Saying Goodbye to a Series - A continuing discussion.

Some of you might have seen my post over at Sara WalterEllwood’s blog during THE BULL RIDER’S KEEPER blog tour on my bitter sweet feeling on letting go of The Bull Rider series. Today, I wanted to talk about the journey. Or as Ron White would say when asked how far the plane would go, "all the way to the crash site."

THE BULL RIDER’S BROTHER marked my entrance into the publishing world.  On June 4^th, 2012, I became a published author.  The sweet story about four friends (Lizzie, James, Barb and Jesse) who return to Shawnee for the town’s annual rodeo weekend, each with their own agenda, taught me a lot about how to tell a story and how to be an author. Most civilians (those outside the publishing world) think all the work is in the writing. Everyone who’s ever published through digital first, traditional or even self-published will tell a different story.  Between edits and reviews and promotion, a book takes many hours of time to show up with the buy me button on Amazon.

As soon as I signed my contract for BRB giving James and Lizzie their happy ever after, I started writing on THE BULL RIDER’S MANAGER. This was Barb’s story. I knew she worked too much and didn't have a strong family support system going in. Barb’s house was the fun one growing up, the one without rules. So I knew this had to be about her learning to accept and finding her own family. How it turned into a wild night in Vegas, I’m not sure, but I’m glad the story took me there. By November 2012, the book had that coveted buy button.

Then life happened. Around Easter 2013, I signed a three book contract for THE TOURIST TRAP MYSTERIES. One book written, the second started, and a vague idea for book three.  By the end of the year, I had all three done and ready for their release dates spanning 2014 (GUIDEBOOK TO MURDER-April 17^th, MISSION TO MURDER –July 31^st, and IF THE SHOE KILLS- October 28^th).

I’d also started a new, cowboy romance that I thought could be an amazing series. This got put on the back burner when I signed the contract.

So as soon as IF THE SHOE KILLS went off to my editor, I returned to the last book in the Bull Rider series, Jesse’s story.  I’m glad I waited, mostly because Jesse needed the time to grow and change. And I’m very proud of his character arc over the three books. Little brother all grown up. THE BULL RIDER’S KEEPER released April 28^th and I closed the door on Shawnee and the four friends.

But what about the stories I didn't get to tell. Kadi’s riding instructor deserves a happy ever after.  Cash Dillon, the dumped, in THE BULL RIDER’S BROTHER, got his story told in a novella, SHAWNEE HOLIDAY, exclusively available at Amazon. And then there’s Angie, the Sullivan brothers crazy mom.

It’s hard to walk away. But I don’t have the time now to write these stories.

Maybe someday.

Do you have series that you or the author hasn't finished that you’re waiting for another book?