How long should a series be? - by Vijaya Schartz

New Release Malaika's Secret
Available everywhere HERE

I wrote many series, some as short as two books (the Archangel twin books), others as long as eight novels (like the CURSE OF THE LOST ISLE, based on Celtic legends). New authors, and sometimes readers, ask me how long a series should be. There is no universal answer to that question. A series, like a book, should be as long as needed to tell the whole story. 

The number of books also depends upon the characters. 

If they are the same characters throughout the series, is each novel a continuation of the previous book? The author cannot hold the reader without resolution indefinitely. That is how some TV series that started strong lost their momentum when the writers dragged the story too long before offering some kind of explanation or resolution. 

On the other hand, if each novel is a complete story, the series can go on much longer. A few authors have successfully published dozens of novels in the same series that way, some were later adapted for TV series, like Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli & Isles. Harry Potter also comes to mind, but as it features children, and children do grow up, that series was limited from the start. As for characters like James Bond, they can probably go forever with many different incarnations as each generation gives it a different twist. 

Sometimes, each book come with its own set of fresh characters, in the same setting, with a link to the previous and future books. That’s the case for my CHRONICLES OF KASSOUK series, where each book is an independent story with a different hero and heroine. The six novels are set on the same planet, a few centuries apart. For those reading them in the right order, they get to see the evolution of a group of marooned human settlers into a fully grown society, with its particular culture, facing ups and downs, struggling for their independence and for their rights, amid defeats and victories, until the series comes full circle in its unexpected but logical ending. 

My longest series (eight novels) is The CURSE OF THE LOST ISLE, based on Celtic legends. Since my ladies are immortal (related to Morgan the Fay), they reappear in different times in history. The first two books tell the story of Pressine the Fay. In book two, she has three daughters, subsequently featured in the following books. Melusine the Fay has four books, as she appears in different places at different times in history (books 3-4-5-8). Her sisters, Palatina (book 6) and Meliora (Book 7) each have one story to tell, so they only have one novel.

Curse of the Lost Isle series - Celtic Legends

Another technique is to write shorter series, related to each other. Three books is considered a happy number for a series. Easier to commit to for the reader. Some readers also like to only read series that are complete, as they do not want to wait until next year for the next book. The reader who enjoys a three-book series, will likely pick up the next series set in the same world they enjoyed the first time, like the Star Wars universe. 

This is the case for my BYZANTIUM series and AZURA CHRONICLES, set in the same universe with a few crossover characters. Byzantium is a space station, and Azura is a planet, existing in the same universe at the same time.

 

Most of my series novels are standalones, and the reader can pick up any book and thoroughly enjoy it without missing anything. Then he/she can go back and enjoy the other books as well, even if not read in the chronological order. But if you are like me, you’ll want to read them in the right order to fully appreciate the arc of the bigger story behind the novels. 

On that note the first book in each of my series is currently discounted to $1.49 on amazon. Here they are:

WHITE TIGER
Chronicles of Kassouk - Book One

On the frozen plains of Kassouk, where a few aliens rule a medieval Human world, Tora, Human warrior trained by tigers, seeks her father’s murderer. But what she finds at the point of her sword confuses her. How dare Dragomir, the handsome Mutant, question her bloodline and her loyalties? And could a new enemy control the savage hordes of the fringe?

Dragomir offers to help, but Humans and Mutants are forbidden to fraternize under penalty of death... Should Tora trust her mind, her instincts, or her heart?

In the vortex of war, treason and intrigue, among blizzards, avalanches and ambushes, Tora sets out to solve the mystery of her father’s death. When she unveils the secret of her birth, she realizes Dragomir is the key, and together, they must save their planet from the invaders and fulfill their destiny... if they can survive dire persecutions from those they mean to protect.

BLACK DRAGON
Byzantium Book One

A gambler is cheating in a den of the Byzantium space station, and Lieutenant Zara Frankel intends to catch him in the act. She always gets her man, but this one could prove more than she can handle.

Captain Czerno Drake, code name Black Dragon, has come under cover to break his innocent uncle from the most secure penitentiary in the galaxy, on the Byzantium space station. He will stop at nothing to succeed, even enrolling the help of Zara, the lovely straight arrow GTA enforcer. When Zara realizes that she’s been duped by a shrewd but seductive rebel, her reaction surprises everyone, most of all herself.

