With: Karen Harper

--About titles.
Obviously, a clever echo of
titles has helped Sue Grafton’s alphabet series. Nora Roberts’ “In Death” series has amazing
title echoes. Or the structure of the
titles can be in a similar grammatical format.
The first three titles of my current series have an ‘ing’ word followed
by a noun: Chasing Shadows, Drowning Tides, and Falling Darkness.
--Cliff hangers between books?
Some readers love that; some
throw the book across the room.
--Plot and place variety
Even in a series, it’s “the
kiss of death” to make your story lines too similar.
I’d also advise a variety of
settings unless the series must be tied to a particular place. But some readers love returning to the same
quaint setting.
--The domestic/romantic side
The relationships between the
leads and supporting characters should evolve.
In my rom/sus standalones over the years, the romance evolved during the
suspense and ended in commitment, usually an engagement of wedding. But in a series, an author can’t pull that
off book after book, at least with the main characters.
In my current series, I stir things
up by having a heroine who has some very modern ‘complications.’ Forensic psychologist Claire Britten has
narcolepsy, is divorced with a child, and her ex-husband is one of the main
characters even as her new relationship with Nick, a criminal lawyer,
develops.
--Keeping it all straight.
Obviously, juggling details
in a series can really do a writer in.
You don’t want feedback from readers saying, “In book one, that person’s
hair was red but now…” As for all
writers and readers, personal choice matters.
Karen Harper is the NewYork Times bestselling author of
contemporary romantic suspense and historical novels about real British
women. Visit her website at www.KarenHarperAuthor.com
When an old college roommate invites Claire Britten to join her on an archaeological dig at a Florida peat bog, it’s an offer the renowned forensic psychologist can’t refuse. Claire’s husband, criminal lawyer Nick Markwood, is comforted to see Claire working on a prehistoric burial site instead of an open grave for once. But Claire’s investigative instincts kick in when some of The Black Bog’s perfectly preserved corpses show signs of a grisly fate. What really happened to these people?
What started as an exploration of the past soon escalates into an all-too-current danger. Someone is watching—someone who really doesn’t want Claire digging into the past or Nick making connections to a current, violent murder case he’s investigating. The bog’s corpses may be long dead, but if Claire and Nick don’t figure out who’s gunning for a fresh kill, the next bodies to be discovered will be their own.
Always love your stories. One never knows what the twist will be and where it will take you.
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