THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY… The Powerful Connection Among Music, Art and Dance
There is always a Story Behind the Story. Today, my ‘Story Behind the Story’ is THE POWERFUL CONNECTION AMONG MUSIC, ART AND DANCE, integral to all six of my books, including my current Work in Progress…
Once upon a time, in the northern land of Queens, a shy, quiet five-year-old girl fell in love with Nancy Drew and dreamed of writing her own book one day. Many decades would pass, until one day, sitting by the sea, the girl – now a happily married woman, mother of a daughter and a son, and family advocate – saw a photo in the newspaper that reminded her of the first boy who kissed her and then disappeared from her life. What had happened to him? That day, with that question, the prologue to THE LOST CONCERTO was born.
But one prologue does not make a story. So what now? I had never taken a writing course, I only knew that I wanted to write about what I loved. The first answer was easy – music.
When my son, Sean, asked for piano lessons at age six, we had to rent a piano, and over the next fifteen years we went from a ‘no-piano home’ to a ‘grand-piano home’. As I listened to Sean practice, I fell in love with all those beautiful pieces of classical music. I knew my main character, Maggie O’Shea, would be a classical pianist.
What else did I love? Going to museums and the theater with my husband. We spent hours enjoying the art – especially the Impressionists – in New York, Washington, Paris and so many small museums and galleries. I remember being moved to tears in front of Van Gogh’s Starry Night over the Rhône at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris – Arles at night, luminous stars glowing over the Rhône River, and, almost hidden in the lower right, an old couple. It was the intimacy of this aging couple that touched me, reminding me of my husband and myself. What were they thinking? Feeling? This moment inspired a powerful scene in my book, SHADOW MUSIC.
Living in and then near NYC, theater and the performing arts were an integral part of our lives. Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and the Paris Opera House are all evocative settings in my books. Dance was also a personal favorite. I remember going to NYC Ballet rehearsals, falling in love with Swan Lake, and seeing Alvin Ailey perform Revelations. Again, the movement of an arm, the point of a foot, could move me to tears. How could I not write about these moments?
As I thought about what I loved, what I wanted to write about, I had my own personal revelation. There is a profound connection among books, music, art and dance. Each one tells a story. Takes you on a journey. Makes you feel. But music, art and dance communicate without words. These three forms of expression are intricately connected, woven together, and have inspired all of my books.
THE LOST CONCERTO introduces pianist Maggie O’Shea. Crushing grief has taken away her only solace, her music. It is the music I fell in love with when my son played, the music of Grieg and Chopin and Beethoven, that tells Maggie’s story as she fights to move on with her life. And it is looted art, inspired by true events during WWII, that gives meaning to Maggie’s quest.
In DARK RHAPSODY, #2 in my series, the heartbeat of the story is Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, which mirrors Maggie’s journey, while the WWII plot involves a beautiful, long-lost painting of a cellist by Matisse. There is a special scene set in the Morgan Library, after I was inspired by viewing an original Chopin manuscript there. (yes, there is a secret staircase, too…)
In SHADOW MUSIC, #3, the heart of this story is Van Gogh’s art, inspired by his painting of the old couple by the starlit Rhône River that moved me to tears at Musée d’Orsay. Art imitating life… As for the music, I turned again to Rachmaninoff, this time his gorgeous Piano Concerto No. 2, which parallels Maggie’s emotional journey through music.
ECHOES ON THE WIND, #4, was inspired by a haunting painting of a cottage by the sea in Brittany, discovered with my husband in a small NYC gallery. A favorite scene describes an aging ballerina, remembering the movements in Swan Lake. And the music? Chopin’s emotional 24 Preludes, which echo over the generations to tell Maggie the secrets of her grandmother’s WWII past.
And lastly, FIREBIRD. My only stand-alone, this book introduces Alexandra Marik, a single mother, art curator and artist whose beautiful abstract paintings express her deepest feelings. Alexandra’s niece, Juliet, is a young ballerina who “dances like the devil’s inside her. She can simply raise her hand, spread her fingers – and break your heart.” It is art, ballet, and the music of Stravinsky’s stirring Firebird Ballet that give this story not only layered characters and complex plot, but beauty, emotion and humanity.
And on the horizon? Red Orchestra, #5 in my Classical Music Suspense Series. This time I’m going for the trifecta, exploring the relationship between two strong women connected by Music, Art and Dance. To be continued…
Finally, I want to share my all-time favorite quote with you (the heart of all my books and so personally meaningful to me) by Erin van Vuren: “There are four things in this life that will change you: Love, Music, Art and Loss. The first three will keep you wild and full of passion. May you allow the last to make you brave.”
– Helaine Mario
Response: A Story That Stays With You
By Ashley K
Thank you for sharing such a personal and moving look into the heart of your stories. I was completely drawn in—not just by the connection between music, art, and dance, but by the way you wove those elements into every part of your life and your writing.
