Authors Val McDermid and Jo Sharp have collaborated on a new novel titled ‘This Door of the Seas’ [1].
The partnership marks a rare creative union between the couple, who typically maintain separate professional paths to preserve their individual artistic identities.
The project began after the pair made a chance discovery regarding a doomed expedition from the 17th century [1]. This historical event served as the catalyst for the narrative, prompting the authors to merge their writing styles to explore the tragedy. The process took place in Edinburgh, Scotland, where the authors reside in a shared house on the outskirts of the city [1].
Despite the successful completion of the book, the authors noted that the decision to work together was not an easy one. "We’ve always been wary of working together," McDermid said [1].
Sharp, who is described as Scotland’s first female Geographer Royal, brought her specific expertise to the historical framework of the story [1]. The novel blends the atmospheric elements of a historical mystery, and the complexities of a collaborative writing process between partners.
The authors used the research into the maritime disaster to build the world of the novel. By focusing on the 17th-century expedition, they were able to anchor the fictional elements of the plot in verified historical circumstances [1].
““We’ve always been wary of working together””
This collaboration represents a significant shift for McDermid and Sharp, who have historically avoided joint professional ventures. By combining McDermid's experience in crime fiction with Sharp's geographical expertise, the project demonstrates how interdisciplinary research and personal partnership can be leveraged to revitalize historical narratives in contemporary literature.
