I’ve always loved listening to music, but … I have a confession to make.

It’s very rarely the music itself that I love. It’s the lyrics that get me.

Music tells a story, too, and lyrics are a huge part of that. Whether it’s setting the scene at an Italian restaurant (a la Billy Joel) or just a clever turn of phrase in a catchy pop song, the words are what I love most.

But conveying emotions in the short time span of a song can be difficult! I admire that ability to put listeners in a certain headspace in just a few seconds.

There were a couple of songs I listened to that immediately put me in the mood to write Spotlight. In fact, I quote a couple of them at the beginning of the book.

“I’m tired of rumors starting.

I’m sick of being followed.

I’m tired of people lying,

Saying what they want about me.”

– Rumors, Lindsay Lohan

“Would you be so into me,

If I wasn’t a celebrity?”

– Celebrity, *NSYNC

Their takes on fame and paparazzi are quite interesting – and certainly fit the theme of Spotlight.

And there’s one more song that I listened to very frequently while writing this book. But this one has more to do with Lily and Nate. Any guesses???