By Jane Buckingham
In the movie of my book A Lie For a Lie that runs in my head, this is the soundtrack that plays on repeat. In fact, whenever I needed to really get in the head of the characters these are the songs I listened to. I created A Lie for a Lie to be a fun suspenseful story about relationships, love, betrayal, and lies. If your boyfriend’s cheating, or someone cheated on a test, you DM an anonymous Instagram account called @Revenge, and it will publicly embarrass and out the offender. But when one prank goes wrong, and someone almost die, Sabrina – who helped perpetrate the prank, needs to find out who @Revenge is so she doesn’t take the blame for the crime. While it’s a page turning “whodunit,” it also raises questions about trust, love, and our own definitions of “success” I hope all readers will enjoy it, and that the young readers will feel a little more understood and maybe even a little less anxiety when they do.
“Look What You Made Me Do” by Taylor Swift:
It’s not a playlist without TSwift, and it’s hard to pick just one! I wanted to title the book “Look what you made me do” (but not gonna compete with Taylor!). In the book, there is a lot of “blaming others,” and I think we often do that as a way of ignoring our own actions and responsibility. In some ways the song personifies what @Revenge stands for. It gets back at people for hurting others. But then again, as they say, living well is the best revenge, so maybe it helped Taylor want to become even MORE successful!
“Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus:
This track hits hard when I’m in in total emotional chaos, kind of like the rollercoaster of trust and deceit in the book. It’s all about breaking down walls and rebuilding, which is a lesson I think a lot of the characters in the book needed to do. Without giving too much away, suffice it to say a lot of the book’s characters act without thinking, and sometimes that can be a very dangerous way to behave.
“Pray for Me” by The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar:
This song’s my anthem when I’m wrestling with doing what’s right versus chasing my own desires, just like the characters in A Lie for a Lie. It’s got this dark vibe that matches the moral dilemmas of the book.
“Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish:
Whenever I’m feeling rebellious and ready to shake things up, this song is my go-to. It’s all about playing with power dynamics and being unapologetically yourself, which totally resonates with the themes of betrayal and revenge in the book. Sabrina has to struggle with her choices, her own honesty, and whether she can trust the first real “love” of her life.
“I might kill my ex” by SZA:
This title says it all – it’s like the ultimate revenge fantasy anthem, capturing that intense desire to even the score when you’ve been wronged. It’s the perfect soundtrack for diving into the murky depths of lies and deceit. But friendly reminder, don’t do this at home!
“Panic Room” by Au/Ra:
So much about the book is about feeling paranoid and on edge, this song nails that vibe perfectly. It’s like the characters’ constant struggle to protect themselves from the consequences of their actions, set to a pulsating beat.
“Control” by Halsey:
This track is all about taking charge and owning your destiny, which totally resonates with the protagonist’s journey in the book. It’s like the anthem for breaking free from manipulation and reclaiming your power. I’m really proud of Sabrina’s personal journey through the book. We all make good and bad choices in life, and
“Tainted Love” by Soft Cell:
Whenever I’m knee-deep in toxic relationships and betrayal, this song hits home. It’s like the soundtrack to the characters’ tangled web of lies and deceit, where trust is a rare commodity. Toxic is a word that has become a bit overused, but I do think it’s important for Sabrina, Emily, Brooke, Jake, and for all of us to be able to identify relationships, people, and situations that are bad for us before they really become toxic!
“Every Breath You Take” by The Police:
This is a classic song of obsession and surveillance, and it captures Sabrina’s relentless pursuit of the truth. It’s like the soundtrack to her dogged determination to uncover the lies that threaten to destroy all of them.
“Good Life” by OneRepublic:
Even with all the chaos and turmoil, this song reminds me of those fleeting moments of happiness and redemption. It’s like the glimmer of hope in the darkness, offering a reminder that there’s still beauty to be found amidst the lies and betrayal.
Jane Buckingham is the Founder and CEO of TRENDERA. She is one of the countries’ leading experts on Generations X, Y, Z and V.
Prior to starting Trendera, Buckingham helped pioneer the trend forecasting field by creating the leading youth marketing and consulting firm Youth Intelligence, and The Cassandra Report in 1996, both of which she sold to Creative Artists Agency in 2003.
At 16, Buckingham wrote the book Teens Speak Out to help explain her generation. She was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show and many others.
Jane is the bestselling author of the Modern Girl’s Guide book series and starred in the TV show of the same name. Buckingham has been a contributing editor to Glamour Magazine and Cosmopolitan Magazine. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, 60 Minutes and The Los Angeles Times.
Buckingham has served on the Board of Directors for Baby2Baby, The Rape Treatment Center at St. John’s Hospital and Women in Film.
Jane has two children, Jack and Lilia. She lives in Los Angeles.
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