These days my heart is heavy, because my beloved kitty of 17
years is nearing the end of her life. She has thyroid and kidney disease.
Though she has lived a long, happy life, I’m having a hard time letting go.
That made me think about series and the characters we come
to know so well over the course of many books. As an author, I love to write
series and to explore the many interesting characters in a town or location.
With each book, more is revealed. As a reader, I feel the same way and mourn a
bit when a series ends.
When I ended the books set in Pearlman, Michigan, I knew it
was time to say goodbye. That didn’t mean the farewell wasn’t bittersweet. A
few tears were shed. Do you enjoy series or books set in the same location? Why
or why not?
 |
| The last Pearlman book |
The wonderful thing about ending a series is that a new one
can begin. I loved the opportunity to set a new series, Boom Town Brides, in a
real-life place that has long fascinated me—Singapore, Michigan. No, you won’t
find this town on today’s maps, but it once existed and had a fascinating end after
the lumber boom was over. The first book in the series, Mail Order Mix Up, came out in April, and the next one, Mail Order Mommy, will be released in
November.
 |
| Book 1 of Boom Town Brides |
What do you like best about series?
Christine Johnson
http://christineelizabethjohnson.com
Mail Order Mix Up
(LIH, April 2016)
Mail Order Mommy
(LIH, November 2016)
Posts
Christine, your post made me cry. We had to say goodbye to our sweet boxer Tyson this year and it still is sad.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to say goodbye to a good series because we fall in love with the characters and they become like family.
Great post.
Christine, I'm so sorry about your kitty. ((((hugs))))
ReplyDeleteWe had to face almost losing our dog twice this winter and it's month by month at this point, so I know how you feel.
As for series, I love them. I love feeling like I've moved into whatever town it is and can settle in and get to know the folks. I love writing them too, because no hero or heroine usually lives in isolation (unless you're writing a Beauty and the Beast book) so it's fun to see the stories of the other folks.
Big (((hugs))), Mary. It's so difficult to say goodbye to our beloved pets.
ReplyDeleteI agree. The characters in series do begin to feel like family.
Cate, that month-to-month part is so tough. Hugs right back at you.
ReplyDeleteSo very sorry. I understand. We lost our sweet dog Nala last September. It's been almost a year and I still miss her like crazy. :(
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about your dear kitty. I still miss my Cookie who died six years ago. They just stay in our hearts.
ReplyDeleteI'm from Michigan and my family has a long history of lumber and sawmills. I grew up around them, that's for sure! Your new series sounds great!
Christine, so sorry about your kitty. Always hard!
ReplyDeleteI hate to end a story and always need a little time before I start a new one. Perhaps I'm saying goodbye to the old. It's always a letdown...
Dana and Jill, our pets are so dear to us. They're our babies. I'm sure I'll miss my sweet girl kitty for a long time.
ReplyDeleteDebby, I know what you mean, especially when I get totally wrapped up in the story. It's so hard to pick up another book right away. Saying goodbye to a series is especially tough.
ReplyDeleteChristine, I'm so sorry about your kitty. I've had to say goodbye to too many pets. It's always sad. I love series, too.
ReplyDeleteI love series as it helps as u said explore the characters from the previous books and get a more indepth look at minor characters as well. Say good byes to loved ones is hard some u r reasy for n others not so much.
ReplyDeleteI'm typing with a cat head on my hand. Yup, Tyre wants attention so he's next to me.
ReplyDeleteHe's four.
My giant puppy will be a year next month.
I still miss my beloved Aquila, a black and white male cat who will always be the cat of my heart.
Christine, I'm sorry your feline friend won't be with you much longer. Losing a pet is hard. They fill a special spot in our hearts and leave a void when they're gone. Hugs to you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind sympathy, Merrillee, Pamela and Keli. Hugs back at you. Pamela, I love how cats aren't shy about letting you know what they want, especially when I'm busy doing something else, like writing a book.
ReplyDeleteScraproni, thanks for stopping by. I agree with you about series. I love learning more about the characters too. It also allows us as authors to extend the story of the couples from previous books so we can see their "happily ever after."
So true
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