Who doesn't love a good masquerade scene in a fantasy novel? Intrigue, deception, romance... and music. [gif: David Bowie in the film "Labyrinth" removing a goblin mask] If you're writing a masked ball scene and need a little musical inspiration, try this instrumental playlist full of lilting waltzes, haunting violin covers, and ethereal piano. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5nEpluIskw6i76TWlZddQe
So I saw the Birds of Prey movie last weekend, and I've been a wee bit obsessed ever since. [gif: Harley Quinn in sunglasses smirking] I created this playlist for the Birds of Prey, but could be applied to just about any story with a badass girl gang! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5e1lJtYSzZ4uacn4hDxd7V?si=cqIvWO0JQ1SiW1LrKhoMvQ
Today's entry is a more delicate piece of ethereal harp music: "The Lost Princess" by Musika Magika and Dulcamara In Cambiare, Cirelle plays the harp, and her Faerie Nocturne is loosely based on this piece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMKNd42-XcE
Puscifer's "The Humbling River" was part of my first mix for Cambiare, when it was just a nebulous idea and an overall vibe. This song encapsulates the mood I was going for with that very first kernel of a concept for Cirelle's story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgwK9sHTu-8
Garbage's "You Look So Fine" is one of those evergreen inspirational songs for me. I was listening to it when I wrote terrible fanfiction 20 years ago, and it's one of the songs that inspired my current faerie fantasy. It's gorgeous and sexy and I absolutely love the line "I want to break your heart …
This sexy little number was a "play on repeat" song for my gothic and steamy fairytale with vampires. "Bitches Brew" by ††† (Crosses) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBN-1Q0_Fiw
I've never made a secret of my love for Depeche Mode. It's hard to narrow down a favorite song, but this one has served to inspire both my faerie story and my gothic-horror fairy tale retelling. It's lush and mysterious and darkly romantic, and I adore it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l35XzUD8GGU
In case you haven't figured it out yet, I pretty much love any song that can be described as "I can't tell if it's creepy or kinda sexy". "Heartstrings" by Avarice in Audio featuring MiXe1 is dark, kinda gothy, and somehow still a bit seductive. Or maybe that's just me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p-m8TpjQyI
Sometimes, you just need the perfect song for a specific scene or chapter or story arc, no matter how many times you listen to it on repeat. I listened to this song for hours while I perfected a sultry dance scene for Cambiare. That chapter is one of only two that survived the hellfire of …
So I know this was from the soundtrack of that angel movie, but Alanis Morrisette's absolutely haunting "Uninvited" also works uncannily well for a human seduced by a faerie. Just sayin'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErSCdHJdUgU
Amy Avery / Avery Ames 