Read on Twitter
Since many of you were interested in me doing a thread while re-reading SONG OF THE CRIMSON FLOWER (as I did for my first two books), here it will be!
I'm living that deadline life, so tweets won't be consistent, but I'll try to collect my thoughts and lessons here when I can!
I'm living that deadline life, so tweets won't be consistent, but I'll try to collect my thoughts and lessons here when I can!
ICYMI, here are the threads I did for my other books.
Rereading FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS: https://twitter.com/jules_writes/status/1377331427709054979
Rereading KINGDOM OF THE BLAZING PHOENIX: https://twitter.com/jules_writes/status/1378382799099531266
Grateful that some of you are finding these helpful!
Rereading FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS: https://twitter.com/jules_writes/status/1377331427709054979
Rereading KINGDOM OF THE BLAZING PHOENIX: https://twitter.com/jules_writes/status/1378382799099531266
Grateful that some of you are finding these helpful!
You’ll hear most authors talking about how tough the second book. I didn’t experience that. It was this third book where I truly struggled. Part of it was the book-a-year schedule and all of its associated deadlines that I was still adjusting to (after years of writing whenever).
Part of it was learning that being a writer and being an author (with a public face, cruel reviews, sales numbers, drastically reduced attention due to no longer being a debut/not breaking out/not hitting the List) are two very different things. I wasn’t in a great mental state.
But I was also more than ready to be done with this series. SONG was a struggle, but the fact that it was so difficult strangely made me love it more. And it is rooted in my heritage (it is specifically Vietnamese inspired, which the first two are not) so it’s very special to me!
I’m noticing on my reread that I have certain Vietnamese phrases in italics. I will never do this again in any book. (My FSG team has been awesome about this for my middle grade!) At the time, this was what I’d seen others doing. But no more “othering” of my own language.
SONG explores what happens when we make up versions of people in our heads. It’s about how love is truest when you know and accept someone inside and out, no pretenses or illusions. I’ve never felt confident writing romance, but I’m working on it! And I’m proud of this attempt!
Incidentally, SONG (which was published in 2019) is about an impending epidemic. 
And that just hits different after... y’know...
And that just hits different after... y’know...
Still on deadline (though I managed to hit one!), but I've been rereading slowly and I'm going to try to wrap up this thread soon!
Editing SONG OF THE CRIMSON FLOWER added an important piece to my writing process: printing out a calendar and tracking every story's timeline.
Editing SONG OF THE CRIMSON FLOWER added an important piece to my writing process: printing out a calendar and tracking every story's timeline.
SONG involves not only travel, but also a curse dependent on the full moon. I'm an organized writer, but timelines get away from you when focusing on characterization, series continuity, etc. Every book I've written since has had a calendar. Thank goodness for a great copyeditor!
This book is my take on "the villain who thinks they're saving the world" archetype. I've talked about crafting Mistress Vy in my antihero workshops, and compared and contrasted what I did with her and what I did with Xifeng. It was both rewarding and challenging to write them!
I'm proud of how the Bao and Lan love story turned out. Writing romance is dang hard. It takes skill and a deft hand, and I respect and admire romance writers with all of my heart. All I could do was try my best It was important to me that this be a story about forgiveness.
It was important to me that this be a story about forgiveness.
And tenderness. It's about a girl who realizes her true love has been there all along, and what happens when he gets tired of waiting. Some readers told me that they got shades of Austen's PERSUASION, which makes me *so* happy. Not a retelling, but that was what I was going for!
One for more today, because I can hear my deadline clock ticking!
Lord Nguyen was a very small supporting character, but one of my absolute favorites to write. He's this ruthless war strategist working for Empress Jade... and also just this goofy guy who loves his fluffy dogs?!
Lord Nguyen was a very small supporting character, but one of my absolute favorites to write. He's this ruthless war strategist working for Empress Jade... and also just this goofy guy who loves his fluffy dogs?!
I lied. One more! Because I keep getting this question.
All three books (FOREST, KINGDOM, and SONG) are related because they're set in the same world. You'll recognize names, places, and events. But they can be read and fully understood in any order you like!
All three books (FOREST, KINGDOM, and SONG) are related because they're set in the same world. You'll recognize names, places, and events. But they can be read and fully understood in any order you like!
