August 2016 Spotlight ~ Character Theme Songs and Important Updates

One of my dearest friends in the blogging world is Lana from The Music of Words. Which is a great blog, by the way. one of the few I actually read through every word of every post. *guilty grin*

Anyways, moving on …
Lana started doing this thing recently called ‘spotlights.’ She’s done two so far (find #1 here and #2 here). And Lana’s explanation of what that is …

What is this “Spotlight” you speak of? you may be asking. Well, I’ll explain it to you. During the week or two I’ve been gone from the blogosphere did you notice? I was (as well as procrastinating from Camp NaNo) thinking a bit about how to improve my blogging. And I decided I wanted to share more writing with you more often, but I can’t exactly write a short story every week. Then I thought of writing a novel solely on this blog, which would be fun, but I have no ideas, let alone motivation to actually do it.
So I came up with the idea of the Spotlight. Basically, weekly I will “shine the spotlight” on some of the writing I worked on that week, which will probably include excerpts of some of my favorite parts, anything that I really enjoyed writing, cool descriptions, thoughts, etc. Basically anything that I feel really struck me gets to be posted here!
That means that not only will you get to read more of my writing through excerpts, you’ll also get to know my characters a lot better and get a feel for my novel. Are you in? I hope so! (source)

She’s letting me steal this idea (at least, I think she said it was okay … didn’t she? Lana?), and so here I am. Stealing the spotlight. XD Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

However, I will be doing it a little differently. First, I won’t be doing it weekly, I’ll be doing it monthly. I think it was supposed to be on the third Thursday of every month, but … eh. Who wants schedules? It’ll be sometime during the 3rd week of every month, depending on what’s going on and what it’s about, etc.
Second, the spotlight will contain whatever I want it to contain. No complaining about the content, guys. This is where I talk about whatever I want to talk about. I’m the author. I can write whatever I want. *evil laughter*
Today, as you can see by the title, in honor of Lana, I’ll be doing it about character theme songs! and also because I just want to (see last paragraph). Lana didn’t actually make me do this blog post; I decided to on my own. Because I’m the author. There will also be some ramblings in here, including author updates.
Anyway, let’s move on. I think I’d better put a line here so that we’re able to move on to the actual post.
Yes. Yes, all that was intro …

When I listen to music, I oftentimes don’t enjoy it so much if I can’t think of a character that relates to that song. For instance, would I like Some Mistakes so much if it weren’t for Colin and Ruby? No. No, wouldn’t. (oh, and it’s a country-western song that’s a little vulgar, so, well, you might not want to listen to it …)
So many of my characters end up having a song (or songs) dedicated to them. Miss Chattoway from The Dressmaker’s Secret, for instance, must have fifty songs that are her ‘theme song.’ XD
So … let me tell you about some of those songs. 🙂

• Red by Taylor Swift

I don’t know why, my lately I’ve been listening to this song and thinking, “Claire, Claire, Claire!” Let me show you why …

Loving him is like driving a new Maserati down a dead-end street
Faster than the wind, passionate as sin, ending so suddenly
Loving him is like trying to change your mind once you’re already flying through the free fall
Like the colors in autumn, so bright just before they lose it all

You see what I mean? Well, maybe you don’t. Sometimes my friends will listen to songs I think are my characters’ theme songs and go, “Um … Kell, this is nothing like him/her …” I’m a delusional author. Forgive me. BUT THIS IS SO CLAIRE GUYS!!!

• See You Again by Carrie Underwood

No, this is not Christian symbolism, guys! This is a romantic song. What do you mean it isn’t? It is, too!
Okay, I admit it. This is technically a song about Jesus. But … that’s not how I’m interpreting it. XD

I can hear those echoes in the wind at night
Calling me back in time
Back to you
In a place far away
Where the water meets the sky
The thought of it makes me smile
You are my tomorrow

This is another song that is very Claire Marie Chattoway. 🙂

• Easier on my Heart by Sanctus Real

This Christian song is the theme song of Mrs. Hazel Knight. And you thought all songs were about Claire …

It would be a little easier on my heart
If I had a taste of Heaven
It would be a little easier to hang on
If it wasn’t so hard to imagine

It’s just … just … just so beautiful …… *sobs*

• Crying in the Rain by the Everly Brothers

I’ll never let you see
The way my broken heart is hurting me
I’ve got my pride and I know how to hide
All the sorrow and pain
I’ll do my crying in the rain

Once again, I give you Miss Claire Marie Chattoway! 😀

Well, because I don’t want this post to go on forever, I’ll just list the rest of Miss Chattoway’s theme songs without talking about them or spending time looking up links.

