Right, so we’re already well into the fall (and probably even winter, for a lot of people), and this post was supposed to be up about a month ago. Heh. Major Myafail there, folks. My apologies.
But for now, here’s my second very special YA Celebs Playlist, where I got to ask a host of authors and bloggers one not-so-simple question:
“What’s your fall anthem of choice?”
Their answers? See and hear for yourselves! [links lead to iTunes, unless otherwise specified]
“When summer fades, I always feel nostalgic for the city nights/sunshine/mellowed out part of me that is already fading along with it. Of course, that energy is replaced with this crisp back-to-school intensity, which is all about renewal and possibility. The part of “Something’s Missing” that captures the overall feeling of this time of year is:
“When autumn comes
It doesn’t ask
It just walks in where it left you last
You never know when it starts
Until there’s fog inside the glass around your summer heart.”
Takes my breath away, that.”
– Susane Colasanti, author of WHEN IT HAPPENS, TAKE ME THERE, and WAITING FOR YOU. Her latest, SOMETHING LIKE FATE (Viking), is due out in May 2010
“[This is] the song that reminds me most of fall… I don’t have any particular reason for this strange association except that I played it incessantly (on cassette tape! now I’m dating myself!) one summer and fall. When I hear it, I think of the beach (I spent my teenage years in Southern California), suntan lotion, parties, boys, bonfires, denim mini-skirts, an armful of bangles a la Madonna, and that magical blend of fear, euphoria, and promise and that is being a teenager.”
– Michelle Zink, author of PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS (Hachette), Book 1 in the eponymous trilogy
“I watched the video with this song, not kidding, about fifty times in the first two days after I downloaded it. It is ah-mazing. Completely wonderful, way more addictive than the original version.”
– Jordyn from Ten Cent Notes
“When I think of going back to school, I think of [this song]. I think the song came out in 1995, but I remember it constantly playing on the radio the summer of 1996, right before I started my junior year of high school. “Peaches” brings back great memories. Tanning at the lake, driving around town with friends with the music up and the windows down, and doing the whole back-to-school-shopping thing.”
– Becca Fitzpatrick, author of HUSH, HUSH (Simon & Schuster)
“Right now I can’t stop listening to [this]! I swear I listened to it, like, 50 times within 24 hours of seeing the episode. I just can’t stop playing it over and over.”
– Chelsea M. Campbell, author of THE RISE OF RENEGADE X (Egmont USA), out May 2010
“Yeah, I picked an old musical song. Judge me. But it is SO my jam. And have you heard this song? IT IS SO INSPIRATIONAL. It tells you that you CAN GO THE DISTANCE and BE STRONG. Just like in the fall you have to be strong to get through the fall to Christmas happy time! Or something like that.”
– Khyrinthia from Frenetic Reader
“It’s music full of ethereal longing, and like autumn slips into my blood, this song slips into my brain. It’s the kind of song that thins the veil between possible and impossible- it’s perfect to watch leaves change by, or to write by- or if I’m very very lucky, both.”
– Saundra Mitchell, author of SHADOWED SUMMER
“Every time I hear it I just smile. Can’t you imagine driving around on a fall day listening to this? I can 
”
– Alea from Pop Culture Junkie
“It’s not exactly an anthem, but [it] always evokes end-of-the-season happy-sadness for me: “September’s coming soon/I’m pining for the moon…” It also reminds me of certain silver-lit swim with a very special boy. (I married him.)”
– Megan McCafferty, author of the bestselling Jessica Darling series (Crown)
“Since I just launched LivingYourFive.com with fellow authors Alyson Noel, Tera Lynn Childs and Becca Fitzpatrick–dedicated to changing our world one person and one “Five” at a time–the song’s wonderful message of paying it forward and making a difference (and its beautiful harmonies) definitely make Send It On my anthem for Fall 2009.”
– Kay Cassidy, author of the THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (Egmont USA), due out in April 2010
“I think it’s whimsical with an electric pop attitude lol”
– Yan from Books by Their Cover
“Because when you’ve got a special ability, you just have to believe. (That’s so corny!)”
– Lisa McMann, author of WAKE & FADE, part of the Dreamcatcher trilogy. GONE, the final installment (Simon & Schuster), will be released in February 2010
“When Autumn rolls around I always have to think of [this]. I think the music and lyrics fit the fall mood so well – kind of a meloncholy that winter is approaching and this still pretty warm day with the sun shining through the trees that are losing their leaves could very probably be the last good day of the year (from a weather perspective).”
