Our Little Secret: The Soundtrack

February, 2016

I love music!

All kinds of music. At the piano I usually play classical music. When I’m with my kids we listen to popular music (and various renditions of ‘Let It Go’). When I’m in the car by myself it’s alternative rock all the way.

As a young woman I used to like the idea that there was a soundtrack for my life and I used to think about the songs that would be on it. I was strange and eclectic, so at different times the soundtrack of my life could just as easily include ‘But Not For Me’ by Billie Holiday, ‘Throw Your Arms Around Me’ by Hunters and Collectors, or just lots and lots of Alanis Morissette.

When I first started writing seriously my love of soundtracks naturally spread to my writing and I created soundtracks for my books so I could listen to them while writing. At first I tried to include a different song for each segment of the book. This turned out to be exceedingly difficult. I mean, really? The perfect song for each and every segment of each and every book? Talk about an impossible task.

These days it’s all about finding songs that have the right general theme to them, or even songs that just set the right atmosphere.

The soundtrack for Our Little Secret was always going to be problematic. There aren’t too many love songs out there that involve three people (or if there are I haven’t noticed them). In the end, I decided to make a playlist of Julia’s favourite songs at the time I was writing the book. What would this modern career woman, who was conservative in her daily life but just dying to get her naughty on, be listening to when she was all alone? Below are some of the songs that made it onto the list. I listened to the list on repeat while writing the story. Not just when I was physically at my computer, but also while doing housework, cooking dinner, pretty much anytime I could plug in some headphones. There was much head bopping, singing along, and general having of fun.

Do I Wanna Know? – Arctic Monkeys (This is the Our Little Secret theme song! It’s so damned sexy and always makes me think of Scott.)
Free (feat. Emeli Sande) – Rudimental
Latch – Disclosure, Sam Smith
Am I Wrong – Nico & Vinz (I think of this one as Derek’s song)
Best Day of My Life – American Authors
Burn – Ellie Goulding
Dear Darlin’ – Olly Murs
Drop the Game – Flume & Chet Faker
Read All About It, Pt. III – Emeli Sande (perfect for Julia at the end of the book, ready to stand proud and brave in her new world)
Stay With Me – Sam Smith
Stolen Dance – Milky Chance
Talk is Cheap – Chet Faker
The Days – Avicii
The Wire – Haim
Waves (Robin Schulz Radio Edit) – Mr. Probz
You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You – James Arthur
I Don’t Wanna Love Somebody Else – A Great Big World

For me, many of these songs have become inextricably linked to Our Little Secret and every time I hear them I remember how much fun I had writing it.

If you would like to listen, you will be able to hear each and every song on Spotify, which is currently my preference for getting my music fix. Or you can head over to YouTube for your listening pleasure. I hope you enjoy the list!

If you haven’t yet read Our Little Secret, you can find it here!