The Allure of the Series by Marie Treanor
Hello everyone, and thank you, Larissa, for having me back in your bookish life! This a pretty exciting time for me, because ten days from now sees the release of BLOOD ETERNAL, the finale of my Awakened by Blood vampire romance/urban fantasy trilogy. Naturally this is occupying my mind somewhat! So, following my custom of blogging
If you’re anything like me, you love series books, where you can delve back into familiar yet still intriguing worlds almost as if you’re going home. In a series we have time to watch characters grow, to feel as if they’re old friends, and because of that, it can make our empathy with them that bit stronger. And I think that’s true whether the series follows the same main character, or switches to a minor character from a previous book as the hero/heroine of the next. We learn more about them in each book and are drawn more deeply into their lives and into their world.
Of course, there can be the odd drawback. Sometimes, there’s a feeling that a series might have gone on too long – true of tv series as well! – and you think maybe the author should have known when to leave it alone. Well, if sales are good, her readers are clamoring for more, and her publisher’s happy, why shouldn’t she write more of the series? And then, there’s the other point. If it’s hard for a reader to say goodbye to a series, how hard is it for the author who’s lived in that world with these people so intensely for even longer? Their story must be moving on in her head, and it’s only natural to write it.
and move on.
Well, my ending didn’t quite play out as I’d intended when I first began, because my characters wouldn’t do exactly as I told them - and quite right too! – but I think I still brought it all to a satisfying conclusion. What I didn’t bargain on was the difficulty of letting go.
My world, my characters, had grown, often in unexpected ways, as I wrote the trilogy. By the time I finished BLOOD ETERNAL, I cared massively not just for the apparently doomed love of Elizabeth and Saloman, but for the lives and happiness of all my characters. I wanted
All this I know in my head. I haven’t told their stories because I’m involved with others now. I may never write them, but like old friends, I think of them, accompany them through the next stages of their lives, just so that I don’t miss them too much.
What about you? Do you like to follow series? Why, or why not? I’d love to know!
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yes, I like the series, but not too long, because if they aren't very good, you can forget about the content and if they are very good, it's possible to suffer from anxiety until the new book is published :)
I like to follow series,if it is gripping enough to make me want to read the next installment because, there were certain books in some series,which I did not like,and I stopped reading that particular series.
I can't wait to read this book, I typically like series-extends the awesomeness!
Thanks for the comments! Good points, too :). Anxiety for the next book in a good series is very hard to cope with! Much like waiting for the next installemt in a tv series..,
Thank you, Krystal! I'm all for extending awesomeness :).
Marie
I like series because they give the author a chance to really deepen their characterizations and if I like a character, I always want to read more about them. The problem is that it's hard to remember the details about previous books when there is a year or more between them, so the author ends up having to figure out how much to recap in the new book.
I love series. If the characters were good once, I always want to read more about them and their adventures.
I havent read the series yet but i will now :D. Thanks for the great givaway
Thanks, Nadia! That's great to hear :). And you're very welcome!
Marie
Jen, that's so true! I know I've read series all at once, and found it annoying to have everything re-capped so often, and yet if you have months - or even years! - between reading the books, there's no way you could possibly remember all that! I confess, I had to be prompted by my editor to recap at all, but I know it makes sense :).
Me too, Anne!
Marie
I love, love, love series. I like to get familiar with the characters and then see how their lives go in more than 1 book.
Thanks for an awesome post and giveaway!
I love series, b/c it does allow us to revisit favorite characters and for us to see their growth/challenges. I'm pretty OCD so I end up rereading the prior books before a new release, especially if there has been a year in between. However, that gets a bit tedious w/ long series but oh well :)
This series is on my wishlist so thanks for highlight it :)
efender1(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks for the giveaway!
chocoholicmol(at)hotmail(dot)com
i do like series books, problem with some is only one book a year is written and if there's 12+ it takes way too long to read them all and remember where they left off.
i do prefer trilogies, even 4 books are ok. i will try to NOT read a set of books til all in the series have been accumulated.
sometimes you can tell from the reviews that it's gonna be a keeper, or just the authors name makes it a series worth collecting just to read it all at once.
julie
jbarrett5 at cox.net
Bookbunny, that's mostly why I like series so much too :).
Hi Erin - I'm very glad to hear that! Thank you!
You're welcome, Molly!
Marie
As with most of the posts so far I agree that a series should probably be restricted to a trilogy most times.
I think an author can also suffer when a series goes on too long as he/she will no doubt find it more difficult to do something completely different.
Thanks for the giveaway.
Carol T
buddytho {at} gmail DOT com
This sounds like a wonderful series, and I'm always looking for new books to read and review on my blog.
I can't wait to read this book.I like to follow series if they're gripping enough and the characters were good
I haven't read the series yet, but it sounds good. Thanks so much for the chance to win!
hollyjolly89@gmail.com
I'm a complete sucker for sequels. I probably am one of those bad readers who'd rather a series continue in quantity at the expense of quality ... fortunately the authors I generally fall in love with either continue their stellar performances or know when to quit even when I don't :)
Cheers
emi3mle at yahoo dot com dot au
I love series. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
I do enjoy reading series, for all the reasons you mention, I love knowing more about a character and seeing more of what happens to them. It was interesting to see an authors view on it though.