As a lifelong lover of the arts (and someone who also gets teary watching performances or listening to meaningful pieces), I felt such a deep connection to your creative journey. I especially loved the image of your home growing from piano-less to one filled with music, and how that music became part of your characters’ lives. It’s a beautiful reminder that the things we love don’t just inspire us—they become the language of the stories we tell.
Each of your books sounds like a heartfelt tribute to emotion, memory, and beauty. I’m excited to explore Maggie O’Shea’s world, and even more so now that I know the real-life experiences and passions that helped shape it.
And your favorite quote? It gave me chills in the best way:
“There are four things in this life that will change you: Love, Music, Art and Loss. The first three will keep you wild and full of passion. May you allow the last to make you brave.” – Erin van Vuren
Thank you for writing stories that make us feel—and for reminding us that the things that move us deeply are always worth writing about.
THE MAGGIE O’SHEA SUSPENSE SERIES
TWO STRONG WOMEN, GENERATIONS APART, CONNECTED BY MUSIC…
In 1943 war-torn France, a young woman on the Night Train to Paris has a chance meeting with two very different men who will change her life, setting in motion a Dual Timeline story that will resonate like ripples on water for generations to come.
Many years later, classical pianist Maggie O’Shea is drawn to Brittany by a long-lost letter from her French grandmother and the stirring music of Chopin, whispering like echoes across the years. But as Maggie discovers the secrets of her past, her life spirals out of control, threatening her upcoming wedding and those she loves.
Set against the backdrop of World War II France, Maggie learns her grandmother’s story, chord by chord, through Chopin’s emotional Preludes. And, in one shocking moment, Maggie’s love story will take a heart-breaking turn that will change her life and echo into her future.
Past and present converge in this haunting tale of loss and sacrifice, friendship and family, courage and survival – and the transcendent power of hope, music and love.
Echoes on the Wind was a Finalist in the 19th annual NIEA awards Suspense category!
Praise for Echoes on the Wind:
“History, mystery and music. I love this series.”
~ Ellen Kirschman, Author of the award-winning Dot Meyerhoff mysteries
“I am loving it. Your lovely words are my path back to reading. Thank you.”
~ Book Reviewer, The Reading Frenzy
“Echoes on the Wind stands alone as a beautiful story… Beyond this is layered a second story of enduring love, of commitment. This story is set in another time and place. A story of family. The two stories are linked by family through time… healing, forgiveness and resolution are finally able to happen. Through all of this, the thread that held it together is the music, the art, and the poetry of the heart that poured forth.”
~ Karen Laird, Reviewer, Shade Tree Book Reviews
“Echoes on the Wind presents two love stories – one in the present day and one during World War II. It’s easy to root for Maggie and Michael as the main couple (and Clair and Charles in the past). This book is exemplary in its choice of topic or theme of the story. It is unique but still has strong appeal for most readers in its intended genre.”
~ Writers’ Digest Reviewer
“In this book, readers embark on a poignant journey through the past and the present. Maggie’s story is a careful examination of how one’s ancestral past can influence their present. Most of all, it is a story of female fortitude. Both Maggie and Clair find a strength within themselves that neither of them knew they possessed. Additionally, the incorporation of classical music in the novel is refreshing. This focus is a reminder of the unifying and healing power of the arts, music, and literature. The poetic writing makes this book even more gripping, as readers are completely swept up in Maggie and Clair’s experiences.”
~ RECOMMENDED by the US Review
“Once again, Maggie O’Shea, is the central character, but this entry in the series features a dual timeline that will captivate the reader. Both the contemporary, present-day storyline and the historical thread set in World War II France are so authentically depicted that readers will struggle to determine which setting they enjoy more. Watching how these two plots weave and intermingle continues to surprise, with echoes being the perfect symbolic image. Light the fireplace, put Chopin’s Preludes on the stereo, and settle in for a gripping read you won’t soon forget.”
~ Kristopher Zgorski, BOLOBooks.COM
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published by: Suncoast Publishing
Publication Date: July 2, 2024
Number of Pages: 364
ISBN: 9781735184975 (ISBN10: 1735184977)
Series: A Maggie O’Shea Romantic Suspense, Book 4
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads
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Best-selling author Helaine Mario grew up in NYC and is a graduate of Boston University. Now living in Arlington, VA, this mother of two, grandmother of five, and passionate advocate for women’s and children’s issues came to writing later in life. Her first novel, The Lost Concerto, won the Benjamin Franklin Award Silver Medal. Echoes on the Wind is her fifth novel and the fourth in her Maggie O’Shea Classical Music Suspense Series. Royalties from her books go to children’s music and reading programs. Helaine recently lost her husband, Ron, after 57 years together. Her new book echoes with loss, grief, and, ultimately, the healing power of love.
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