(Note, this page contains spoilers for the entire series)
What Happens When the Coming of Age Story Ends? A Playlist for Gabriella
(Released with Roses Manor, Weston (NCPU#9))
Oh, Gabriella. Possibly the most divisive character in the series, which I find very interesting. Honestly, I can see why and it is the entirety of Book One. She is immature, coming into her first post-college job in her early twenties, assuming the authorities know what they’re doing. And this naivete fails her in ways that impact everyone.
But I Iove stories where a character has to find their way again after an enormous screwup (in case you can’t tell) and it is so fun to follow that journey beyond the redemption arc, beyond the coming of age, and into whatever comes next.
Pet Sematary – The Ramones
“And the night when the moon is bright / Someone cries, something ain’t right”
Linger Longer – Emily Barnes
“Just a little girl of merely four / Waiting patiently for you by the backdoor”
Linger – The Cranberries
“You know I’m such a fool for you / You’ve got me wrapped around finger”
Find the River – REM
“There’s no one left to take the lead / But I tell you and you can see / We’re closer now than lightyears to go”
The Lonely Life of a UFO Researcher – Tullycraft
“Well, I’ve seen evidence no one would dare dispute / Witness accounts make up my life’s pursuit”
Do You Like Being Captain? A Playlist for James
(Released with 72 St. Margaret’s Way (NCPU#10))
James was never intended to be a POV character when I started writing North County Paranormal Unit. Of course, a lot of things changed between writing the first draft and publishing the first book. Originally, Gabriella was the only POV character. James was a side character, a cheerful, protective older cousin. In his first appearance, Gabriella describes him as looking like a suburban dad and I wanted him to just be this ordinary guy in this extraordinary world. He has the most common name in the United States, he enjoys time with his family, and he just wants to do his job well.
But by the time I was midway through writing Book 1, I knew that James was going to be a far bigger part of the story than I intended. I wanted an older POV and I loved the idea of alternating between the newcomer and the longtime team member thrown into a brand new role. James is both sharper than he’s given credit for and wildly oblivious to certain things. He’s extremely bisexual, takes everything to be his responsibility, and he’s a six foot bag of anxiety in jeans and a flannel shirt.
So of course Character Playlist #2 is James. And it’s grounded in classic rock with Springsteen and Fleetwood Mac, because of course.
Never Let You Down – The Verve Pipe
“Doesn’t matter how it ended or began / Sometimes the best that you can do is change your plans”
Songbird – Fleetwood Mac
“And the songbirds are singing like they know the score / And I love you, I love you, I love you / Like never before”
You Can’t Hurry Love – The Supremes
“She said ‘Trust, give it time’ / ‘No matter how long it takes’”
Psalms 40:2 – The Mountain Goats
“Lord, send me a mechanic / If I am not beyond repair”
Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
“Together, Wendy, we can live with the sadness / I’ll love you with all the madness in my soul”
Someday Captain: A Playlist for Amelia
(Released with O’Toole House (NCPU#11))
Then there’s Amelia. Interim captain at twenty-six years old, seemingly effortlessly capable even as things go to hell around her. She’s ambitious, with her eye on an official captaincy someday. But she loves her team deeply and when the opportunity did arise, she wasn’t ready to leave. I’ve only written some micros and one very short story from her point of view, (I’m not even sure that counts as a short story, it’s more of a deleted scene from Book 1 that obviously couldn’t be used because Book 1 is Gabriella’s POV) but she’s so fun. Gabriella gets to be young and immature sometimes. But Amelia, who is maybe a year older than her, doesn’t. As second in command, then interim captain, she frequently has to keep things from exploding, often disregarding her own fears in the process. And James always forgets how young she truly is until that little bit of vulnerability unexpectedly peeks through.
Amelia’s playlist is a bit of a mashup, ranging from Springsteen to Sophie B. Hawkins to They Might Be Giants (who, FYI, are named after my favorite movie of all time. Go watch it [ignore the Letterboxd description, it’s misleading) and learn where I shamelessly steal everything from). While Gabriella is the main character of O’Toole House, Amelia might be the heart of it.
Night – Bruce Springsteen
“And the world is busting at its seams / And you’re just a prisoner of your dreams, holding on for your life”
As I Lay Me Down to Sleep – Sophie B. Hawkins
“I’ll whisper your name into the sky / And I will wake up happy”
Be Afraid – Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit
“Be afraid, be very afraid / Do it anyway”
Cardigan – Taylor Swift
“And when I felt like I was an old cardigan, under someone’s bed / You put me on and said I was your favorite”
Birdhouse in Your Soul – They Might Be Giants
“There’s a picture opposite me / Of my primitive ancestry / Which stood on rocky shores and kept the beaches shipwreck free”
Not Strong Enough – boygenius
“There’s something in the static / I think I’ve been having revelations”
Other character playlists are on their way!
