~We know this is a long blog post, so feel free to scroll down for the Cliff's Notes, and also a chance to win autographed paperbacks of the whole Blind Barriers series!~
Once upon a time, way back in Summer 2013, we sat down one night and started talking about how cool it would be to write a mystery/thriller. The convo went a little something like this (just to clarify- this is not myself speaking to a voice in my head. "Sophie Davis" is a duo. You knew that, right?? Yes, our names went perfectly together!)
Sophie: You know what I've always wanted to write?
Davis: What?
Sophie: A mystery/thriller book. Wouldn't that be totally awesome?
Davis: OMG. Me, too! It would be a lot of fun.
Sophie: Excellent. What should it be about?
Davis: Um, well, I dunno. A chick that disappears maybe.
Sophie: Okay. Where does she go?
Davis: Well that's the mystery, isn't it? Duh
From this deep and intellectual conversation, somehow, Blind Barriers was born.
After figuring out the storyline, with all of its layers and happenings, it was apparent this wasn't going to all fit in to one book. At least, not one that was any normal length. So, our next conundrum was whether to release the book as a stand alone, single novel, with a word count in the 400K range (think all four Talented novels put together). Or as a trilogy. Or in an interesting new, emerging format. That conversation went something like this:
Sophie: So, how are we going to do this? With everything that happens, it would be one SUPER long novel...
Davis: I dunno. I mean, we could do it as three. Like a trilogy or whatever.
Sophie 1: Okay. Well, how should we divide up the story? Do you think there will be natural breaks?
Davis: Um....
Sophie: WAIT! I have a totally awesome idea.
Davis: ...
Sophie: Let's do it as a serial series. We could put out a short installment every month.
Davis: Done! I love it. Let's do the damn thing.
Well, as some of you know, that 'totally awesome idea' didn't pan out so well. For a number of reasons:
1- You guys aren't big fans of the length
2- You also don't like that the serials just end, without solving the mystery in 75 pages.
3- Life made it entirely impossible to put out one edition every month. In fact, it's been 12 months and we've put out three (for one reason or another, we've had to do two books in the middle of trying to do these...but you know you're glad Created and Exiled are out!)
SO, moving forward, we will not be releasing short installments for the Blind Barriers books. Instead, we will be releasing two more books total. Each will be approximately the length of Blind Barriers Collection One i.e. Blind Barriers, Courting Chaos, and Fragile Facade combined. The next release will pick up exactly where the BB Collection One/Fragile Facade ended and continue with the same format: alternating sections from Lark's and Raven's POVs.
Our next discussion, re: the cover of Blind Barriers Collection One:
Davis: Dude. I'm on Netgalley and a bunch of people are giving the Blind Barriers Collection One cover a thumb's down.
Sophie: I'm guessing a thumb's down is bad, huh?
Davis: It's like the opposite of a thumbs up. Or liking something on facebook.
Sophie: Got it. Well that sucks.
Davis: I know, right? I really love that cover. I dunno what to do.
Sophie: So do I.
Davis: But it's probably better that the readers love it, huh?
Sophie: I dunno. Do you want people to buy the book?
Davis: Are you seriously asking me that?
Sophie: Then we'll have to change the cover.
From there, we (Sophie Davis) found ourselves in a quandry over what to name the books now that we were only releasing two more. We had picked out 9 titles originally since there was suppossed to be 9 serial editions. Instead of just picking our two favorite from the remaining six, unused titles, we randomly decided that Misery, Misery and Whisper, Whisper were WAY cooler and that we wanted to use them. BUT the problem with that was....
Davis: I'm not sure about switching the title format for the second two books.
Sophie: Why not? And isn't it the same format. Two words?
Davis: I dunno. I like stuff to match. And no. Blind Barriers is alliteration. Misery Misery is a repetiton.
Sophie: I love alliteration.
Davis: Me, too. But right now we're talking about repeating a word. So, quick, think up a word that sounds cool being repeated. Preferably one that starts with a letter before M.
Sophie: Huh?
Davis: Like Liar, Liar.
Sophie: You mean that Jim Carey movie?
Davis: Exactly. That's why we aren't using Liar, Liar. I'm just giving you an example.
Sophie: Got it. Problem. Isn't changing the title going to confuse people?
Davis: Yeah. I'm not sure how to handle that. I don't want people to buy not-Liar, Liar if they already have Blind Barriers Coll. One.
Sophie: I KNOW! We should write a blog post it. That way it won't be confusing.
Davis: You're so smart.
Yes, as you can tell, we never did come up with a title during this conversation. In fact, we're having a really hard time coming up with one. But the moment we decide, we'll let you know. With a blog post, of course.
But at least now you all know that we decided to change the format, cover, and title of the Blind Barriers Collection One. The only thing we know about the title is that it won't be Blind Barriers, though the Trilogy will still bear that name. But we very much wanted the books to all have repetitious titles, as opposed to having one with alliteration (Blind Barriers) and two with repetition (Misery, Misery & Whisper, Whisper).
~So, here are the Cliff's Notes of this blog post:
1. Blind Barriers, the Serial Series is out.
2. Blind Barriers, the Trilogy is in.
3. Blind Barriers Collection One, which includes Blind Barriers, Courting Chaos, and Fragile Facade is about to become TBD, TBD (Blind Barriers Book 1).
4. The second book in the Blind Barriers series will be Misery, Misery (Blind Barriers Trilogy, Book 2).
5. The third and final book in the Blind Barriers series will be Whisper, Whisper (Blind Barriers Trilogy, Book 3).
6. We need your help to decide on the first title!!
If you have suggestions for the title, please comment below! Be sure it sounds good (say it out loud) when repeated.
~If we use the title you come up with, we will send you an autographed paperback of it once it has the new cover and title, PLUS autographed copies of the other two paperbacks in the trilogy once they come out!
~If we don't use it, we still really really appreciate your trying to help us, and you'll get an autographed version of the ebook once it has the new title and cover!**
Feel free to give us several good options! Remember, it's a mystery, so it should be something with some intrigue, etc. The book is about a girl who has gone missing, and another girl who is searching for her. (Ideally we would call it Gone, Gone, but don't want people to think we're ripping off Gone Girl).
Check back soon for updates and the announcement of the actual title!
Happy Reading and Lots of Love,
Sophie and Davis <3
**Autographed ebooks will only be sent to those who suggest comments before we announce the new title! So get to work on your suggestions ASAP!