Nikki Noffsinger - Music And Writing The Happy Balance

Please welcome my guest blogger today, Nikki Noffsinger, she is 37 years old, and the mother of 2. Nikki is a published author with XoXo Publishing. 

Music And Writing The Happy Balance

I find when I write, I see the story first in my mind but it is often inspired by its own soundtrack. A question was posed, "What song describes one of your books and why?" I can honestly say there is no "one" song that inspired either of them. When I wrote Renegade Night, I was inspired from everything from Puccini's Tosca and Madame Butterfly to Rob Zombie. 

I love music as much as I love books and there are few genre's that I just refuse to appreciate or listen to. However when I look at Renegade Night and reflect I think the song that comes more often to mind is Apocolyptica's I Don't Care because for my main character Alexi, he's so closed off and hardened because of everything he's lost and the fact that he's the very creature he hates. He tells himself that he doesn't care for Lainey other than being duty bound to her to keep her safe, yet he falls for her. So his "I don't care" attitude is not only questioned and tested but it's found lacking but throughout the book, he has to deal with the conflict of the past and present as well as cope with the barriers that Lainey is breaking down. He doesn't want to be hurt again-he doesn't want to love again, but the die is already cast.

When I wrote my 2nd book, a soon to be released E-book, Cursed Awakening I believe if I had to pick one song it would have to be Dare You by Shinedown. Ivy Morgan is coming into her own-on her own terms and Nyx knows Ivy is right for him but Nyx's family is steeped in tradition right down when it comes to mates. So the song I Dare You I think fits them both in some way. I dare you to live, I dare you to step outside the safety zone, I dare you to love, and I dare you to walk through fire. The final publication of mine is a story I submitted for Lost To The Night that was written with: Denyse Bridger, Brigit Aine, Sara Gonzalas, and Kayden Mcleod for XoXo Publishing. Night Lessons was a bit on the naughty side. What would you do if you had a sexy Lit teacher in college that was a guitar playing vampire who could spout poetry? So what song came to mind when I thought of the very sensual Dante Notte? Bryan Adams Wen You Love A Woman comes to mind because the guitar in that song brings an exotic sensual flavor that is Dante Notte. 

I was also inspired by Three Dog Night's Mama Told Me Not To Come because Ariel is so against anything that has to do with Mr.Notte and going out of her comfort safe zone. However it's not all hearts and flowers-there is some pretty dark things going on as to why Ariel keeps herself at arms length from things. There's a bit of greed and plotting when it comes to a Stepfather who wants his stepdaughter's trust fund and is willing to do what he has to do to get it. Music like writing is an art form. It evokes emotion. For those of us who write music can help keep the creative juices flowing, drown out outside distractions, or help create a mood or emotional moment. It's like the motion picture that's on paper instead of on screen and we all have our soundtracks.

Nikki's Bio:
I've always had a love of books and writing since I was a young child. I am a high school graduate and currently obtaining credits towards a degree in college. Though I have a love of most genres I love writing Paranormal romance because I get to create my own worlds and stories along side some of my favorite horror icons such as vampires. I grew up in a mid sized town in Indiana and was raised by my grandparents. My first solo E-Book project is through XoXo Publishing is Cursed Awakening, a wolf shifter book that blends paranormal with strong Native American characters of the Lakota Sioux nation.