"Orphans" - Beck
With my earlier books, and how pretentious does that sound, I tended at some point during the writing process to fixate on a song that would accompany me in terms of lyrics or mood, but in the case of Orphans, I fixated on this title, and the idea that we are all orphaned eventually, by family, work, or community, and that in this story, it's not just eventual, but a day-to-day reality. I then looked to see if there were any songs named Orphans whose lyrics and tone matched the mood and aesthetic I was aiming for. I came across the song "Orphans" by Beck, and lyrics like these, "Think I'm stranded but I don't know where - got this diamond I don't know how to shine - In the sun where the dark winds wail - And these children leave their rulers behind," which resonated with me, and continued to resonate with me as I played the song on repeat for days at a time as I honed the language, structure, and vibe of the book.
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