Jennelle S
I love getting hooked on a great series. Especially fun to read the stories back to back.
caity_mack at yahoo dot com
I do follow series, but sometimes they get too lengthy and I lose my interest to continue. And sometimes the timeline between the next book is too darn long and the cliffy always kills me, in those 'particular' cliffy series I intent to wait till all books are out and I have them ALL in my hand before I start that series.
smittenskitten10@gmail.com
Sounds like a great series to get hooked into. Thanks for the spotlight!
I love reading series and you summed up the reasons perfectly in your post. That is exactly how I feel too :)
Hi Julie! Interesting! I suppose I prefer to have access to a whole series, but if something caught my eye, I don;t think I could wait for all the others before reading it.
Good point, Carol - like an actor being typecast!
Thank you, Forbiddenhero! Feel free to email me if you;d liek to review the series :). Marie AT MarieTreanor DOT com.
Thanks, BlackWolf! Me too :).
Holly, thank you, and you;re welcome!
Rad, you sound like a very good reader to me :).
Thanks, Tore.
Hi Jennelle - thank you!
Cathy, exactly!
Smittenkitten - sounds reasonable! Can you tell when a series is going to do the cliffy thing?
Glad you think so, Vivien! Thanks for coming by!
Good to know, throuthehaze :). Thank you!
Marie
I love when the world and the characters grow and evolve over the course of a series! That's what keeps people interested in reading more :)
jwitt33 at live dot com
I love book series. You get to know the characters and settings more and they become more real. As long as the series continues to be interesting, I will continue following it. Some series that I follow have more than 10 or 12 books in them.
Hi Julie and June - got to agree with both of you :)
Marie
I love a series and almost always am sad to see the conclusion of one. I find when reading them I become part of the characters world almost like longtime friends that you do not get to see that often and you always want to know what is happening with them now :) Thank you for taking the time to share with us today.
I love following series. Except when I fall be hind on them. When I do I miss the characters that have become longtime friends.
While I do love series books like you - sometimes there is something to be said about a good old stand alone. Even with that said - I'm always to find a new good series!
Pabkins @ Mission to Read
I love stand alone books. Its very hard to wait for the next in a series. However, a trilogy of a series that is mind-blowingly brilliant - yes please!!
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
I love to follow series, it's nice to see characters change and grow during the course of several books. And to see them get a happily ever after at the end, or at least a satisfactory conclusion, that's the best part.
I love series books .Being able to learn more about characters and see them grow and change fall and in love is awesome.Series books expand on a world we get to see and learn more about them and the people in them that we dont get in stand alones .
flanagan@mebtel.net
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Hi there, really looking forward to this book! I do like to follow a series. I like to re-read the previous books also if a new one comes out. I read so much I can't retain all the info if enough time has passed. sometimes it's really hard to let a good series go tho. Thanks for the contest! Artesia at comcast dot net
I like following books that are part of a series. Getting to learn more about the characters and finding out how they grow and get along with new characters is one of the main things I like.
lenikaye@yahoo.com
I love following series because I becomes so attached to the characters I don't want it to end with one book and want to find out what else is happening to the characters I love.
Thank you for this giveaway!
redfirewood888(AT)yahoo(DOT)ca
Ollie aka DarkBloodyVamp
I often start at the end of a series b/c I will get a book. It is sad when a writer is tired of a series and is "just phoning it in." At least that's how it seems on the reading side. It's sad when a writer decides to go somewhere with a series that the readers hate.
<a href="http://fangswandsandfairydust.com”)> Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust</a>
@fangswandsfairy
steph@fangswandsandfairydust.com
I love series. I always want to know what happens next.
bacchus76 at myself dot com
Hi Marie,
This sounds like a pretty good trilogy - I've put them on my TBR list.
Yes, I like to follow characters in a book series. There are different kinds of series. The 1st is like your 'An Awakened by Blood Novel' series where each book is a continuation with the same hero & heroine. The 2nd kind of series, is the one that has a different hero & heroine in each, while following in the same 'world' as the other books (some connecting the other books by relatives, a group of people, or even an event - or all three); and readers usually get glimpes of past H/h's from previous books in the series.
I like both, but the 1st kind is difficult for some readers to get into (mainly because all the books are not available at one time). For books in a series, readers get vested in the characters, world and outcome of everything.
Lea Ellen {night owl in IL}
Sad that the trilogy is at its end but it's an amazing one! There are definitely some series that need to end because they're being dragged out but sometimes it's sad to see a series end.
Goodness, what a lot of comments to wake up to :). Thanks, everyone!
Hi Megan and Denise! That's the allure for me too - catching up with old friends!
Pabkins, absolutely there's room for both! It has to depend on teh story and the concept, what works best.
Marybelle - brilliance always helps :).
