--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've written a detective series myself…" description: "\"I've written a detective series myself, set in an imaginary, and slightly futuristic, Chinese city. The novels have an extremely tenuous relationship w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94d/liz-williams-34265_chinese_i-ve-written-a-detective-series-myself-s_199425.jpg" --- # I've written a detective series myself, set in an… ![“I've written a detective series myself, set in an imaginary, and slightly futuristic, Chinese city. The novels have an extremely tenuous relationship with the real world, since the hero is the city's Hell and ends up with a sidekick who is a demon.” quote by Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94d/liz-williams-34265_chinese_i-ve-written-a-detective-series-myself-s_199425.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94d/liz-williams-34265_chinese_i-ve-written-a-detective-series-myself-s_199425.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94d/liz-williams-34265_chinese_i-ve-written-a-detective-series-myself-s_199425.jpg) > “I've written a detective series myself, set in an imaginary, and slightly futuristic, Chinese city. The novels have an extremely tenuous relationship with the real world, since the hero is the city's Hell and ends up with a sidekick who is a demon.” [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author created a speculative detective series set in a fictional futuristic Chinese city, blending mythic elements like a demon sidekick with urban noir. **In simple terms:** A futuristic Chinese detective story with mythic twists. Key Takeaway Embrace genre blending for fresh narratives. Themes creativity mythology urban fantasy future city detective fiction Mood imaginative playful Type creative inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - novel planning - pitch meetings - marketing - fan conventions Key Concepts Worldbuilding genre hybridization cultural imagination Questions to Reflect On - How does the setting influence the detective's methods? - What challenges arise when mixing mythic beings with modern crime? A Different Perspective Balancing realism and fantasy can alienate readers seeking authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chinese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chinese/) [City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) [City Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city-novels-2085608/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Demon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demon/) [Detective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detective/) [Detective Series](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detective-series-2085607/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Extremely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremely/) [Futuristic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/futuristic/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Imaginary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imaginary/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novels/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-world/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) [Series](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/series/) [Series Set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/series-set-2085610/) [Sidekick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sidekick/) [Since](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/since/) [Slightly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slightly/) [The real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-real-world/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) [Written Detective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written-detective-2085609/) ## Related quotes > [I got a real kick when a series was set in the court of Kublai Khan or in Nero's Rome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hartnell/i-got-a-real-kick-when-a-series-was-set-in-the-court-of-kublai-khan/) [William Hartnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hartnell/) > [Apparently, the city of Delhi is a 'character' in my novels. I'd argue that it's a ... city... in my novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-mahajan/apparently-the-city-of-delhi-is-a-character-in-my-novels-i-d-argue/) [Karan Mahajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-mahajan/) > [Toronto may be the only city where novels are integral to high art, the alternative scene and mainstream culture all at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-marche/toronto-may-be-the-only-city-where-novels-are-integral-to-high-art/) [Stephen Marche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-marche/) > [These detective series on TV always end at precisely the right moment-after the criminal is arrested and before the court turns him loose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/these-detective-series-on-tv-always-end-at-precisely-the-right-moment/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [My father taught me to love detective fiction writers such as Raymond Chandler. When I decided to have a hard-boiled detective series I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/my-father-taught-me-to-love-detective-fiction-writers-such-as-raymond/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [I love the French detective series 'Spiral.' It's quite brutal to watch, but I'm already hooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/i-love-the-french-detective-series-spiral-it-s-quite-brutal-to-watch/) [Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/) > [“ The Law and her sidekick, Tex, the Crackpot Coffee Guy were on the job.