Oh good, I’m glad there were some new pieces for you. I’m quite a slow reader, so I’ve bought all the short pieces as they come out, but haven’t read them all yet. And now I’m excited to get to
Skyblaze.
Yes, their short works are very rich. Each one stands alone, but they add so much to the novels too. That glimpse of Nova having her first frightening vision as a youth, helped explain a lot about her. And great backstories, like how Luken joined Korval. I find it amazing how brilliantly Lee&Miller portray customs and practices in society evolve over time too. It’s a very believable world. And the details in the short works add so much texture to that world, each new piece feels like a little bit of treasure.
Something I found surprising in Sharon’s blog, was how she sometimes describes their process of co-writing. For example, she’ll say “Steve is writing x section”. So it sounds like they write the pieces independently, even major events. Yet everything comes together so seamlessly, you don’t get that impression at all.
The only time I’ve wondered if we’re hearing one writer’s voice, verses both voices, is with humour & dialogue. I really enjoy Shan’s repartee and find him quite funny; sometimes he can be laugh-out-loud funny. Miri’s thoughts & observations about the Liadens can be quite humorous too. But Shan’s voice is so consistently ‘Shan’ that I sometimes think “that’s got to be pure Miller”, or “pure Lee”. Have you ever thought you were hearing distinct voices coming from them?
L&M certainly have an incredible partnership. I wonder if anyone here has had a chance to attend one of their presentations. It would be so interesting to hear about their creative process, or just their thoughts about the world they’ve created.