I had semi-planned a post on flashbacks for this week, linking it in to Lovers Entwined and reminding people that there were several more hours to get a 30% rebate over at ARe on all books on the site published by Ellora's Cave.
However, earlier today I watched the last two episodes of Whitechapel series 4 in an effort to clear some space on my recorder for several new series I want to watch. For some reason these last few episodes had been hanging about on the box for ages; don't know why because I love the show, even though it can be creepy as f**k.
Having finished the two episodes and totally hyped up and eager to watch more, I took to the web to find out how long I would have to wait for Series Five, only to discover this tweet:
NOOOOOOO! I all but screamed (I was eating my dinner at the time--very bad form to have a tablet at the table but I had to know--and didn't want to spray pasta around the room). I surfed some more, just to verify the fact but it appeared to be true. No more Whitechapel! Why? They hadn't tied up all the loose ends, not to my satisfaction. Who was the creepy lady? Why was she targeting the team? Would the crime scene lady ever have her baby? Would Kent finally get into Chandler's well-tailored trousers?
I haven't been this disappointed by the cancellation of a show since the plug was pulled on Lois and Clark. Even after more than a decade my overriding memory of that last episode is the final shot with the words 'To be continued...' in bold white letters across the bottom of the screen. Liars!
It got me to wondering about author's who write series books. All I've researched suggests that this is the way to make sales. Readers will get behind a series, buy into the characters and keep coming back for more. Except how long can you continue to write about the same characters before it is time to finish their story. I think this question is especially valid in romance where a main feature of the storyline is the relationship. Few people want to see their heroes falling out of love once they've finally got their happy ending. Yes, I know life if is like that, but I don't don't read romance for the reality factor. I read it to get lost just for a few hours,safe in the knowledge that no matter what crap our heroes wade through, everything will turn out all right in the end. My definition of all right is dependant on the book and the characters, I need hope that they are travelling the road to a happy ever after, even if we don't see it. What I don't want is foreshadowing that could put doubt on the relationship you have already convinced me is, not only, for real, but hopefully, forever.
So did the characters in Whitechapel get their Happy Ending? Since the programme could in no way resemble a romance, is that even a valid question. There was foreshadowing a plenty for the series to come (which will never be) and, as you can see from above, plenty of unanswered questions. But each of the main characters had personal issues addressed to a certain degree and the writers appeared to be leading them to places where they could be happy. I have to wonder if the writers would have done anything differently had they known they were writing the last ever episode. Maybe not; neatly tied parcels of all the loose ends hardly seemed their thing.
At least they made me no promises.
To be Continued...
Bah!
Author of gay romance. Happy Endings guaranteed. Eventually.
Friday, 31 January 2014
Saturday, 4 January 2014
First Blog of the Year
and I guess I should start by wishing everybody a Happy New Year.
I noticed that many of my favourite authors are posting their resolutions. I don't do resolutions, or at least I try not to but unfortunately it is too easy to be swept away by the good intentions of others. I do have a couple of goals for the year as far as my writing goes.
Blog more often. Once a month at least. Last year I set myself an unrealistic blogging target considering how much free time I get.
Try to post articles on other people's blogs. I'm well aware how little foot traffic this blog gets. Posting elsewhere will help get other people to see me. (I'm the author in the corner, too self conscious and unsure to come and play with the cool kids)
Get at least one book published this year. Maybe I'm being too picky with...everything. My writing. The publishers I submit to. The stories I tell. Why can't I write a series? Or short stories? Or about shifters, or men in uniform, or men with kids? Hell, if I could only write a series about a cop werewolf finding his mate, who has a small and adorable child in tow, and manage to keep the stories under 60K. Oh well, each to their own, you can only be true to the voices inside your head.
And just to contradict the statement I have just made about being too picky.
It's your story. Tell it the way you want it told. If you don't agree with the changes you've been asked to make, then don't change it. Is it worth making changes just to get the story published? For some I know it is. Me, I don't do it for the money (thank goodness or we would be living in the gutter), so if it doesn't feel right don't change it.
Get more people to buy Lovers Entwined. It's a better book than my sales figures give it credit for, I know it is.
To that end, did you know that All Romance ebooks are offering a 30% rebate on all Ellora's Cave books during January. And who publishes both Lovers Entwined and Lesson Learned? Yep, you've guessed it. So pop over there, read the blurb and see what you think. If you buy, then you can earn yourself credit to spend on other books. Win win.
And of course, let me know what you think, I'm always around on Goodreads, where you can rate and review (and I promise not to take any comments personally).
Happy New Year, my friends. Let's make it a good one.
I noticed that many of my favourite authors are posting their resolutions. I don't do resolutions, or at least I try not to but unfortunately it is too easy to be swept away by the good intentions of others. I do have a couple of goals for the year as far as my writing goes.
Blog more often. Once a month at least. Last year I set myself an unrealistic blogging target considering how much free time I get.
Try to post articles on other people's blogs. I'm well aware how little foot traffic this blog gets. Posting elsewhere will help get other people to see me. (I'm the author in the corner, too self conscious and unsure to come and play with the cool kids)
Get at least one book published this year. Maybe I'm being too picky with...everything. My writing. The publishers I submit to. The stories I tell. Why can't I write a series? Or short stories? Or about shifters, or men in uniform, or men with kids? Hell, if I could only write a series about a cop werewolf finding his mate, who has a small and adorable child in tow, and manage to keep the stories under 60K. Oh well, each to their own, you can only be true to the voices inside your head.
And just to contradict the statement I have just made about being too picky.
It's your story. Tell it the way you want it told. If you don't agree with the changes you've been asked to make, then don't change it. Is it worth making changes just to get the story published? For some I know it is. Me, I don't do it for the money (thank goodness or we would be living in the gutter), so if it doesn't feel right don't change it.
Get more people to buy Lovers Entwined. It's a better book than my sales figures give it credit for, I know it is.
To that end, did you know that All Romance ebooks are offering a 30% rebate on all Ellora's Cave books during January. And who publishes both Lovers Entwined and Lesson Learned? Yep, you've guessed it. So pop over there, read the blurb and see what you think. If you buy, then you can earn yourself credit to spend on other books. Win win.
And of course, let me know what you think, I'm always around on Goodreads, where you can rate and review (and I promise not to take any comments personally).
Happy New Year, my friends. Let's make it a good one.
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