I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve recently discovered the song for my current work-in-progress, The Truth About Two Shoes (which I mentioned briefly here) and I just had to share.

When I write a story, at some point a song will speak to me that really captures everything I feel while I’m writing the story and the characters. Usually, the song is more of an anthem for the main character. It’s ironic to some degree considering I actually am a terrible music listener and don’t listen to anything beside instrumental music while I write.

But occasionally whether it’s through a friend, social media, or the old fashioned radio, I run into the song that captures my book. I joked today with an author friend of mine about how when I’m working on a new book and really trying to immerse myself into it, falling into the “theme song” stage is like being a 12-year-old girl trying to make the perfect mix tape for the guy she likes– only in this case, the crush is my manuscript and I only hope it loves me back just as much as I love it.

For Two Shoes, there have been many songs that have spoken to me in this way– especially two in particular. “Already Falling” by the adorably talented 14-year-old Anna Graceman and “Hope in Front of Me.”

What surprises me most is that the latter song is actually a Christian song, though it actually isn’t overtly Christian in that it name drops God/Jesus every five seconds like many songs do these days. What really strikes about this though is how my book, while it is about a Christian girl and has the Christian message woven within it, the book is not necessarily a “Christian book,” which I guess makes it even that much more of a perfect fit.

I’m sure there will be some confusion regarding why I’d say this isn’t a Christian book, but by that I mean you wouldn’t be able to find it on the shelves of a Christian bookstore and very most likely, some Christians won’t like it. I very purposefully wrote it so it could fit within a mainstream audience. I’ve described it as a combination of the TV show “Freaks and Geeks” and the movie “SAVED!” If you didn’t like either of those, then this book probably isn’t for you (though, admittedly, my book is not satirical like SAVED!).

Anywho, when I sent the two songs I was most in love with for this book to my trusty CP, she immediately texted me back that I needed to watch the music video for “Hope in Front of Me” because it reminded her of my book already. Also, the Hubs weighed in and agreed that while both songs fit the bill, the tone of my current novel is more upbeat like “Hope in Front of Me.”

Either way, I’m sharing both today. Hopefully it can act as a little sneak peek as to what’s to come with my next novel.