Yeah, I’m a Hardcore Fan. So What?

I received a review recently (yeah, yeah…so I’m still glancing at them on occasion–I just can’t seem to help myself!) that left me a little bemused but it also made me smile. In it, the reviewer said that Tangled Web was reminiscent of fan fiction. In fact, she (I’m just going to assume the reviewer was a woman, since 99 percent of my readers are female–no offense, guys) went so far as to say that one of Johnny’s bands (I’m not clear which one in the book she was referring to) reminded her of a popular metal band of today. Now, before I start gushing about music and how Tangled Web could be considered fanfic, let me dispel dear reader’s thoughts.

While Johnny and some of the other guys in the book might remind many readers of real-life bands, I would like to assure you that there is no particular band I had in mind while writing that book. I know some writers have done that when writing their books (that is, based characters on band members, etc.), and I do not hold them in judgment, because they’ve written some damn good sh*t, but such was not the case with Tangled Web. This particular reviewer even named the band she thought my book was based on. Out of all the bands out there, that certain band is one of my least favorites and, therefore, least likely to spur my imagination (although I know there are plenty of women who love, love, LOVE them, including a good many of my fans), so I found the review amusing.

However, it made me realize that I’d like to admit something to all of you, although I’m sure you realized it long ago. I am a HUGE fangirl. There. I said it. I admit it. I can now seek counseling for it. All joking aside, I do think it’s important for me to acknowledge this much–that while I don’t write with specific bands or people in mind, I am a huge fan of hard rock and heavy metal, and I always will be. It is that music that drives a good many of the themes in my books, particularly the rock books, but all of them touch on music a little, even if just in passing. So–in that regard–dear reader was absolutely correct. All my work could be considered fanfic in that I gush about music, love music, couldn’t imagine a day without it, and can’t even write without it. In fact, I’ve got music coming out of my computer as I type this.

While we’re on the subject of music, let me tell you just how much it influences me in my everyday life. When I get an unwanted earworm (you know, when you hear or think about a song and then it gets stuck in your head, rolling around in there over and over and over again, driving you mad until something else replaces it), I become a total grouch! If it’s a song I like, it’s allowed–hell, invited–to take up residence in my ol’ noggin, but if it’s something I find annoying, it really does influence my mood. I constantly have a song stuck in my head and often wake up with a song playing in there–usually it’s something I like. But I can also concentrate better when I’ve got music playing, drowning out the rest of the world, whether I’m in my office or at home pounding away on the keyboard (the computer keyboard, that is). And while I’m writing a book, I will sometimes play particular music to “set the mood”–with Tangled Web, for instance, I listened to Korn’s Issues CD (don’t ask me why, but I think that album’s sound is sexy as hell), as well as some Stone Sour and some Disturbed. But Katie and Johnny hook up while that particular Korn CD is playing in the background, so I let it set the mood in my head. When I was writing Everything But, I played Motley Crue’s Too Fast for Love CD and one Deftones’ song (“Change”) over and over. No Place to Hide, I played Judas Priest’s Defenders of the Faith. For Right Now, I played a lot of System of a Down (no particular reason why–I just felt like it!). However, I constantly have music playing while I’m writing. I have to. I can’t write without it!

But, back to the original reason for this post–yes, everyone, I’m a huge metalhead, and I’m a big-time fangirl. I am constantly inspired in general to write about that passion, but, no, unfortunately, I can’t point to one specific band or person who has inspired me to write something in particular. Should that ever happen, you’ll be the first to know!