The call was for a crime story revolving around a song from the ’60s. There were so many from which to choose. What inspired me to select “Spirit in the Sky” and give my story the same name?
While searching for a song to wrap around a story, I read an article that the arts community in Malden, MA, was dedicating a mural to composer/singer Norman Greenbaum. Greenbaum was born and raised there. Malden was my home for 18 years and workplace for 25. Better yet, the mural would be painted on the back of a building where I’d once worked.
I had my song.
With the song firmly in mind, and through dozens of replays while I wrote, “Spirit in the Sky” guided my story as it guided the 3 characters whose friendship was forged as soldiers in Viet Nam and lasted through the next fifty years. What crimes are involved? How is the song a crucial element of the story?
I hope you’ll get your copy of Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s and read all 22 stories by Earl Staggs, Jack Bates, Linda Kay Hardie, Jeanne DuBois, Terrie Farley Moran, Heidi Hunter, Merrilee Robson, Claire A. Murray, Michael Bracken, Maddi Davidson, Joseph S. Walker, Dawn Dixon, Karen Keely, Paul D. Marks, Wendy Harrison, Mary Keliikoa, Maxim Jakubowski, James A. Hearn, C. A, Fehmel, Catina Williams, Josh Pachter, and John Floyd. Edited by Sandra Murphy and published by Untreed Reads.
Official release date is November 10th, but pre-orders and an ‘immediate delivery’ of the eBook are available now.
Read Immediately: This week only, eBook from DriveThruFiction.
Pre-order eBook : Amazon. It will be downloaded to your device on November 10th. Apple iBooks and Barnes and Noble haven’t resolved their pre-order links yet.
Pre-order Paperback: Follow this special link to Untreed Reads and they’ll do their best to get your paperback to you before November 10th. Order today and get them to work.
Read the full story behind the mural. Listen to the song on YouTube.
Lovely story Claire. Congratulations. Stay well.