Over time, I’ll be sharing the soundtrack for Waiting For A Star To Fall, and how each song inspired or enhanced the creation of the novel. Impatient? Full Spotify playlist is here.
Star was the book where Canadian bands somehow knew just what I needed. While July Talk found a way to kickstart my Muse, another band found the way to answer a niggling character question.
When I began writing Change of Season, the first scene I clearly visualized was Autumn and Andrew’s proper introduction. Fleeing an unknown stalker beneath ground, Autumn literally runs into Andrew. Forced to trust him, she is relieved when he helps her to safety.
Just as I immediately knew Autumn was a vibrant redhead, I also knew that Andrew never went anywhere without his leather jacket. I’m not necessarily a fan of leather, so this wasn’t a matter of personal preference. Nothing about his personality necessarily spoke to wearing leather. But Andrew was adamant: if it was cool weather, he wanted that well-worn leather jacket.
Fast-forward to 2014, when I began plotting Waiting For A Star To Fall. While spinning music on shuffle, the song “Leather Jacket” by Arkells came on. At first, it struck me as a great track for these two because of Autumn’s personal trauma and Andrew’s desire to help her. But then, the chorus lodged in my skull and everything made sense:
Of course Andrew refuses to let go of that jacket. It belonged to his father.
Planting a glossy kiss on his cheek, she smirked. “Cruel would have been making you wear the leather jacket.”
The infamous black leather jacket. She’d learned six months into their relationship—on Andrew’s nineteenth birthday—that it had belonged to his father. When he wore it, Andrew felt like he was still around to guide him through the idiocy teenagers excel at. It made her love its soft creases and glitchy zipper all the more. It had also lent an extra layer of sentiment to their shared love of “Leather Jacket” by Arkells—proof that there really was a song for everything.
“I would, you know.” Autumn startled at the sound of his voice. “If you really wanted me to, I’d wear it in this weather. I’d pass out, obviously, but I’d extract my revenge with some sort of uncomfortable lingerie,” he added playfully.
Her disbelief dripped from her response. “You wouldn’t.”
His hand squeezed her newly bejeweled one. “I would. But I know you wouldn’t ask me to wear leather during a heat wave.”
“Oh? You think you have me all figured out, then?”
“Not quite,” Andrew admitted with a smile…
The mystery was solved, and these two found a new song for their personal playlist. It became a staple track of the writing process, and led to a few sweet exchanges between the characters as a bonus, including the one above. Take a listen below!
She always looked tired but dazzled as a drunk
She even pulled off that stupid haircut
She said, “I don’t need a sponsor or the best lover
Some man that sees me as some fixer-upper.
The last few years, I’ve been running for cover
Trying to sleep so I can visit my mother.”You called me up from a pay phone
I said hang tight, I can drive you home
I pulled on up and with a southern accent
I offered you my dad’s leather jacket…
A.C. Dillon 