The plague has once again descended on my house, and while we’ve all been Covid-ridden, I haven’t been in the mood to do much of anything.

As always, though, music (and the odd audiobook) perked me up.

And that made me think of the playlist I created while writing A Curse of Venom & Scales.

The playlist contains a hundred songs (I needed a round number).Some of these work for specific scenes or chapters in the book, while others have become certain characters’ themes. Who We Are by Hozier embodies Lance, Punchline by Aidan Martin screams Pointy (especially in the first act), I listened to Trouble by Valerie Broussard whenever I wrote about the Du Pont Siblings, and I’ll forever see Cara when I listen to I Am the Fire by Ghost Monroe. Some songs, like Yellow by Emmit Fenn, became a predictable background beat for multiple instances in the book, and I listened to it on repeat more often than any other song on this list.

I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do!

A Curse of Venom & Scales Playlist

1. Take on the World – You Me At Six
2. Home – Zayde Wølf
3. Bring You Back – Gold Brother, LIIV
4. Come to This – Natalie Taylor
5. Yellow – Emmit Fenn
6. Rain – Ben Rowley
7. Blackbird – James Smith
8. Who We Are – Hozier
9. Punchline – Aidan Martin
10. Suzume – RADWIMPS, Toaka
11. Redemption – MADE OF BAMBOO
12. Dear Happy – Gabrielle Aplin
13. Blinding – Florence + The Machine
14. Reasons Not To Die (Demo) – Ryn Weaver
15. Lying to Myself – Portair
16. Are You With Me – nilu
17. Sweater Weather (Slowed Down) – The Neighbourhood
18. Cage – Ed Carlsen
19. Gravity – Sara Bareilles
20. Mirage – Elina
21. When the Darkness Comes – Colbie Caillat
22. Souvenirs – Kina Grannis
23. Always Be My Baby – Matthew V
24. She Will Never Know – Loving Caliber
25. Ocean – Parisian
26. You – WRENN
27. Flown – Kiasmos, Ólafur Arnalds, Janus Rasmussen
28. In the Roses (Acoustic) – Christian Reindl, Henri Bardot
29. Medicine – Daughter
30. Us Against the World – Power-Haus, Michael Emmerson
31. Novocaine – Tim Schou
32. Bird – Billie Martin
33. What Was I Made For? – Billie Eilish
34. For You – Greg Laswell
35. Lyfjaberg – Wardruna
36. Bushido – Tenno
37. Hold Me (Alternate Version) – The Sweeplings
38. Under My Secrets – Seville
39. Held – Kiasmos
40. Runaway – The Riggs
41. On the Run – Katie Garfield
42. Arcanine – Ursine Vulpine
43. Home – Power-Haus, Christian Reindl, Lloren
44. Like Everybody Else (Acoustic) – Lennon Stella
45. Wildfire (Alternate Version) – SYML
46. Breathing – Kazukii, Among the Others, Matt Van
47. Unworthy – Vancouver Sleep Clinic
48. Trouble – Valerie Broussard
49. York (Original Mix) – Christian Löffler
50. Strange Days – The Born Love
51. Think Twice – Nick Wilson
52. Drown – Boy In Space
53. Suitcase – Matthew Koma
54. A Little Bit Yours – JP Saxe
55. Deep Water – American Authors
56. comatose – sød ven
57. Lullaby – Emmit Fenn
58. in the stars (slowed + reverb) – Slawd, Vallvete
59. Breathe – Power-Haus, Christian Reindl, Lloren
60. hear you me – Sad Boy
61. Sick of Losing Soulmates – Dodie
62. Way Way Back (Acoustic Version) – Lvly, Megan Wofford
63. Steady Now – nilu
64. Tether Me – Galleaux
65. Blurry – Lakeshore
66. Numb – Tommee Proffit, Skylar Grey
67. Son of Nyx – Hozier
68. Don’t Hold Me – Sandro Cavazza
69. Sirens – Oliver Daldry
70. Behind the Mask – Ivy & Gold
71. Wicked Game – Grace Carter
72. Toxic – Omido, Rick Jansen
73. Paint It, Black – Ciara
74. Save Me – Weekend Revolution, Avena Savage
75. Hide and Seek – Klergy, Mindy Jones
76. All Is Lost – Katie Garfield
77. Revival (Remaster) – Antti Martikainen
78. Shinkokyuu – Super Beaver
79. Change On The Rise – Avi Kaplan
80. Arise Like Fire – Jonathan Buchanan, Michael Lister
81. Into the Fire (Epic Remix) – Lloren, Christian Reindl
82. I Am the Fire – Ghost Monroe
83. you should see me in a crown – Billie Eilish
84. First Light – Hozier
85. Kvitravn – Wardruna
86. Just The Same – Bruno Major
87. Love Like This – Ben Rector
88. Afterglow – Ed Sheeran
89. Dance With You – Live
90. Waiting in the Dark – Cathartic Fall
91. Lion and the Beggar – Parisian
92. Love The Hell Out Of You – Lewis Capaldi
93. Everywhere – K E M A L
94. The Bones (With Hozier) – Maren Morris, Hozier
95. Hold My Girl – George Ezra
96. Hold It All Together – CHPTRS
97. moved – LACES
98. Stay – Natalie Madigan
99. What You’re Waiting For – Power-Haus, F8, Lloren
100. Revolution – The Score

I also wanted to use this moment to share some fanart with you! I’m out of my skin at this, but one of my beta readers, the fabulous kiritoken_art drew this fabulous portrait of Pointy and Lance.

I’m so totally in love with that side-eye!

Until next time.

Yolandie