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Saturday, January 14, 2012

The End of a Series


I’ve heard a lot of readers bemoan the end of a series that they loved. Many readers want to keep reading about those characters they’ve come to love over the span of a couple of years. They don’t want to give up that relationship yet. Writers feel the same way.

We mourn the loss of characters that have been in our lives for years and any times, years longer than it took to get them on paper and publish. When I first heard authors talking about how sad they were to be done with a series, I was unpublished and naïve. I had hundreds of characters and plots running through my head. Once I was done with a book or series, I would just move on to the next one.

Silly me.

When I first started writing Every Night I’m Yours, I feel in love with my characters. All five of my heroes and heroines. By the time I finished writing One Night Scandal, I was still in love with them, albeit a little weary of their constant involvement in my life. But I was at a loss of what do to next.

It took me several attempts at writing a synopsis for my agent. Nothing I put down was really “calling” to me. I was sure I didn’t want to write another series revolving around regency women. But as I tried to edit the first few chapters, I realized my heart wasn’t into this next series.

For some reason, watching the History Channel (when there is history on it, not reality shows) tends to get my creative juices flowing. When I was watching something about the history of witches, they mentioned the term Wise Women. My brain latched on to that tidbit. It turns out that wise women were the healers on the lands and practiced some pagan rituals. Because they had knowledge, many were declared witches and killed.

So my crazy brain took that and said, what if there some of these women still around in during the regency period and were still healers on the estates of peers? And what if they still performed some rituals only because it’s what their mothers and grandmothers had done for centuries? And what if the one of the heroes wanted nothing to do with his wise woman because his first wife had died in childbirth at the hands of the wise woman? And my brain just kept going. 

Soon, I had another series revolving around three women. Here we go again. I’m currently working on my Wise Women series. The first book, tentatively titled, Bewitching the Duke will be an ebook release from Kensington in 2012.You can find me at www.christiekelley.com.

How do you as a reader feel when you get to the end of a series? Do you hate to let go or are you anxious to start another series?  I’m giving away a signed copy of the first book in my series, Every Night I’m Yours to one commenter.

Christie

***Melissa is the winner for a copy of EVERY NIGHT i'M YOURS! Congratulations! Please send an email with your full name and mailing address to totebag@authorsoundrelations.com so we can get the prize in the mail! Thank you!***

29 comments:

Caroline said...

Great blog Christie. It just proves that great question that all authors (pubbed and unpubbed) should be saying/thinking all the time - "What if...?" Thanks again. Caroline x

Laurie G said...

Several series that I've read start out with a finite number of books. Lisa Kleypas's Season Quartet, Nora Robert's Bride Quartet, Elizabeth Hoyt's Legend of the Four Soldiers, Sabrina Jeffries School for Heiress's.

Others like the Bridgerton family Julia Quinn, Jiillian Hunter's Boscatle famliy go on to include cousins. I'm fine with both as long as the stories can stand on their own and they don't have to be read in a specific order. I hate repetion in any book.

Best of luck Christie with your new Wise Woman series!

Debby said...

I am always sad to see a series end but I also hate to see a series continue until it becomes less than what we want. Usually another series comes along to take its place.
debby236 at gmail dot com

Christie Kelley said...

Thanks, Caroline. I love the "what if" questions. They make plotting a book so much fun.

Christie Kelley said...

Debby, I just finished reading Karen Marie Moning's Fever series. Five books was the perfect amount and it ended so well. So right, now it's time to find another series!

RFTC Blog said...

It's always sad to see a series end. I feel like those characters have become friends and who wants to say goodbye to a friend? I do hate when some series to tend to drag on though. Where it just becomes so hard to keep up with everyone and everything.

iqb99@yahoo.com

Nancy said...

Christie, I've loved this series of yours, too, though I have to say your new idea sounds great! I'm always sorry to see a series end. I hate having those characters leave me.

I feel the same way as a writer. I'm sorry to finish one series proposal even though I get to start another. For that matter, I sometimes want to stay with a couple and explore their lives beyond the point where they commit to each other, which is one thing I enjoy about other genres. Romance just isn't very open to that.

Good luck with your new series. I'm looking forward to reading it!

sheila said...

If I'm really into the series- living it- I don't like seeing it end. But as long as it ends on the right note with everything tied up in a neat bundle then I'm satisfied, and on to the next.

ashadle said...

