The Wizard’s Way Playlist – Part 1

Music is as essential to my writing process as coffee and procrastination. While Jacob generally writes to the sound of earplugs, I have playlist upon playlist of carefully curated songs that evoke the perfect soundtrack to my novels and their characters.
So, for the similarly inclined, here’s my playlist for The Wizard’s Way! For those who haven’t read the novel, I’ve written the descriptions to be spoiler-free. On the other hand, if you’re bewildered by said descriptions, here’s your reason to read the book! 😀

Here’s the list on YouTube if you’d like to listen while you read:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqPPaxDp0Wc?list=PLo3lKhIPo_aTUVVxNmjCM-KIROSf5dYqt&w=560&h=315]

Part 1: Calderling

 

Overture

by George Bruns (The Jungle Book)

For the Prologue. It doesn’t necessarily scream “Ellid wrestling a dragon,” but it does establish the sultry, mysterious jungles of the island of Leray.

Anniversary Medley

by Koji Kondo (The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony)

I wrote much of Chapters 1-3 to this, particularly the first 4ish minutes, because of its fun sense of derring-do. This was a mood I hoped to capture in those chapters and in the novel as a whole.

Gerudo Valley

by Koji Kondo (The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony)

Epic music for an epic glider crash in Chapter 4.

Off to the Races

by Lana Del Rey (Born to Die)

The lyrics don’t suit them exactly, but when I listened to it ironically, the decadent, dangerous relationship in the song matched Chapter 5‘s Cider and Lysa well. After all, they are quite an ironic pairing (though not romantic at all).
Also, in my head, Lysa speaks with Lana Del Rey’s voice, so I wrote a lot of her scenes to said artist’s music.

What Are You Asking Me?

by James Newton Howard (The Village)

I also write to a lot of James Newton Howard, as he’s my favorite composer. This track in particular quickly became the “Chaucey is Sad” theme for Chapters 6-7. The juxtaposition of hyperactive violin over otherwise soothing music makes for a good representation of what’s going on inside Chaucey’s head in these scenes (and really, at any given time).

Manchester 1866

by Steve Jablonsky (Steamboy)

The Inventors’ Way theme for Chapters 8-9. It expresses the industrious and dangerous mischief that’s characteristic of a whole street full of inventors. For similar reasons, it was also the music for Elsa and Ellid’s hijinks in Chapters 13-14.

Ryuko Matoi’s Theme

by Hiroyuki Sawano (Kill la Kill)

The “Yer a Wizard, Chaucey” theme for Chapter 10. Truly, I wrote most of the book to Kill la Kill, even when the scenes didn’t suit it, simply because the bombast of the whole soundtrack complements the book so well. (Basically every chapter not specified in this list = written to Kill la Kill).

Part 2 to follow soon!

In the meantime, what music inspires you to write? 😀