A dilemma. *sigh*
Whilst in Guam (yes I’m back - more on that when I get the photos organised) I took the opportunity to buy some books that I can’t find in my home town, in Australia. I didn’t find the books I was after (books written by my fellow chatters) but did find some from an author I like a lot. I’d picked up one of her book from a series as a second hand books store, read it, loved the characters and the style of writing. Then found that the books were out of print and not available easily for me.
So I was pleased to find most of the series in the US based bookstore in Guam, and to note the author has a new series started.
So travelling back I read book one. And discovered a hitch. I still love the two characters, still love the style, still found myself unable to put the book down and still found myself reading, not critiquing (unusual for me these days). But I started to recognise things.
Series is in first person, the male MC. Setting is a hot, harsh desert country. MC1 is a male, exceptional sword fighter and dark skinned (from the desert sun of his country). MC2 is a female, sword fighter which is unusual more so because she is exceptional, pale beyond pale and from the snow covered mountains and within the desert country for the first time. These two come together, the female with a task to do, the male her guide across the desert. There is tension between the two, the male is attracted to the female, but doesn’t act, in deference to her and her fighting abilities, but his attraction is initially pure lust. She starts by using him purely as a means to an end, but by the end of the first book is feeling something for him. As he is for her.
All the hallmarks of a good story. So my dilemma is I have a story partially written, it even has a title. I can tell you when I started writing this story. And I can tell you when I first read a book of this series. I know I started writing and planning before I read. Yet.
My story is in first person, the male MC. Setting is a country more snow capped mountains than plains and desert (in that I differ). MC1 is a male, adequate sword fighter, naturally dark skinned, dark haired and from a different country (a hot climate one). MC2 is a female, exceptional sword fighter, naturally white skinned and white haired, from the plains below the mountains, although she now called the snow covered sides her home. They come together, the man with a task to do, the woman interrupting that and requiring his being and ultimately his help. The man is attracted to the woman, but does nothing, in deference to her fighting abilities and to her past which is legend in her country. She uses him as a means to and end, but by the end of the story there is feeling between the two.
Sound similar?
But wait. There’s more.
In both stories the women have been used and abused as young girls and have come out stronger for it.
In both stories one ‘captures’ the other even though it is a façade and both know it. In the published book it is the man who makes the woman a slave in appearance, in mine it is the other way around.
In both stories the male rides a horse who has a distinct personality, rider and horse have an arrangement, though in both it is the horse that has more say than the rider.
In both stories the males have no real name, just a title that has become their name.
There are differences, but there are so many similarities. I swear that I wrote before I read.
I know that my story is on hold (I need to work out some more details before I can go one) but I wonder now if I’ll ever will continue. Or will I be thinking, remembering the published books and wondering, plagiarising, copying?
Yet I can't not read these books. I want to know more, see more about these two characters.
*sigh*
So I was pleased to find most of the series in the US based bookstore in Guam, and to note the author has a new series started.
So travelling back I read book one. And discovered a hitch. I still love the two characters, still love the style, still found myself unable to put the book down and still found myself reading, not critiquing (unusual for me these days). But I started to recognise things.
Series is in first person, the male MC. Setting is a hot, harsh desert country. MC1 is a male, exceptional sword fighter and dark skinned (from the desert sun of his country). MC2 is a female, sword fighter which is unusual more so because she is exceptional, pale beyond pale and from the snow covered mountains and within the desert country for the first time. These two come together, the female with a task to do, the male her guide across the desert. There is tension between the two, the male is attracted to the female, but doesn’t act, in deference to her and her fighting abilities, but his attraction is initially pure lust. She starts by using him purely as a means to an end, but by the end of the first book is feeling something for him. As he is for her.
All the hallmarks of a good story. So my dilemma is I have a story partially written, it even has a title. I can tell you when I started writing this story. And I can tell you when I first read a book of this series. I know I started writing and planning before I read. Yet.
My story is in first person, the male MC. Setting is a country more snow capped mountains than plains and desert (in that I differ). MC1 is a male, adequate sword fighter, naturally dark skinned, dark haired and from a different country (a hot climate one). MC2 is a female, exceptional sword fighter, naturally white skinned and white haired, from the plains below the mountains, although she now called the snow covered sides her home. They come together, the man with a task to do, the woman interrupting that and requiring his being and ultimately his help. The man is attracted to the woman, but does nothing, in deference to her fighting abilities and to her past which is legend in her country. She uses him as a means to and end, but by the end of the story there is feeling between the two.
Sound similar?
But wait. There’s more.
In both stories the women have been used and abused as young girls and have come out stronger for it.
In both stories one ‘captures’ the other even though it is a façade and both know it. In the published book it is the man who makes the woman a slave in appearance, in mine it is the other way around.
In both stories the male rides a horse who has a distinct personality, rider and horse have an arrangement, though in both it is the horse that has more say than the rider.
In both stories the males have no real name, just a title that has become their name.
There are differences, but there are so many similarities. I swear that I wrote before I read.
I know that my story is on hold (I need to work out some more details before I can go one) but I wonder now if I’ll ever will continue. Or will I be thinking, remembering the published books and wondering, plagiarising, copying?
Yet I can't not read these books. I want to know more, see more about these two characters.
*sigh*