Turning up the Volume on Book Marketing: When Your Character Demands Her Own Spotify Channel

Creating the Sound of Pocket Rochelle

Marketing a book series demands creativity, but what happens when your fictional musician demands to be heard? That’s exactly what happened with Rochelle de Lioncourt of the band Pocket Rochelle, a supporting character from my upcoming novel When The Trees All Burned. You know how sometimes characters take on a life of their own? Well, mine literally demanded a recording contract (sort of). What began as words on a page has evolved into a huge musical project that bridges the gap between fiction and reality.

From My Brain to the Billboard Charts (I wish!)

Initially, I envisioned Pocket Rochelle’s sound as indie-folk—tender and breathy, with strong social justice lyrics wrapped in a deceptively pretty package. But characters, like real people, sometimes surprise their creators. The moment we started laying down tracks in a snowy Barrie basement studio, it became clear that Rochelle had other plans. She wasn’t content with gentle folk arrangements; she demanded something bolder. Rochelle basically grabbed the mic and said, “Thanks for the folk vision, but I’m here to ROCK.”

And who am I to argue with my own character?

The transformation began with “We Meant to Say Amen,” a song that blends Beatles-inspired lyrics with Leonard Cohen-esque spiritual questioning. The chorus— “Oh God, The Beatles meant to say Amen; let it be over again; Hallelujah’s for the every man, not 1 in 10” —captures the essence of Rochelle’s character while nodding to musical influences that shaped her. Working with my husband Scott and our engineer/producer Jeff, we enhanced the original concept with production elements that pay homage to Joan Osborne and Alanis Morissette, artists who would naturally influence Rochelle’s sound. We even created the illusion of a choir through careful layering of our three voices.

The Songs That Wouldn’t Stay on the Page

“Hold the Line,” written in 6/8 time (which I maintain is closer to God), presented unique challenges. The spoken word sections felt foreign to me but perfectly natural for Rochelle’s character as a performer. I thought it was so funny when our engineer compared one section to The Little Mermaid. “Wha-do-ya-call-’em? Oh, feet,” I sang/spoke. “Exactly!” he said. My 11-year-old self was so pleased.

The recording process wasn’t without its struggles. “We Meant to Say Amen” tested my vocal limits, while timing issues with “Hold the Line” sent us back to square one, re-recording the piano track to a proper click. But these challenges only served to make the final product more authentic to Rochelle’s character.

A New Marketing Frontier

Why go to such lengths? Because great characters deserve to exist beyond the page. When readers hear these songs on streaming platforms or download them with their book purchase, they’ll experience Pocket Rochelle as a fully realized artist. The music creates another dimension to the story, allowing readers to carry pieces of the narrative with them long after they’ve finished reading. Why shouldn’t our characters have Instagram accounts? Why shouldn't they release singles on Spotify? (@pocketrochelle is totally a thing now, by the way. Come follow along as I reveal little bits about who Rochelle is beyond the music.)

“The Path That Takes Us Home,” the third and final song we recorded, which I imagine as a commissioned piece connecting all three books in the series, weaves together themes and titles in a way that bridges fiction and reality. It’s this blending of mediums that makes storytelling exciting in the digital age.

The best part? None of this was some carefully plotted marketing strategy. It was just me going, “Wouldn't it be cool if...” and then actually DOING IT. With a lot of help from my incredibly supportive husband who insisted we “do it right” and an engineer/producer who didn’t blink when I said, “So, I wrote some songs for my fictional character...”

As authors, we’re constantly seeking new ways to bring our stories to life. Sometimes that means following our characters into unexpected territory, even if it leads us to a basement studio during one of the biggest snowstorms of the season.

What’s Next?

These songs will be hitting all the major streaming platforms soon, and I’m even planning to channel my inner Rochelle for an acoustic performance at the book launch on April 5. (Pray for me!) When you buy the book after release, you’ll get download links for the songs because I want you to be able to take pieces of this world with you everywhere you go. Did you pre-order? No problem! As soon as the songs are ready, I’ll let you know how you can get your free download too.

Is this unconventional marketing? Absolutely! Is it also ridiculously fun and slightly terrifying? YOU BET! But that’s what makes it exciting. I’m not just telling stories anymore—I’m creating whole universes that live and breathe and SING.

So here’s to characters who refuse to stay on the page, to snowstorms that trap you in recording studios (literally—we ended up getting stuck there for three night longer than we intended because of road closures!), and to trying new things that make you both thrilled and terrified. Because sometimes the best marketing strategy is simply following your creative joy wherever it leads!