Linked Series and Series Bait! by Sara Ramsey & giveaway
Sara is giving away to one a copy of SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES! How do you enter go to her website www.sararamsey.com
Come back here and in the comment section tell us something you found of interest on her website for a chance to win. Winner will be picked on 7/10
Linked Series and the Challenge of “Series Bait”
My Muses of Mayfair series is a set of standalone books connected by a secret club for female artists. When I originally planned the series, I envisioned three stories…and *only* three stories. The first, HEIRESS WITHOUT A CAUSE, involves a heroine who is secretly an actress, and it released earlier this year. My second heroine writes Gothic romance novels and starred in my April release, SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES. The third heroine, a painter, will come out later this summer.
So far so good, right? Readers are used to trilogies and secret clubs, and this all feels like a neat, tidy package. But now that SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES is out, readers aren’t clamoring for the story that I planned as the third book in the series. Oh, they still want the third book – it was set up in the first book, so much so that I was worried that readers would view her as “series bait” to keep them engaged and get them to read the second book in the interim. But even my beta readers are quietly saying that they must *immediately* have more about the fourth member of the Muses of Mayfair – a book I hadn’t even planned to write at the start of the series.
As a reader, I have always loved linked series – it’s fun to revisit characters whom I grew to love in previous books, and it’s also fun to guess what will happen with secondary characters in future stories. The trend toward linked series is so prevalent that I can’t think of any romances I’ve read recently that were truly standalone. The challenge, though, is knowing when a series should end – and not dragging a beloved character through a dozen books as “series bait” to keep the audience engaged until the bitter end.
Now that I’m writing books rather than just reading them, I understand better why some series continue past their expiration dates. I already feel pressure to come up with more stories that might appeal in this particular milieu, and ideas have cropped up for expanding the Muses of Mayfair membership, or for novellas based on peripheral events in the series. It’s certainly easier to keep going with this series than it would be to develop a new one – I already know the world and the characters, and so I just have to brainstorm one hero and heroine rather than build an entire society for them to play with.
Still, for every long, multi-book series that works (Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series is my favorite example), there are many that don’t work (but you won’t trick me into naming names 
. It’s a tricky balance – readers love to see familiar characters, but like any sitcom, eventually the jokes get old and the major situations have all been played out. That’s where “series bait” comes in. If there’s still a central character or question that needs to be resolved, the core audience will stick around.
So I suppose I’m doing something “right” by creating a character people are eager to read more about, even though the fourth Muse wasn’t originally a main character, let alone bait! But I assure you, she will definitely star in the fourth book – I don’t want to violate my “no series bait” rule so early in my career
What do you think about the shelf life of linked series in romance? What long, multi-book series have worked for you? And do you tolerate “series bait”, or do you eventually give up in disgust?
Get the first book in the series today!
Sara grew up in a small town in Iowa, and her obsession with fashion, shoes, and all things British is clearly a rebellion against her hopelessly uncool youth. She graduated from Stanford University in 2003 with a degree in Symbolic Systems (also known as cognitive science) and a minor in history. Sara subsequently worked at Google for seven years in a variety of sales, management, and communications roles. She left Google in 2010 to pursue her writing career full time. Read all about her Regency obsessions and upcoming works at www.SaraRamsey.com. Or, follow her slightly ridiculous Twitter feed, @Sara_Ramsey.
July 3rd, 2012 at 2:04 pm
Her site is easily perused and she lists her most popular posts
July 3rd, 2012 at 5:21 pm
Her debut novel, HEIRESS WITHOUT A CAUSE, was chosen as a Nook First pick.
Sara is a new author just entering into my radar. Her books sound really good so I have placed them on my BTB list.
July 4th, 2012 at 1:02 pm
I noticed that James Bond (Daniel Craig version) is one of her favorite heroes. I’d pick Pierce Brosnan myself.
This series sounds fantastic and I’m looking forward to reading both books out now as well as the two that are yet to be released (so far).
Barbed1951 at aol dot com
July 4th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Your book sounds really interesting. I added it to my TBR list.
July 4th, 2012 at 2:36 pm
As for a fav James Bond, although Daniel Craig is yummy, my fav is Sean Connery!!!
Valerie
July 4th, 2012 at 6:51 pm
Your series sounds great and one I think will have to go on my tbr list.. I think the length of a series depends on the secondary charaters. DO your readers like it. Do they want to read more about them or the place where the book takes place.
July 5th, 2012 at 2:53 am
She won the prestigious 2009 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award with her first book, Scotsmen Prefer Blondes (formerly titled An Inconvenient Marriage).
July 5th, 2012 at 6:28 am
Your series sounds great Sara! I had to enter the contests on your web page!
July 5th, 2012 at 8:44 am
I read this book! It was actually quite entertainining. Two characters in there actually gave me the Quinn Penelope and Colin’s vibe.. though the man was not much of a womanizer or rogue.
July 5th, 2012 at 9:44 am
I love series but it seems that trilogies work best for me. My attention does dim over a series after a time and I never was able to understand if it was just me growing overly comfortable about the characters and situations. Some of my favorite series has been Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander and CL Wilson’s Fading Lands.
I peeked at your site and was amused to see it state that you are proud of your bad taste in music and movies. Made me think of Helena Bonham Carter and her purported bad fashion sense whenever she must walk the red carpet. I like to think of it as talented people embracing eclectic tastes.
July 5th, 2012 at 10:19 pm
Thanks so much for the comments, everyone – and for taking time out of the usual summer rush to read my post
Karen, Joye, and Kathleen – thanks for adding me to the TBR list. Not to hit you over the head with marketing, but as a heads up, the first book in the series (HEIRESS WITHOUT A CAUSE) is only $0.99 on Amazon/B&N/All Romance through the weekend – so if you want to try the series, this is the cheapest it’s going to get
Raonaid – I’m so glad you enjoyed the book! Penelope and Colin are one of my all-time favorite romance couples – now I’m going to have to go back and reread it.
Barbara – thanks for the comment! Pierce Brosnan was totally hot as Bond (and everything else – even loved him in Mamma Mia), so I’ll give you that
Valerie – funny you should say Sean Connery – SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES is actually dedicated to him. I was a resident assistant for a college dorm, and we chose Sean Connery as the theme – which turned out to be a wonderful choice, since I got to ogle pictures of him in the common areas all year
Chris – thanks for entering my contest! Best of luck to you!
Little Lamb – series sometimes fail to keep my interest too. I’m half happy, half terrified that you compared me to Helena Bonham Carter – I love how out-there she is, but I think I’m traveling a little too fast down the path to complete eccentricity. If I can pull it off like her, though, I’d be fine with it!
July 6th, 2012 at 10:50 am
She graduated from Stanford University in 2003 with a degree in Symbolic Systems (also known as cognitive science) and a minor in history.
Hi Sarah. I am looking forward to reading Scotsmen Prefer Blondes. I too loved Sean Connery in Bond. His brogue is delicious.
I actually love series books. Stephanie Lauren’s Cynster Family books and I’m with you on the Bridgerton series. Also Karen Marie Moning’s Highlander series. Thanks for this opportunity Sarah.
Carol L.
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
July 15th, 2012 at 12:26 pm
Winner picked – Congrats Joyce. Please send your snail mail addy to chaoscat@romancejunkies.com
July 17th, 2012 at 2:59 pm
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