Lynn LaFleur: Series: Love Them or Hate Them?

 I’ve written five series so far, plus other books which take place in my fictional town of Lanville, Texas. I have more series planned for the future, and more books that will take place in Lanville. I love revisiting my characters, letting my readers know what those characters are doing ever since they received a happy ending in their own books. A series lets me do that.

I enjoy reading series for the reason I mentioned above—so I can find out what some of my favorite characters are doing once their book reaches the end, or to continue to find out about their lives. I love J.D. Robb’s In Death series. What woman wouldn’t fall in love with Roarke? I feel the same about J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I would gladly steal any one of the Brotherhood from their shellans.

I’ve received so many wonderful emails and comments about my Men With Tools series from readers wanting more of my hunky Coleman triplets. I’ve incorporated Rye, Dax, and Griff into the firefighter books I’m now writing for Kensington Aphrodisia. You’ll find out more about them, plus other characters who live in Lanville, in my upcoming books.

How about you? Do you enjoy reading series, or would you rather the book and characters wrap up in one volume? I’d love your opinion. Anyone who comments will have the chance to win a print copy of my newest Kensington Aphrodisia books, Hot Shots and Smokin’ Hot!

Lynn

Find out more about all my series by visiting the series page on my website:
http://www.lynnlafleur.com/lafleur_books_series.htm

*** Lynn's winner is Margie! Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing info.***

What if?

Happy Saturday everyone!

My name is Kimberly Killion and I write Sexy Medieval Romance. My debut book, HER ONE DESIRE, came out in July from Kensington/Zebra books. It is the story of a Scottish spy and his quest to protect the executioner’s daughter.

Those last two words were the only words I needed to sell that book: executioner’s daughter. Where did I get the idea, you ask?...

While in the midst of brainstorming ideas for my next book, I found myself searching for inspiration. I looked in the mirror and thought if I keep staring I would be able to find something in my brain to trigger an idea. Unfortunately, my reflection hollered, “What the hell are you looking at?”

I didn’t find what I was looking for there so I went outside and looked at the fields of corn, the gravel driveway, a blade of grass. Nothin’. So I looked up and said, “Give me an idea, pleeeeease.”

Yes, I was asking for the supreme being of all creation to take time out of His busy day and give me an idea for my next book. That was selfish when you think about it. I mean, He has more important things to do, right? So, I thought long and hard and what did I come up with? Lunch. Yep. Lunch. So I fixed myself a little southern fired something and flipped on the TV. A documentary was on about the lives and families of the executioner. It was really quite fascinating. So then I started playing that game…you know the one…the ‘What if?’ game.

What if I wrote a story about the executioner? Oh, he started out as my villain, then I mixed it up a little and he became the hero. It still wasn’t right, so I said the word’s that practically wrote HER ONE DESIRE for itself…What if the heroine was the executioner’s daughter. And there is was. An idea was born.

You know how long it takes the Road Runner to sneak up on Wile E. Coyote? Well, that’s how long it took me to google a few keywords: executioner, occupation, medieval, torture … This went on and on, and before I knew it I had educated myself on every form of torture between hung, drawn, and quartered to peine forte et dure (Pressing to death)

Curiosity leads me to ask, ‘What if?’ So, as I sit here trying to develop my next story idea, I’m also curious to know how other writers develop ideas. Do you play the ‘What if?’ game? Do you get on your knees and pray for inspiration? Does whiskey help? Please, do tell…