by Melanie K. Moschella
When writing my debut series I listened to the same playlist on repeat, and I think that a lot of the emotion in the songs made it into my books. If you can’t tell, I love indie music! It’s understated, heartfelt, and full of the aching tension every good Romantasy book needs. In The Raek Riders Series, the main character, Meera, longs to change her lonely life and makes a series of decisions that bring her closer to finding purpose, love, and a whole lot of magic. Her journey is emotional but also full of hope and humor much like these songs.
Playlist
Such a Simple Thing, Ray LaMontagne
This was my most listened to song when writing The Raek Riders Series. It’s beautiful, full of yearning, and … fire magic anyone?
Iridescent Ghosts, Little Green
This song reminds me so much of my series’ covers, which all fit together to show my main character’s silhouette. She’s something of an iridescent ghost herself—naked, vulnerable, and full of the wind.
Wasteland, Baby!, Hozier
Dreamy, romantic, and otherworldly, this song hits the mark!
The Beacon, A Fine Frenzy
My characters overcome a lot of struggles, and I feel like this song embodies their pain and hope.
Poison and Wine, The Civil Wars
This is such a hauntingly beautiful duet and highlights how well different perspectives can play off of one another. Every book in my series adds a new character perspective to increase the nuance and depth of the reader’s experience.
Misty, Caamp
Both melodic and gruff, this song expresses loneliness and a desire for more that my main character could definitely relate to. She steps up to see if she can fly, and spoiler alert: she can.
Winter Song, Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles
Haunting but hopeful, this song evokes an imminent storm much like the war brewing in my series. My characters will have to decide whether or not to fight and whether violence can ever bring lasting peace.
Ashes, Lyncs
About letting go and relying on friends, this song is a lesson that not all loves last—a lesson Meera will learn on her journey. Luckily, she has a found family of friends to lean on when in need.
Evelyn, Gregory Alan Isaakov
About a woman stuck in her routine, this song speaks to the life that my main character, Meera, is trying so hard to break free from. We all get stuck in our lives and patterns, and it takes a strong will and maybe a magical creature to create meaningful change.
Paper Aeroplane, Angus & Julia Stone
Pining but with a playfulness to it, this song was definitely one of my most listened to when writing.
Melanie is an escapist reader and writer living in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire. Her two true passions are parenting and writing—both of which require stamina and creativity, but only one of which allows her to sit down. Despite Melanie’s overpriced English degree from an overrated university, she attributes her debut work, The Raek Riders Series, to the isolation of new motherhood—after all, what could make a person crave adventure and romance more than dirty diapers?
