A warm welcome to author Erin McLellan joining us today to talk about new release “Life on Pause”.

Erin shows us her playlist and there is a giveaway to participate in!

Welcome Erin 🙂

Music of Life on Pause

In Life on Pause, one of the main characters, Rusty, is a choir teacher, and music is very important to him. There are several instances in the book where he shares music with Niles, and Niles finds Rusty’s passion for music very attractive. There is also a scene in which Niles attends the folk-themed Fall Concert dress rehearsal for Rusty’s school choir. As the daughter of a choir teacher (and a former choir nerd), it was a lot of fun to write the choir scenes and include music discussions.

Below you’ll find a compilation of songs that Rusty’s high school choir sings, songs that Rusty shares with Niles, and a few songs that I listened to on repeat while writing.

A Change Is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke)

The seniors in Rusty’s high school choir select this song to sing at the Fall Concert as an ensemble. It is obvious that the message of this song speaks to them, and that they’re passionate about bringing about change in their world. I’ve listened to this song a lot since last November.

Pastures of Plenty (Woody Guthrie)

The theme of the Fall Concert is folk music, and we couldn’t have a folk music concert in Oklahoma without some Woody Guthrie. This is one of my favorites of his.

Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair (Nina Simone)

This traditional folk song is beautiful, and it is sung at the Fall Concert in the book. I love the Ms. Lauryn Hill version, which in my opinion is second only to Nina Simone’s. Simone’s is pretty much guaranteed to bring tears to my eyes.

Blowin’ in the Wind (Bob Dylan)

Yet another folk song that Rusty’s choir performs. I’ve always been partial to the protest songs of the 1960s, and one of my sisters went through a huge Bob Dylan phase so I had to include it.

If I Had Hammer (Aretha Franklin)

This protest song is also performed at the Fall Concert in the book. I particularly like the Peter, Paul and Mary folk version, but Aretha Franklin’s version is too amazing to skip.

It’ Such a Pretty World Today (Eddy Arnold)

Originally sung by Wynn Stewart, I love the Eddy Arnold version, mostly because I love Arnold’s sugary-sweet voice. (My first ever cassette tape was Eddy Arnold’s Greatest Hits, and I’d listen to Cattle Call ( every night.) The first time Niles and Rusty hang out, Rusty plays an Eddy Arnold album on his record player.

Your Song (Elton John)

There’s a scene in the book where Rusty plucks out this song on the piano, and Niles mentions the Ellie Goulding version. I like the Elton John one better.

To Zanarkand (Dagmar Krug)

I added a scene during edits in which Rusty plays this song from Final Fantasy X on the piano for Niles. It’s a really beautiful piano piece, and it makes my nerdy heart happy.

Oklahoma Stars (Turnpike Troubadours)

The Turnpike Troubadours are an Oklahoma red dirt band from Tahlequah, which is very close to the fictional town of Bison Hills, where all of Life on Pause takes place. They are also the headlining act at a festival in Life on Pause. I love alt-country bands like the Turnpike Troubadours, Drive-By Truckers, and Lucero, so I had to include the local boys in my book. Many of their songs are so very quintessentially Oklahoman, and I listened to them pretty constantly while writing.

Good Way (Frank Waln feat. Gunner Jules and Rollie Raps)

I also listened to a lot of Frank Waln while writing Life on Pause because his lyrics are so imagery rich. If you haven’t checked out this Sicangu Lakota hip-hop artist, you need to. He’s amazing.

Hit ‘Em Up Style (Carolina Chocolate Drops)

The Carolina Chocolate Drops are a new obsession for me. Their rendition of this song is crazy good. I love their mix of Americana, old-time string, folk, jug-band, and early jazz, and I have a total crush on Rhiannon Giddens.

 

There you have it the music of Life on Pause, which admittedly is a little all over the place. Here is my Spotify playlist with all of these songs, if you’re interested: https://open.spotify.com/user/4cemqq7fiinxpxst5qcby8793/playlist/4HqJnWlaa7EoMp41CBOwB7

Welcome to the Life on Pause blog tour! Follow along as I stop off at several blogs this week to learn more about this small town m/m romance, which follows a nerdy museum worker and a high school choir teacher as they watch way too much sci-fi on Netflix, wear ridiculous historical costumes, and fall in love.

Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a $20 Riptide Publishing gift card!

 

About Life on Pause

Niles Longfellow is a nerd, and not the trendy type of nerd, either. He wears a historically accurate homesteader costume to work every day, has a total of one friend, and doesn’t know how to talk to guys. So when he gets a flat tire and the hottest hipster ever stops to help him, all Niles can think is that he’s wearing his stupid cowboy getup. Normally, Niles feels invisible to other men, but he’d take that invisibility any day over Rusty Adams seeing him in suede and fringe.

Rusty moved to Bison Hills to help his sister raise her daughter, and nothing is more important to him than that. He’s also fresh off a breakup, and isn’t prepared for anything complicated. But then he meets Niles. Rusty sees Niles as more than a clumsy, insecure guy in a costume. He sees a man who is funny, quirky, and unexpected.

Nothing about their connection is simple, though, especially the lies and insecurities between them. Niles doesn’t know if he can trust Rusty with his heart, and when Rusty’s sister decides to move away, Rusty doesn’t know if he can stay behind.

Available now from:

Riptide Publishing. 

Amazon

About Erin McLellan

Erin McLellan writes contemporary romance, often set in the South or Midwest, particularly Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas, with characters that are complex, good-hearted, and sometimes a little quirky. Erin likes her stories to have a sexy spark and a happily ever after.

Erin has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Oklahoma State University and a master’s degree in library and information studies from the University of Oklahoma. She has always enjoyed writing, but becoming a librarian and meeting enthusiastic romance readers helped her find her own writing passion. Now Erin cheerfully writes romance with characters across the LGBTQIA spectrum. A former public librarian, she still enjoys being surrounded by books and readers, but Erin hopes to find her stories on the shelves as well.

Originally from Oklahoma, she currently lives in Alaska with her husband, and spends her time dreaming up love stories set in the Great Plains. She is a lover of chocolate, college sports, antiquing, Dr Pepper, and binge-worthy TV shows.

Connect with Erin:

• Website
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• Instagram
• Pinterest

 

To celebrate the release of Life on Pause, one lucky winner will receive a $20 Riptide gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on November 4, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!