Today marks nine months until YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED releases! This is when the term “book baby” gets real 🤣.
Each month on the 24th leading up to release, I’ll be featuring special, behind-the-scenes content on the blog. (Yes, I do realize this will fall on Christmas Eve next month.) I’m also starting a newsletter, and you can subscribe here.
Back in September, I participated in a daily social media challenge with my debut author group, #the21ders. One of the prompts was to pick four songs that represented my book. While I narrowed it down to four, I actually found quite a few more that worked for various reasons. Since it’s nine months out from release, I give you a YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED playlist, or…
9 Songs for 9 Months Out
1. Leaving On A Jet Plane by Chantal Kreviazuk
I love this version from the movie Armageddon. Those haunting lyrics:
I’m leaving on a jet plane.
Don’t know when I’ll be back again…
So appropriate.
2. Run-Around by Blues Traveler
This was one of the top 10 songs the week Jenny left 1995. You can find the whole list on my book page. I picked this one for the playlist because I know all the words 😀.
3. Back in Time by Huey Lewis and the News
I mean, it’s a book about time travel, and there might be a mention of Back to the Future somewhere in there…
4. 867-5309/Jenny by Tommy Tutone
Obviously.
There’s the fact that this song is about a girl named Jenny.
But also, Jenny similarly encounters issues with notoriety. If only it were just about guys having her phone number like the girl in the song…
5. The ’90s by Lisa Loeb
I seriously had three Lisa Loeb songs on my list when I was trying to narrow it down, probably because she’s so good at storytelling in her music. But in the end, this particular song gives a nice slice of Jenny’s decade.
6. Can’t Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake
Jenny’s shocked to see “that kid from Mickey Mouse Club” on her brother’s playlist. The particular song she sees isn’t mentioned, but this one makes me happy, so here you go!
7. Bad Blood by Taylor Swift
There’s a point in the book where Jenny feels very betrayed by her loved ones, and this song is great at capturing that betrayal vibe. I’d never watched the video before. It’s pretty amazing!
8. I Will Remember You by Sarah McLachlan
Jenny feels a lot of loss when she first arrives in the 21st century, and I think this song captures that, even though the video is more of a love story.
9. 1999 by Prince
Jenny remembers when this song was about a time far in the future.
1999 is supposed to still be the future for Jenny…
So there you have a playlist for YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED! And if these songs aren’t enough, you can head over to my book page and check out the top 10 songs from the week of Aug. 2, 1995.
What else would you like to know about the book? I have a running list of ideas for what to include in coming months, but if you have questions or suggestions, please let me know!
I just signed up for your newsletter. I’d love to know what you’re doing every month leading up to your release to work on your book, your social marketing platform and interacting with librarians and readers on Twitter and other sites, and how you’re working on marketing. That way we could all learn from you.
Thanks, Natalie! You always give me such great concrete answers. I have already been working on some of these things behind the scenes and will work an on answering these questions.