Music to Write By

MUSIC TO WRITE BY

I usually listen to music when I write, and I thought it might be nice for my fans, friends, and associates to know what I was listening to when I wrote various stories and books.

Most of the time, I listen to soundtracks when I write -- lyrics can be distracting when you're trying to put a novel on paper. I listen to more classic, punk, and alternative rock when I'm writing comics.

Sometimes, I cast around a bit before finding the "right" music to write a certain book to. Finding the right tunes can really help with the mood and up my productivity. Because I generally listen to CDs when I write, the music I use is mostly limited to what will go into that disc changer. Eventually, I settle down to 3 or 4 regular discs which seem to best fit the moods I'm writing to.

Obviously, I have favorites that I use again and again.

Perhaps at some point in the future I'll set up some kind of sales connection to hook all of you up with the tunes, too.

The books are listed in rough chronological order.

THE SCORPION

Star Wars: Episode I -- by John Williams (especially Duel of the Fates)
Henry V -- by Simon Rattle
The Shadow -- by Jerry Goldsmith
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story -- by Randy Edelman

THE PHOENIX

Journey to the Center of the Earth -- by Bernard Herrmann
The Shadow -- by Jerry Goldsmith
Jurassic Park -- by John Williams
The Monster Music of Hans J. Salter & Frank Skinner (Son of Frankenstein, The
Invisible Man Returns, The Wolf Man) -- by Salter & Skinner

THE LION

Star Wars (Episodes 4-6) -- by John Williams
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story -- by Randy Edelman
Big Trouble In Little China -- by John Carpenter
Silverardo -- by Bruce Broughton
The Shadow -- by Jerry Goldsmith

DRAGONLANCE CROSSROADS: THE DRAGON ISLES

The Sea Hawk -- by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Classic Fantasy Film Scores -- by Bernard Herrmann
Journey to the Center of the Earth -- by Bernard Herrmann
The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring -- by Howard Shore
Jason and the Argonauts -- by Bernard Herrmann
Epic Film Music of Miklos Rozsa -- by Miklos Rozsa
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad -- by Miklos Rozsa

DRAGONLANCE YA#2: THE DYING KINGDOM

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones -- by John Williams
Pirates of the Caribbean - by Klaus Badelt
The Shadow -- by Jerry Goldsmith
Conan -- by Basil Poledouris

THUNDERBIRDS

Thunderbirds Are Go: TV Themes for Grown Up Kids -- by Barry Gray and others
Thunderbirds (TV Soundtrack) -- by Barry Gray
(What else would I listen to when writing Thunderbirds?!)
James Bond music (Thunderball, et al.) -- by John Barry

ELEKTRA

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story -- by Randy Edelman
Jackie Chan's First Strike (& Rumble In The Bronx) -- by J. Peter Robinson
North by Northwest -- by Bernard Herrmann
Once Upon A Time In Mexico -- by various

THE FANTASTIC FOUR

Superman -- by John Williams
Silverado by-- by Bruce Broughton

SPIDER RIDERS: THE SHARDS OF THE ORACLE

Star Wars (original trilogy) -- by John Williams

SPIDER RIDERS 2: QUEST OF THE EARTHEN

Star Wars 1-6 (especially 4-6) -- by John Williams

DRAGONLANCE: WARRIOR'S HEART

The Magnificent Seven -- by Elmer Bernstein
Pirates of the Caribbean -- by Klaus Badelt
Silverado by-- by Bruce Broughton
Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow -- by Edward Shearmur

SPIDER RIDERS 3: REIGN OF THE SOUL EATER

Pirates of the Caribbean -- by Klaus Badelt
Silverado by-- by Bruce Broughton
Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow -- by Edward Shearmur
Star Wars 1-6 (especially 4-6) -- by John Williams

DRAGONLANCE: WARRIOR'S BLOOD

Batman -- by Danny Elfman
Journey to the Center of the Earth -- by Bernard Herrmann
The Lord of the Rings -- by Howard Shore
Pirates of the Caribbean -- by Klaus Badelt
Silverado by-- by Bruce Broughton
Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow -- by Edward Shearmur

DRAGONLANCE: WARRIOR'S BONES (2007-8)

Conan -- by Basil Poledouris
Journey to the Center of the Earth -- by Bernard Herrmann
Lawrence of Arabia -- by Maurice Jarre
Pirates of the Caribbean -- by Klaus Badelt
The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad -- by Bernard Herrmann

PIRATES OF THE BLUE KINGDOMS

Pirates of the Caribbean -- by Klaus Badelt
Pirates of the Caribbean 2 -- by Hans Zimmer
Classic Fantasy Film Scores -- by Bernard Herrmann
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad -- by Miklos Rozsa

SECRET ARMOR BOOK (title forthcoming)

Silverado by-- by Bruce Broughton
Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow -- by Edward Shearmur
Superman - John Williams

DETECTIVE NOVELS

The music I listen to varies on these book by book, however, I have some
standards that I return to time and again.

North by Northwest -- by Bernard Herrmann
Silverardo -- by Bruce Broughton
The Magnificent Seven -- by Elmer Bernstein
Jackie Chan's First Strike (& Rumble In The Bronx) -- by J. Peter Robinson
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves -- by Michael Kamen

Recent Detective Novel
Pirates of the Caribbean -- by Klaus Badelt
Pirates of the Caribbean 2 -- by Hans Zimmer
Silverardo -- by Bruce Broughton

SHORT STORIES

CRUCIBLE
The Best of Godzilla 1954-1975 by Akira Ifukube (and others)

MAGE KNIGHT STORIES

These vary by topic and characters, but generally I've listened to:

Jason & The Argonauts -- by Bernard Herrmann
Journey to the Center of the Earth -- by Bernard Herrmann
Classic Fantasy Film Scores - by Bernard Herrmann

"THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR" a Blue Kingdoms story

Dracula -- by John Williams
Henry V -- by Simon Rattle
Xena -- by Joseph Lo Duca

"WOLF NACHT" a Blue Kingdoms Story

Dracula: Classic Scores from Hammer Horror -- by James Bedard, Christopher Gunning, David Whitaker
Dracula -- by John Williams
The Shadow -- by Jerry Goldsmith

UPCOMING NOVELS

A RELIABLE DRAGON (forthcoming)

The Lord of the Rings Symphony -- Johan de Meij
The Adventures of Don Juan -- Max Steiner
In the Wake of the Wind -- David Arkenstone
The Sea Hawk -- Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Pirates of the Caribbean -- by Klaus Badelt
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad -- by Miklos Rozsa

MURDER ON THE MOON (forthcoming)

Venus & Mars -- Paul McCartney & Wings
The Planets -- Holzt
Big Trouble In Little China -- John Carpenter
Jackie Chan's First Strike (& Rumble In The Bronx) -- by J. Peter Robinson