Mad Dog Chronicles turns 6
April 18, 2016
Six years ago today I made my publishing debut with Mad Dog Chronicles. And on its sixth birthday, I’m sharing a little about the songs that inspired it.
One of the first steps I take with a new story is creating an Inspiration Playlist. The entire Mad Dog Chronicles saga had seven playlists, each with 16 songs. Some songs were picked because of the title. Some were picked because of the words in the songs. And some songs were picked for the mood they set.
Each character has theme songs that helped me create his or her personality. SPOILER ALERT — I’m about to give away some plot details. If you haven’t read any or all of Mad Dog Chronicles, you may want to stop. If you keep reading, you’ve been warned…
Maddie’s theme songs are country songs by female artists. I picked them all that way because she is from the south, born in Charleston, South Carolina. She went to school in South Carolina and never ventured far from home until her boyfriend went missing. Looking for him pushed her out of her comfort zone and changed her life.
When you look at Maddie’s theme songs, there is a progression. She changes as the songs’ tempos change. And somehow, in the end, she emerges as an adult.
In contrast, Stephanie’s theme songs are all pop songs. Some of her songs could be characterized as “bubblegum pop.” This is in part due to the fact that she’s kept her double life a secret from her family and friends. This is also because she had her teenage years taken away from her, being recruited as a government agent at 14.
And her husband Andy’s theme songs are also mostly pop songs. I picked songs that would make him compatible Stephanie.
I could go on about the other songs I picked, but I’ll just let you check them out. Maybe you’ll discover a new song or artist. Or maybe you’ll just wonder what I was thinking.
