Behind the Scenes

Author's Note

Writing the second half of Reila's adventure was an interesting task as the story shifted from a coming-of-age tale to an account of war. I had to detail the horror and gruesomeness of war while keeping in mind (1) the age of my audience and (2) the age of my protagonist. 

War is horrible. It smells of rotting flesh and blood; it is graphic and ruthlessly violent. Atrocities and acts of barbarism are committed continuously. Sights, sounds, sensations - how was I to convey such strong emotions while maintaining a relatively safe environment for my readers?

When writing battle scenes or war epics, I had to find balance. There had to be enough detail to transport readers to the battlefield, but not enough graphic depictions to stun them. 

To complicate the matter, I had three main points-of-view to work with and tie together - Reila, Kaito, and Silia. Each saw a different side of the war; each witnessed different things. Their reactions and comprehension of the atrocities they saw had to be taken into consideration. Something that bothered Kaito, might not have registered with Reila and vice-versa. Keeping their personalities in mind while writing the fluid scenes was a chore. ​

A Split - 6 Years Post Original Publication?!

Originally, these two works were one. The idea to split them (and the sequel) came from a publisher who thought that because they were geared toward young adults, a shorter adventure would garner more attention. 

Of course, determining where to split the story was a difficult one. Separating the book when it was meant to be read as a single entity seemed like a daunting task. Splitting the book to create two pieces each with a title, introduction, new book cover, and entirely new feel was intimidating. Nevertheless, it was completed and a full quartet was born! ​