Why Sons of Rome Makes My Creative Heart Happy

Fulk vibe 

There's a quote that I love about owning everything that's happened to you. You own the things you've accomplished, too. As a writer, you own all the stories that you've written, and when you start writing something new, it isn't a case of leaving those stories behind, but, rather, of cramming them all into your toolbox (or, in Mercy's case, tackle box) and toting them along with you. 

I was having a conversation with my alpha reader about White Wolf a few weeks ago that consisted largely of hand-waving and incoherent straw-grasping from me as I tried, unsuccessfully, to explain to her why this project was so exciting and important for me. After an embarrassing amount of time, I finally realized what I'd been trying to convey. "This series," I told her, "is the reason I've written all the books I have before this. Everything I've ever written has been practice for this." 

She said, "But I really liked your other books!" 

And I said, "That's not what I mean." What I mean is that if it weren't for the things I've learned while writing my other books, I wouldn't have a prayer of tackling something as massive and creatively-terrifying as the Sons of Rome series. 

Writing and publishing books has been an amazing learning experience for me. Each book teaches me something entirely new about character development, about plot, pacing, tension. They've all taught me something new about myself as a writer. Each one has been a creative experiment in which I challenged myself to dig deeper, stretch farther outside my comfort zone, and write more beautifully than before. 

If the number of messages and emails I've received in the past few weeks are anything to go by, I think there's a certain sense that Dartmoor is something I've set aside in order to pick something else up. Which isn't true. It's the toolbox analogy. All the things I've learned while writing Dartmoor are carrying through to this new book. Characters who are flawed, but lovable, who screw up, and then do better, who love hard, and who are confused about their feelings...those things are all still there, and they're there because of Dartmoor. 

Writing White Wolf has felt like those fevered days of writing Fearless, neck-deep in world-building, continually surprised by the characters, and the envelopes they're willing to push. Asking myself "do I dare?" and cackling with glee when I realize how twisted it all is. That was always my secret delight with Fearless: it was always a little bit of a Gothic horror story masquerading as something more down-to-earth. 

I'm not naïve enough to think that all my regular readers will like it. Some will probably dislike it. But I think some of you will love it. I love it, and it's a book, and a series, that I'm writing for the people who will love it. That's the secret, you know: write books that some people will love, and never listen to the detractors. 

Here's why I love it, and why I hope some of you will love it too:

- History. I've always enjoyed studying history. The past is what shaped our present, and to understand what happened then helps us to be better informed about what happens now. Also, I just love the exploration there. With characters born as far back as 1267 (Fulk), and even farther back (our sons of Rome), the scope of history in this series is vast. When characters live forever, the possibilities are endless. And since I love writing characters with shared histories, the vastness serves as an amazing catalyst for relationship-building. 

- The Aesthetic. I love the dark vampire aesthetic. The red velvets and dripping candles, yes, but mostly the push/pull of dark and light within each character. Craving versus resistance; civilized versus animalistic; aloof versus impassioned; beautiful versus hideous. When done well, vampires have always served as a visceral, erotic metaphor for an individual's duality, the conflicting nature of humankind. For me, the challenge was to fit that aesthetic into a story in which potentially awesome characters are deeply grounded in reality. To create very real problems for a group of characters who, despite supernatural abilities, are still very much struggling with the identity and morality issues of humans. These are not fairytale vampires and wolves, but People With Problems who also happen to be immortal and strong. 

- A Good Fit. Since my writing style leans more toward the literary side of things, I've found that horror/paranormal fiction is a really good fit. 

- The Characters. This series gives me a chance to explore a whole new crop of characters. Characters who are burdened by time and their own pasts. Clever villains you can't help but love. Truly badass women who don't have to play by anyone else's rules. Even some real life figures from history. These are the kinds of characters who I like to fangirl about in my Real Dorky Life. 

In short, this series is an overlong love letter to all the dark fiction I've ever loved. It'll tick off the Morality Police, and poke at some people's comfort zones, and it isn't apologetic about doing so. 

Writing has gone well; it's felt like an adventure I've had the privilege of witnessing and then taking down on paper, and that's usually a very good sign. This first book has unfolded in a completely unexpected way, and that's been its own kind of joy. Opening the door on a new world is always thrilling and a little scary, but it's what makes writing its own reward.

When I say the old rote "I can't wait to share," know that I really, really mean it. Shooting for a late October release, so stay tuned.