– Lenore from Presenting Lenore
As Halloween approaches, this song goes into heavy rotation on my iPod. It’s the perfect soundtrack for a gloomy autumn evening.
– Sarah Cross, author of Dull Boy (Dutton)
“I think Autumn from “The Four Seasons” because it obviously reminds me of autumn, and I just like Under My Bed by Meiko, it is a beautiful song!”
– Senfaye from A Maze of Books
“I love this song because it’s about the start of the school year and it also has such a sweet nostalgic feel to it. I also love Jack Johnson’s version that they played in Curious George.”
– Heidi R. Kling, author of the 2010 release SEA (Penguin/Putnam)
“My all-time favorite end of summer song… The Ataris version doesn’t suck either. It takes me back to one particular summer (let’s not name the year, it makes me feel old) that I remember with particular fondness, but it’s kind of a melancholy song. And, honestly, melancholy is one of my favorite emotions.”
– Trish Doller, author of MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY and all-round purveyor of awesome, represented by kt literary
“It’s appropriately beautiful and a little bittersweet to usher in my favorite season: autumn! The singer has an amazing voice, the lyrics are wonderful, and there’s just something melancholic about it. I can totally listen to this song while standing in a field of golden leaves!”
– Steph Su from Steph Su Reads
“Okay, it’s totally maudlin, but it feels like fall to me. Listen when you’re feeling mellow.”
– Melissa Walker, author of Lovestruck Summer (Harper Teen) and the Violet series
“There’s just something about that song that lifts my spirits and it makes me want to throw my hair down and dance till the my muscles ache and remind me that I’m getting old. xD
In all seriousness, its probably the beat that makes me want to do that but I love it nonetheless. And the Pulse 87 remix version even better. Which is by David Guetta. But thats for another time.”
– Mitali Dave from Alley of Books
“Well I love the fall and get kinda romantic and misty about autumn weather and the color of the changing leaves, but I hated school with a fiery passion. So I’ll go with an anti-school anthem, actually called “School Anthem” by MC Paul Barman, the greatest Jewish rapper of all time.
Sample lyric: “I’ll let a mystery gas out of my blistery ass / Just to disrupt the misery of history class.” I’m sorry, but that is a hilarious line and it pretty much sums up how I felt about high school. And sadly college wasn’t that much better. As Paul says, “I found college awkward / Another teacher, same old chalkboard.”
It’s on YouTube with a very boring video, but the song is killer. [Click the link above!]”
– Josh Berk, author of THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN (Knopf), due out in 2010
“Lovely.”
– Korianne from Korianne Speaks
“It reminds me of Ever and Damen and especially how she felt at the end of BLUE MOON when she realized what she’d done! A reader actually made an EVERMORE video using this song and sent it on to me and I thought it was perfect!”
– Alyson Noel, author of the Immortals series, including EVERMORE & BLUE MOON. SHADOWLAND (St. Martin’s), the third installment, is due out on Nov. 17.
“I’m not usually a huge fan of country music, but this is probably the most beautiful and heartbreaking end-of-the-summer song ever. I could write a whole book about the imagery in this song. Maybe I will one day!”
– Kody Keplinger, author of THE DUFF, coming out in 2010
“I picked that song because it’s about the first day of school. XD”
– Kate from Read This Book
“I have the very Shiveresque end of summer song — it’s very ominous: “A Clock is Ticking” by Snow Patrol. (it’s on the Shiver playlist). But if we’re just talking what’s blasting out of my car as an end of summer song, definitely +44 “When Your Heart Stops Beating.” For some reason this song is really desperate end of summer to me (though more appropriate for James of BALLAD, my October book, than my Shiver people.)”
– Maggie Stiefvater, author of BALLAD & LAMENT, as well as the bestselling SHIVER. The sequel LINGER (Scholastic) will be out July 2010
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I hope you all enjoyed the playlist, and find lots of new things to add to your playlist!
I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce a new feature to you, titled Jukebox Junkies, featuring a plethora of playlists from your favorite authors, bloggers, publicists, groupies, editors and many other fascinating personalities from the publishing industry.
If you fit into any of the above categories, and would like to do a special playlist for this new, exciting feature, please contact me at mya [dot] rooney [at] gmail [dot] com
And watch out for the first playlist this Halloween with a very special guest! =)
Sometimes before I write, I listen to certain songs to get me in the proper mood. I have a specific playlist for this called 
Summary:
This one still makes me feel philosophical enough to sit down and write pages and pages of thoughts and questions in my journal. Heck, it actually makes me write in the journal, period. Was there anyone who didn’t like this book?
