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February 3, 2021
Leesa Cross-Smith's Playlist for Her Novel "This Close to Okay"
In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that relates in some way to their recently published book.
Previous contributors include Jesmyn Ward, Lauren Groff, Bret Easton Ellis, Celeste Ng, T.C. Boyle, Dana Spiotta, Amy Bloom, Aimee Bender, Roxane Gay, and many others.
This Close to Okay once again proves that Leesa Cross-Smith is one of our finest storytellers.
Publishers Weekly wrote of the book:
"As dark and tense as it is flirty and humorous, this moving novel offers consistent surprises."
In her words, here is Leesa Cross-Smith's Book Notes music playlist for her novel This Close to Okay:
I always make playlists for my books. It’s part of my writing process. The original playlist to this book has over 1200 songs on it. I’ve distilled that playlist into these twelve songs that capture the mood and heart of my book. This Close to Okay is a book about being a human. This Close to Okay is a book about sadness and hurt. This Close to Okay is a book about strangers and friendship and lovers. This Close to Okay is a book about healing and comfort. This Close to Okay is a novel about connection and intimacy and being okay, or trying, or getting close.
“Human Thing” by Be Good Tanyas
I listened to this song so much and thought about it so much as I was writing This Close to Okay. “You’re human thing…you’re a human thing.” So much of this book is about being human…finding another human and finding that connection…connection even in the slightest of things until things get deeper. There’s a part at the beginning of my book where Tallie says she needs to eat and he needs to eat, so they’ll eat together. That’s it. Simple as that. We’re humans, being humans. So, let’s do that first. The other stuff can wait.
“Jesus, Etc” by Wilco
When Tallie finds Emmett on the bridge, Tallie tries to think of a song to play for him…to comfort him…to distract him. She plays this song and talks about Jeff Tweedy’s “flannel, languid voice.”
“Halloween” by Phoebe Bridgers
Over the weekend, Tallie tries to distract Emmett with a lot of different things and one of them is by inviting him to a huge Halloween party thrown by her brother. They can dress up, pretend to be other people. And this song is so sad, so wistful, borderline painful to listen to in its tenderness…so fitting. “Baby, it’s Halloween and we can be anything. Oh, come on, man. We can be anything.”
“Bring It On Home To Me” by Sam Cooke
In the car, Tallie is flipping through the radio stations and tells Emmett to let her know when he hears something he likes. And when he hears Sam Cooke, he tells her to stop.
“You Send Me” by Sam Cooke
Tallie and Emmett love Sam Cooke and so do I. This butter voice sends me.
“Just Like You” by Keb’ Mo’
In the same vein as “Human Thing,” in this song, Keb’ sings “well I feel just like you and I cry just like you. But I heal just like you. And under my skin, I’m just like you.” The idea of that is a strong current running through my book.
“A Blossom Fell” by Nat King Cole
Back at her place, Tallie tries to get Emmett to open up by asking him some of his favorite things…books, movies, music. The characters dance to this in Badlands, which is one of Emmett’s favorite movies and Sissy Spacek reminds him of his mom.
“I Need My Girl” by The National
“Remember when you lost your shit and drove the car into the garden? You got out and said I’m sorry to the vines and no one saw it.”
“Head Over Heels” by Tears for Fears
This feels like one of those songs I’ve loved my whole life. The mood fits and also it plays in Donnie Darko which is one of my favorite movies and when Tallie and Emmett go to the Halloween party, Donnie Darko is on a loop. Faves on faves.
“I Feel Love” by Donna Summer
I picture this song playing at the Halloween party Tallie and Emmett go to. It’s trippy and groovy and good and there’s a lot of nostalgic New Wave music on the party soundtrack. Pet Shop Boys and Oingo Boingo too.
“I Put A Spell On You” by Nina Simone
Nina. Always Nina. Plus, Halloweenish-ness and intimacy.
“Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House
One of my v favorite songs ever although I can’t say more about why it’s on here. You’ll have to read it and find out! I forever-ever love how this song makes me feel. An all-time favorite.
“Clean” by Taylor Swift
This has always been Tallie’s power/comfort/healing song after her divorce. This is the first song she’d put on her post-divorce mix. “Rain came pouring down when I was drowning, that’s when I could finally breathe. And by morning, gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean.” And it also applies to the non-stop rainy weekend and both Tallie and Emmett working out the knots in their lives…somehow.
“Nikes” by Frank Ocean
For dark moodiness, for sadness. For hopelessness. For hope. For dreaminess. For sexiness. For confusion. For weirdness. For okayness. For endings and beginnings, for flickers of light.
Leesa Cross-Smith is a homemaker and the author of Every Kiss A War, Whiskey & Ribbons, So We Can Glow, and This Close To Okay. She lives in Kentucky with her husband and their two teenagers. Find more at LeesaCrossSmith.com.
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