I have to admit that I wrote a number of books before I got into the series thing. Even after releasing Hating Christmas(Holiday Romance Series, Book 1), which is themed on different friends finding love on various holidays, I’ve still struggled with understanding the attraction to linked books. I subsequently written and released No Bunny But You(Holiday Romance Series, Book 2) and Thankfully Yours (Holiday Romance Series, Book 3) . Still, I felt I wasn’t clear on the whole picture. I get why authors love to have readers buy all the book in a series, I just wasn’t complete sure why readers are so enamored of these. I’m really slow sometimes. Then my daughter explained–“Mom, I just like seeing those people again. I like knowing how their lives are going.” Ohhhh. Now, I get it.
I know all about falling in love with a heroine and hero from the reader standpoint. This is why I read my favorites over and over. I just haven’t thought about the urge to see them again. I get it now. Readers–like most human beings–don’t want to say goodbye. We want to know our favorite characters like friends and friends stay in touch as we move through life.
I’ve really enjoyed Penny Reid’s Neanderthal series, buying all the books. I realize, too, that not only do I like seeing past heroes and heroines lives–when reading the books, I get curious about their friends and relatives. Call me a snoop, but I kinda want to know how those people’s lives workout. They can seem funny, intriguing or tragic and, as supporting characters in the first books, their stories aren’t fully told.
So, now I’m writing a series with a full consciousness of what I, as a reader, want. It took me a little while to get there, but I think I’ve gotten the picture.
Coming up–BLUE COLLAR BOYS. The story of three hot brothers who do architectural salvage and who find they need a little salvaging themselves.