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From Paperbacks to Playlists: Using songs to inspire the stories!

Writer's picture: Katie RaeKatie Rae


More and more authors are weaving music into their storytelling. They use playlists to set the mood or amplify the vibe of their books. These curated lists create an experience that makes you feel like you're living the story. It’s not just about reading—it’s about harmonizing with the emotions on the page.


Oftentimes, the songs themselves tell the story, and on a road trip, late at night, as I listened to The Highway XM, I thought about how those stories would look if they were longer, more elaborate. By the time I got home from the three-hour trip, I had compiled nine songs that inspired a storyline in a book I KNEW I wanted to call Done.


This book may not be about the music itself, but it played such a pivotal role that I wanted every nuance of the book to have something to do with music. This is how Harmony Haven was created: a fictitious town in Georgia, just north of Atlanta. Where the only pub in town is called Fiddlers, and the best fishing can be done on Lyric Lake. The town's theme is "Where Life is a Love Song" because there is truly something magical about a love song.


For the entire Harmony Haven Series, I wanted the songs to be more than vibes and feelings. I wanted them to be images and scenes. I wanted someone to hear the song and the lyrics and instantly think of specific moments inside these books.... just the way I did when listening to them that night.


Here are a few examples:

Harmony Haven Series Book 1

Done by Katie Rae


✔️ Easton Brooks, a firefighter, answers an emergency call to a house and finds Jesse coming out of the shower with nothing but a towel around her. Her son, Max, is holding the phone, and it's realized that he accidentally dialed 911. This makes for an awkward but funny meet-cute. 


💃 To prove how much he likes Jesse, he shows up on a Friday night at Walmart, where she plans on doing some shopping instead of being able to go out with him.

  1. He ends up playing some music on his phone and slow dancing with Jesse in the parking lot...  https://open.spotify.com/track/6MBUUSIWCzaXW4q58Ktrv9?si=6808d8b4bd484725


🎶 At the Harmony Haven Music Festival, one of Jesse's favorite singers performs what I like to think is "Take Me Away."

  1. After the festival, she asked Easton to take her away... https://open.spotify.com/track/5UaJtNAZJcN9pWpIuVMnN2?si=e3ac031f16cd43ee


💌 The last example is when Easton finds himself in a daze, always thinking of Jesse and doodling hearts on his discarded mail. He asks his grandpa if that shit is normal and realizes he may be in love with Jesse.

  1. He knows sometimes he may act a little crazy, but that's what Jesse does to him... https://open.spotify.com/track/0hHLFYQOVwKhpnO7oSXcFz?si=ecd5cb2aa18f4f29



If you want, I can add more examples, but I bet you can listen and know which songs belong to which scenes. I'd love to see what you think of these songs and if you have any songs that make you want to write a story.


👮🏼‍♀️ Just. Wait. Until. Catch. Is. LIVE.

It's going to be my favorite; I can already tell. Miles just wants to catch the bad guys, but instead, he's catching feelings for... 🧐🧐🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️ https://open.spotify.com/track/53cGGBxGPaRjP0HVUESyW5?si=73015bf6ac084f9d



ALL MY LOVE,

Katie

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