• Demons of Oblivion
    • Bloodlines
    • Hunter
    • Lineage
    • Exhumed
    • Oblivion
    • Novellas, Shorts, & Collections
  • River Wolfe
    • River
    • Rebellion
    • How the Werewolf Stole Christmas
    • Wolfe
  • Livi Talbot
    • Solomon’s Seal
    • Odin’s Spear
    • Ashford’s Ghost
    • Emperor’s Tomb
    • Shiva’s Bow
    • Yampellec’s Idol
    • Charon’s Gold
  • Elis O’Connor
    • Season of the Bitch
    • Blood Ties
    • Witch Hunt
    • Soul Spell
  • Waverly Jones Mysteries
    • The Killing Beach
    • A Wild Kind of Darkness
    • Alone at Night
  • Standalone
    • Soulless
    • The Silent Places
    • Dweller on the Threshold
    • Watcher of the Woods
  • Boxsets
    • Hauntings: Two Tales of the Paranormal

Skyla Dawn Cameron

My characters kill people so I don't have to.

  • Books
    • Demons of Oblivion
    • River Wolfe
    • Livi Talbot
    • Soulless
    • Elis O’Connor
    • The Silent Places
    • Dweller on the Threshold
    • Watcher of the Woods
    • Waverly Jones
    • Boxsets & Bundles
    • Content Warnings
  • Skyla
    • Newsletter
    • FAQs
    • Skyla’s Home for Wayward Strays
  • Blog
    • Soundtrack Sunday Overview
    • Comment Policy
    • Evil Writer Blog Posts
    • Evil Writer Blog Posts – Old Site
  • Patronage
  • Shop Books
    • eBooks Direct
    • Signed Paperbacks
  • Upcoming
  • Hire Skyla
You are here: Home / blog / A Break, and Into the Night

December 12, 2022 By Skyla Dawn Cameron Leave a Comment

A Break, and Into the Night

I’ve been planning to post that I’m taking a blogging break until January other than a year-end recap and, hopefully, a good update about Shawn’s surgery, but I’ve been putting it off because I’m tired and I have a lot of things to do.

But I find myself particularly heartbroken just now hearing about the passing of Angelo Badalamenti.

It’s been a rough few years for Twin Peaks fans, but this one seems especially dark given Julee Cruise’s death in the summer as well. Music was as much a character in that show as anything else, and now it’s quiet.

I don’t get particularly attached to celebrities and everyone is always incredibly disappointing (my relief at finding Kyle MacLachlan was not a 45 supporter, and mostly posts Dad Jokes on Twitter, is still felt today), but Twin Peaks is so foundational for me that I’m still delighted to see the cast pop up on other things and always a little saddened at their passing.

But the music. The music.

As should be apparent with my Soundtrack Sundays, music is important to me. It’s crucial in the development of stories, and I also used to write a lot of songs when I was a moody teenager–I’m a self-taught (badly) guitar player and self-taught (even worse) on piano. I still fall back on my 90s playlists when house cleaning, or I go back to Tiffany when I’m particularly stressed.

But the Twin Peaks soundtrack was everything to me when I was a kid.

I had chronic insomnia (basically since infancy) and usually listened to music to try to calm my brain and fall asleep. For Christmas, my great-aunt would give her nieces and nephews money to buy the great-nieces and -nephews gifts, so when I was eight, “from” her I was given the Twin Peaks soundtrack in cassette. I still remember my excitement upon opening it the family Christmas party (and one of my older cousins laughing at me, which is also foundational in why it’s extremely hard for me to show excitement/enthusiasm for things now; it makes me feel vulnerable and I avoid it). I remember the little fold-out insert with the full cast, the feel of the plastic in my hands. How I played it over and over, often at night, when I needed to lull my brain into feeling safe so I could sleep. That was where I did my earliest storytelling, in my brain, creating a safe place to sleep and what I still do today. Julee Cruise and Angelo Badalementi were a huge part of giving my brain a safe place to retreat to (both with the Peaks soundtrack and Julee’s Floating Into the Night).

And that music still has that effect today. It instantly brings me to a place of calm–so much so that this is literally a playlist on my phone and it’s nothing but Twin Peaks music:

Because I’m a night person and mornings are rough, “Falling” is set to play instead of a typical alarm–I literally wake to Cruise and Badalamenti every single morning. And lately I’ve had this weight of anxiety in my chest that keeps expanding and pushing against my sternum; it’s Cruise’s ethereal voice and Badalamenti’s composition that dials it back again. (“Audrey’s Prayer” really helps with that, as does “The Nightingale“.)

I am so grateful for this music, and it’s not hyperbole to say it’s probably saved my life on more than one occasion–I know there are so many others in my position. I hope both were aware they impact they had.

It feels extremely strange to be losing these pieces of Twin Peaks just before my new series starts next year; Waverly Jones very obviously has Peaks‘ influence sewn right into her DNA (because I’m still angry about Audrey). Maybe this is how it is, losing the things that were foundational to us as we launch into the world what we hope will be just as important to someone else. Maybe one day some other creator will hear of my death and feel a little heartbroken as they’re about to put their own creation into the world with some of my DNA in it. It’s a bittersweet thought.

Thank you, sir, for bringing that feeling of calm and safety to my childhood–and adulthood.

If you haven’t, please check out this video of the creation behind “Laura Palmer’s Theme”.

Share. I'll be your best friend.

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: blog

Holla! Cancel reply

In Memory of Gus

Become a Patron!

Buy My Books

Kobo | Kindle | Smashwords | Nook | iBooks | GooglePlay | Payhip | Signed Paperbacks

The Killing Beach Preorder Promotion

Get new blog posts in your inbox!

Join 130 other subscribers
Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

What I’m Working On

14000 / 75000 words. 19% done!
Waverly 5

7000 / 50000 words. 14% done!
The Only Way Out

10000 / 50000 words. 20% done!
Hell Fire

4500 / 110000 words. 4% done!
Untitled

21000 / 70000 words. 30% done!
Sins of the Mother

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Recent Comments

  • Michael W Lucas on Skiptracing Books, or: Shenanigans with KDP Paperbacks
  • Skyla Dawn Cameron on Where is Yampellec’s Idol on Kindle US?
  • lenabrassard on Where is Yampellec’s Idol on Kindle US?
  • marie1355 on Decisions Were Made
  • Karen on Decisions Were Made
  • D.A Lascelles on Health Update & Sales
  • Skyla on Health Update & Sales
  • Anna Blake on Health Update & Sales
  • Skyla on Last One, I SWEAR
  • Steph Barry (@stephrbarry) on Last One, I SWEAR

MEET SKYLA DAWN

Writer of urban fantasy, thrillers/mysteries, and horror. Fifth-generation crazy cat lady. Bitchy feminist. So tired all the goddamn time.

My characters kill people so I don’t have to.

read more

  • Amazon
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
Become a Patron!

I'm not inclined to resign to maturity.