Inspy Romance

Inspy Romance—Fall in Love With a Good Book

Goodbye, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu… ending a book series

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I love writing books in series. I love seeing characters reappear in other stories. I love that characters who may not play a huge role in one book get to shine in their own. I love being able to have a series story thread that links books together. I love creating as many connections as I can between not only books within a series, but between my different series, as well!

My critique partner laughs, rolls her eyes, and calls it my spider’s web. I now have a bunch of unfinished book series, some that have been waiting years for me to get back to them. I have to stop and think about it to count them all!

Love in Store, my first series, with seven books written, two more to go, and spin-off ideas for three more new series! The Macleans (a spin-off from a book in the Love in Store series!) with three written, one more to go), Huckleberry Lake (also a spin-off from a different book in Love in Store!) with three written, and story drafts started for three more!. Sweetapple Falls (holding a so-far invisible link to a Love in Store book – I haven’t shown the linking characters yet!) with two written, and at least six more story ideas and unfinished stories.

Then there’s the multi-author projects. A Tuscan Legacy, nine books from seven authors born as a spinoff from Marion and I each having a book with an Italian connection. And I couldn’t let nine be enough, either! Book 10 joined the series this year, to tell eighty-one -year-old Isabella’s story. The three-author Chapel Cove series, started with ideas for first three, then nine, and then twelve books. We now have even more ideas! And last to appear, the Billionaire Protector trilogy, finishing next month, God willing.

Hmm. Do you see a pattern here? I’m great at starting series, but not so good at wrapping them up, when every story carries the seeds of at least one, and sometimes more new books. It gets complicated!

I’m hoping to make the coming year a year of finishing things. I’d like to say “Goodbye, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu…” to at least a few unfinished projects, by finally completing them!

No escaping it, I have to show a Sound of Music clip for that! IMO, the world is divided into two types of people – those who love it, and those who loathe it. Guess which I am! ;)

So I’m wondering, as a reader, do you like series that run and run, or prefer shorter series with a built in end. Or do you avoid series books? I’d love to hear what you like and dislike most about books in a series! (I don’t mean serials with cliffhangers–ugh! I mean complete romances that can be read on their own, but that also fit into a series).

And talking of goodbyes, this post marks another one. I’ve been part of Inspy Romance for over three and a half years, and my time with the authors and readers here has been a joy and a blessing. I’ve reluctantly decided it’s time to step aside and make room for another author, so I can give a little more time to different aspects of my life. If you’d like to stay in touch with me or keep up with my book news, please feel free to friend me on Facebook, follow me on Amazon, or subscribe to my reader newsletter,

Blessings to you all,

Autumn Macarthur (59 Posts)

USA Today bestselling author Autumn Macarthur writes romances full of faith and hope, celebrating God's love as well as a man and a woman finding their happily ever after. She prays they’ll warm your heart and make you smile. An Australian transplanted to Britain, Autumn lives just north of London with her lovely English husband and three demanding cats, in a very small house with a teensy tiny garden. She loves talking to readers, so please get in touch! And get a free Christian romance novella when you sign up for her reader newsletter at http://bit.ly/Autumnsubscribe


Comments

  1. I prefer stand alones usually but some series do grab me and I am so glad there were more books like Anne of Green Gables, The Babysitter’s Club (when I was young) I feel like the longer a series goes on the more it seems forced or the author is trying to hard. It becomes unenjoyable to read. But I am unique. I have seen polls and most readers like a series. :) (no cliff hangers)
    Best wishes to you for your future endeavors, Autumn. :)

  2. I am sad to hear this is your last post on Inspy! I love reading your posts here and you will be missed!

    As for series…um…I LOVE them, can’t get enough and I truly am sad when a favorite one ends!

  3. Thank you for all of your posts.

    I like series, but if they are a continuation I prefer to have all of the books on hand.

  4. Hi Autumn, I’m so sad that you are leaving inspyromance! I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts and will miss hearing from you- hopefully you can guest blog (regularly!!:) Many blessings to you as you move forward, I will keep posted on your stories.
    I love series- and I love when characters interweave throughout.
    Blessings:)

  5. I love that song from the Sound of Music. And I absolutely love your books. I don’t even read the blurb before deciding to buy/ read them. I’m sorry to hear you’re leaving because I enjoy reading your posts and interaction in comments. But I understand there is a “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”. May God bless your next endeavors.

