In preparation for writing the sequel, they devoured books about Tibet, a favorite destination for 19th Century explorers. Neither Cooney nor Altieri had been particularly aware of the plight of Tibet until they worked on their outline for the reincarnation thriller that led to the commission for the 'Lost Horizon' sequel. Occasionally we argue about things, but we've worked it out to a point where it's advantageous for us.' I'm writing modern short stories and Ellie is working on a novel, but it's more fun for us to work together. Says Altieri: 'We do other things separately. With these big books it's a marvelous thing to be able to brainstorm with somebody else.' We're both so thoroughly acquainted with the characters that either of us can be any one of them. 'Neither one of us dominates a character. 'We brainstorm on the outline,' Cooney says. Each writes different sections of a novel and Cooney does a final edit to 'make it seamless.' While Altieri provided much of the scholarly research for the first two novels, now the two share research duties equally. He and Cooney met in a Boulder art gallery and for years talked about doing a writing project together before producing their first novel, 'Court of the Lion,' in the late 1980s.īy that time, Cooney had worked as a radio reporter and learned that she 'could write on command for money.' I found it a tough project to do because you're following in someone else's footsteps.'Īltieri and Cooney have written two previous novels together, 'Court of the Lion' and 'Deception,' both set in China.Īltieri studied Chinese history and language, but when he couldn't find a teaching job, he began doing Chinese brush paintings.

We debated a long time about showing an actual sex scene with Conway. 'We didn't want to throw in too much sex and violence because it's not in the style.

'We didn't want to make it too modern,' Altieri says. A Chinese general searches for Shangri-La, desiring to plunder its riches, while Conway and an unlikely ally, the general's daughter (who also is an officer in the Chinese army), muster all their resources to keep the earthly paradise safe from destruction and desecration.

The story is set in 1966, when the Cultural Revolution comes to Tibet. Morrow also has issued a facsimile edition of 'Lost Horizon' with a trompe l'oeil tattered 1933 dust jacket, but its riveting sequel can easily be read on its own.

Hugh conway lost horizon