FREE KINDLE FOR PC

FREE KINDLE FOR PC
So you can read my books

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

DO YOU HESITATE TO PICK UP A BOOK IN THE MIDDLE OF A SERIES?

Is it going to be worth it? 


How do we, as avid readers, decide we’re willing to take on a new series? 

If it’s every bit as good as promised, it’s going to end up on the auto-buy list. You’ll devour the next and the next.

 Really, you’re starting a relationship with the author. Are you ready to make a commitment to stick with these characters for a few months?

 If you decide to jump in and take the gamble, most like you will then groan about how you're so behind on your to-read pile.

 Perhaps the truth here is if you’re really a reader, you’re always going to be behind on your reading list.

 There will never be a time when there aren’t new books you need to devour, when there isn’t something you just must read.

What’s the last series you got addicted to?

This train of thought got me to thinking of that reluctance to start a series with several books already published.

I decided that Victor needed a stand-alone book: 

An introduction to his world, his enemies, and the fantasy realms that breathe in the haunted French Quarter shadows.

What better story for that than Victor showing a dangerous ally around Meilori's and the surrounding streets? 

So Coyote (the Native American Trickster) shows up to court young Becca!  

Talk about an April/December relationship!!  

What is Victor to do?  

To make Victor jealous, the foolhardy Becca encourages the entity from beyond Time itself. 

And all the while, Victor's and Samuel's enemies hover in the darkness, ready to pounce.

So I have my next book to start writing: 

MORE THAN A NAME


FIRST PAGE



CHAPTER ONE
COYOTE COMES A’COURTING

“Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed.”
–G. K. Chesterton


The End of Days was just the beginning.
It is a cold world – which is a good thing.  It drives people closer for warmth.  There are many kinds of warmth, just like there are many kinds of cold.  The worst kind of cold is loneliness; the second worst is fear.   
 You might think it would be the other way around.  But it is not.  If you have someone who loves you, then you can survive fear.  Usually though the two, loneliness and fear, go together – it’s just the way of this cold world.
I have survived eight years on the streets, starting when I was seven years old.  I know all about fear and loneliness.   They’re old traveling companions.  But don’t think my life has been controlled by fear.  
 I refused to let its cold fingers take the reins of my life.  I decided the building blocks of your life were your thoughts – shitty thoughts equaled a shitty life.  And I insisted I was going to have an … interesting life. 
And I have.  Just like I have a simple philosophy:
“No one's life should be rooted in fear. We are born for wonder, for joy, for hope, for love, to marvel at the mystery of existence, to be burned by the beauty of this world, to hunger for truth and meaning, to hunt for wisdom, and by our treatment of others to brighten the corner where we are.  No one can grant you happiness. Happiness is a choice we all have the power to make.”
I sighed low, ““This world, which has the promise of Eden, is instead the hell before Hell. In our greed and conceit, we have made it so.”
Alice, sitting beside me at Captain Sam’s table in Meilori’s, frowned, “What did you say, Victor?”
My ghoul friend sat up straighter, her face going paler than usual.  “Oh, my!  It is Toomey Starks, Trish, and … Coyote!”
Alice said that last name in two syllables.  I shook my head.  It wasn’t that I had bad luck.  I just had strange luck.
And strange luck was what Coyote, the Trickster of Native American myth, always brought with him.  But then, since he had helped me postpone the End of Days, I could hardly begrudge him a visit to Captain Sam’s haunted jazz club.  
 But there would be trouble.  That was something else Coyote always brought with him.

And for some laughs:

13 comments:

  1. A stand alone with Coyote causing trouble? Clever idea.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Alex:
    Thanks! I thought as Victor introduced Coyote to his friends, his enemies, and his world -- I would be introducing the reader, too.

    And Coyote, being the Trickster, would be the catalyst for all sorts of fun (to him) and trouble (for poor Victor and Alice!)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sounds like a good idea, Roland.
    More Coyote. How is it pronounced in two syllables?

    What human (actor) do you see Coyote as - is he appearing in Meilori's as a young man or a mature one? (aside from the extended 'life' a spirit has)
    I'm just curious.

    I have no problem picking up a series in the middle, but not the end. I've done it before with scifi and mystery.

    ReplyDelete
  4. D.G.:
    Hi, there! :-) Coyote's name in two syllables is pronounced:
    KAI-YOTE.

    Coyote was forever appearing to young maidens as handsome young warriors in the tales told of him -- so I am not bending his nature at all.

    Coyote, being the modest being he is, will appear as a young Native American Johnny Depp. Since the actor has said he will soon leave acting, Coyote figures, as Depp no longer has use for his face, he will take it for himself! :-)

    I've picked up a series in the middle to see if I like it, and then, when I did, I have gone back to the beginning!

    Interesting comment. Thanks, D.G.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great idea. The last series I read was Game of Thrones.

    I picked up Lois McMaster' Bujold's series in the middle. Enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Two syllabled Cayote also brings adventure with his mischievousness (have I spelled that word right!??!)!

    One series I couldn't get into was the Milleninum series, (book one: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). I mean after I read Girl with.. I didn't immediately think - MUST get the Girl who Played with Fire. And I haven't!

    Take care
    x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mary:
    I am currently reading two series: THE DRESDEN FILES and the MERCY THOMPSON series. I read the SPENSER series by Robert B Parker -- I am even continuing with the author who is picking up after the death of Mr. Parker.

    Kitty:
    I liked writing the character of Coyote in THREE SPIRIT KNIGHT. And I thought he would shake things up a bit in New Orleans! :-)

    There was two much violence to women in the first movie for me to be even tempted to watch further or read the series! You take care, too! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. The Iron Druid Chronicles is the one that I've caught onto reading.

    Sometimes I'll wait for a series to get a second book, or maybe a third before I jump in.

    I was just working on a blog post discussing sales patterns for a series, but it'll be a week or two before it's finished an posted.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I can think of 2 series: Sigma by James Rollins and The Legend of Victor somebody or other by that blogger guy. :P

    'the hell before Hell' I like that. Interesting!

    Hope you're taking care. I can't wait for summer to be over. I'm dragging :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Good idea, Roland. I have seen a few books I think I'd like lately, but as they're #2 or something in series I passed them over.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Terry:
    I'll be looking forward to your post on sales figures of series. Let me know when you post it!

    I like buying a series when it has two books out so that I jump right on to the next when I've finished the first.

    Words Crafter:
    You made me blush! :-) The hell before Hell is what too many people make of this life. Sigh.

    You're a dragon? Ouch! Alice just kicked me for you. LOL.

    Today was my last day off -- now off to the gauntlet again. I need to sell the movie rights to Victor!

    Trisha:
    I'm happy you think my idea is good. I thought so many refuse to gamble on a series in the middle. Victor whispered he had the solution. The guy always has a plan -- sometimes they even work!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Coyote the trickster, can't wait to read more about him! I love the idea that you are writing another legend of Victor Standish-More than just a name. Usually I do not look for series to read. I find an author I like and continue to read whatever they write. It has happened that I have accidently picked up a book and read it in the middle of a series and boughten the other books afterwards. In a good series I believe that each book should be able to stand on its own.

    Love your excerpt from chapter one! Looking forward to reading more---

    ReplyDelete
  13. I think a Victor movie is an AWESOME idea!!!!!

    ReplyDelete