Thursday, June 21, 2007

Damn, I didn't remember it being like this when we wrote it.

I think I've used the phrase "I've been in this business a long time" more this week than I ever have. I've been writing seriously since 1989/1990 and yet things still surprise me. Case in point is how distance can change a writer's perspective on a book.

If you've read posts by Anne Cain or myself on e-loops or message boards or even here on the blog, you've heard us talk about our beloved Dragon's Disciple Universe. The cornerstone of it all is the three book story arc of Dao Kan Shu--Chinese tong hatchet man and selfish bastard extraordinaire and his minion, companion, fellow assassin Toshiro Itou.

This trilogy has seen it's publishing ups and downs but that's a whole 'nother blog post ^_^. Anyway our "babies" finally found a home with Liquid Silver Books Molten Silver imprint.

If you read last week's post you know that book one Silk and Poison shows how it all began and how Shu seduced and lured Toshiro the "dark side". The excerpt I shared gave you a glimpse into how edgy Shu is as a character and rereading the book in edits has been an eye-opener.

Make no mistake, Anne and I love our characters and their story. Shu is a sick twisted f*ck at times but he is human and Toshiro manages to bring that bit of humanity out that's been hidden--it takes over a hundred years in Shu's life for things to come full circle but it does happen.

Still, in revisiting Silk and Poison and seeing it as a "reader" I was struck again and again at just how dark this story is and I began to wonder how readers will take it. Those who've read Blood Brothers probably won't be too surprised because that story is also much darker in tone than what many m/m fans expect.

Some of our Yahoogroup listers have seen an early version of Silk and Poison and they all found it fascinating, the type of story that sucks you in because it is so different and the populated with characters that are utterly fascinating.

But for readers who are used to our ChildsPrey stories or the traditional romance feel of I Do will be for quite a surprise.

And before I go let me share the complete S&P cover. Click on it to get the full sized version

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