  9. Wishing you the best on the next leg of your journey. I completely identify with not finished things. In my sewing/quilting, I will try something and not finish it. Arggghhh. Something I have been trying to work on. I like series that have an ending at some point. I dont do real good with too many books in the series. I tend to like 3 books in a series. This way I find that all 3 books remain fresh in my mind and for me personally I can follow the characters better.

  10. Sorry to see this is your last post with Inspy, but I’m following you everywhere, so we’ll still be in touch!!! I LOVE series!! It was your first book in Love in Store that got me reading your books! I loved it! I’ve also read (or have in my TBR) the other books in that series! I’ve read most of them, though! I like reading about some of the same characters in other books. That’s why I liked the Tales of the Grace Chapel Inn. Some things stayed the same in those books, so they had the common thread, but there was enough diversity that it kept you interested. Admittedly, that series is over 40 books, so it did get a bit long. I like shorter ones more!

  15. Thank you, Wemble! If I’m ever asked to guest post, I’ll be glad to!
    That’s what I love most about reading and writing series – the same characters twining through each story. It feels very real that way. LOL, with Chapel Cove, we’re often asking each other “Would your character do this or that?” and for our own characters, we know straight away what the answer is!

  16. Sorry to see you go f rut on here Autumn, but love your newsletters and Facebook posts. I love series. Love meeting the characters and following them through other books. They become old friends. 🙂

  22. I’m glad we’ll still see each other everywhere else, Trudy! And thanks for your kind words about my books. I appreciate your support so much. <3
    I have a feeling, if we let it, Chapel Cove could go the same way as Grace Chapel Inn. We're not going to stop at 12! Not sure we'll make it to 40, though. LOL!

  25. That’d be ok!! We wouldn’t have all of the same people, in the exact same spot, for all of Chapel Cove!!! I’m glad y’all aren’t stopping at 12!! Lol!

  26. What?! It’s a disease and it’s spreading :_( everyone is leaving….
    We’ll miss you! I enjoy shorter series.
    Blessings Autumn!!! Waiting for David ;)

  27. I’m doing my best to get David done as soon as I can, Natalya. :)

    And as far as I know, no other Inspy authors will be leaving, at least for a while, so hopefully the “disease” won’t spread any further. ;)

  29. Will miss your post I Love reading the series but I love the stand alone also but hey I love to read God Bless You!

  30. Its been good to get to know you here. Oh thanks now I have that song in my head (but I do like The Sound of Music))

    I do love series Think “The House Of Winslow ” series by Gilbert Morris it was a LONG series but I loved it. I love series which you can read alone and still understand what’s happening but I also love the way we get to see past hero/heroine’s in new books. The only thing I don’t like is series where they end a book with a cliff hanger (as you mentioned) and then the next book isn’t out for another year. Some times I will wait till I have several books in a series to read them. Or if its out once a month then will read them as they come out.

  32. I like series because then I don’t have to say good-bye to characters/towns so soon. Some series I’d love to go on forever!

    Best wishes for your future endeavours! I am happy I discovered your writing on this blog. :)

  33. I do enjoy series but if there is too much time between the books it can be frustrating to feel like I need to go back and re-read them. Julia Quinn has her Bridgerton series that I have enjoyed.

  34. God willing, could be I do what you did and take a break them come back, Merrillee.
    Yes, trilogies seem to be a good compromise on series. Long enough to really build a story world, but not so long everyone’s losing track of who’s who.

  40. Hi Autumn,
    I’m sad to hear this is your last post on Inspy, but I understand why.
    As for series or stand a lone, I’ll take whatever I can! I love your series and can’t seem to get enough of the characters. It always feels like they’re friends and I want to know what’s happening in their lives. HOWEVER, if you only write stand alone books, then I’d take those too because I really like what you write!

  42. I love to read in series, but only in trilogies or maybe 4. Endless series make me feel like I’ll always be missing something! Ha ha.

    We’ll miss you here Autumn!

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