While I was writing Iron Shards, I often sought peace at local coffee shops to collect my thoughts and put words on the page. Being a stay-at-home mom and a caver means that my house is constant chaos. School forms, cave maps, official letters, dirty hockey clothes, muddy packs. You get the picture. If I tried to write at home, those messes drove my inner OCD person crazy.

However, when I went to local shops, I often found that there were obnoxiously loud folks guffawing or talking over each other. Music was my solution. I love when other writers post their playlists, the soundtracks to my favorite books. I hope that you enjoy mine.

During my first draft, I listened to these songs incessantly, sometimes just one on repeat until even I didn’t want to hear it anymore.

Ed Sheeran “I See Fire”

Hozier “Take Me to Church”

Ed Sheeran “I’m a Mess”

Rachel Platten “Fight Song”

Muse “Mercy”

Shinedown “Sound of Madness”

Tove Lo “Scream My Name”

Lorde “Yellow Flicker Beat”

Coldplay “Viva la Vida”

Imagine Dragons “Demons”

Hozier “Someone New”

During the editing process, I was only obsessed with one band—Shinedown. I have listened to all of their albums until my family and friends are helping with my quest to find a new obsession. I found their latest work Threat to Survival particularly inspiring as I worked up the nerve to put the finishing touches on the novel and get it out to friends and the public. It’s tough to pick favorites because I love the whole album, but if I had to choose three songs from it, they’d be “How Did You Love”, “State of My Head” and “It All Adds Up”.

I hope you find my playlist inspiring. Now get out there. Create.

–Jessi Kallison