The Accidental Series - #series #inspiration #VegasBabes @Archer_Larry

Conventional wisdom and statistics suggest that books in a series tend to sell better than standalone titles. This makes sense; once an author gets readers hooked on a fictional world or a set of characters, they’ll buy new series volumes because they want more of what they enjoyed before. You only have to convince a reader once, rather than woo them anew for every book.

Nevertheless, until recently, I haven’t had much success writing a series or even a sequel. I’ve tried. I’ve left some plot points unresolved. I’ve pondered my secondary characters. I’ve even outlined a series or two. I found I just couldn’t do it.

Somehow, when I’d finally typed “The End”, I felt that I didn’t have more to say. My characters had achieved their HEA, the conflicts had mostly been resolved, it was time to move on to something different.

Indeed, my tendency to experiment with a variety of sub-genres has been one force pushing me away from a series. I don’t like to be bored. Plus I enjoy the challenge of tackling something completely different from my previous work. Hence my catalog includes contemporary, science fiction, historical, steampunk, paranormal, fantasy, gay, lesbian, menage, BDSM, romance, humor and dark erotica. This diversity conflicts with the whole concept of a series, which might focus on different characters in each book, but requires a consistent genre and world view.

The relatively slow pace of my publishing also makes a series difficult. My writing time is scarce. I do a lot of business traveling. Typically it takes me many months to finish a book. A successful series depends on regularly feeding the readers’ habit, which is tough for me to guarantee.

Last year, as something of a lark (and egged on by my colleague Larry Archer), I decided to try writing stroke erotica. I wrote Hot Brides in Vegas in record time (for me...). To my great surprise, almost as soon as the book came out, I had ideas for a sequel. The characters in Hot Brides wanted more time to play. Plus I had so enjoyed the no-holds-barred, over-the-top fun of writing the first book, I wanted to do it again. 

 

Last month I brought out the second book in what I’ve decided to called the Vegas Babes series, More Brides in Vegas. More Brides takes place about six months after Hot Brides. There’s an overlap in characters and setting with the first book. More important, it’s equally outrageous in its action—if not more so! That’s one problem with a series. You’ve got to maintain the intensity, to hold the reader’s attention. To be honest, I think I managed quite well in this regard.

And guess what? I’ve already started Vegas Babes 3, Sin City Sweethearts. Once again, the book follows the previous one in time and reprises some of the same characters (including some cameo appearances from Book 1). I’m working hard to ensure that this new book is as wild, as hot and as funny as the first two.

I hope I’m up to it!

And how many Vegas Babes volumes will there be? I have no idea. I’m just following my muse, who seems to have decided that it’s time for to write a series after all. 

Actually, I have to thank Larry, too. I doubt I would have stayed around to play in Vegas if not for his encouragement. We've been trying to match our releases - though his books are more than twice as long as mine! His most recent is Crashing the Swinger's Pajama Party. And it's half price over at Smashwords, until the end of July.