791 and counting …

• Posted in Books I've Read

Finished Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas. It’s the third book in her “Wallflower” series. This read brings me within striking distance of reading my 800th book by the end of the year. Yeah! 🙂

It’s about Evie, a shy, stammering heiress who’s so desperate to get away from her abusive family that she approaches Sebastian, a roguish lord who’s fallen on hard times, with an offer of marraige. Evie gets Sebastian’s protection, while he gets her considerable fortune. It’s a marriage of convenience, but turns into much more than that …

I have to say that it’s the best of the bunch so far, which surprises me. Sometimes, I find that the more books an author writes in a series, the worse they get. The characters don’t grow and change, the plots mirror each other, and you get the same jokes over and over again.

There is one very popular author in particular who is guilty of all three of these things, and it drives me crazy. Her last four books have all been carbon copies of each other, and I no longer feel a pressing urge to read them as soon as they come out.

As an author of a series of books (who also hopes to write more than one series), I’m concerned about falling into this trap. 

It’s a delicate balance between keeping your writing fresh and interesting, and hitting all the high points that your readers come to expect. I think it helps to write about different characters, like I’m doing in my Bigtime series. But, there are some authors who write about different characters in their series, and their books are pretty much interchangeable.

It’s a slippery slope that I hope I don’t ever start down.

What about you? Do you think series get better or worse with age? Inquiring minds want to know …

3 Responses to “791 and counting …”

  1. Meljean says:

    I worry about this, too — either repeating myself and becoming stale, or losing readers by not being the same enough. Er, not that I have tons of readers right now.

    I don’t know where the balance is. I know that I’ve stopped reading several series (or rather, don’t wait in front of the bookstore until it opens to rush in and grab them) because the excitement isn’t there anymore. But at the same time, I think: the plot doesn’t necessarily have to be super-fresh (because in romance, really, what plot is?) but the writing and energy has to be there. And some series, I just think the magic is gone. Or, if not gone…just not magic anymore.

  2. Meljean says:

    But, there are some authors who write about different characters in their series, and their books are pretty much interchangeable.

    Oh, and yes yes yes. I’m using different characters too, but god help me if they ever become indistinguishable. I’ll just quit writing from shame.

  3. Jennifer Estep says:

    I know what you mean. I’m also worried that people won’t get my book and will absolutely hate it.

    As far as series go, Janet Evavonich comes to mind for me. I used to love her Stephanie Plum books. Now, I just wish Stephanie would make a decision between Ranger and Joe before I hit 50.

    And it’s not just plots that are the same — words are too. There is another author who uses the phrase “short, curly hairs” in every sex scene in every single one of her books. Argh!

    I’m bad about repeating words and phrases, so I have to go through everything I write pretty carefully to edit them out.

    BTW, thanks for giving me a shout-out on your blog a few months ago. I appreciate it. And I plan on picking up some of your books, so you’ve got one more reader now. 🙂

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