Welcome to another edition of CentreStage this week!

Well, you know what they say. Good things always happen all at once, so it is my great pleasure to bring you a second CentreStage feature for this week. Today’s edition showcases the amazing Amy Gregory and the third novel in her Racing To Love series.

Give it up for Amy and Eli’s Honor!

Good morning, Nicky!

Thank you so much for having me on your blog today!  I know you’re crazy busy with Sophie and her world.

So since you’re from the music world, I thought I’d bring up how different authors use music sometimes as a source of inspiration for books.  I know I do.  I have seen many, many authors make a complete playlist for one book and describe each song and draw a parallel to which part of the story it inspired.  For me, it’s a bit different.

I’d written the first two books of Racing to Love, as well as the novella about Brody before I came across the perfect song.  It was just one of a long list on my iPod and when it played, it was like a light went on and I knew “it” was the ‘theme song’ of sorts to the entire series.  You’ll have to go to YouTube and search for The Pretenders, I’ll Stand By You…it’s AMAZING, but the lyrics also seemed to fit each book of the Racing to Love series perfectly.  So instead of a playlist for each book…I have one song I just drift to during the ‘it’ moment of the book.

Well, I couldn’t resist the challenge, seeing as that this is one of my all-time-favourite goosebump-ballads too. Sadly, there’s no official (legal) Pretenders version to share via YouTube, but I found you this one instead ~ it’s nicely done and quite true to the original. Enjoy!

However, my process is evolving.  The next series, it seems as I’m writing each book, I’ll hear a song and have my ah-ha moment.  So it seems that each book will have its own song.

Then we jump forward about ten paces and Alex hit me hard.

I never spoke the title really of the last book of the series.  I had led people to believe that all the books were really focused heavily on the hero, well, in Eli’s Honor, we find out just who Alex is of Alex’s Destiny.  Music seemed to be one third of the puzzle that was her saving grace.  To the point, I actually wrote the song that is in the background of the book.

I’ve circled around, hitting about every type of influence music has on my stories.  I’ve always heard the lyrics when listening to a song, then the musical notes.  Some touch you and never leave, just as some books do.

Here’s to a great day, I hope you have a wonderful week.  Thank you again, Nicky.  And keep music and books near your heart!

Hugs,

Amy

About the Author

Amy Gregory leads an incredibly active lifestyle in Kansas City with her husband and their three fantastic kids who keep them running in three very different directions.  Amy is known for her snarky, off the cuff sense of humor, which you’ll find shining through in the characters she’s created.

I’ve spent my whole life trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up, and now I’ve finally found it. – Amy Gregory

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