I’ve been a reader since as far back as I can remember. One of my happiest memories of school from grades 4 - 8 would be Book Club day - though because of my bad memory, I inevitably forgot to bring cash and thus was left to only browse instead of take home any literary goodies. I read lots of books that were “age appropriate”, but back when I was a pre-teen, the Middle Grade and YA section was nothing like it is today, so I quickly grew bored with those novels. Both my parents were readers, and as everyone knows, if something’s in the house and considered ”for adults”, it has a special lure for kids ;-). So at twelve, I threw aside my Sweet Valley High and Judy Blume books for my parents fictional selection.
I mentioned that I have a bad memory, but I still remember the title of the first full length “adult” novel that I read. It was SKYE O’MALLEY by Bertice Small, and it hooked me on the romance genre like it was a gateway drug. I didn’t limit my reading to only romance, however; my dad was into Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, Clive Cussler, and Michael Crichton, to name a few. I glommed through all of his collection, too, until I’d read about everything both my parents had in stock. Like any reading addict, however, I couldn’t get enough. I started to measure my allowance in terms of how many books it could buy me, and when that ran out, became a library rat. It wasn’t long before I discovered something about my reading tastes. My favorite books were ones that continued the storyline of the protagonist(s) instead of ending their narrative at one book.
In short, I became a series junkie by the tender age of thirteen ;-).
Fast forward seventeen years to me starting to write Halfway to the Grave. I had no intention of it being the first in a series. I just wanted to do something that had eluded me for the better part of two decades - write an entire book. But, about a hundred thousand words into the process, I realized I was nowhere near done with Cat and Bones’s story. As soon as I typed “The End” on that book, I started the second one. And then halfway through that, I realized I still wasn’t done with their story. Cue me writing “Chapter One” on book three the next day after finishing book two.
Without intending to, I’d become a series junkie as a writer in addition to being one as a reader.
But I do recognize that some stories are best told through only one book. My Night Huntress series with Cat and Bones might span several novels with more coming, but my Night Huntress World novels are stand-alones with my protagonists having just one book highlighting them as the main characters. It was an exercise in letting go, I’ll admit, but choosing the stand-alone format for the spin-offs lets me to turn my attention to other characters who haven’t had their turn in the spotlight yet. I’m hoping readers will enjoy getting to see deeper into certain characters that they’ve only glimpsed in my regular series.
What about you? Series junkie, or are stand-alones your literary drug of choice?
-Jeaniene Frost
(My apologies for the lack of indents on each paragraph. Wordpress hates me today, it seems.)
August 1st, 2010 on 12:24 pm
I love the series. But I love them to have and end eventually. Just knowing there is an end gives me some kind of peace when starting a series. I think you hit on the best approach. Have the series and then do spin off stand alones. The best of both worlds!! Hope to see you on Aug. 5 in NC!!
August 1st, 2010 on 12:29 pm
I’m a total series junkie.I love feelin like I’m getting to know the characters and watching them live and evolve over many books. I love Cat and Bones so much I would love there to be MANY MANY books in their series. Theyre such great characters and there’s so much that can (and always does) happen to them, they never get old.
I’m still really rooting for an Ian book! And Vlad!!
August 1st, 2010 on 12:30 pm
I’m glad that I was not reading “adult” fiction so early. My early teen years were spent reading Stephen King, Tom Clancy, and whatever of my mom’s books I could borrow without her knowledge. My dad reads non-fiction so I had book reports covered in school. Now I read mostly series, even if the main character change with each book (i.e. Christine Feehan’s series). I do read some stand alones, but not many.
August 1st, 2010 on 12:44 pm
I am by far a ‘Series Girl.’ I love knowing that even though I’ve finished one book, the next one isn’t far behind! Don’t get me wrong, I love to read standalones too. Especially when I don’t have time to really get into a new series. But there’s something about really getting into a three, four, five book series that gets my brain going! I get to be with the main characters for more than just one book that condenses all the feelings and emotions in 400 pages. Thank you for fueling my desire to keep reading series because The Night Huntress is by far my favorite series! (followed closely by Succubus Blues and Vampire Academy!) <3 You rock!
