Skin Deep by Laura Jarratt
Publisher: Egmont
Release date: March 5th 2012
Ugly people don't have feelings. They're not like everyone else. They don't notice if you stare at them and turn away. And if they did notice, it wouldn't hurt them. They're not like real people. Or that's what I used to think. Before I learned...
After the car crash that leaves her best friend dead, Jenna is permanently scarred. She struggles to rebuild her life, but every stare in the street, every time she looks in the mirror, makes her want to retreat further from the world. Until she meets Ryan. Ryan's a traveller. When he and his mother moor their narrow boat on the outskirts of a village, she tells him this time it will be different. He doesn't believe her; he can't imagine why this place shouldn't be as unwelcoming as the rest. Until he meets Jenna. But as Jenna and Ryan grow closer, repercussions from the crash continue to reverberate through the community. And then a body is found...
Guest Post: Laura Jarratt on the Skin Deep Soundtrack
This is a collection of the tracks I was listening to when I was writing and editing the book. Some of these I used to get me into a certain mood to write and others are ones that I connect with some of the characters – not necessarily ones they’d be listening to but ones that help me get into their heads. So the soundtrack is a bit of a mash-up but this is what writing Skin Deep sounded like.
THE BOATMAN – The Levellers
This song was totally in my head when I started writing the opening chapters with Karen and Ryan together, and it’s one I came back to over and over again throughout the book
LIBERTY SONG - The Levellers
Another one from The Levellers – this song always conjures Karen up for me, with all her anger at authority and the system. It was also the inspiration for the name of her boat.
MAKE ME SMILE – Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel
And this one conjures Cole – there’s something irrepressible about it that says Cole.
VAGABONDS – New Model Army
This is a track Karen would have been listening to around the time she was deciding to take up a travelling lifestyle. It’s known as the song that launched a thousand kitbags.
TEARDROPS ON MY GUITAR – Taylor Swift
This is my Jenna song, though for the record I hate this video. It’s not the kind of sound I’m usually into but this sums up unrequited teen crushes so well that I respect the lyrics – everyone has been or will be here at some time.
CLOSE – Drumsound and Baseline Smith
I had this on loop while I was doing the final edits for the book – and I do love this video. It kept me in the right mood while I was making those last changes and I never had a Ryan song before this, but this is the track I always associate with him now.
SPECIAL NEEDS – Placebo
I’ve never written a book without a Placebo track playing over and over during the time I was writing. This is just beautiful. The whole sound of it and the emotion behind it sums up Skin Seep for me. It’s not the lyrics – this is a mood song.
Ooh I might have to keep this post open today so that I can check out these songs on Spotify. I absolutely adored this book.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this book! I need to get a copy! and I'm definitely going to be checking out these songs whilst I'm reading too! -Jess Hearts Books
ReplyDeleteOh, I desperately love the sound of the premise.
ReplyDelete— Asher
"Ugly people don't have feelings.
ReplyDeleteThey're not like everyone else. They don't notice if you stare at them
and turn away. And if they did notice, it wouldn't hurt them. They're
not like real people."
It's incredibly disturbing that anyone could think that! I'm really curious about this one now because Jenna clearly has a lot of growing to do, and given the fact she now has to walk in the shoes of the "ugly" people, I feel like that growth will be layered and fascinating:) And thanks for all the links to the songs, can't wait to listen to some of them!
WOW! This sounds great! I would so love to read this book!
ReplyDeleteI don't actually know many of those but Make Me Smile is perfect for Cole - who was one of my favourite characters! Great soundtrack to a stunning book.
ReplyDeleteI have not hear of this book before, thanks for putting it on my radar Leanna:)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read it myself yet, but my sources tell me it is v.v.good! :)
ReplyDelete