I'm pleased to bring my readers a fascinating guest post about magical music by H.L. Burke. Be sure to check out her new adult fantasy release Beggar Magic, as well as her wonderful contest at the end of this post.
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How the Most Tone Deaf Woman in the World Wrote about
Magical Music
by H. L. Burke, author of Beggar Magic
One of the most embarrassing episodes of my life was getting
kicked off a local theater production of Annie. Honestly, it was a miracle I
got cast in the first place. I knew one of the musical directors, and she liked
my personality, or something like that. Somehow I bluffed my way through an
audition and they were impressed at how fast I went off book, but a few weeks
in and everything came crashing down. Everyone in charge realized they’d made a
terrible mistake.
Perhaps they thought my slightly obnoxious (who am I
kidding, let’s go with ‘shrill, strident, unpleasant’) voice would make for a
good comic villain, but several rehearsals later, I was gently let go but still
completely humiliated.
I’m musically challenged. I don’t listen to a lot. My
writing playlists are usually nature sounds and some new agey stuff that
doesn’t tempt me to sing along because that would just be embarrassing.
If I sing, my two-year-old covers my mouth. It’s that bad.
However, in Gelia, music is everywhere. Music is magic.
Well, music is an oversimplification. The magic of Gelia
manifests through invisible but audible beings called the Strains. Everyone
hears the Strains a little differently, but they combine to fill the air with
beautiful sounds. Sometimes they are harps or fiddles, sometimes bird songs or
humming voices, bells, tinkling glass, falling rain, even laughter. The Strains
reflect the personality of the listener. They also have a spiritual aspect, as
they serve as guardian angels to their charges.
My two main characters, Leilani and Zebedy, are teen girls
who bond over their mutual love of these invisible beings. Zebedy is Highmost,
able to hear the lyrics to the music and chat with the Strains while Leilani is
Common, only able to hear the music. Both, however, adore the Strains and are
fascinated by what can be done with them.
The Strains, in turn, love the humans they watch after. They
respond emotionally to the highs and lows about them. Have you ever wished your
life had a soundtrack? Well, in Gelia, it would.
Actually, perhaps this magic system is my subconscious
manifesting disappointment at not getting to be in a musical all those years
ago. It made me write a world where life is a musical but fraught with magic
and danger and mystery. Leilani and Zebedy navigate this world guided by the
Strains. I hope you get a chance to read about their world and its music.
Link to pre-order on
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Beggar-Magic-H-Burke-ebook/dp/B00NYSOVLO/ref=la_B00EYQ1HLW_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415243403&sr=1-8
Link to H. L. Burke on
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Giveaway:
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2 comments:
I was still reading Enid Blyton at that stage.
I've heard people talk about her, but I've never had a chance to read her work.
Heidi
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