"I love this one by Vijaya Schartz. As always, her action-packed, well-plotted out prose kept me glued to the pages of Black Dragon from start to finish." TwoLips Reviews 5-kisses and a RECOMMENDED READ

ANGEL MINE
Azura Chronicles Book One

What in the frozen hells of Laxxar prompted Fianna to pursue her quarry to this forbidden blue planet? Well, she needs the credits... badly. But as if crashing in the jungle wasn't bad enough, none of her high-tech weapons work. She'll have to go native, after the most wanted felon in five galaxies. It's not just her job. It's personal.

Acielon has never seen an outworlder like this fascinating female, strangely beautiful, and fierce, like the feline predator loping at her side. He always dreamed of exploring the universe, despite the legends... and the interdiction. Is it truly a hellish place of violence, lies and suffering? If it spawned this intriguing creature, it must also be a place of wonders, adventure and excitement.

Fianna's instincts tell her someone is watching. Sheba, her telepathic feline partner, doesn't seem worried... yet, something on Azura isn't quite right.

PRINCESS OF BRETAGNE
Curse of the Lost Isle Book One

From history shrouded in myths, emerges a family of immortal Celtic Ladies, who roam the medieval world in search of salvation from a curse... but if the Church ever suspects what they really are, they will be hunted, tortured, and burned at the stake.

As the Vikings raid the coast of Alba, Pressine of Bretagne sets out to seduce King Elinas of Dumfries, chosen by the Goddess to unite the tribes against the foreign invader. Elinas, still mourning his departed queen, has no intention to remarry. Head strong and independent, Pressine does not expect to fall for the very attractive, wise and noble ruler... Furthermore, her Pagan nature clashes with the religious fanaticism of the king’s Christian heir, who suspects her unholy ancestry and will stop at nothing to get rid of her.

ANAZ-VOOHRI
Ancient Enemy Book One

The Anaz-voohri have returned from the stars after eight hundred years, to claim the planet of their ancestors... a blue orb named Earth.

Since he witnessed the abduction of his baby sister by an alien creature, Zack will stop at nothing to rescue her, even if it means joining the Special Forces.

But Tia Vargas, the reckless Amazon training the secret unit for a highly classified mission, has no use for this handsome, rebellious recruit, at least not on the battlefield, until Zack’s farfetched stories prove to be true, and tragedy strikes

Enjoy the discounted reads! 

Vijaya Schartz, author

Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes

http://www.vijayaschartz.com

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If music be the food of love—Tricia McGill

 

Find all my books here on my BWL page

I’ve not thought about Shakespeare’s quote that finishes with, “play on” for years. It comes from his opening scene in Twelfth Night where this phrase describes Orsino’s poor lovelorn heart. Presumably, what he wants is for his hurting heart, brought about by his unrequited love for Olivia will, much like the music, get such an excess of it that it will die.

Music plays an enormous part in most people’s lives, be it to serenade the love of your life, or simply to have fun. The choice of music, even at the funerals of our loved ones, has a deep meaning, and often gives the mourners a clear picture of the character of the deceased. These days the guitar seems to be an instrument that many young people learn to play. Going back to my childhood, one of my aunties, who happened to live in the same house as my family owned a piano. At most of our family get-togethers—if we happened to end up in her front room—she would be urged to give us a tune. Sadly, that old piano was slightly out of tune, but who cared? Auntie would bang away on the keys and everyone would play the guessing game about what she was actually playing for it took her a while to get into the music. Her eldest daughter was—let us say—forced into taking lessons, likely because Auntie never had the opportunity to have such tuition. My cousin admitted to me that she hated it and I longed to learn the piano but we couldn’t afford such a luxury. That is why to this day I cannot play an instrument, and to be honest cannot sing in tune either—so I have been told. But this lack of a musical ear does not stop me enjoying music. Life would be empty without it.

What brought about these musical thoughts is that the characters in my latest work in progress were about to have a romantic evening alone, and every couple under these circumstances would like a slow dance together. For this, you need music. In the 1940s when London was in the midst of the Blitz, this family did not possess a piano, so the next best thing was a gramophone. My hero Bill comes home with one and a few borrowed records, so the evening is complete with Bing Crosby crooning in the background.  My two eldest sisters owned a gramophone plus a couple of records that I remember clearly to this day. One was Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, the other Gershwin’s - Rhapsody In Blue. I recalled that this marvellous gadget didn’t run on electricity, so therefore I relied on good old Google to remind me how the spring inside had to be tightened, which required a wind up handle.

