Guest Post and Giveaway: Escaping Indigo by Eli Lang

Please join us in welcoming author Eli Lang today, on the tour for her brand new novel, Escaping Indigo. She’s sharing the book’s playlist with us, and there’s also a great giveaway, so be sure to check out the details for entry below.

Welcome, Eli!

Playlist for Escaping Indigo

Escaping Indigo is a band, and the book itself centers around that band while they’re on tour (and falling in love and coming to terms with their pasts and their futures, too.)  So there’s a lot of music in this story.  And I listened to a ton of music while I wrote and edited.  The playlist for the book grew to be pretty huge.  But there are several core songs that feel the most like the book to me.  So here’s a short playlist.

Undress by Skinny Bones:  This is a really odd song, but I love it.  I think Skinny Bones consists of just two people, and the song itself reflects that simplicity.  There are a lot of ways you could interpret the lyrics, but for me, they’re about being lonely and being haunted by the past, and maybe about wanting to be seen in a positive light by someone, but at the same time, wanting to be independent or free.  All of that ties in really closely to Escaping Indigo for me.

Sister by The Japanese House:  This song is very ethereal, sort of spacey and floaty but with a ton of emotion in the lyrics and music.  I listened to this over and over while I wrote.  It just has such depth to it, and I felt like I could get lost in this song and pull emotions out of the music to put in the book.  I hope I achieved that, a little bit.

Young & Unafraid by The Moth and the Flame:  I love the energy and the excitement behind this song.  The vocals are amazing, and the band is excellent.  For me, this song is about… well, obviously, being young and unafraid, but being excited about the future, and doing what makes you happy, and finding your way.  I liked the idea that, even when they were feeling confused or lost or scared, my characters were living the lives they wanted and making choices for themselves and doing what made them happy.

Let It Go by James Bay:  This is a pretty simple song—not a ton going on except for James Bay’s vocals.  But those vocals, and the simplicity of the song, make for something that’s passionate and emotional.  And for me, it fit the story I was trying to create really well.  The lyrics are so simple but so direct and honest at the same time.

Sprinter by Torres:  I’m not… actually sure I’ve ever tried to make much sense of these lyrics.  I’m pretty sure they’re telling a story that has absolutely nothing to do with Escaping Indigo’s themes or story.  There’s just something very rock and roll about this.  In the guitars, the drums, the structure, the vocals.  But there’s a uniqueness, too.  Something odd and new and fresh.  Listening to this song brings me right back, every time, to the summer when I wrote Escaping Indigo, all that time I spent with my headphones on, listening to the radio, finding new songs, and trying to weave the feelings I got from them into my book.

About the Book

Micah thought he’d always be in a band. All he ever wanted was to play drums and make great music, but when his best friend and bandmate passes away, Micah is left adrift. The thing that’s always lifted him up is now a reminder of everything he’s lost.

In an attempt to put his life back together, Micah takes a job as roadie for his favorite band, Escaping Indigo. He’s always admired the lead singer, Bellamy. On stage, Bellamy is confident, glittery, and radiant. But as the two grow closer, Micah realizes that in person, Bellamy is quiet, introspective, and a little uncertain. And that’s the person Micah is falling for.

Micah is determined to know all of Bellamy, both the rock star side and the side hidden from the audience, the side that creates music that touches Micah’s heart. Bellamy has secrets of his own, though, things he doesn’t want to share with anyone. And trying to uncover Bellamy’s truths might be the thing that ends up pushing him away.

[zilla_button url=”http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/escaping-indigo” style=”blue” size=”large” type=”round” target=”_blank”] Available Now from Riptide Publishing [/zilla_button]

About the Author

Eli Lang is a writer and drummer. She has played in rock bands, worked on horse farms, and has had jobs in libraries, where she spent most of her time reading every book she could get her hands on. She can fold a nearly perfect paper crane and knows how to tune a snare drum. She still buys stuffed animals because she feels bad if they’re left alone in the store, believes cinnamon buns should always be eaten warm, can tell you more than you ever wanted to know about the tardigrade, and has a book collection that’s reaching frightening proportions. She lives in Arizona with far too many pets.

Connect with Eli: Website || Blog || Facebook || Twitter @eli__lang || Pinterest

The Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Escaping Indigo, one lucky winner will receive a $10 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on July 22, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!