Only a few months ago did I discover the amazing talents of an actor and musician named Jamie Campbell Bower. Though he’s most known for his role on Stranger Things (these days), he’s also made notable appearances in movies like Twilight and Mortal Instruments. He also was in a band for many years (that broke up) and has gone into solo work as a musician. Something which I found out completely at random.

I am someone who is pretty stubborn about new music. I like what I already like and tend to stick with the artists I already know. I’m not saying there is no good current music just that I’m at a certain age where my preferences are pretty set. I like the same old things again and again because they are familiar, nostalgic, inspirational, or just fun. However, stumbling upon Jamie’s song Paralysed opened my eyes and mind to something incredible.

I should mention that I was and still am a huge fan of David Bowie. I have two memorial tattoos in his honor because of how much he inspired me and touched my life. Not just with his music but how he was as a person. I’ve been a fan for so long there’s very little I don’t know about Bowie. At least when it comes to public information. When he died, it felt like it took a chunk out of my soul and I didn’t write anything for an entire year. I felt dead inside. Weird to feel that deeply about a celebrity but Bowie had some way of making you feel like you knew him even if you’d never actually met him. I can’t explain it.

The reason I bring any of this up is because when I found this song, all I could think of was Bowie. Not that Jamie is in any way copying him, all of this is very unique and different. Passionate. Emotional. But I felt it in my bones just like I felt Bowie when I first listened to his music. Same feeling but entirely different musician. Something that I didn’t think was even possible. Of course I love and admire many more musicians than Bowie but they’ve never given me this feeling. Bowie was something else and so is Jamie Bower. I will die on that hill.

Though Jamie hasn’t put out many songs as a solo artist yet, I do hope he goes on to do a lot more. After hearing this one song I went out and bought every single song he ever did without even hearing them first (and I love all of them). It’s very similar to how I felt about and discovered Bowie. The biggest thing, though, is the fact that Jamie inspired an entire novel from just this one song. It will be published by the end of May. Also I hope he doesn’t sue the shit out of me for using it as inspiration because it is what it is. The good news is people hardly pay attention to my books enough anyway so I don’t think it’ll possibly get big enough that he will ever know about it.

Yes, this is kind of a post to promote that book but it’s far more in appreciation for what Jamie has done for me. As a person, actor, musician, and muse, I could not be more grateful. I had thought, for awhile, that I’d lost my touch in writing (for a lot of reasons I don’t want to get into). Jamie brought that back, as well as another actor named Joseph Quinn (also in Stranger Things and also inspiration to write this novel). Each man inspired a main character. Though neither of the characters are anything like them, all I needed was that little spark. My writing process is very weird but let’s just say a lot of it has to do with people (actors, friends, or completely random) sparking an idea and my brain just running with it.

I hadn’t had a new idea or anything original until these two men graced me with their talents and I had thought I was at a dead end. This one book, which will be titled ETERNAL is only the beginning of a planned series. Though I am very burned out on writing in general (seeing as how no one really reads my books anyway and I feel like I’m putting in the work for no reason), Jamie and Joseph alone may keep me going. For that, I’m grateful because writing is the only thing I know, I want to do, and I’m good at. Without them, I’d probably have entirely given up instead of writing my first horror novel ever. I hope that you decided to read it when it arrives and I certainly hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If not, maybe at least give Jamie’s music a chance. He deserves the recognition. Far more than he’s currently getting.