First of all, I’d like to thank my friend, Sandy, for inviting me here today to celebrate the release of my latest book, Highlander’s Curse.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with my books, my series could best be described as Paranormal/Time Travel Romance.  There are Highlanders and Faeries and usually a mystery or two and one of the best things about the series – at least for me! – is that some are contemporary and some are historical [medieval], so I never have a chance to get bored with what I’m writing.

I often get asked what my writing process is – a question that always makes me smile because I don’t think I have much of a process.  I sit and stare at the screen until I can see the next scene in my head and then I wrestle with the words until the come as close as possible to describing on paper what’s in my head.

Oh, and there’s always music.

That’s one part of the process I never really thought about until a recent interview when I was asked what piece of music would best describe my Daughters of the Glen series.  Whoa!  One piece?  You want me to give you just ONE piece of music???  Do you have any idea how many songs I string together to get me through a book???

One piece.   The interviewer was pretty adamant.  J

Medieval by Els Berros de la Cort from the album Egregore.  I highly recommend it!  It’s a snappy, foot-tapping little piece that tosses me right into the thirteenth century!  [It’s available on i-tunes, in case you’re interested]

Unless it’s a battle scene.  Or a chase.  Or something action-exciting.  Then I pop in an Albannach CD and let that band’s energy on drums and bagpipes carry me away.   Their music is also my first choice for brainstorming – particularly when I’m driving for any distance in the car.  This is music that never fails to get me pumped up.  You can hear snippets for yourself at their website.

Don’t get me wrong… it’s not just writers who use music to get them through their work.  When I was a kid, I could always tell when it was either ironing day or floor-cleaning day because my mom would drag out her records [yes… real vinyl] and the strains of waltz music would float through the entire house.  She always said she could get lost in that music and forget what she was actually having to do.  [Ironing?  You bet I’d want to be thinking of something else, too!!]

So what about you?  Do you have a special piece of music, a song, an album, a singer or band that helps you through those everyday chores?  I’d love to hear what you listen to!

And, hey… maybe you’ll want to snag one of my favorites to listen to while you’re reading Highlander’s Curse – available everywhere today, March 29!!

[Ed. Melissa is offering a copy of Highlander’s Curse for one lucky commenter! Good luck. U.S. and Canada only, please.]