• Just Be Held by Casting Crowns
• All Too Well by Taylor Swift
• Bring Me to Life by Evanescence
• S.O.S. by Abba
• … and I can’t remember any more, but that’s not it.
• Billie Jean by Michael Jackson I’M JUST KIDDING, AND I DON’T EVEN KNOW THAT SONG ANYWAY!!! (then how did you reference it?) I JUST DID, OKAY? SHHHH!!!

Ignore my worldliness. My dad likes Michael Jackson, okay? and so do I. NO I DON’T!!!
On another note, Riley’s theme song is Counting Stars by OneRepublic. No, you don’t know who Riley is. And you won’t for a while. He’ll be mention in At Her Fingertips, which I think will be the first you learn more about him. Except maybe by listening to Counting Stars by OneRepublic. XD Riley is awesome, just so you know. He’s just awesomesauce.
Okay, guys. I think that was enough ‘spotlight’ for one month. Lana, you can stop rolling your eyes. The first time is always the hardest, right? It always comes off messy and stupid. Like the pilot episode of almost any TV show.
So … forgive the pilot, won’t y’all?

Now, some author updates:

• On The Lady of the Vineyard:

I just finished proofing it! And I mean just! I was working on it while the lousy internet wouldn’t work (it’s been hopping on and off all day).
Anyway, I’ll need to type the edits I made up on Google Docs, then copy and paste that whole thing to an offline document (hard to explain why), then put that on my thumbdrive, then get on the other computer (which rarely works, but actually lets me use Word), then format it.
After it’s formatted (which will take me a couple hours at least) on Word, I’ll change the .docx to .pdf and upload it on Createspace. Of course, first I’ll have to get my back cover (my designer is busy at the moment, and it will take me a couple days to get all this done anyway). So yeah. I’ll order myself a proof copy. 🙂
In the meanwhile, I’ll be setting up the blog tour. I still have some things to do (like finish up those graphics … the internet is really bad, though!), but mostly I’m just waiting on the ARC (advanced review copy). I’ve also got to make time to begin contacting reviewers.
And … I think that’s about it! Oh, the cover reveal? Yes, I know … that was supposed to happen last week. I have excuses, though. 😛

1. I was too busy.
2. I didn’t put it on my list. XD
3. I don’t have the back cover! … Yes, that doesn’t matter at all. Still. It might have mattered … if I was going to show you the back cover, too … XD

And … those are feeble at best. Forgive me. How about I reveal it now? Would that make you happy? Okay. Here’s the cover for The Lady of the Vineyard!

Tada! It was made by the wonderful Lana! What do you think? Isn’t it lovely? We loves it soooo much!

Oh, no. Here we go again … no, we shan’t! We shall control our animal impulses! Stop, we! STOP!!!

Whoa, that was close! I thought I’d lost myself to plurality again! *wipes brow*

How about I show you the cover smaller, too, so you can see it all at once …

Lana, I just remembered … am I gonna have to call you Lana, or what? “Cover Art by Lana?” Okay … though I admit it’s kind of anticlimactic … 😉 Just kidding.

Moving on from TLOTV …

• On Ivy Introspective:

Don’t kill me now, but I haven’t move beyond Chapter Eighteen! And the problem isn’t the book … it’s me. I’m just not making time for it with TLOTV and all! But I will this week. If I don’t finish Chapter Twenty before the week is out, I give you permission to shoot me. You know … over the internet … 😉

• On Life:

We’re getting a border collie puppy on the 31st. We’re naming him Riley. 🙂
I’m a soccer coach! Well, an assistant coach, but still. Cool, right?
I was just looking at the tree in our yard (that’s turning red prematurely) and thinking, “I’m failing on my photography.” But then photography was never one of my major hobbies, I guess …
I’ve been driving around town! You know, with my parents in the car, but STILL!!!! 😀
Well, that’s all for today, folks. Au revoir!
~Kellyn Roth