One key part of the genesis for Cherry Blossoms came about 9 years ago back in 2002. It came at the end of watching Blade 2. Say what you will about the movie, in the end what I felt was there was a place that needed exploring with vampires. A scene played out in my head of a man holding his beloved in his arms and having the opportunity to sink his fangs into her to make her a vampire and save her life. But, having been involuntarily changed himself, he knew what life he had lost and was wracked with the decision of losing her or condemning her to a similar fate so that he could be with her forever. In the end, as she's pleading for him to bite her, he gets closer and closer, then finally snaps her neck to end her suffering, sinks his teeth in to fill up on her blood, then goes after her killer with renewed energy and blind rage.
This scene has played out in my head a myriad of different ways for 9 years and keeps changing ever so slightly. Now, 9 years or so after it's initial inception, I've written that scene out in the first draft. Like so many concepts, it comes out as like the concept in spirit, but not in exactness. The nature of the battle around them, the nature of how I want my vampires to be and act, all of these factors shifted elements around. Instead of a dark room, it's now a street with fires everywhere. She doesn't speak this time, merely succumbs to the pain. A lot of the conceived dialogue was replaced with far fewer lines and more name shouting because it felt cliche to do more than that. This book has been, so far, more of a book on character and small subtle characteristics, and it felt far more logical and hopefully more moving to leave 95% of the intended dialogue unsaid.
Now comes the tricky part of the final phase of the battle. The slog is almost complete.
David Barentine
www.wotps.com
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