Comments on: Saturday Chit-Chat

By: Carol

Carol — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 04:22:42 +0000

BadBarb,
I, too, work retail and can understand exactly what you mean about waiting. But when it comes to my favorite writers, I would much rather wait to read a quality book. Sometimes the anticipation makes it more exciting and fun.

By: BadBarb

BadBarb — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 02:11:51 +0000

This is a good topic.
Carly, you know I will read whatever you and the plotmonkeys write. Sure I will whine and cry about the wait but the anticipation for an upcoming book in my opinion is part of the fun. Write what you need to write and the rest of us will gobble the books up.

Tina,
I know what you mean about people in too much of a hurry. I work retail and see it everyday. You would think the end of the world was coming if there is a line. If you come to shop on a weekend or during the holidays
then yeah there will be a line. I was once told that I wouldn’t have a line if I went faster this was during Christmas. People want things NOW and if they don’t get it immediately they whine about it.

By: Donna M

Donna M — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 22:36:08 +0000

First of all, thanks to the Plotmonkeys for answering my question. I love connected books & just got to wondering why trilogies or series of 3 work so well. The theory of a beginning, middle and an end seems very logical & it works! There are some series that are more than three that do work well, such as the Santori’s for one. Janelle, I have to confess to not having read the Wilde series but will do so some day! I can think of several authors that have on going series that are more than 3 and working very well. Much depends on how the author write the stories. If there are on going characters in each book that are relevant then it works okay, but each book has characters that are the center of that book. I hope that made sense & you can understand what I’m trying to say!
I hope everyone is having a great weekend. Enjoy.
Donna M
Thanks again Plotmonkeys for an interesting discussion on series & connected books.
Oh yea, I hate to wait but I will. As stated earlier I would rather wait & have a good book than one rushed so we have a shorter wait. :love2:

By: Liza

Liza — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 22:11:37 +0000

I have to read the series in order too. I will either get the first books from the library or go buy them if they aren’t at the library. I actually had to get the bookstore to order an older book in a series today.

By: Vicki

Vicki — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 20:41:00 +0000

For me it depends on the writer and the storyline. I just started the J. R. Ward series and omg, I love it. I can’t wait to read the next one. I won’t let myself buy it until I write at least 2 more chapters of my own wip though.

There are some that after I read the first one the second one isn’t as good and then I don’t really want to read anymore of the series. Of course that is not the way with the Plotmonkey books and I’m not just say that, it’s totally the truth. I love all of your books

By: jeannie

jeannie — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 19:00:16 +0000

Carly:

I agree with Tina.

I do get attached to characters though. If a series is good I can just keep

going and going and going. No, I am not a pink rabbit.

I hate the wait but I am loyal and do wait.

Julie:

“Also, three implies a beginning, a middle and an end.”

I am sure this is cause for upset to both authors and readers.

By: Jodie

Jodie — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 18:11:32 +0000

I think part of the problem is, we’re a society of fast everything. My kids can’t believe that we used to have to wait for something to cook in the oven. Remember pot pies that took 30 minute to cook? They think that is absolutely ridiculous because they don’t ever have to wait more than 4 minutes for something to “cook.”

When my computer takes more than 30 seconds to load a page I get frustrated. That flows over to everything, including books. I’m like the others. I start at the beginning of a series and go through them, I can’t read them out of order. Then when I get to the last book I don’t want to have to wait for the next one. I expect it to be there waiting for me, only because I’m spoiled and not used to waiting.

Since you can’t write a book a day, no matter what, we’re going to have to wait. But, I would rather wait and have a good book to read. Than read one that was just rushed through to get it out there. Just my own opinion.

By: Julie Leto

Julie Leto — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 16:10:27 +0000

Tina wrote: (That’s what happens when you turn 40)

Tell me about it! I used to be able to remember everything…now I’m lucky if I can remember my own name.

By: Tina Martinesi

Tina Martinesi — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 16:05:31 +0000

I’m like Julie, if I buy a book and find out its part of a series, I need to get the other books and read them in order, I can’t read them out of order and must have all of them. (I’m a book hog too)
Carly, I don’t like to wait, but I do…right now I’m anxiously waiting for SWAK…by the way I just recieved the book marks you sent…very cool thanks!
The problem with me, is that I read so many books, so if there is a long break between series I need to go back and refresh my memory. (That’s what happens when you turn 40)

By: Carly

Carly — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 15:38:37 +0000

And I’m most interested in how to handle SERIES now that I’m writing two new paperbacks a year … and with them scheduled most probably as July and October, that’s a 9 month wait till the next one. WHAT DO READERS WANT? Just two in a series each year? Three and wait? Four in a series, then wait for the new series? Either way you wait. So help me please. What do YOU all want to see me do?