Hi Barbara, we're all suckers for a happy ending - eventually :).
Wanda and Leni, I love the depth you can get from series too.
Thanks, jkrowyn! And you're very welcome!
Hi Ollie - I'm with you there, and you're welcome!
Hi Steph - interesting point! And probably the downside of readers getting so involved with the series and caring so much for the characters. I must admit I've felt that way myself about some books and soem tv series too...
Hi Donna - exactly!
Thanks, Lea Ellen! Curiously enough, one publisher who was interested in the Awakened by Blood series way at the beginning, before I'd even finished the first book, wanted me to finish Elizabeth and Saloman's story in the first one, and move on to other couples for the subsequent books. The thinking there was that this would make the series more "vampire romance" and less "urban fantasy".
Thanks for the insightful comments!
Marie
Whoops! Nearly missed you, Jeanette :). Thanks for the kind words - much appreciated!
Marie
I love a good series, but the wait for the next book to come out is painful! I want it to end but also get sad when I know it's about to end :p
I love reading series! It allows me to follow a great story for a longer period of time!!
I do enjoy reading series books - it's like visiting old friends.
ironss [at] gmail [dot] com
Hi Bunny! You're describing my own feelings pretty accurately :).
Rachel, I certainly get more involved over time, so long as the wait between isn't too long!
Sheree, I agree entirely!
Thanks for coming by, everyone!
Marie
I love reading series!
They have so much to offer and i just love to read:):)
elliott2668(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thank you for the great giveaway!
I didn´t read this serie but I like the part when author talks about characters :) Sounds great, maybe I´ll read it.
Hi Temperance - you're welcome! And I agree :).
Thanks, Jeanne! Hope you do - enjoy :).
Marie
I love series- but I read too many of them!
great giveaway
follow via gfc
drakebdog@gmail.com
I do like book series, I like getting to know the characters better with each volume, revisiting them with new plots and all that. As long as the series doesn't last forever, I mean. LOL.
thanks for the giveaway!
kah_cherub at hotmail dot com
Yes, I love series! With a stand alone you just don't get quite as involved in the characters lives because there's like this knowledge that everything will be wrapped up at the end, but with series comes cliffhangers, and with that comes desperately waiting and hoping everything will go well for the characters. Thanks for the giveaway!
jessicamariesutton(At)msn(dot)com
I absolutely love reading series, between friends, family, etc. It is refreshing to find out what's going on with that particular couple a few months down the road. I agree that sometimes it does get long when the author has to recap too much, but I don't mind it too much :-)
Eva
evitap67(at)gmail(dot)com
I am looking forward to reading this and I enjoyed the interview!
Thank for the opportunity to win!
I love books in a series, although I tend to be impatient to wait for the next installment. If I know there is a trilogy, for example, I'll wait until all 3 books are out and then read them back-to-back.
Thanks for the giveaway!
darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com
Probably 90% of the books I read are series. I love revisting worlds and the awesome characters that the authors create. I too tend to collect at 3 or 4 in a series and read them bam,bam,bam. I frequently will finish a book in the wee hours and then start the next one in the series, just so I'm not left with a cliffhanger.
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alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/
I love series. I enjoy being able to follow a character through several books even if they are only playing a minor part.
Series can be difficult though. Each book need to be able to be read as a stand alone so as not to discourage new readers to the series and it means I don't have to re-read the last 10 books to remember all the intricate details before starting the newest release!
Hi Samantha - know the feeling! It's when you start getting the different series mixed up in your head that you know you have to slow down for sanity :).
You're welcome, kah_cherub :). Me too!
I know what you mean, Jess. Sometimes, you just invest more in a series!
Hi Eva. I like that too - like running into old friends. Great stuff :).
Thanks, Cindy, delighted to hear that!
Hi Darlene - I've heard a few people saying that recently. I can see the point, but I confess I don;t always have that much patience :).
Hello, Lisa! Nice to see you here :). Good idea, although it must make getting up in the morning a bit tricky!
Good point, Musingofabookworm. And I think as an author that's what I find most difficult, getting the right amount of detail without boring the reader.
I don't mind following a series, unless it's very long and gets boring. It's good to have series whereby the books can be standalones, sort of like James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series.
The covers here are lovely! Especially the first one. The dress is wow!
reviewsbyabby at gmail dot com
I love series. In fact, sometimes I feel let down, if some secondary characters don't get their own books.
marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love reading books in a series, and lone books... The only problem I have with a series is, when my coffers are running low and I have to wait to buy the next book, or wait till the the next book comes out! =D
emilytardy@yahoo.com
I adore many series! Love them! Thanks for the contest!
Hi Abby! I suppose that way you get the best of both worlds :). Thank you! Glad you like the covers - I confess I do too! The first one just blew me away!
Marlene, I see your point. Sometimes a secondary character just cries out for his own story!
Hi Emily - I know, reading can be an expensive habit! And tough on the nails too, with all that chewing you do waiting for the next book :).
Hi Danielle! Good to hear, and you;re welcome :).
Marie