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/the-law-and-her-sidekick-tex-the-crackpot-coffee-guy-were-on-the-job/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“If you're going to be a superhero, can I be your sidekick?" -April "What?" -Grace "The Dynamic Duo!" -April "Um, I'm pretty sure sidekicks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bree-despain/if-you-re-going-to-be-a-superhero-can-i-be-your-sidekick-april-what/) [Bree Despain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bree-despain/) > [Paul knew I could sing, write and play, and so he rang me. It knocked me sideways a little because I wasn't used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denny-laine/paul-knew-i-could-sing-write-and-play-and-so-he-rang-me-it-knocked-me/) [Denny Laine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denny-laine/) > [When you learn about stories in school, you get it backward. You start to think 'Oh, the reason these things are in stories is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-barry/when-you-learn-about-stories-in-school-you-get-it-backward-you-start/) [Lynda Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-barry/) > [As an actor I'm part of a long line of character people you can take back to the silent movies. There's always the little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-armstrong/as-an-actor-i-m-part-of-a-long-line-of-character-people-you-can-take/) [Curtis Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-armstrong/) > [Not by any means do I think that I'm The Rock or Mark Wahlberg. I understand that I'm not like them, being a leading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-show/not-by-any-means-do-i-think-that-i-m-the-rock-or-mark-wahlberg-i/) [Big Show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-show/) > [The 'Test Kitchen' is really fun as long as you play your role, and I didnt like the role I was put in. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sohla-el-waylly/the-test-kitchen-is-really-fun-as-long-as-you-play-your-role-and-i/) [Sohla El-Waylly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sohla-el-waylly/) > [I wouldn't have been right for James Bond. I would have been a good sidekick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cribbins/i-wouldn-t-have-been-right-for-james-bond-i-would-have-been-a-good/) [Bernard Cribbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cribbins/) > [I often played the nerdy friend or the goofy sidekick or the sort of naïve movie character in some ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-hendricks/i-often-played-the-nerdy-friend-or-the-goofy-sidekick-or-the-sort-of/) [Christina Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-hendricks/) ## More by Liz Williams > [You can, I think, have a quiet and steady protagonist and not run the risk of terminal dullness as long as exciting things happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/you-can-i-think-have-a-quiet-and-steady-protagonist-and-not-run-the/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) > [Contemporary paganism gives me a subjective lens through which the world in which I live can be interpreted on an aesthetic and an ethical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/contemporary-paganism-gives-me-a-subjective-lens-through-which-the/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) > [For me, spiritual practice is a lot closer to art than science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/for-me-spiritual-practice-is-a-lot-closer-to-art-than-science/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) > [“In the matter of prejudice...we are all the same. Goddess and demon, human and monster: none of us understand difference, but at least some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/in-the-matter-of-prejudice-we-are-all-the-same-goddess-and-demon/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) > [There are a few people who are, let's say, personality-challenged, who would like to set up a cult, but in large part they fail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/there-are-a-few-people-who-are-let-s-say-personality-challenged-who/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) > [Only in the English countryside could violent death remain something that is 'cosy.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/only-in-the-english-countryside-could-violent-death-remain-something/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) > [Because contemporary paganism is essentially so new, its underlying ethical structure is not particularly sophisticated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/because-contemporary-paganism-is-essentially-so-new-its-underlying/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) > [Just so that we are clear on this, I am in favour of teaching children about different beliefs. I am not in favour of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/just-so-that-we-are-clear-on-this-i-am-in-favour-of-teaching-children/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) > [Some religious practitioners make absolutist claims for their beliefs: I've no interest in doing this, nor do I have any interest in converting people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/some-religious-practitioners-make-absolutist-claims-for-their-beliefs/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) > [I have issues with anyone who tries to claim that science is unworkable - creationists who deny evidence for past history, yet are happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/i-have-issues-with-anyone-who-tries-to-claim-that-science-is/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) > [Authors as diverse as Rudyard Kipling, E. Nesbit, and J. R. R. Tolkien have shaped modern paganism as greatly as any theological underpinnings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/authors-as-diverse-as-rudyard-kipling-e-nesbit-and-j-r-r-tolkien-have/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) > [Much of what Karl Popper contributed to the philosophy of science has now passed into mainstream thought, into the currency of that