Guest Post: Evolution of A DJ by Ellen Harger

Guest post by Ellen Harger. Her self-published, debut novel, "Strong Enough" was released February 25, 2013. Her blog is My Mother Stuttered where the synopsis can be found.

She is thrilled to write her first guest blog post on Music Plus Books.

If you've taken a writing course, you'll likely cower in fear whenever someone suggests using copyrighted music in a novel. You've been conditioned with electrical shock critiques. BAD! zzzzttt! BAD! ZZZZZzzzttttT! Fried writer with chicken, coming right up!

If you're a reader who has thought, "I've never heard of that song," and stopped reading only to lose an hour on the internet, you've experienced why music is discouraged in novels. Even more likely, you rolled your eyes and thought, "Pretentious twit. I have no idea what you're talking about. And I'm not impressed." Author 0, Instructor 1.

But why are some authors tempted to combine real music with novels? Why not make up lyrics? Yeah, and I'll just pick up a guitar and be Eddie Van Halen, too. I blame movie soundtracks. Off the record, I'm a huge fan of movie soundtracks. So despite suffering from shock treatment via class critques, I wanted to include all the lyrics that ever moved me.

Whitney, the main character of my novel "Strong Enough," became a DJ to justify my use of musicians' words. But when I read a book with a similar technique and skipped all of the lyrics, it crystalized. If I wasn't going to work that hard to figure out what the author was trying to suggest, why should I ask others to do the same? Lightbulb--lyrics are cumbersome tricks that break a reader's enjoyment and a crutch for the uncertain author.

We experience music and novels differently. Describing the sound of a song for a reader is tricky so lyrics remained critical to me--they just couldn't be quoted. I had to do the work and  replace them with character comments or the weaving of particular phrases into narration. Whitney's musical selections had to tell stories that were plausible to both the fictitious and real audience.

On a personal whim, I decided to purchase music that had Superman as, or in, the title. It was a surprisingly large list. I opened up my search to include lyrics and very first radio show was born. Whitney's first show of the novel, Black Box Songs, was designed as a training exercise for her while the MTSYWB show gave me the opportunity to mention Sheryl Crow's "Strong Enough" without being obvious.

My final touch was naming each chapter with a song title. A few chapters were already titled after songs that embodied their arc, so I decided to turn the chapter list into a playlist. There were four non-song chapter titles that I really liked so I made up artists and albums. It was as close as I got to writing my own lyrics. Just call me E. Vedder.

Writing is an art. When done well, the reader is unaware of the work. When done right (with careful intention), breaking the rules can be good. And when stubborn enough, an author will endure the electro-shock to write the story she imagined.

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Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks. Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Are you sick of dystopian fiction? Unfortunately, there’s one more you have to read. The Selection is a novel about 35 princesses battling it out to become the prince’s new beloved wife. It’s not a story about tiaras and glass slippers, but rather, a story of deceit, betrayal and envy.

Characters:

The protagonist America Singer is drawn to enter the reality television show where she must compete with 34 other girls to win Prince Maxon’s heart. America is to leave her loving family. She cannot see her enthusiastic but strict mum and her supportive dad. She must miss her bubbly little sister, innocent little brother and the rest of her older siblings. To leave her home means not only to leave her family but also, most importantly, her secret love. 

Description:

Though it is expected for all thirty five girls to adore Prince Maxon and his castle, America Singer doesn’t feel the same. For her, being selected is not the dream it should be, but instead, a complete nightmare. America enters a glamorous and glittering world she isn’t accustomed to. She must face other competitive girls who will do anything for the prize whether it is the prince himself or the crown he can offer. At first, she thinks she knows what she wants, but she forgets, always expect the unexpected because as the author writes, “. . . true love is usually the most inconvenient kind.”

Pros:

The Selection was probably the quickest book I’ve ever read. I finished it cover to cover in one day which is quite a record for me. Though I didn’t expect there to be quite so much classic romance parts, I was in the end very pleased. The book was very entertaining and triggers many different emotions. I felt happy, angry, confused, heart-warmed and all of them at once. This novel is a quick and easy read with no dragging parts for any romantics. Also, if the description doesn’t draw you in, I’m sure the cover will. It’s beautiful! 

Cons:

On the other hand, there are quite a few reasons why for people other than me might not enjoy this book as much as I did. The concepts in the book seem very unoriginal even though the setting and world are different. It is frequently compared to The Hunger Games because they are both set in dystopian worlds with different sections. Another similarity is the love triangle that occurs in both books.Furthermore, The Selection might be too predictable and love-filled for some people. Many scenes towards the end of the book are expected very early on in the novel. There are also many parts that remind me of any typical chick-lit. This is definitely not the book for anyone who prefers horror, mystery, thriller and action over romance and young-adult fiction. 

Summary:

Ultimately if you loved The Hunger Games for the love triangle, you must read this book. I’ve recommended this book to friends before and they’ve loved it which is why I will continue suggest (force) this book to people. I am eagerly anticipating the sequel to this book, The Elite. I hope you will give this book a chance, and I can almost guarantee that you’ll be happy you did!

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