Why do we love a series?
Personally, I think it’s the familiarity of going back to visit places and people who are as recognizable to us as our next-door neighbors and friends. Being able to immerse ourselves in a world where we know bad things can and do happen, but there will be retribution and a happily ever after at the end. Sometimes when the world’s gone crazy, it’s a nice escape to visit one of these make-believe worlds.
Like most readers, I have my favorite writers and I am thrilled when they start a new series. (Nora Roberts, Christine Feehan, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Laurann Dohner immediately come to mind.) I know I’m going to be treated to some wonderful reads for as long as the series last. Some series are finite—a trilogy or quartet—while others go on indefinitely. It depends on the author and the world they are creating. I’ve done both. I have the Project Alpha series and the Spells, Secrets & Seductions series, and I knew both would be a trilogy going in. But other series, like my Jamesville, Dalakis Passion, Tapestries and the Legacy series have had more books and most are still ongoing.
The same reasons I love series are also the same reasons I love to write them. In fact, I can’t seem to not write them. Every time I start to write a book, before I’m done I’m already thinking about one or more of the other characters and I know they have to have their story told. That’s what happened when I wrote Alexandra’s Legacy. I knew long before I’d finished that it would be a series. What surprised me was the books I wrote weren’t about the characters I thought I would.
After the first book, I thought the series would focus mostly on the Wolf Creek Pack, but it quickly became apparent to me that the Haven Pack in Chicago was demanding their story be told. I couldn’t resist. And while Legacy Found takes the reader back to Wolf Creek, the rest of the books in the series take place in Chicago.
Quinn’s Quest is the fourth book, and while it can be read as a stand-alone book, readers will recognize characters from past books, and an ongoing mystery that’s threaded through several of them. Watch for Finding Chrissten and Damek’s Redemption, books 5 & 6 in the series later in 2012.
Blurb:
Quinn’s Quest
Legacy, Book 4
Kidnapped and held in a crazy doctor’s underground laboratory, Bethany Morris only manages to escape because Chrissten, one of her fellow abductees, creates an opportunity—by shifting into a werewolf.
Bethany’s desperate for help, but who’ll believe her story? The police? That’ll just buy her a one-way ticket to a padded room—because here’s the kicker: she’s discovered she’s a half-breed werewolf. Her only hope is to find Chrissten’s brother.
Quinn Lawton’s long, grinding search for his missing twin has turned up nothing…until Bethany rekindles his hope. Something else catches flame too—her heat cycle and a searing attraction branded with the word mate. Yet with so much blood on his hands, any future he might offer is already tainted beyond redemption.
Desperate for Quinn’s touch alone, Bethany has no choice but to take Quinn up on his offer to quell her terrifying need, no strings attached. And hope that as the search for Chrissten intensifies, the battle with their personal demons doesn’t destroy their razor-thin chance at forever.
http://store.samhainpublishing.com/quinns-quest-p-6656.html
And on another series note, I also have another Tapestries book releasing in 2012 from Ellora’s Cave. Watch for Fabric of Fate coming soon.
What are some of your favorite series?
N.J. has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.
Visit me at:
Website: http://www.njwalters.com
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For a chance to win a PDF copy of Quinn’s Quest, leave a comment below answering N.J.’s question. Good luck!
Most recently I’ve been reading contemporary romance series. I like Jill Shalvis’ Lucky Harbor and Animal series. Carly Phillips has her Serendipity series that is really good. I also like Kresley Cole’s Immortals after Dark series. there are so so many good series out there.
There are so many good series out there, Eileen. It’s addictive. *g*
I have to agree I am more likely to buy a book in a series than a stand alone. I think that the characters in series seem more real as we get the stories of all or most of the primary characters. And you are right N.J. they are addicting.
Some of my favorites are:
Shannon Butcher’s The Sentinel Wars
Nina Bangs’ The Gods of the Night
Christine Feehan’s Dark and Ghostwalkers
Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed
Jayne Ann Krentz’s Arcane Society
Jory Strong’s The Angelini
Joyce Lamb’s True series
Laura Griffin’s Tracers
I have so many favourite series! And there is of course the difference between series involving the same main characters, and the series with different main characters but the same setting.
A few of my favourites: Laurell K. Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Christine Feehan, Bertrice Small, JD Robb, Gini Koch, Gail Carriger, Alexis Morgan, Lynn Viehl. The list is two pages in A-4 in my pc. I also love cozy mystery series.
I’ve been addicted to reading series since I was (about) 9 years old and picked up my first Nora Roberts book – Finding the Dream. I’ve been hooked on series, and Nora, ever since. Off the top of my (very sleep deprived) head, some of my favorites are the In Death series by JD Robb, the Dreamers trilogy by Nora Roberts (the one that started it all!), the Three Sisters Island trilogy by Nora Roberts, the Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward, the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning, the Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill, Rhiannon’s Law series by JA Saare, Demons of the Otherworld by Aline Hunter… Ok, I really could go on all day. I think I actually prefer reading series/trilogies to standalones these days because I want to keep reading about characters I’ve come to know and care about. I guess Nora spoiled me at an early age, lol.
And now I need to add to my list, because that blurb looks fantastic. Adding to my TBR!!