All this got me to thinking about early musical instruments and where they originated. Flutes made from bird bone and mammoth ivory found in a cave in Southern Germany proved to be 42 to 43,000 years old, so showed evidence of modern humans in Europe that long ago. I am still trying to imagine these Homo sapiens dancing to the music of the flute. They were more than likely used as a ceremonial instrument or a warning signal. 

A pair of trumpets found in Tutankhamen's tomb were proven to be over 3,000 years old. These finely engraved instruments depicted images of their gods.

This proves that mankind has almost always craved music in their lives. The number of instruments invented to fill this craving is endless. We all have our favourite type of music, mine is Country. My husband and I met at a local dance hall on Christmas Eve many years ago, and from then on spent most of our nights out rocking and rolling, perhaps to Bill Haley and the Comets or even The Rolling Stones. One of my sisters was a talented, mostly self-taught, keyboard player.

Enjoy your music--and what is that saying? "Dance like no one is watching." 

Visit my web site for excerpts from all my books

The Viking Village of Ribe by A.M.Westerling

My Viking romance A Heart Enslaved is available at your favourite online store HERE.

 *****

A number of years ago, my husband and I were touring Denmark about the time I was thinking of writing a Viking romance. Wouldn’t you know it, but during our travels we came across the Viking village of Ribe, a living museum situated in the south west corner of the Jutland peninsula. We spent a lovely afternoon wandering around the village. It was market day so stalls were set up with merchants selling their wares, including traditional clothing and beautiful woven cloth. 

Traditional crafts were on display as well and I absolutely adored the falcon. 

We wandered around the buildings, clumping along the wooden sidewalks and admiring the gardens surrounded by fences made with woven branches. 

We said goodbye to the three statues guarding the entrance and had one last look of the village as we walked away.

And so ends our little tour of Ribe. I highly recommend visiting this museum if you're ever in Denmark and interested in glimpsing Viking history.

*****

All my books are available through BWL Publishing, HERE. Happy reading! 

Featured Author E.R. Yatscoff

Visit https://bookswelove.net/yatscoff-e-r/  to purchase E.R. Yatscoff books

 If any of you readers are somewhat tired of cops, lawyers, and PI novels I’d like to steer you toward something different—firefighter crime. BWL Publishing Inc. figured it was different enough and took on my firefighting crime series. A firefighter crime series certainly fills out their wide range of genres. FIRE DREAM, MAN ON FIRE, and next year’s FINAL RESPONSE are the three comprising the series. I like writing about fire officers as they are masters at chaos control. During my career I’ve found they can handle anything—that is until I get a hold of them. My recipe is simple: mix a courageous, competent, logical fire officer with elements of murder, various crimes, and voila…firefighter crime series novels.

In FIRE DREAM the first of the series, my protagonist captain’s public persona is that of a courageous hero due to an accidental photo that went national. His visit to his hometown triggers past memories and he is blindsided by an incident he took part in as a teenager. It’s a very large skeleton in his closet. The closet door opens wider. He’s trapped by his past and can barely understand the crimes swirling around him. Two strong female digging deep, are not at all satisfied by his obfuscation and heroic persona. Revealing his murderous past may solve the crimes but destroy his life.

The same protagonist, Vancouver Fire Captain Gerry Ormond is also featured in MAN ON FIRE #2 in the series, but now he’s a chief. The story has much more crime and some returning characters, notably the strong women as in FIRE DREAM. This time they are far less hostile to him but still driven. In MAN ON FIRE the new chief gets embroiled in embezzlement, murder, extortion, and heavily involved with the Russian Mafya. Oh yeah, plenty of crime from plenty of angles.

Now FINAL RESPONSE the 3^rd in the series is totally different. The idea came to me one frigid February afternoon while on duty. A blizzard whipped snow around my fire station and for all the world seemed the entire city was abandoned—no vehicles, no pedestrians. What if me and my crew were truly alone in an empty city? The story is a bit of speculative fiction and set in Edmonton during a 6-month brutal Polar Vortex. A cadre of firefighters are tasked to protect an ‘evacuated’ city from burning down. Soon they discover a gang of thieves looting the city and the criminals don’t want any witnesses. As if the brutal weather wasn’t enough. It’s the old saying “When your up to your ass in alligators, draining the swamp is not the first priority.”

