To series or not?
I've had discussions over the years with fellow authors and with readers, and there's a whole lot to dive into with this topic.
Let's start from the point of view of a reader, since we're all that. And since I'm a romance addict, this is all aimed at the romance genre.
I feel when I pick up a book, I should be able to read it all by itself and enjoy a satisfying happily-ever-after. This doesn't mean I can't enjoy a duet, or even a massive 5 book mega-tale for one couple that goes on for thousands and thousands of words (I'm looking at Blair Babylon's billionaires series right now—lol.) Let's define A BOOK as a couple's story of getting to a HEA.
Whether that book is a 30K word long novella or a massive etc etc—I'm going to choose to read based on my energy and interest. Frankly, I love novellas because life sometimes only gives me novella-sized concentration times, and that's reality for many people. But size doesn't matter. 😀
Book read, I should feel confident that my couple are 1) both still alive (ahem cough *NS* cough) and 2) on a wonderful way to a happily-ever-after.
But since I tend to fall in love with ALL the characters I met in Book 1, now I want to know what happens with X, and Y, and when will Z find a person to love?
Welcome to the series, my friend! AKA as why entire swatches of brothers seem to fall in love sequentially. 😛 Oh, romance, never change.
When you pick up book 2, the same thing. Alive, and happy at the end. Same for book 3…and on and on. Each book stands alone, and makes you happy.
This next part of it is key, though.
In a really good series, if you pick up Book 1, then book 2, and then book 3, you’ll have an even richer experience because over the course of the series there are people you’ll come to know more intimately, and you’ll spot glimpses of their world. You get to know the community and feel as if you’re catching up with friends.
That’s one goal of my books. For you to feel you’ve found a community of friends to love.
Now to switch to the view point of an author. Some series for me have had a start point and then they've wandered through—truthfully—the brothers and cousins until I've run out.
Some series have had an overarching theme that needs to be solved even while each book's romance stands alone. The Takhini Wolves are like that. The Stones of Heart Falls, where saving the ranch is one motivator.
The longer I write the more two things become clear:
1. I ADORE writing big, long, character-stuffed series that the biggest thing tying them together is the place or the family or the friendship. Which is why there are now 12 Six Pack ranch books plus the 5 Thompson & Sons books that slip in. It's why there are also now 12 Heart Falls books (really! There are!) and more to come.
But 2?
The older I get the more likely it is that my big, long character-stuffed series are going to be made up of mini-series or trilogies because MY BRAIN is not what she used to be! Lol.
What does that mean? Example: Six Pack Ranch is 12 books with a second series' 5 books added into the last six, with overlapping timelines sometimes three books deep (OMG) and book 12, which I LOVE, featuring over 14 couples. <==that one made me work HARD.
So far Heart Falls also has 12 books chronologically, but they're put together in 4 smaller series: A, A, B, A, C, C, C, B, D, B, A, B.
Still to come? D, B, E…oops! That's next month's news!
Make sure you open the Heart Falls series update. I should have something new and interesting to add to that list. Wink.
Here's today's challenge: I've included book 1 in most of my series in this newsletter! Which of these series have you read ALL the books?
If you've read all of them, which is your favourite? Which do you wish there were more of?
Let me know, or let a friend know which you think they should start!
All hail the series! May they never truly end!
