The Counting Series Playlist by Kelly Jensen + Giveaway

 

To celebrate the release of The Complete Counting Series anthology, I’ve put together a new playlist for Henry and Marc. I’ve included a song from the tour for each novella and have added a handful of new songs chosen for the new short story I’ve written, Counting Out, and for the complete story of Henry and Marc.

Upside Down, Jack Johnson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqUdI4AIDF0

First up, the theme song for Henry and Marc. This is what happens when their personalities and destinies collide. They truly do turn each other’s lives upside down. I love this song and I think it’s the perfect blend of whimsy and optimism for these two.

Pour Some Sugar on Me, Def Leppard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14iHRpk9qvQ

I cannot listen to this song without thinking of Henry, Marc, and karaoke! I chose it for them to sing in Counting on You and had such a great time not only writing that scene, but visualizing it with this song playing in the background. I loved the idea of them singing this together, to each other and the audience, and the dancing that would occur up on stage.

Naked as We Came, Iron & Wine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMkSo4srg0c

This is a totally cute song with lyrics that are a little deeper than they appear at first glance. I chose it for the title: it made me giggle, particularly when I pictured a certain waterfall scene from the new short story I wrote for these two. But I also thought the guitar patter sounded just like the sun dappling the ground through the leaves of the forest they were hiking in. It feels like summer and the outdoors.

Ventura Highway, America

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjgCqbPGq2A

This one is from the first book, Counting Fence Posts. It’s actually the first song I chose for Henry and Marc, and I picked it to represent their journey—more metaphorically than physically, but it works that way too. It’s about dreaming of warmer days, of summer, which I figured would be either cruel or kind while they were trapped in a blizzard. But it’s also representative of where they want to go with each other—where they do go.

Stuck in the Middle with You, The Steelers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DohRa9lsx0Q

This is from the Counting Down playlist! I chose it because they were stuck in a basement and the lyrics fit so well. But like “Ventura Highway,” there are two levels to this one. Marc and Henry are stuck together in ways they don’t acknowledge until they get to their last story, because even in the middle book, where their fascination is more desire than love, there’s that little kernel of something—a reason why they fight so hard to make their relationship work. ❤

Take Me Home, Country Roads, John Denver

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vrEljMfXYo

Okay, so confession: I adore John Denver. I’m that old and I just love his voice and the warmth of his music. I was originally going to put “Rocky Mountain High” here as the last song on the list, but I ended up going with “Country Roads,” because of the idea that this song could be the one that takes my boys home.

*To read the extra stories I’ve written for Henry and Marc, visit the Counting Series page on my website.

Thanks for following the tour for The Complete Counting Series! At the end of every post, I’ll be asking a question. Leave a comment with your answer (and your email address). Every comment throughout the tour counts as an entry in my giveaway. One winner will receive $15 (US or equivalent) to spend at the Dreamspinner Press store. Giveaway open internationally.

Q. Which of these songs do you think suits Henry and Marc best?

 

Check out The Complete Counting Series today!

 

 

Amazon | Dreamspinner Press

Henry Auttenberg and Marc Winnamore have an interesting approach to dating. Bare acquaintanceship gives way to a mutual attraction as Marc confesses he’s not exactly straight—while they’re trapped in a rental car on the side of the road during a Christmas Eve blizzard. Back in Boston, they try an actual date, only to spend New Year’s Eve locked in a basement, exploring every avenue of escape… and the deepening attraction between them.

Then, after two months apart, their fledgling relationship held together by flying visits, phone calls, and text messages, a joint assignment in Washington DC serves up more togetherness than Henry and Marc might be able to handle. But the real test isn’t the assignment. When Marc finally lays his heart on the line, can he count on Henry to be there for him, in every way that matters? And can he do the same for Henry when Henry needs him the most?

Follow Henry and Marc’s journey from work colleagues to lovers, from roadside disaster to locked basements, to a final ultimatum in the three novellas of the Counting series: Counting Fence Posts, Counting Down, Counting on You

 

Author Bio:

If aliens ever do land on Earth, Kelly will not be prepared, despite having read over a hundred stories of the apocalypse. Still, she will pack her precious books into a box and carry them with her as she strives to survive. It’s what bibliophiles do.

Kelly is the author of eight novels, including the Chaos Station series, co-written with Jenn Burke, and several novellas and short stories. Some of what she writes is speculative in nature, but mostly it’s just about a guy losing his socks and/or burning dinner. Because life isn’t all conquering aliens and mountain peaks. Sometimes finding a happy ever after is all the adventure we need.

Connect with Kelly: Twitter | Facebook | Website
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