My favorite series? This could take a while. Lol, I have to say Andrea creamers wolfsbane series. Shelly Laurenston, Pack series, and pride series. I have to say Alexandra’s legacy series is on my list as well. I love series because the story continues and you get to see everything and everyone you’ve come to love reading about move forward and find love or happiness.
I tend to read mostly series too, Sabrina.
You listed some of my favorite series, Connie. 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Aurian. There are some authors that are new to me.
I’m a big Black Dagger Brotherhood fan, MamaKitty. And I love all Nora Roberts’ books.
It’s hard to pick just one, isn’t it, Abby-rae. Than you so much for including the Legacy series on your list. 🙂
I am a fan of a LOT of series, but I will only list a few 😉
Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed, J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood, Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld and Alien Huntress Series, and Lori Fosters’ Fighter Series. LOVE them!!
Ah, NJ! I love a good series, I think for many of the reasons you mentioned–revisiting characters and places I’ve come to love 🙂 Some favorites–just about anything by La Nora, Julia Quinn’s Bridgertons, Kleypas’s Wallflowers, Debbie Macomber’s Blossom Street, Laurenston’s shifters, Mari Carr’s Collins (Irish) series, Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changelings, Ann Aguirre’s Sirantha Jax and her Ellen Connor Dark-Age Dawning series, Beth Ciotta’s Friends and Lovers, … I’m just getting warmed up 😉
There are a ton of series out right now that are great. My fav’s are the Blackdagger Brotherhood Series, Nightwalker Series, Breed Series and SO many more I think of on the spot. I love series because you get to spend more time with characters you get attached to.
I LOVE getting caught up in a good series! Some of my favorites are Lorelei James Rough Riders and Blacktop Cowboys series, Nora Roberts Morrigan’s Cross and Irish Jewels series, Roxanne St Claire Bullet Catchers, and Kresley Cole Immortals After Dark.
Would love to read Quinn’s Quest. Went to college and live in the dorms with a really HOT model named Quinn! Major crush on him.
Heather E
I follow several series. Laurell Hamilton’s Anita Blake, BDB, Brac Pack by Lynn Hagen. Of course, anything by Laurann Dohner, Lora Leigh, Loralei James, etc.
I love series and feel like something is missing when the series comes to an end.
I love the Twilight series, Fallen Series, Hush Series and the Shiver series. Please enter me in contest. I would love to read this book. Tore923@aol.com
So many great series and authors out there… some of my favs are Nora Roberts/JD Robb, Jayne Ann Krentz, Laura Griffin, Laurie London, etc… 😀
I enjoy series for the same reasons and that is being able to re-visit familiar places and characters. Some of my favorite series have (sadly) ended and other on-going. I like discovering series late as well because it means I have some time before I have to wait on the next one. The ones where a book release comes only one a year is a killer on my patience. I really liked the Fever series, Sweet Valley and recently started the In Death series.
Demonica, Lords of the Underworld, Immortals After Dark
Demonica Series by Larissa Ione
In Death by JD Robb
Psy/Changeling by Nalini Singh
Virgin River by Robyn Carr
Chesapeake Shores by Sherryl Woods
Mercy Thompson by Patricia briggs
You all listed some fabulous series, and some I’ve never read. So I will be increasing my TBR list. *g* Another series I’m in love with is Maya Banks KGI series. I love to reread series too, especially when there is a new book being released!
OMG I have so many series that I absolutely LOVE. J.D. Robb’s In Death series is my absolute favorite. I love Maya Banks KGI series. Jayne Krentz’s Arcane Society series. The Demonica Series by Larissa Ione. Lorelei James Rough Riders to name a few.
My fav series are Vampire Queen, Knights of the Boardroom, Breed, Midnight Breed, and Black Dagger Brotherhood.
I love series!!! mainly for a lot of the reasons you stated, I love reading a story and seeing characters from previous books and i love that I already know their backstories and inside jokes and relationships. It is like visiting friends.
Some of the ones that I currently follow are:
Nalini Singh’s Changeling and Archangel series’
JD Robb’s In Death books
Maya Banks KGI series
Lauren Dane’s Federation books and her Brown Siblings
Lorelei James’ Rough Riders
Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson books
Robin D. Owens’ Celta series
to name a few 😉
Huge fan of the Nalini Singh series, Kris.
Some greats series, Ashely.
You listed three of my favorite series, Sherry. 🙂
Kelley Armstrong series
Patricia Briggs series
and a hundred more…
I am excited for the 4th installment of Legacy as well.
Man there are so many series I love
Sherrilyn Kenyon’s
Kresley Cole’s
Gini Koch’s
Thea Harrison’s
Robin D. Owen’s
Patrician Brigg’s
and love your tapestry series. Cant wait for the new one.
scrtsbpal at yahoo dot com
Wow, there are so many series that I love and follow
Linda Lael Miller-any of her cowboy series
Kerrelyn Sparks-Vamp series
Lynsay Sands-Vamp series
Toni McGee Causey-Bobbie Faye series
Janet Evanovich-Stephanie Plum series
Gennita Low’s-Virtual series
Maya Banks-KGI series
Larissa Ione-Demonica series
Adrian Phoenix-Maker Song series
Jocelynn Drake-Dark Day’s series
I could go on 🙂