By Narelle Atkins
I love reading and writing series books. My published contemporary Christian romances belong to continuity series and my upcoming novella release in SPLASH!, His Perfect Catch, is a spin off story from one of these series.
I’ve always been an avid reader of series books, especially in the romance genre. Before Amazon invented Kindle ebooks, I used to go to great lengths to find backlist print books in my favorite series. Hands up if you’ve searched second hand book stores, yard sales, and library catalogues to find those elusive out-of-print books you’re missing from a series.
It’s now so much easier to locate backlist titles because ebooks don’t go out of print. And, many authors are independently releasing their out-of-print titles. I remember discovering Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum general market mystery series at book 5 (High Five) in the late 1990’s. I read High Five, and the next day I found book 4 in a discount department store. Books 1, 2, and 3 were still available in a specialist book store and, without hesitation, I paid top dollar for those titles and read them all within a week. I did check out their availability in my local library, but the borrowing wait list was long and I was impatient to read all the books in the series in the right order.
In October I’m presenting a workshop at the Christian Writers Conference in Australia on writing series books. Why are series books popular with readers? For me, it’s all about the characters. In a single protagonist series like the Stephanie Plum mystery books, I wanted to return to Stephanie’s crazy world and journey with her on a humorous bounty hunt misadventure. The love triangle between Stephanie, bad boy cop Joe Morelli, and Ranger, the mysterious bounty hunter, added a touch of romance to the mystery plot. My favorite minor character was Stephanie’s eccentric Grandma Mazur.
Continuity series are popular in the romance genre. I love seeing interesting minor characters star in their own stories and find true love. Knowing a little bit about their background from previous books in the series can add an extra layer of delight when I finally escape into their romance story.
If you’re a regular reader of our Inspy Romance blog, you’ll know that we’re often posting about books from one of our contemporary romance series. A multi-author box set is a great way to sample series books from different authors.
Inspy Romance members Valerie Comer, JoAnn Durgin, Lee Tobin McClain and Staci Stallings have contributed books to the Summer of Love box set. Their full length books are from existing series and the collection is now sporting Amazon’s #1 Bestseller in Contemporary Christian Romance orange badge – congratulations, ladies!
My novella, His Perfect Catch, is part of the SPLASH! box set collection that’s releasing on June 23. The novellas are brand new stories and nearly all of the authors are planning to link their stories to either a new or existing series. His Perfect Catch is a spin off story from Seaside Proposal, the third book in my Sydney series from Heartsong. It will be followed by my new Sapphire Bay series.
Sweet Serenity by Valerie Comer is book 3 in her Riverbend Romance series.
More than Friends by Autumn Macarthur is Catriona’s story in The Macleans series.
Love Flies In by Heidi McCahan is from her Emerald Cove series.
Testing the Waters by Lesley Ann McDaniel is book 1 in her Crescent Cove series.
The Lifeguards, the Swim Team, and Frozen Custard by Carol Moncado is from her Serenity Landing Lifeguards series.
Time and Tide by Lynette Sowell is a standalone novella.
Draw You Near by Jan Thompson is book 3 in her Savannah Sweethearts series.
Orphaned Hearts by Marion Ueckermann is book 1 in her Heart of Africa Romance series.
Have you searched for missing books from series that you’ve adored reading? Or, experienced that bereft feeling when you’ve read the final book in a much loved series. I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, Narelle Atkins was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children. A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle's contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia and international locations.
Narelle, I’m not a writer, but I can relate to the desperate need to find back issues of books. If I find a series or author that I especially like, I search local libraries, yard sales, Goodwill stores, and now online resources too. It’s like finding treasure when I discover that book that has been missing in a series! That being said, I will qualify my statements by saying that I am tired of “trilogies.” Once in a while I enjoy a cliff-hanger at the end of a book, but these days it seems like many authors make trilogies out of every story whether the story needs it or not. Thankfully serial authors know how to create a great world, engaging characters, and an interesting story that can be wrapped up in one book, yet offer enough continuation to build another story. Happy reading and happy writing!
Hi beechtreehollow, Yes, finding those missing books is like discovering hidden treasure :) I don’t mind reading a series that has an overall series story arc, but I do get frustrated if the story ends like a tv episode with a whole bunch of unanswered questions. Stand alone stories work for me. Happy reading :)
When I first started writing books set in fictional Serendipity, Texas, I’d planned for three books. But the town’s population sprung up with all kinds of fun secondary characters–some who “steal the show” in every book, and others who begged for a book of their own. I’m now contracted out to sixteen books in my beloved town. I’ve written three series there with themes guiding them (E-Mail Order Brides, Serendipity Sweethearts, Cowboy Country) but each is a stand-alone book.
