Do you like cilantro? I do, but I know it's one of those love it or hate it foods. Like fennel, perhaps. (I think cilantro has a different name in the U.K...coriander?)
And So Death Took, my contribution to
hd_erised, is my cilantro fic. It is, I think, one of those love it or hate it sorts of pieces. And that's okay. It was also a huge risk for me. I had an idea, one that I thought was so damn cool, but I'm still not certain I was the proper author to try to execute it. I've never written anything very dark before. I've never written madness or death. Writing this story was extremely difficult for me and even now I'm quite unsure whether it came together.
I know it is hard to read, especially at first. Thank you to those who persevered. It was even harder to write. It was the most challenged I've been as a writer.
But challenge is good, isn't it? Taking risks and being challenged to improve is one of the main reasons I love fic writing. Maybe I'm not a good dark story author (or, more likely, I need additional practice). But at least I tried. How will you know if you can unless you try?
Thank you to everyone who left comments on LJ and AO3 already. Because this was something brand new for me and because it kicked my ass throughout the writing process, your feedback on this one is beyond valuable to me. If something didn't work for you...even then, send me a PM and let me know. I appreciate your thoughts.
If you haven't read it, I hope you give it a chance. I sort of want to beg you to just...
Trust Me. And to those who loved it, thank you for your recs and tweets and comments. They warmed my heart.
Now, just a few quick notes: If you are hesitant to read because of the warnings and require some additional information, simply ask. I'll be happy to fill you in as much as you'd like. I am the sort of person who hates spoilers, but I can understand why others would like to know what they're in for. I can elaborate on the warnings for you if you think you want to give it a read.
To my fic recipient, I do hope you enjoyed it. Your signup prompt made it seem like you might be open to something a little different. I hope this was something you were able to enjoy in the end and I hope you had a wonderful holiday season.
Again, additional thanks must be sent the way of the Erised mods...I can't imagine trying to juggle so much during the months of November/December when life already tends to be overly filled.
And, last but certainly not least, I want to thank my dear betas, prereaders, and Brit-picker. To
arcadianmaggie,
sapphirescribe,
twilightmundi, and
omi_ohmy: Thank you. Thank you so, so, so much. Your endless support of this idea (and my interpretation of it) means more than you can know. Thank you for stepping in quickly when deadlines loomed, and for your thoughtful critique and feedback, for your careful edits, and for holding my hand when it posted and I morphed into a giant fretting bundle of nerves.
With that, here are the links to the posted fic:
And So Death Took on Live Journal / AO3Title: And So Death Took
Writer: icmezzoRecipient: knowmefirstSummary: Fairy tales may soothe small children into slumber, but some stories themselves refuse to sleep. The Tale of Three Brothers, retold.
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~25k
Warnings: While nothing is exactly as it seems, some readers may appreciate a warning for MCD (not Harry or Draco), suicide, dark themes, and/or violence.Content/Enticements: EWE, post-war, Ron/Hermione side pairing, The Tale of Three Brothers
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
And So Death Took on
Live Journal /
AO3