Anything great is long in making.

Lao Zi

And it has certainly been long in the making. Chinese Whisperings is an idea that Jodi and I first had over a year ago. There is still a long way to go – the stories are, at the moment, unfinished. Nothing is yet available for sale.

But we’re at a point where we can look back from where we have come, and forward to the future, and take a few moments to breathe, to take in the view, and to steel ourselves for the rest of the journey.

What began as an idea for NaNoWriMo gradually changed over time as Jodi and I began to discuss an idea for a writer-led publishing cooperative. Through calls on Skype and chats on Facebook and MSN, our nebulous thoughts began to solidify, until early this year we felt ready to begin recruiting writers.

And recruit we did. Sometimes it was a difficult task, and over the next few months you’ll get an insight into that on this blog. In striving to find a perfect 50/50 gender split we realised we knew very few male writers. Writers who had expressed interest in the project had to withdraw due to other commitments.

But we pressed on. And the end is in sight. But journeys rarely end forever, and this one comes full circle. As one anthology ends, we will find ourselves ready to commence on the next.

But for now, we hope you’ll join us on the road to the launch of Chinese Whisperings: The Red Book.