Have you ever had a moment where you hear a song, and immediately you’re transported to a book? Maybe it was as simple as the melody was similar to a book you read or the words drew you in and expressed exactly what a specific character felt or experienced.

As an author there have been several of my novels that were inspired by songs. I hummed the chorus to Who You Say I Am all the while as I wrote Dragon’s Winter. Paskal’s Hope and (working title) The Rebel and His King both are yet-to-be-published novels that were driven by specific songs.

Resolved and Songs

The Sunday before Resolved released, I walked into the church service late because I’d been talking with our Sunday School teacher. I discovered one whole row filled with my family and their significant others, and my parents in the row in front of them. My heart was filled to overflowing as my daughter’s boyfriend stood to offer me his seat. I squeezed in and made room for him as well. Then the music started, and tears streamed down my face. Tears of gratitude and thanksgiving. But with each consecutive song, I was drawn into my own story world. I saw Siobhan in all of it.

Blessed Be Your Name by Matt Redman

The premise of this song is that through good and bad I’ll praise God. Part of the tears flowing with this song was because I remembered another time when I’d lost a friend in death. We’d sang the very same song. Now I sat in a row full of family and all was well.

The chorus states:

Every blessing You pour out, I’ll
Turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

This reminded me of Siobhan at the end of Resolved. The final chapter came to mind and I cried even more.

The Goodness of God by Bethel Music

This song will probably inspire another novel or more. The lyrics are just so amazing. The chorus talks about God’s goodness running after me. Just the imagery of that blows my mind away, but that Sunday, it was again the final chapter of Resolved that played out on my mind’s eye.

You have led me through the fire
In the darkest night
You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a Father
I’ve known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God

Exchange the word God for Jeeah, and that’s exactly what Siobhan was saying as well.

How Great is Our God by Chris Tomlin

I love this song and usually sing it in three different languages. In fact, that Sunday I did. My daughter’s boyfriend looked at me strangely at first, but when I explained that I was using American Sign Language and singing in Spanish on the chorus, he smiled.

This song is just a wonderful song to raise in praise. To realize how wonderful God is. I envisioned Siobhan standing on the field singing this one to Jeeah.

The Door Within

Meanwhile, I’ve been listening to Wayne Thomas Batson’s The Door Within Trilogy. Books 2 and 3 were bookcased around Realm Makers–listening on the five hour trip to the airport and back, and finishing when I was down sick with a cold after the conference.

The trilogy is an amazing Christian fantasy that in some ways is like a modern-day Pilgrim’s Progress. Teens find their way into the land of Alleble full of Glimpses (spirit halves of the people from earth), and a fight between King Eliam and Prince Paragor. The story dropped me into the world of Glimpse-kind and knights of Alleble to such a degree, that when I went to church to set up the PowerPoint for Sunday, I was transported to King Eliam’s throne room with each of these songs:

Hosanna (Praise is Rising)
All Hail, King Jesus
Ancient of Days
He is Exalted
You Are My King (Amazing Love)
Come, Let Us Worship and Bow Down
Majesty
Holy Is the Lord

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What songs have reminded you of books? Or are there books that remind you of songs? I’d love to hear your thoughts.