FIRE DREAM is the first Canadian firefighter crime fiction ever. Why? There’s plenty of police/detective writersbecause police response begins at the outset, arrests are made, witnesses questioned, evidence is gathered, arrests made, and finally a trial. Firefighters respond to an emergency and hand off investigations to the police who have greater resources and experience. Fire crews return to station in order to prepare and resupply equipment used at a scene. Fire investigators in Canada, except for the Toronto Arson squad who can make arrests, are limited to finding the point of origin of a fire using sniffers and dogs. Many dispatches are ‘unknown’ which can be anything including various crimes. When people don’t know who to call for an emergency—any emergency—it’s firefighters who get the call.

My 32-year career wrapped up as a Station Officer where I could sometimes have as many as 50 firefighters under my command at a large incident. I’ve lived the life and it does reflect in my writing. Initially, in MAN ON FIRE you will read about the Incident Command System which is a standard command and control operation, utilized in North America. The first responding officer on scene takes command—even a junior captain—and controls/manages the incident.

Some years back my District Chief needed some members of the community to attend Reading Week at a nearby elementary school. I got a few hours off for it. At the school I sat at a table beside a nurse, CN rail engineer, and a veterinarian. I had my yellow helmet on the table and uniform shirt with shoulder flashes. The others wore their work clothes of their various disciplines. Each of us read a page from a popular book and then the kids asked us questions. At the end of it all, the teachers told me that the kids were quite surprised to see a firefighter there; they didn’t think firefighters could read.

I have written and sold travel articles, one which won a competition. I’ve published several young readers short stories and won a 2017 John Bilsland award for a non-fiction piece.

THE RUMRUNNER’S BOY a YA historical crime fiction was an Arthur Ellis Award Finalist. The story does have an interesting background. It’s unique because it’s the first YA fiction on the rumrunning era, however; more adults are enjoying it than young adults. My grandfather was a real rumrunner in the Detroit-Windsor area. My cousin and I would often talk about him although we never knew the man because he died when we were quite young. After rolling that family history around for a number of years, I began some research and discovered there is no fiction in Canada on the rumrunning era during U.S. Prohibition. Writing a decent story might just be the winner I need.

The book was almost finished but I felt it needed more and I couldn’t really say just what that was. I headed to Essex County, Ontario and an appointment with Captain Harvey Ryersee who piloted the ferry to Pelee Island from Kingsville. He invited me up on the bridge and I got a wealth of info from him. Every name he mentioned went into my story as did the names I garnered from the Port Dover Harbor Museum. I figured on keeping the memory alive of the men during that era. Pelee Island is the most southern point in Canada in the warm waters of Lake Erie. Islands dot this western end of Lake Erie stretching down to Ohio like stepping stones, all within sight of one another. One can understand why rumrunners prowled this area as there were plenty of places to hide and dodge the U.S. Coast Guard. Unfortunately, there is no written history from there on the liquor smuggling era.

I submitted it to the Crime Writers of Canada for an Arthur Ellis Award competition. I knew I was the outlander as many authors who enter this competition are bestsellers and well known. Along with some family members in Toronto, I attended the Crime Writers of Canada awards gala. Many top Canadian authors and publishers were there. My name and my book was even in lights on the stage backdrop. I met bestselling author Linwood Barclay (love his books) who was also a finalist in my category. We spoke during the early schmoozing period. He said I would likely win as I was the ‘outsider’ and anyhow, he’d already won last year. Well, he won again. At least I know I’m in good company.

Judge for yourself. My BWL publisher author page is https://bookswelove.net/yatscoff-e-r/ My book links are: https://www.books2read.com/Fire-Dream

Dazzling Diamonds by Victoria Chatham

 

 

 AVAILABLE HERE

For writers of romance, diamonds, or at least a diamond engagement ring, tend to have a place in their stories and in His Unexpected Muse my heroine inherits a whole cache of them. Carol Channing first sang the song ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,’ in the 1949 show ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ by Jule Styne and Leo Robyn, but it was the iconic Marilyn Monroe who made the song so famous. So what is the fascination with diamonds?

As with so many roots, we can go back to the Greeks and Romans for the early mention of diamonds. Greeks thought they were the tears of the gods or splintered stars, and the philosopher Plato considered they contained celestial spirits. As early as the first century AD, Roman literature mentions that diamonds tipped Cupid’s arrows. Romans believed them to be pieces of their gods, valuing them more than gold to protect them from any harm. It became common practice for soldiers to wear them in battle. Diamonds then were of the rough, uncut variety, and it was bad luck to cut one as that would counteract its protective qualities. With the decline of the Roman Empire, the magic and mythology of diamonds faded. Other cultures mention diamonds, but never to the extent of the Romans.

