Funk-N-Fiction

Today, Melody Johnson shares the musical backdrop for writing her new Viking-inspired romantasy, Tales of Sea & Teeth.

Words & Music
by
Melody Johnson


Music has played a pivotal role throughout my life. Besides the obvious (my first name), I grew
up playing the flute and piccolo. From fourth grade through my senior year of college, I
performed in school bands and orchestras, flute quartets, church choirs, weddings, and solo
performances. While classical music was my artistic outlet for years, pop music fueled my other
passion—I was always the first one on and the last one off the dance floor. A great beat paired
with unforgettable lyrics is irresistible.

Whether I’m performing it or dancing to it, music has always sparked my creativity. The right
melody or lyric can instantly transport me into a scene, a character’s mind, or an entire
kingdom. For Tales of Sea & Teeth, a Viking-inspired romantasy filled with pirates, monsters,
ancient magic, and second-chance romance, nothing captures the soaring highs and life-
threatening lows quite like Celtic punk and metalcore.

I hope you enjoy these bangers, courtesy of book three in my Lost Guardians trilogy, coming
soon!

• The swashbuckling, pirate spirit: I’m Shipping Up to Boston, by Dropkick Murphys
• The series’ epic, kingdom-saving stakes: Bones for the Crows, by Nickelback
• The haunting ache of second-chance love: Ghost, by Minute After Midnight
• A heroine, determined to reclaim her birthright—by battle and blood if necessary. She won’t
  be distracted by her heart. Not again. Never again: Ceremony, by Holy Wars
• A hero, losing control of his heart to a necromancer like one of her corpsey puppets—when
  he knows he should resist: Crawl Back To My Coffin, by Dayseeker
• A villain, betrayed by his kingdom and willing to burn everything and everyone to the ground
  to regain what he lost: Gasoline (All Rage Still Only Numb), by Story of the Year
• The darkest moment, when love seems destined to repeat past mistakes: Pale Moonlight, by
  Dayseeker
• Learning that healing and happiness requires letting go of a painful past: Afraid Of The Dark,
  by Motionless In White

Every novel has its own soundtrack, and this one demands to be played at full volume. I hope
these songs transport you into the world of Tales of Sea & Teeth as completely as they do for
me every day as I finish the epic conclusion to this trilogy. Enjoy!

Listen to this playlist on Spotify!

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