When I was a teenager I started reading Harlequin Historicals (which were then VERY mild in comparison to today.) I used to search everywhere for those books and always felt like I’d found a treasure when my eyes spotted the familiar Harlequin logo.
Hi Deb, wow, congratulations on selling sixteen books in your series! Great news for your readers who love your series :) I recall spending hours searching for books from favourite Harlequin authors, and scanning the title lists at the front of the books to try and find all the backlist books I’d missed. Lots of fun :)
I love reading series books and getting a more in depth look at my favorite characters.
They become old friends and you like catching up on their lives.
Hi linderellar, Yes, it’s fun to catch up with the characters in later books and gain deeper insights into their lives. I especially like seeing a glimpse of their married lives and knowing their romance story really did have a happily-ever-after ending :)
My hand immediately rose up at your first question Narelle (even though I’m sitting alone at my computer, lol!). I’ve scoured thrift stores, yard and garage sales, library free sections and catalogs for the ever elusive book (or books) to a series I’ve either read or have books at home waiting for the rest of the series to read. Oftentimes, I’ll make a library request for books that they don’t have for any series books I might need. Also ebooks or Amazon or Ebay will have those elusive books as well. However, I am quite reluctant to spend money on them unless I just feel I can’t live without them, lol (does that sound so terrible)!
All that to say this: I LOVE series books! To me, it’s like making new friends and journeying with them along whatever or wherever life (or in this case the author) takes them. I especially love family series! I find myself falling in love with each character and cheering with them or laughing or crying right there with them. It sometimes is an emotional roller coaster! But that’s when I know that’s a great writer, someone who can pull you into their books and not let you leave until that last page! And yes, I do sometimes feel a little bereft when I have to close that last chapter and leave the characters behind. I kind of feel like a lost puppy for a few days until I’m ready to move onto a new set of friends or family!
Hi Trixi, lol, I did wonder how many hands would end up in the air :) I love family series, especially in the romance genre. It’s fascinating to see the family dynamics and relationships grow and evolve as the series progresses. My willingness to pay for those elusive books definitely depends on how desperate I am to read the book. I know all about the lost puppy feeling, which I experience as both a writer and a reader. Her Tycoon Hero was the book I found hardest to let go. It was the first book I wrote and Cassie and Ryan had been in my life for sixteen years – a long time! :)
You named some of the authors whose wonderful stories I enjoy very much! And I already have the first set of books you mentioned, Summer of Love. Besides that I have already ordered Splash! Like you, I do very much enjoy some series. Most of the series I’ve read, I have enjoyed. But I think an author or publisher one needs to stop at a reasonable number. Because we as readers, do sometimes tire after too many books. I’m not just sure where the limit is; but I think six books in a series ought to be enough. What do you think? That is just my thought.
Hi Faith, I hope you’re enjoying the Summer of Love books and thanks for pre-ordering Splash! :) All good things must come to an end eventually, and knowing when to pull the pin on a series can be a challenge. A lot will depend on the scope of the series and if it can flow in new directions.
Small town continuity romance series are often the ones that can continue for a long time because the authors are drawing on a whole community of characters. Love Inspired authors Janet Tronstad, Jillian Hart, Debra Clopton, plus many others have successfully created long term series that are reader favourites. Family centred series are, by definition, more limited. You can only have so many siblings in a family. I like working in lots of three, so for me a series that’s 3, 6, 9, or 12 books feels complete. Once a series pushes past 6 books, I do think the author needs to work that little bit harder to keep the series fresh and draw it into new and innovative directions.
I enjoy series but not when they end in cliff hangers. Give me an ending with a lead in to the continuing story of a secondary character at least…
Hi Deanna, yes, I agree that endings are so important. A cliffhanger ending isn’t usually the best way to encourage readers to buy the next book in the series. It’s great when the secondary characters who interest us are given their own story :)
When I was a teenageer I found a book from Lauraine Snelling’s Golden Filly series. I’m a stickler about reading series books in order and had to search high and low to track down all 10 of the books. I was able to get a few from my library system, some as inter library loans, and then stumbled across the last one at a used bookstore.
Hi Jessica, I’m glad you eventually found all the books in the series :)