Inspiration: Dead Man's Bones

Among the many influences for this book (which I'll be sharing with readers periodically) is the music of Dead Man's Bones. The group consists of Ryan Gosling (yes, that Ryan Gosling), Zack Shields and the Silverlake Conservatory Children's Choir, and their aesthetic is this fantastic spooky, charming, southern gothic, B-rate horror movie awesomeness. Do you remember when you were watching that scene in Lars and the Real Girl when Gosling is goofing around singing in the treehouse and you thought, "Wow. He might be musically talented." Well, he is. They all are. I especially like "My Body's a Zombie for You"--totally haunting.

Now, Dead Man's Bones will probably--like Oingo Boingo and The Addams Family--be thought of as a seasonal, Halloween-specific thing. But also like Oingo Boingo and The Addams Family (about which I'll probably post in the future), this music is way more engaging than typical Halloween party background noise. It's creative and fun and sometimes sad, and it happens to be kind of spooky. I'd love Untitled Ghost Story to have a similar feel--sure, it fits as a scary campfire tale, but also as a meaningful story about kids growing up.

And here's some awesome videos from Dead Man's Bones. Check them out.

Dead Man's Bones appears courtesy of Anti-Records.