Today I received Kendra Norman Bellamy's third novel in the "Grace" series, more than Grace. Beautiful cover. I will not be reading it until later in December, so it goes under the stack of books I've yet to review. Four books came in today. Just so you know.
Yet, I'm talking about this book, because lately I've been enamored with christian series novels. in fact, this weekend, I sat down with my RT January issue and mapped out all the series that will be coming in by spring 2006. And so I'm curious.
I'm revising a few novels for query submission. But I have a mystery series sitting on the back pew waiting for the first installment to be completed. I'm halfway through that one. Haven't decided if I will publish that as a novel or treat it as a short story/novella or make it a serialized novels. I think mysteries are great for serialized novels to podcast. However, I'm concerned...publishers still print epics. And some serials after a while they get to read pretty thin like their trying to fullfill their contract like Michael Jackson's last CD. On the other hand, I'm looking forward to reading the series. Once you get to know a character you want to stick around for a while, but for how long. From what I'm seeing Creston Mapes, Claudia Burney, Mary Griffith, Kendra Norman-Bellamy and a host of others, three is the thing. Is it because its a holy number? Or is it just because after three the author feels like those characters have cooked their last goose. I'm just wondering. What are your thoughts?
The Pruning Principle
2 years ago
2 comments:
As a child, I LOVED to read series, and to me mysteries were the best. But I wonder if the average adult reader has the same sticktuitiveness to hang in there with a character through more than 3 novels in a series.
Perhaps the real reason we don't typically see more than 3 novels in a series is because as adults we tend to be more fickle and have itching eyes for the next great read with a brand new set of characters...
that's me, lamonia :) except movie trilogies.
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