular that stand out. The songs below aren't in order, though I originally meant to do it that way.

Hope you enjoy.

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A. Day n' Nite (Nightmare) - Kid Cudi

After a bunch of searches on iTunes, Kid Cudi's Day n' Nite ended up being the song that evoked the opening party scene imagery at the beginning of HLTN, and served as the inspiration for the song Josh dances to on the roof before he dives into his pool. I thought some of the lyrics tapped into the paranoia Will feels, and the difference between the kid his friends and family think they know vs. the anxiety he feels about the numbers.

B. Born to Die - Lana Del Ray

I listened to Born to Die over and over when I was writing the scene where Will's sitting in the waiting room with his mom (who's asleep) while his dad undergoes heart surgery. The song hit the right tonality for Will's struggle with his morbid gift, and the dawning realization that he can't escape from it.

In some ways, Born to Die was the original anthem for HLTN. Even now when I hear the song, it reminds me of Will's story.

C. Bloodflood - alt-J

I love alt-J. Their music has a complexity and beauty that make them unlike any other band I know. I listened to this song as I wrote the scenes between Josh and Will on the way to Pete's funeral. One thing I enjoyed about writing HLTN was the double layer of conversation and comprehension that came along with other characters conversing with Will. At this point Josh confesses his struggle with Pete's death, especially in light of Alex's loss. In truth, all roads lead back to Alex, and Pete's death forces Josh and Will to relive the pain of losing their best friend all over again. When Josh wishes he'd been able to see the future, and maybe save Alex, or Pete, the observation is painful for Will because it mirrors his anxiety about the numbers and his actual inability to control future events even if he can predict death.

D. Style/Delicate/Everything has Changed - Taylor Swift; Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran

There's a sweetness to Taylor Swift's songs celebrating fledgling relationships — like the musical incarnation of butterflies in your stomach when you have a crush on someone. I listened to this combo when writing and rewriting scenes between Will and Skye — particularly during their game of "Start Over" (Style & Delicate) and the first real kiss they share after playing mini-putt (Everything Has Changed).

E. Eyes Without a Face - Billy Idol

I played this 80's hit when Will and Kate meet at Decker's for the first time. I thought the coffee shop might have a quirky playlist of both new and older music, and I liked the melancholy/creepy feel of the song ... besides, I've always liked the melody. Fun fact: Eyes Without a Face was inspired by a 1960's French horror film.

F. Hey Now - London Grammar

When I first came across Hey Now, I was enthralled by its haunting melody — I still am, actually. There's an ethereal quality to the song that helped evoke the imagery I needed when Will descends the staircase to find Skye following Tom's suicide. Love this one. Played it on repeat.

G. Leave Out All the Rest - Linkin Park

I needed a song to help write the scene where Will drives to the football field after seeing Pete's 1, and has a mini breakdown alone in his car. Chester Bennington had a voice that was both vulnerable and incredibly powerful, and I thought the themes of mortality and mistakes worked perfectly. I mean, these lyrics were made for Will: "Forgetting all the hurt inside/You've learned to hide so well/ Pretending someone else/ Can come and save me from myself/ I can't be who you are" ... the difficulty and tragedy for Will is, he can't escape what he sees, or who he is. And that terrifies him.

H. Ruin - Shawn Mendes
"I'm not tryna ruin your happiness / but darlin' don't you know I'm the only one, for you?" ... the push and pull of this bluesy ballad spoke to me when writing for Will and Skye.

I. Change/ Brain - Banks

I came across this incredible artist from LA in the midst of edits. I love her voice and the raw emotion she exudes when she sings. Emotional abuse figures in some of Banks' songs and I thought they worked well to make me think deeper about Skye and Bridget's potential home life and subsequent flight away from Tom. I love both these songs, period.

J. Lovely - Billie Eilish & Khalid

This gorgeous song was on repeat as I worked on more recent edits to further flesh out Will's out of body/ cosmic experience to the other side, coming in contact with his loved ones who have passed and finally reaching Skye to bring her back.

K. A Blessing - Max Richter

I heard this haunting instrumental when I watched HBO's The Leftovers (Justin Theroux for the win, if anyone's watched it!) Anyway, I downloaded the song and listened to it when writing the climactic scene with Tom & Skye on top of the landing ... if you've finished Countdown you know what happens next.

L. Tom's creepy playlist (LOL ... but not really.)

I relied heavily on music when I wrote the final section of the book. Tom is disturbed and his actions, and subsequent fallout, had to breed fear. I needed music that practically bled foreboding, so I could tap into Will's anxiety and show him to be justifiably scared.

Here's a list of songs that made my creep list:
- Heathens - Twenty One Pilots
- Bloodstream - Ed Sheeran & Rudimental
- Secretly - Skunk Anansie
- How Soon is Now? - The Smiths
- Rooster - Alice in Chains
- Young & Menace - Fall Out Boy
- The Theme to Westworld — yup, it's creepy. Gotta love those minor keys!
- Nothing Else Matters - Metallica

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