Title: TRACKED
Author: Jenny Martin
Pub. Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Dial Books
Pages: 400
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Find it: Amazon, Barnes
& Noble, iBooks, Goodreads
The Fast and the Furious gets a futuristic twist in this action-packed debut!
On corporately controlled Castra, rally racing is a high-stakes game that seventeen-year-old Phoebe Van Zant knows all too well. Phee’s legendary racer father disappeared mysteriously, but that hasn't stopped her from speeding headlong into trouble. When she and her best friend, Bear, attract the attention of Charles Benroyal, they are blackmailed into racing for Benroyal Corp, a company that represents everything Phee detests. Worse, Phee risks losing Bear as she falls for Cash, her charming new teammate. But when she discovers that Benroyal is controlling more than a corporation, Phee realizes she has a much bigger role in Castra’s future than she could ever have imagined. It's up to Phee to take Benroyal down. But even with the help of her team, can a street-rat destroy an empire?
Check out the book trailer!
Now on to the post! Jenny sent the spotify code so have fun listening!
I love music—it’s a big part of my life, even when I’m writing.
Often, when I’m trying to think deeply about a character or gearing up to write
a big scene, I’ll key into a particular song, listening to it over and over,
for inspiration. Here are some of the tracks that…ahem…inspired Tracked.
1. Strange Times by
the Black Keys
Man, I love the Keys. And to me, Strange Times evoked Phee’s world, a planet that’s so corrupt, and
so far gone from its original, Earth-colony roots. There’s a line in Strange Times about “statues in the
square” and what they used to stand for, and that’s pretty much Phee’s planet
in a nutshell.
2. Fast Fuse by
Kasabian
This song reminds me of Phee, during her first few races, when
she’s all heart, but no head, just a fast fuse, smoking the competition.
3. Howlin’ for You by
the Black Keys
I always imagined this song playing in the backroom club when
Phee first meets Cash. It’s pretty clear, right away, that there’s something
between these two. They’re both a handful. They’re both smart-mouthed and bold
and volatile, for entirely different reasons. And this song…it’s like what
happens when you mix two brands of TNT…spontaneous combustion. But oh boy, it’s
fun to write that kind of chemistry.
4. February Stars by
Foo Fighters
While Phee and Cash make a strong case for explosive chemistry,
Bear’s relationship with her is something all together. Bear and Phee share a
deep bond, an abiding closeness built on family and friendship. For me, this
song seems to ask the question--what happens when that friendship changes…what
happens when we grow up, and loyalty grows into love?
5. Lightning Bolt
Pearl Jam
Another anthem for Phee, only this one’s a shade more
triumphant. I think of this one when Phee’s just starting to practice for her
first circuit race. She’s in this hot, state-of-the-art machine, spinning out of
control, simply for the pure joy of it.
6. The Perfect Drug
by Nine Inch Nails
For me, this song is all about obsessive, out of control love,
and the price it exacts. To understand why this song reminds me of Tracked…no
spoilers, you’ll have to read it.
7. Rope by Foo
Fighters
There are moments in Tracked,
when the noose tightens and Phee’s staring at a set of seemingly no-win
choices. I love the way Rope speaks
to that kind of emotional state—that sense of crippling indecision.
8. White Limo by Foo
Fighters
I always, always listen to Foo Fighters when I’m deep into a
book, looking for inspiration. And if I had to pick one song for this book,
it’d be White Limo. There’s a really big, climactic race in Tracked, and I
listened to this song over and over while dreaming it up, drafting and revising
it. Honestly, listening to White Limo is like put an ear to the most primal
corner Phee’s soul. (And hey, this song is totally kickass.)
9. Dear Dictator by
Saint Motel
If I had to pick a song for my bad guy, Charles Benroyal, it’d
be this one. Saint Motel is such an awesome band, and if you’re not listening
to them, you should be. Dear Dictator is pure villainy. Love it.
10. No Church in the Wild
by Kanye West
Another perfect track for my sharply dressed, smooth-talking
villain, Benroyal. I listened to this one a lot, when drafting scenes in the
Spire.
11. Satellite by
Guster
Here’s another song for Cash, one that evokes the softer side
of his personality. Satellite is
touching and tender, and it perfectly articulates his feelings for Phee.
12. Bridge Burning by
Foo Fighters
There are a lot of Foo Fighters songs on this playlist, so many
that the band’s in my acknowledgments. I feel I owe them a huge debt for all the
inspiration! So many of their songs are perfect for action scenes, and this
track is no exception. If I imagine Phee sitting behind the wheel, before her
most fateful race, it’s this song I hear.
13. Half the Man by
Methodic Doubt Music
Here’s the perfect track for a sweeping, epic climax…no words,
just a hard-driving beat and a sense of pulse-pounding doom. I’ll let you
figure out what scene this song evokes.
14.
Something from Nothing by Foo Fighters
This is Phee, facing down all the powers who oppose her. She is
not going down without a fight, or without blazing bright. If you read the
lyrics, it’s totally Phee vs. Benroyal, and I love it.
15. Learn to Fly by
Foo Fighters.
It was really difficult for me to say goodbye to book one, and
draft the final chapters of Tracked,
so this song really evokes the feelings I had writing them, and the emotional
tone of the book’s resolution.
Hope you enjoy the playlist, and hope you enjoyed getting a
sneak peek at my thoughts about Tracked.
;)
Jenny Martin is an author
and librarian. Her first novel, Tracked, will be released on May
5th, 2015 by Dial, an imprint of Penguin Random-House. Jenny is also
an experienced speaker, panelist and presenter who’s appeared at many state and
regional conferences, events and festivals. She lives in Dallas, with her
husband and son, where she hoards books and writes fiction. And yes, she’s
still on a quest for the perfect pancake.
Giveaway Details:
5 winners will receive a finished copy of TRACKED and
an awesome swag pack! US Only.
5 winners will receive a finished copy of TRACKED! US
Only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out the Tour Schedule!
Week One:
4/27/2015- Icey Books- Review
4/27/2015-
Girls In
The Stacks- Guest Post
4/28/2015- Novel Novice- Guest Post
4/28/2015- I Read Banned Books- Interview
4/29/2015- Alice Marvels- Review
4/30/2015- Mundie Moms- Interview
4/30/2015- Nerdophiles- Review
Week Two:
5/4/2015- Reading Teen- Review
5/4/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post
5/5/2015- Fiktshun- Interview
5/6/2015- Stuck In Books- Review
5/6/2015- Parajunkee- Interview
5/7/2015- Me My Shelf And I- Interview
5/8/2015- Fangirlish- Guest Post
5/8/2015- Page Turners- Review
I love so many of these songs. Great choices and now I want to read the book even more!! :-)
ReplyDeleteLove the song selections
ReplyDelete