MONDAY MUSINGS

My newest book is entitled STONE SILENCE. It's the first in a series called the SOUND OF SILENCE series.

Background Image courtesy of 9comeback at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Book two will be entitled JAILBIRD and book three will be entitled HOTHOUSE FLOWER. At least those are my working titles. They are subject to change as I write each book. The covers are almost done and I can't wait to share them with you!

Recently, I was working on my book and a few strange coincidences happened, reminding me that sometimes I feel compelled to write a story--as if the universe is saying, "YES, write this book. Write this book NOW!!"

I realize that all of these happenings are coincidence, but I like to imagine there are bigger forces at work here, so indulge me on this!!

STONE SILENCE takes place in the summer of 2015 during the GREAT TEXAS FLOODS. We had to travel to Austin to visit our son during this time and it was during our drive home that I felt inspired to write STONE SILENCE. More on this in a future post.

So, what are these amazing coincidences that happened?

I'll tell you.

Keep in mind, they're just little things, but they seemed BIG to me at the time.

A few months ago, I heard the song GIRL CRUSH and it spoke to me. The feelings that are evident in the beginning of the second book in the series match the feelings in the song perfectly. The song has really inspired me as I write the beginning scene of book two.

           

There is a scene in book one where the two characters are in a restaurant. I wanted to have a significant song playing in the background--and I wanted it to be a country song. I searched around for a while, not finding a song that appealed to me. Then I thought, it's supposed to be 2015, what were the top country songs that year. I looked it up and guess what?

Yep, you guessed it! GIRL CRUSH was the number one song.

I sat there and stared at my computer screen for a full minute, feeling awestruck. Such an amazing coincidence. I love when the pieces of a book just seem to fit together so perfectly.

I'm not sure how I've never heard this song when it was popular in 2015. The first time I heard it was when I'd already written the first draft of STONE SILENCE in 2016. And like I said, it just spoke to me. It captures the emotions at the beginning of book two. (Which will be entitled, JAILBIRD.)

The next few things that happened are just odd little coincidences that inspired me as well. Perhaps they are silly, but each moment made me more and more determined to write this series.

#1 While writing STONE SILENCE I ran across this version of the SOUND OF SILENCE and I felt inspired: 

           

#2 One evening while deeply absorbed in STONE SILENCE, I was sitting in a restaurant and another version of this song began to play over the radio. It was another one of those moments where I felt like the universe was singing to me and inspiring me. (Warning: the accompanying video is SAD!)

             

I know, weird, and I'm imagining things. As an author sometimes small things inspire me!

#3 Next, I was watching the finale of DWTS and my favorite freestyle dance was danced to the SOUND OF SILENCE. The young man dancing in the video is DEAF and he is AMAZING. He ended up winning the season.

Just to reiterate, a deaf man won DWTS!!! Incredible!

As for me, yep, I was inspired once again! Not just by the music, but by the heartfelt emotions expressed through dance.

So, yes I have concluded that I NEED to write this series! Reminders are all around me!

Time to get to work!