Away from the Spotlight: Behind the Music

There are a number of music references in Away from the Spotlight, some are obvious and some are not-so-obvious. Being the music fanatic that I am, I got a kick out of writing them.

The obvious: The band that played at the concert at the beginning of the story may appear easy to guess, but I managed to use multiple references for this band. The two band members are brothers, with one being the lead singer and the other being the writer and guitarist. For any fan of 90's Britpop, this is obviously Oasis. If you notice the fact that I added that the bass player had been a member of another popular British band (in reality, Ride), bonus points for you. But not so fast. I was not only referencing Oasis. The last name of the brothers was O'Neill - this is in reference to the brothers from a band called That Petrol Emotion. The fact that the band members were fans of Liverpool F.C. is a reference to Liverpool band, Echo and the Bunnymen. Now why would I include a concert in my story? The point of the concert was to show that Will had friends in high places, which should have been a major clue to Shannon that Will was more than he appeared.

The not-so-obvious: I used music references in Will's movie titles. The Funeral Party is an actual name of a Cure song that I thought would make a good ensemble movie title a la The Big Chill. Maida Vale is home to Robert Smith of The Cure and I thought it would make a great name for a British period piece. In keeping with my Cure theme, I tweaked the name of a Cure song, All Cats Are Grey, so that it became All Castles Are Grey, figuring that the title would sound like a stuffy Oscar-caliber British film. Finally, Will's rival for Shannon's affections was named, "John Maher." "Maher" is the real spelling of the last name of Johnny Marr, the guitarist from The Smiths, Modest Mouse and other bands.

A lot of authors use real places, music, and movies in their stories. However, I feared that using real references ultimately would make the story seem dated. In addition, I simply had fun making up the names.

I hope you all enjoy Away from the Spotlight and keep an eye out for my next novel to be published, The Call of the Limelight.

Away from the Spotlight Synopsis:

In the closing weeks of law school, Shannon Sutherland meets handsome and charming Englishman, Will MacKenzie. Initially swept off her feet, Shannon finds that Will has a secret that, once discovered and the consequences realized, could destroy their fledgling relationship. Will and Shannon take great pains to have a normal relationship but, ultimately, find it impossible to do so. Will the pressures of their careers and the temptations of others drive Will and Shannon apart? Can Will and Shannon live a happy life away from the spotlight?

Tamara Carlisle takes you on a romantic ride that explores the consequences of fame and a love that endures all.

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