There is a common conception that diamonds are formed from coal because they are both sourced from carbon. Intense heat and immense pressure deep in the earth’s mantle about 1 billion to 3.5 billion years ago caused the formation of diamonds. The movement of tectonic plates compressed buried organic material found in swamps and peat bogs, into coal. At 360 million to 290 million years old, a piece of coal is a mere child compared to a diamond.

Cullinan Diamond, Wikipedia.com

While India was the ancient source of diamonds, deposits today are located around the world in North and South America, Australia and especially South Africa, home of the massive Cullinan diamond found there in 1905, all 3,106 carats of it. When cut, parts of it were incorporated into the British Crown Jewels, which are housed in the Tower of London.

There are many famous diamonds, including the Kohinoor or Mountain of Light, the largest diamond ever found in India. The Orloff, the Hope Diamond, the Taylor-Burton, the Esperanza Diamond are just a few of the world’s famous diamonds. They come in a range of colours from green, blue, yellow and pink, with red being the rarest and most expensive and still found only in India.

Diamonds did not regain their popularity until the Renaissance when Ludwig von Berquen, a Dutch lapidary, invented the art of faceting on diamonds in 1475 to enhance their glitter and beauty. The first known diamond engagement ring was given to Mary of Burgundy by Archduke Maximilian of Austria in 1477. Through the 17^th and 18^th centuries, the wearing of diamonds as solitary stones in rings, pins, and pendants became popular. Fashions changed how diamonds were worn. Large diamond brooches were popular on tight bodices, and long drop earrings complemented a low neckline. During the Victorian era, etiquette demanded that young, unmarried women did not wear diamonds, and married women only showed them off at balls or court appearances.

image from Bluenile.com

The tradition of wearing a diamond engagement ring on the fourth finger of the left-hand stems from
the belief that for a diamond to release its full power, it must be worn on the heart, or left, side of the body. Diamonds now come in various cuts from bezel to princess, cushion to emerald, rose, radiant, pear, marquise. They are said to protect the wearer, are reputed to detect guilt or innocence, indicate good luck, and increase fertility. Whatever the cut, whatever the reason for wearing them, diamonds really can be a girl’s best friend.

 

    

Victoria Chatham

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My Book Club reads Her Vanquished Land by Diane Scott Lewis

Last month my Book Club drank wine at a winery in Western Pennsylvania and discussed my historical novel, Her Vanquished Land, which was that month's pick. I was honored when the Wine Lady suggested it when we made our year's list.

Here's the novel blurb:

In 1780, Rowena Marsh decodes messages for the British during the American Revolution. When the rebels overrun her home state of Pennsylvania, she flees with her family. Are the people loyal to England welcome anywhere in the burgeoning United States? Rowena struggles with possible defeat and permanent exile, plus her growing love for an enigmatic Welshman who may have little need for affection. The war might destroy both their lives.

But when I sat down to face the women present, I wondered if they'd liked it, disliked it, thought I was brilliant or a hack.
Here were the comments:

"I thought the story of the Loyalists and Patriots paralleled today's government situation. Stay in the system and fix it or change to a new system."

"You really painted the historical picture, everyday things, and the bigger picture of the war."

"Use of Welsh was well done."

"I loved the Welshman."

"Rowena was a strong, intelligent heroine, who also questioned the system and why the two factions were fighting."

"Made history come alive! And I loved the Welshman."

"The two aunts were opposites, one frivolous, the other steady; I liked how the frivolous aunt showed her bravery in the one instant she needed to, banging a thief on the head with a teapot."

"The history was well done and fit right into the story, not overwhelming it."

One woman, a head librarian, said she loved my cover, very striking.

When I asked for any negative comments:
One woman said she'd read another book where the author used long sentences, and coming to mine, the sentences seemed choppy. But once she got into the story, she liked the structure and the fast pace.

I hope they weren't being kind to not bruise my feelings, but my novel seemed a triumph. It was good to get so many outside opinions on a novel I labored over.

To purchase my novels, and my other BWL books: BWL

Find out more about me and my novels on my website: Dianescottlewis

Diane Scott Lewis lives in Western Pennsylvania with her husband and one naughty puppy.