nebulous, tricky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/much-of-what-karl-popper-contributed-to-the-philosophy-of-science-has/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) > [I think that the power of the Silent Minute lies in its inherent lack of external direction: what participants actually do during that minute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/i-think-that-the-power-of-the-silent-minute-lies-in-its-inherent-lack/) [Liz Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) [Explore all 14 Liz Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/) ## More Chinese quotes > [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [My grandparents were far more English in their manners than they were Chinese. For example, we spoke English at home, had afternoon tea every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/my-grandparents-were-far-more-english-in-their-manners-than-they-were/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [We can see nothing whatever of the soul unless it is visible in the expression of the countenance; one might call the faces at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/we-can-see-nothing-whatever-of-the-soul-unless-it-is-visible-in-the/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [Remember, sex is like a Chinese dinner. It ain't over 'til you both get your cookie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/remember-sex-is-like-a-chinese-dinner-it-ain-t-over-til-you-both-get/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [The remarkable thing about the Chinese is that they've operated differently than the Russians, the Iranians, and the North Koreans. By and large, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/the-remarkable-thing-about-the-chinese-is-that-they-ve-operated/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [He sank into the rocking chair, the same one in which Rebecca had sat during the early days of the house to give embroidery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/he-sank-into-the-rocking-chair-the-same-one-in-which-rebecca-had-sat/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [The Pink Panther wasn't shown to the press for reasons that soon became apparent when I saw it at a public performance. Two people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-french/the-pink-panther-wasn-t-shown-to-the-press-for-reasons-that-soon/) [Philip French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-french/) > [Canada has become such a staging area for Chinese money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/canada-has-become-such-a-staging-area-for-chinese-money/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [The Chinese describe themselves as political refugees. Many base that claim on China's strict population laws, which allow them to have only one child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-chinese-describe-themselves-as-political-refugees-many-base-that/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [There is a phrase in Chinese, 'Resolve is victory.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yao-ming/there-is-a-phrase-in-chinese-resolve-is-victory/) [Yao Ming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yao-ming/) > [One thing that really interests me is-and it comes out of Chinese and Japanese painting-where you have a number of different kinds of space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-heilmann/one-thing-that-really-interests-me-is-and-it-comes-out-of-chinese-and/) [Mary Heilmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-heilmann/) > [My Chinese zodiac is a dog. But I'm an exception because of how much I love cats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-wu/my-chinese-zodiac-is-a-dog-but-i-m-an-exception-because-of-how-much-i/) [Jason Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-wu/) > [This is an extraordinary illustrated collection of Chinese herbsaccompanied by concise and expert comments. Jing-Nuan Wu has succeeded incompiling this most unique and informative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koji-nakanishi/this-is-an-extraordinary-illustrated-collection-of-chinese/) [Koji Nakanishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koji-nakanishi/) [Browse all 1,741 Chinese quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chinese/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've written a detective series myself, set in an imaginary, and slightly futuristic, Chinese city. The novels have an extremely tenuous relationship with the real world, since the hero is the city's Hell and ends up with a sidekick who is a demon.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Liz Williams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/i-ve-written-a-detective-series-myself-set-in-an-imaginary-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chinese" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/i-ve-written-a-detective-series-myself-set-in-an-imaginary-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94d/liz-williams-34265_chinese_i-ve-written-a-detective-series-myself-s_199425.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94d/liz-williams-34265_chinese_i-ve-written-a-detective-series-myself-s_199425.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94d/liz-williams-34265_chinese_i-ve-written-a-detective-series-myself-s_199425.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've written a detective series myself, set in an imaginary, and slightly futuristic, Chinese city. The…” — Liz Williams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Liz Williams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-williams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've written a detective series myself,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/i-ve-written-a-detective-series-myself-set-in-an-imaginary-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-williams/i-ve-written-a-detective-series-myself-set-in-an-imaginary-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```