Categories
Question of the Month

#Question of the Month: a #bloghop to think about. No. 15- What kind of music best speaks to you? #MusicMonday

A little while ago, Michael D’Agostino, of A Life Examined, brought up the idea of a new blog hop called Question of the Month. He thinks blog readers would like to know a little more about us, the bloggers. So we’re all gathering to show you guys who we are by taking part in the Question of the Month blog hop. On the first Monday of each month, we answer the question that gets posted here.

This month’s question is: “What kind of music best speaks to you?”

First, HAPPY LABOR DAY, USA!

And now, to the music…

I find it hard to comprehend the notion that some people just don’t like music, but I know it’s a fact. I’ve interviewed a few of those people. I can understand people having musical preferences and not liking certain musical genres, but to simply not like any music baffles my mind.

I can’t imagine living a healthy and satisfying life without music. I even ask authors I interview about their musical inspiration, but I think many of them are turned off by how I phrase the question, “When the soundtrack of your life is playing in your head, what songs express your glee and what songs bring out your rage?” I personally think it’s a good question; that’s probably why I never have and never will change it.

I, for one, use music in all aspects of my life. Music is for praise and worship, celebrating, grieving, relaxing, creating, and everything else. I sometimes think of songs that would be great for the soundtracks of my books (if my books had soundtracks). I created storyboards with song inspiration on Pinterest for both Eternal Curse: Giovanni’s Angel and Eternal Curse: Battleground. I went all out for my one contemporary story, It’s like the Full Moon, and created a playlist assigning a song to every chapter (see Side A here and Side B here).

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GOAT 1 by Eric Thomas hanging over a custom shelf for storing vinyl records also made by Eric Thomas (my husband). Can you guess who goat 1 is?

But, if you want to know what music really speaks to me, it would all depend on when you’re asking. It changes constantly. Right now, Big Band music is playing in my head. Last night, my husband and I played a few Louis Armstrong records (I feel vinyl is way underrated. Good vinyl has an amazing sound quality people overlook because it’s not digital). Usually, when blogging, I listen to jazz or oldies. When I’m writing, I listen to classical, opera, and very rarely techno, but not that repetitive over-sampled house music you hear in European night clubs. There is a time and place for that, just not when I’m writing.

For daily life, I’m still a sucker for popular music, though as I get older, I find it hard to like a lot of it. Still, I like it more than many of my peers. I’ve always appreciated Hip Hop and R&B, but I’ve been spending a lot of time with the old school chart toppers as of late. Even though I’m not opposed to country music, I find that I just don’t listen to it much. I do however have a few Bluegrass records that I’ll play over and over. Again, this is not the repetitive foot stomp’n, burning fiddle music you mostly thing of (again, a time and place for that), but good Bluegrass is like an orchestra with a southern style and twang, and can be quite inspirational.

I think I’ll stop here. I could go on and on, but there are others to visit in this hop and I want to be sure to see what they all have to say.

Please visit the other participants in this hop and even join in if you’d like. I can’t wait to see what other music and or songs speak to others.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
Excerpts Virtual Book Tours

#TwistedFairytaleConfessions by @sarahjpepper virtual World Book Tour, May 10-23. #NewAdult

Please note: this post contains mature themes. 
First there was Death of the Mad Hatter
 
Heads would Roll… Hearts would Break… In the end, would it matter who Reigned?
 
Then there was Locks: Rapunzel Unhinged
 
Even though most girls wouldn’t fall for their captors, Rapunzel isn’t like most dames… Yet in spite of his appeal, Rapunzel must escape before she’s locked away in the Château de Immortelle’s highest tower—forever.
 
Now there’s Snow White Lies
 
Evil poisons everyone. Period. Our mouths water when we sink our teeth into what we have always craved. Surrendering to our desires by biting off delectable piece of the forbidden fruit is nothing more than a meager confession: Poison tastes sinfully sweet,”—Confessions of the Big Apple Debutante, by blogger Miss Snow White.
 
The Huntsman gently lifted her into his arms and kissed her softly on the lips. The residue of the apple was still fresh on her lips. When he pulled away, she gasped like she was drowning. He may never recall their memories, but he knew of her, what he’d read, what Lietz had told him about her. He’d cared enough about her that he’d given up pieces of himself to save her. That the Seven and the Queen wanted her dead deemed her significant enough to save.
 
He whispered her name. Her eyes fluttered open. They were as icy blue as the flickering images in his memories. When she saw him, she smiled in a way that didn’t reach her eyes. She reached up and cupped his face in her hands. Staring at his mouth, she traced her thumb over his bottom lip. The longing for his kiss was obvious in her stare. Her aspiration was eloquently familiar. She had cared for him once—all of him. Covered in evil filth, she looked upon him and found him worthy of her love.
 
Then all the adoration and desire vanished with a blink of an eye. Disdain replaced craving in her gaze. Yet, she still looked upon him with a sick sense of hunger.
 
“I hadn’t expected your weapon of choice to be poison,” she said and licked her blood-stained lips.
 

Horizontal picture of the blockbuster as a man and a woman go away from burning car outdoors

 
Now let’s get to know Snow White and the Huntsman a little better by snooping through their playlists.
 
What do you think Snow’s playlist says about her?
 
What do you think Huntsman’s says about him?
1. Forever by Kesia- Can’t find this song.
2. Whistle (While You Work It) by Katy Tiz
3. Love the Way You Lie by Eminem
4. Trap Queen by Fetty Wap- Explicit
5. Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding
6. Style by Taylor Swift- You Tube
7. Girl Crush by Little Big TownGirl
8. Dear Future Husband by Meghan Tainor
9. B**** Better Have My Money by Rihanna- Explicit
10. One Last Time by Ariana
Grande
 
1. I’m Gonna Be (500 miles) by the Proclaimers
2. Watermelon Man by Les McCann
3. Shop Around by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
4. Buddy Holly by Weezer
5. The Rising by Bruce Springsteen
6.  I Love Rock ‘N Roll by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts- You Tube
7. Clocks by Coldplay
8.  I’m Eighteen by Alice Cooper
9.  Young Americans by David Bowie
10. Super Freak by Rick James
 
Click here to listen on Spotify and also visit links in the list that apply.
 
Click here to listen on Spotify and also visit links in the list that apply.
Well if you like this, don’t be shy; join the tour party for a chance to win a Kindle Fire 7 HD! Plus, try for a chance to win copies of all the books in the Twisted Fairytale Confessions series.
This series contains mature content; suitable for readers 18 and up.
Sarah J. Pepper
I specialize in dark, paranormal romance – think “happy ever after” but with a twisted, dark chocolate center. Real-life romance isn’t only filled with hugs, kisses, unicorns, and rainbows. True-love can be more thoroughly described in times of darkness and tribulation. It’s in those harsh moments where you see what a person is truly capable of – both the good and bad. Sometimes prince-charming isn’t always on time, and the glass slipper is a little snug. However, it doesn’t mean Charming is not Mr. Right, and who says every shoe is the perfect fit?
 
 
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords