Musical Inspiration of the Day

So, I found a picture the other day of Chuck star Zachary Levi (you can find it here).  In it, he’s holding a cigarette to his mouth and looking down at the camera.  And while smokers completely turn me off, for some reason the combination of the cigarette, the smoke, and the look on his face totally inspired me in so many ways.  The colors, the textures, the subject. LOL  Oh, and the wonderful lighting helps.  A lot.

With that picture in mind, I began to write.  And it was going really well until, about 1000 words in, it took a really maudlin turn.  Now, while a bit of a sad tone to a story isn’t a bad thing, I had to stop and put it away for fear it would go way down into the darkness.  That happens more often than I’d like to admit and while I love a dark, emotionally wrenching story, the majority of the world out there doesn’t.  So, I stopped.  I needed to gather my thoughts, regroup, and formulate a new plan of attack.  Poor Jace. LOL

On my way into work this morning, however, my iPod gave me a bit of inspiration as well in the form of a song I haven’t heard in a long time.  It randomly spits out an older Tim McGraw song called “All We Ever Find” off his Tim McGraw & the Dancehall Doctors CD.  By the end of the first verse, I knew that this song fit the theme of the story I was writing perfectly.  It’s a love song full of hope and inspiration.  Passion, encouragement, contentment and unconditional love fill this song.  And it’s just what I needed to turn my story around.  Here are the lyrics for those of you who don’t know it.

All We Ever Find
Say exactly how you feel
Right now you're free to say it all
There is no one here to judge you
I only love you
You're free to close your eyes and fall
You can trust me, this is real
Say exactly how you feel

Tell me all your dreams
And what you think love means
We'll lock the world outside
Embrace the gift of time
Promising forever
Knowing that this moment
Might be all we ever find

Every breath of who you are
Tells a story that I love
I have finally found the truth
In what I see in you
And what I feel with every touch
The simple beauty of your heart
In every breath of who you are

Tell me all your dreams
And what you think love means
We'll lock the world outside
Embrace the gift of time
Promising forever
Knowing that this moment
Might be all we ever find

Tell me all your dreams
And what you think love means
We'll lock the world outside
Embrace the gift of time
Promising forever
Knowing that this moment
Might be all we ever find

Promising forever
Knowing that this moment
Might be all we ever find

It’s those little moments, the hug in the kitchen, the touching of hands as you pass on your way to the staircase, the accidental knock in the head in the car… wait, maybe not that last one… but the others, those are the moments that you remember forever.  It’s not the big, expensive presents, or the fancy dinners out, it’s those little moments that stick in your heart and make you know that the one you found is the one for you.  And that’s what this song made me realize.

And now, maybe it’ll be okay if Lessa spills her guts to Jace, telling her just why she’s so afraid to let him walk out that door.  After all, he is holding her securely in his lap and I highly doubt he’s going to let go until he gets the truth out of her.  But then, I could be wrong.  My characters have surprised me before.  *looks directly at Mr. Matson trying to hide in the corner*  And I have no doubt that they will continue to do so in the future. 

Now?  Now I need to go finish this project.  :)

~Mika