August 1st, 2010 on 1:03 pm
No question, I am a series junkie. If I love the author and characters they create, it’s simple, I don’t want it to end. Stand-alones almost guarantee pain. This is why I don’t seek out short stories. It is simply over too soon. If it is a stepping stone within a series, that is, series characters who make a pitstop outside their normal terrain, that’s different. But, when I am invested in a character, I “know” them, “understand” them, I want the story to continue. This fits with short books as well. I avoid those “sample length” books because I know I will be frustrated when finished. Epic stories, I bow to you!
August 1st, 2010 on 1:08 pm
Series junkie if the author is great because you do not want to let the characters go. And I second what Wont said - I bow to your literary prowess.
BTW, I completely get setting SVH and Judy Blume aside. I snuck to my local library at 12 to get Salem’s Lot. The librarian looked down her nose at me and asked if my mom knew.
August 1st, 2010 on 1:21 pm
I am such a series junkie. I love stand alone as well but I really like to relate to characters, so series fulfills that need in me. Right now I am having a very difficult time reading Rachel Vincent’s ALPHA because I don’t want it to end. Can’t even imagine how it is for you authors when you complete a series. I’d think I’d find comfort in tequila ;).
August 1st, 2010 on 5:52 pm
I luv series books, though I loath the wait for each new book! But the wait is always worth it, I must say. I prefer a continuous story line from book to book as opposed to a single book story because I get so absorbed in the characters and their stories, so emotionally invested. They are living, breathing people - in my mind. I come to each book carrying all their history with me that I jump in feet first into each new book. There is no “get acquainted” period, no “what are the rules in this world,” no new glossary to refer to, no “who is that guy again?” — I know most if not all of the characters, I luv that. A big added bonus: You are witness to a particular character’s maturation, how they grow and change by forces within and without — such as Cat. She is a wiser, smarter woman now than she was at the beginning and a much happier one. My series favorites are Jeaniene’s, C. Harris’s books, Ward’s brotherhood series, and of late, Christina Dodd’s Chosen Ones.
August 2nd, 2010 on 1:53 am
I’m biased against series. I do read the first book of a good number of series, but almost never read the second.
The reason for me is that, with VERY rare exception, series books are fundamentally about escapsim via the reader’s companionship with the main character(s), which is not what I generally want from a novel. For similar reasons, I rarely watch any TV series, though I watch a lot of movies.
I’m a sucker for the Quantum Gravity series though.
August 2nd, 2010 on 12:47 pm
Nice to see so many fellow series junkies!
I do get that they can be a pain because they require a form of “committment” that a stand-alone doesn’t, but I personally love to follow characters over the course of more than one book. And hey, if I’m sick of the journey, I can always choose to not pick up the next in the series and pretend everything ended at the last book I read :).
August 2nd, 2010 on 2:18 pm
I definitely love my series novels, but they also tend to bring out my reading neuroses. I tend to get so attached to characters that I never want the series to end. So I end up rationing series books to the point of reading starvation, finally getting to the point where I can’t stand it anymore and just flying through every volume in a series in one week. I recently did this with Scott Pilgrim and I’m nearing the breaking point with Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera and Robert Kirkman’s Walking Dead.
I like what Jocelynn said about series novels being a slow burn. I really like watching characters develop and change over time. I like watching how alliances and friendships are formed and broken. I like being there when people fall in love. I even like being there when they’re betrayed. It’s the emotional attachment that really gets me about series novels.
I’ll read stand alones, of course, but there’s something bittersweet about knowing I’ll probably never see these people again, no matter how much I may want to.
August 2nd, 2010 on 5:16 pm
Series junkie from way back when… I think most of the books I have kept since my earlier days are all series. One look at my bookcase settled that for me!
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