I hate when a series ends, especially when there are unanswered questions. I, however, loved reading your series becauseI felt a sense of closure when I read the last book.

Christie Kelley said...

Thanks, Nancy. I heard from my editor yesterday that they're looking at a September release!

Christie Kelley said...

Danielle, I do agree that sometimes a series can drag on too long. I've only seen that a few times though.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Hey Christie! I have so loved your series, I'm sad to see it end. However I love the idea for you new series too! Like several other said, I do dislike it when a series goes on waaaaaaaay too long! Hahaha!

Looking forward to the ebooks!

Christie Kelley said...

Sheila, I think you're right. I also think it matters how quickly the books come out. When they're only come out once a year, it's heard to remember what happened in the last book.

Christie Kelley said...

Thanks, ashadle! I really didn't know just how hard it would be to wrap up the series.

Christie Kelley said...

Thanks, Jeanne!

Barbara E. said...

I'm usually a bit sad when I get to the end of a series, but I'm happy that everyone has had their happy ending and all is well. I'm always happy to see what the author is going to be up to next and go on to the next series.

Christie Kelley said...

Hi Barbara, other than my own series, I don't usually get sad when a series ends. I guess after living with these characters for years they really do become part of your life.

JeanMP said...

If a series ends and all the questions and plots have been answered, I don't miss it. I am not left wondering what happened to so and so. I look forward to seeing next what the author puts forth.

skpetal at hotmail dot com

Alison said...

I'm a very fast reader, so the longer the series and the book the better, I think. But I will always try a new series by an author I liked.

pageturner345@ gmail.com

Melissas Midnight Musings said...

I'm somewhere in the middle. Usually, I get sad when a series I really enjoy is over, but I also get eager to dive into the next series so I can fall in love with another set of characters.

mthayer85@gmail.com

Linda Henderson said...

I love series and connected books. I usually hate to see them end unless they just don't have anywhere else to go. Otherwise, I'll just keep reading. I especially enjoy the ones that let you know what's happened to earlier characters.

seriousreader at live dot com

Di said...

The more I like the characters, the sadder I am to see a book end, whether it's part of a series or stand-alone. I always wonder 'what happens next?'. But just as in life, we go on and meet other characters.

sallans d at yahoo dot com

Jeanne M said...

Hi Christie!

I fell in love with your books when I read Every time we Kiss and I've read all of your books as soon as they are released since then including The Weatherly's Ball in The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance.

Of coursNight I'm Your ssed out on buying A Week of Pleasure and Every Night I'm Yours so I'm thrilled to have a chance to win a copy!

I do love series in fact I like when sometimes the characters, whether one of the primary or secondary, show up in a book later in a unrelated book or series.

I think that one reason that as a reader I enjoy series is because there is usually some sort of question left unanswered about characters in the previous book that as a reader you have to find out more about.

That said I also enjoy stand alone books that may take you in a completedly different direction or have some type of quandry that needs to be resolved that wouldn't work in the spectrum of a series or with the nature of the characters involved.

Whichever you write, whether a single book, series or a story in an anthology be reassured that I will be looking forward to the release!

Eli Yanti said...

Hi Christie,

i will glad that the series is end but maybe i will a bit disappointed because that's not enough ;)


eli_y83@yahoo.com

Laurie G said...

Some series you know are finite Four Seasons by Lisa Kleypas and the Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts and Legend of Four Soldiers Elizabeth Hoyt. Other series extend to relatives Boscastle family Jillian Hunter and Bridgertons Julia Quinn.

I like both as long as the stories can be read on their own and they are not repetitive.

I love series as you feel like you belong to the family or the community. I always look forward to new ideas and series from any author.

Renee said...

I always hate to let go of a series. At that point, no new series will ever be as good. Now, in reality, I always seem to find another just as good if not better. It is just a state of mind, but that is the way it feels.

Pat Cochran said...

Hi, Christie,

I'm always sorry and sad to see a series end. After a while I take a deep breath,
pull up my "old lady" undies, and go in
search of the next series!! I really do
love me some series!!

Pat Cochran

Michele L. said...

Yes,(sad face here)I am always sad when a series comes to an end. I feel like the characters have become my friends and look forward to spending time with them.

It is fun reading a new series of books and making new friends though! That is the fun part picking out a new book to read like your books Christie! :-)

Mary Preston said...

Both actually. It really depends upon the series. Those I am loathe to part with find a place on my keeper shelf so that I may revisit.