Disarm is up at Abyss & Apex.

I’ve written two stories using this method, both of which have sold.

Pick a song you love, preferably not one that’s widely known. Perhaps something by one of your favorite bands.

Play the song over and over and over. And over. Until you know every word.

Now start writing a story from the mood the song inspires in you. Use fragmentary bits from the song as inspiration. BUT (here’s the catch) the RIAA will come sue your butt if you actually use any lyrics or any traceable imagery. So you have to mutate the phrases and reword them in such a way that no one can ever connect them to the song. Change details, change angles, change settings, whatever you’ve got to do to be sure you’re covered. When you’re done, the reader shouldn’t be able to tell what song you were using. But if you told someone what song to listen to, they’d see the secret connections.

It helps to put the song on repeat while you draft, once you’re to the point where you’re not really listening anymore.

And it’s got to be a song you totally love.

I need to do this again. I know exactly what song to use, too.