THE ILLICIT CROISSANTS AT DAWN SOUNDTRACK: Because the songs know all the secrets
Good morning,
It’s here! My poetry book is available!
To mark the launch of ILLICIT CROISSANTS AT DAWN I wanted to do something special. I’d love to have planned a launch party, but I’m not exactly brimming with health at the moment. I don’t live in an Anglophone country, so the possibilities of doing readings in bookshops is limited. Nevertheless, a few months ago the owner of a pretty little boutique in a nearby village asked me whether I’d be willing to do a reading for one of their special evenings, and I told her I’d love to. The thing is, I have to factor in the unpredictability of living with two chronic illnesses, so making plans starts to feel a bit like “Living on a Prayer”. Soon, though! I hope.
Then I thought, ooh, how about merchandising? Of course! ILLICIT CROISSANTS AT DAWN tee-shirts and totes and tea-towels! That would be amazing, but - I mean, delusions of grandeur, Cesca? I had mugs made - which I already showed you, because I simply couldn’t wait - , and they’re gorgeous, and I’ve decided I’m going to make a few tee-shirts and tote bags. Because some delusions are fun.
(My mugs. I have no idea how to make photos smaller on here. Sorry.)
But what could I do for everyone else that doesn’t cost anything, or involve going anywhere?
And then, suddenly, I knew! ILLICT CROISSANTS AT DAWN could have its very own soundtrack!
Please note that I didn’t call it a playlist. Oh no! A soundtrack sounds far more curated, far more fancy.
The advantage of a soundtrack is that it can reach millions of people. Theoretically speaking, anyone who has Spotify could stumble upon my playlist. Not that they’d know it’s related to a poetry book, but maybe some sort of magical seven steps effect would kick in and lead them to it. And little by little, all this magic might eventually lead to world peace.
Please don’t send the loony-police; I spoke with my psychiatrist recently, and we agreed I need to think positive thoughts and socialize more. Life/health goals.
Anyway, my soundtrack has been a lovely project. I had a great time lounging on the bed in my office with my manuscript and my laptop, music blaring, pondering which song belonged to each poem. I felt like I was back in high school, staying up late making cassette tapes for my girlfriends with my little round, mono-speakered record player and a tiny, black, rectangular tape recorder, giving anyone who opened my bedroom door a stern telling off it because now I’d have to stop and record that particular track all over again. This took place in medieval times, long before most people had sophisticated HiFi equipment that allowed you to tape directly from record to cassette.
But there was so much joy, so much love involved in making those tapes, in getting the order of the songs just right. There was an art to it. Sharing your music was like opening a door straight into your soul. And if a boy you liked made you a tape, well, you wouldn’t hear a single thing any teacher said in class! The stakes were colossal, involving hours of inter-girlfriend note-passing under desks to dissect the potential sub-text that might vary, of course, according to the strategic positioning of a track. Music was powerful stuff. Pauses between songs made you hold your breath, wondering what came next. A mixed taped revealed who someone was, song after song. A slow dance introduced at exactly the right time might mean a boy really liked you.
Obviously, I had to dig deep and think outside the box when pairing songs with some of the poems. I’m sure plenty of the matchups come off as cryptic – which frankly might be for the best. I doubt any boy still lurking in my romantic archives wants to be forever linked to “I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock of Seagulls.
I have no idea whether the soundtrack to my poetry book will incite you to Shake Your Bootie (the track is on there, of course), get a little nostal-swoony (If You Leave Me Now Now), biturbo your feather dusting, or provide an eclectic mix for a road trip. You may never press play, because maybe you already know it’s not going to be your vibe. And that’s absolutely fine.
But if you do find yourself hovering a finger over the link, know that each track comes with a story, as well as – I hope – a colourful sprinkling of magic. I’d love to know whether any of these tracks mean something to you, and if so, whether you’d like to share any feelings or memories they invoke. Or tell me about songs I haven’t included on the playlist that are special to you. I’d love that!!
Please join me in this virtual disco launch party. I can’t wait to hear from you!
Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy listening. The playlist is rather random, just like me.
Illicit Croissants at Dawn, The Soundtrack (and I even added the book cover to Spotify. Such a techno-genius). Please feel free to share it with your friends.
Happy Easter Weekend,
Lots of love,
Francesca xx
PS: don’t forget to tell me about songs that sweep you away to other times and places, whether illicit or aboveboard.
(My daughter Olivia Bossert designed the cover for my book, and also did some illustrations. The hardback copy contains coloured illustrations, whereas in the paperback version, I had to choose to make the illustrations black and white to keep the book reasonably priced.)
