Every book deserves a soundtrack

Music played a huge part in the writing of 'How Soon Is Now?' (and the other novel-and-a-quarter written since its completion).

I always have music playing while I'm writing, but it has to be the right kind of music - and the right kind of music changes depending on what I'm writing. Sometimes, the soundtrack has to be ruthlessly minimalist, a quiet backdrop to my concentration. On days like that, too many words or human voices are a distraction which can deal a fatal blow to my sometimes delicate concentration. For this, Olafur Arnalds was a godsend. His music provided a background of chilly classicism and subtly emotional peaks which added so much to the atmosphere and impact of 'How Soon Is Now?'

'For Now I Am Winter' and '...And They Have Escaped The Weight of Darkness' both became the unofficial soundtracks to the book.

On other days, especially when the work is flowing and the ideas are flying at me through the ether, the music can be whatever it wants to be. Whatever's at the top of the CD pile, or whatever mix my streaming service of choice (Tidal, since you ask) offers up. The book gave me an excuse (not that I ever need one) for a deep dive into the indie/alternative music of the 80s and 90s, from the Smiths and the Fall through the Wedding Present, Waltones, Sea Urchins, Motorcycle Boy and Cocteau Twins to REM, Tindersticks and much, much more.

As is traditional with these things, the book even went through the obligatory 'middle-aged writer dude tries to impress readers with his cool taste in music' draft - you'll be relieved to know I got this out of my system early and any signs of the indie boy equivalent of The Simpsons' Comic Book guy were ruthlessly pruned.

Music still provides a strong strand throughout, though, and one song more than any other shaped the direction it eventually took from vague concept to finished novel, and that was 'The Deal', by Stephen Duffy, from 1998's 'I Love My Friends'. It's a gorgeous song, and one line in particular had always caught my ear. I'll write about that more, once the book is out, but for now all I'll say is: Once you've read 'How Soon Is Now?' it shouldn't be hard to spot the line.