PLAYLISTS

Some writers need a quiet room overlooking the water. Others favor black coffee. As for me, I usually need loud music. Not necessarily good music either. When I was writing Crossing California, to immerse myself in the 444 days of the Iranian hostage crisis. I listened to the music that my characters might have enjoyed. In The Washington Story, I listened to a whole lot of 80s music. I haven't talked much about my forthcoming novel Ellington Boulevard yet, but it has a soundtrack too. When I was working with the marketing department of Riverhead Books on Crossing California, we talked about the possibility of releasing a soundtrack CD with the book. That would have been prohibitively expensive and difficult. But, you can still make your own mix CD for the books; here are the playlists.

Current playlist for next as-yet-untitled novel

Stop, Mike Bloomfield & Al Kooper

Hot Sand, Shocking Blue

The Boys of Summer, The Hooters

A Million Miles Away, The Plimsouls

Straight Outta Compton, Nina Gordon

Funplex, The B-52’s

Forget That Day, The Go-Go’s

You’re Asking Me, Ray Davies

Toxic, Britney Spears

Life Itself, Bruce Springsteen

Out of Habit, Ani DiFranco

All Sparks, Editors

Stay in Time, Off Broadway

Shut Down, Beach Boys

Urge for Going, Joni Mitchell