Soundtrack for The Homeschoolers: The Ballad of Squirtina by Henry Circle
When FMB Tours asked me to put together a soundtrack post for this tour, I thought, Piece of Cake. One album has been looping through my head on repeat for the last several years, while I was writing, even while I was just doing the book research that is known as living: “Clarksdale” by Daddy Rich. It’s like it was written for me, for my book. It wasn’t, but close! Daddy Rich has been my friend and brother-in-law for many a year now. Our lives often run parallel, so he is in a sense singing about my life, the unique geographic location we come from, the circles we travel in, the troubles we’ve seen. I’m not plugging him because we’re “kin” as we say in Mississippi. Everyone who knows me the least little bit will tell you I’m really not that nice!
The Homeschoolers: The Ballad of Squirtina playlist from the album, “Clarksdale” by Daddy Rich
“Clarksdale”- This is my theme song. I even walked onstage to it onstage at a fitness competition. I also consider it the theme song to The Homeschoolers, as well. The town where the protagonist, Christina, and her friends live, “Yokel, MS,” is inspired by my hometown, and the home of the blues, Clarksdale. It’s poor. It’s gritty. It’s the kind of place where extraordinary things happen, a perfect place for a novel to be set.
“Sad, Sad Song”- “Sitting on the side lines, watching the parade go by…” Christina is the ultimate outsider at the opening of the novel. Pooping in class will have that effect! This is the ballad for Squirtina.
“Good Luck Man”- Kip’s song. Christina’s younger brother and future entrepreneur is always on top. Some people have all the luck!
“Upside Down”- “Take somebody’s frown, and turn it upside down.” The sweet song describes the even sweeter, Sunny, perfectly.
“Pay Your Dues 2.0”- This is David’s song. Christina’s heart throb is hard working, earnest, always giving back.. and he has abs of steel, naturally.
“Boogie Man”- This twangy, blues confection is Ricky all the way. There’s a playful cockiness, mixed with a little backwoods superstition.
“The Blues is O.K.”- “You gotta live like there’s no tomorrow.” Life takes an unexpected turn once the friends meet Old Man River. This song is the ultimate survival song, and survive is just what Christina and friends must do once their boat sinks, and they find themselves on an island in the Misssissippi River.
“I Walk Alone”- This dark song is well-suited for our loner, our antagonist, Mr. Danny.
“Crazy Dream”- Life can change quickly, throwing us in disbelief. When Christina finds herself hiding from Mr. Danny, this song should be playing!
“Hands and Knees”- “I gotta find somebody to save me. You got me down on my hands and knees.” Christina’s fight scene song.
“Last Train Out”- A good song for closing the chapter on The Homeschoolers, as we wind up the novel. But wait. Did somebody say something about … Public school?!?! Gulp!
Henry Circle is a writer, a flat-chested American and has the bad habit of confessing things about herself in her author bios. She blogs at Henry Circle’s Writers Loop and YA Reviews and News.
Henry’s Twitter https://twitter.com/HenryCircle
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/henry.circle.1
