Today’s special guest post come to us from the incredible Anne Michaud and her new book GIRLS & MONSTERS which will release wide on April 30 and features five dark YA novellas collected in one masterful tome. A woman of excellent taste, Anne has graced us with a list of tuneage to accompany her tales… check it out!

Then enter to win at the end of the article.

And get the book, GIRLS & MONSTERS on Amazon NOW!!!

Now, over to Anne Michaud’s turntables!

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A song for each story

(Click the title to open the song in a new page)

My muse refuses to appear unless music plays, so here are the perfect few songs to accompany a reading session of Girls & Monsters.

Death Song: Glosoli by Sigur Ros (Takk, 2005)

Sometimes I like to not understand a word being said whilst be blinded by unbelievably powerful melodies, which is why I do love this Icelandic band so much. Their music is perfect to write to; so moody and beautiful and heartbreaking – it sounds like the sky. Glosoli means ‘glowing soul’, which is perfect for Limnade, my monster eating innocents people from the bottom of her lake.

A Blue Story: Smothered Hope by Skinny Puppy (Remission, 1984)

I’ve been a fan of this Canadian band for as long as I can remember, their industrial beats and Nivek’s robotic voice was made to write dark horror. Yes, their best work came out in the 80s, but I still find their music timeless, since it was ahead of its time, anyway. Ironically, the singer is an animal rights activist, which only makes sense to mention him for this story where pets aren’t treated as they should.

Black Dog: Swamp Thing, The Chameleons UK (Strange Times, 1986)

Writing such a dark piece of mental illness took a lot of courage and dare on my part, which is exactly how I feel when I listen to that song. It breaks me apart every time, whether by its lyrics or gloomy music – it shreds me apart. Of course the song is not about a girl losing her mind in London, but the first time I lived there, that song get me through such rough times in that city… it saved me, sorta.

Dust Bunnies: Lullaby by The Cure (Disintegration, 1989)

My beloved, my always – Robert Smith is by far my favorite artist, him and whoever’s in the band at the moment. I would die without that album, it is imprinted in my heart and plays every week in my house, even if I can’t write to it. It’s too much, it’s too good, I have to stop and listen to the words I know by heart and the music that runs through my veins. Of course, a story about some huge spider had to be inspired by that amazing song.

We Left at Night: A warm place by Nine Inch Nails (Downward Spiral, 1994)

Some songs don’t need words to express a tragedy, as this one does brilliantly. Trent Reznor is one hell of a musical genius and I must admit some of my favorite NIN songs are purely instrumental, even if his raging moments do have a special place in my iPod, as well. This song is perfect for a story about uncertain future and forgotten past, about how to let go of everything you know and love for something other, something you need to discover – exactly like the story that ends my collection.

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