When I have the spare time, I find one of the most useful brainstorming projects I can do is to write music for my novels. So far, in every book I’ve written, music plays a very important part. The first dealt with music as a power, as magic. One of the main characters weaves all her magic through songs and music, as opposed to other more traditional practices. The character, Tasha, is by and large one of the most trustworthy and “good” characters in the whole tale, I think, and her music has a lot to do with it. Music is disciplined, mysterious, and powerful, and she wields that responsibility well.

This time around is a little different. Magic in The Aldersgate is extremely watered down. The world has suffered, and is lost. Magic is believed, for the most part, to be myth. However, as the world begins to change quite rapidly, a few people begin to feel odd stirrings inside of them. Emry Roy is one of those people. Though trained classically as a bard, he’s never had training in magic because, well, barding is simply believed to be a discipline of academics and talent, and nothing that has to do with what they call seidcraft.

But what happens when your talents become your curses? As Emry travels through the story, he learns that his abilities do not come without consequences. He discovers just what terror the wrong (or right) chord can wreak, especially if weilded by unknowing hands.

This piece of music was written last night to accompany the podcast that introduces much of Emry’s plight. I use bits and pieces of it throughout, but I wanted to provide it in its entirety for you if you so wish. I’m pleased with the outcome so far, but am far from a trained musician–I write by ear, you see. My abilities to read music are limited to one line at a time.

Emry’s Theme – mp3

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