To Series or Not to Series?
To Series or Not To Series?
Many years ago when I first started reading romance, series weren’t quite as popular as they are today. I once said that I didn’t plan on writing a series because I’d probably become tired of it and readers might as well. I’ll admit that when I co-authored the first set of stories in the Special Investigations Agency series at Ellora’s Cave www.ellorascave.com with Tracy Cooper-Posey and Rosemary Laurey (WINTER WARRIORS anthology), I never imagined a series evolving from that effort. Much to my surprise, I developed a yearning to continue writing about the government agency that chases paranormal elements threatening our existence in this realm.
At this point you’re probably wondering what the heck is the Special Investigations Agency? The SIA formed twenty years ago to stamp out threats to the world at large, especially those of a supernatural bent. Although my stories often originate at the SIA main headquarters for the U.S., which is situated at a top-secret facility in Colorado, I wanted my novels to include adventure in other places in the world.
After the success of the anthology, and major idea brainstorming, I shaped the novel PRIMORDIAL. PRIMORDIAL combines my love for archaeology with a desire to write a story set in a jungle. It is hard to define this book other than to say it is romantic suspense/thriller/and paranormal all wrapped into one. I created Puerto Azul, a fictional Central American country as my setting, then featured an archaeologist heroine and a drop-dead gorgeous agent ready to take on a sinister enemy in order to retrieve a stolen artifact. To my surprise and delight, this story received an EPPIE Award Finalist nomination in erotic romance, a JERR Gold Star, and received a 4 /12 stars TOP PICK from Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine. From there forward, the SIA world grabbed me and wouldn’t let go.
I didn’t want people to have to read these stories in any particular order. If you are just starting the series, here’s the order I’d recommend:
WINTER WARRIORS Anthology, NIGHT SCREAMS (In Tales From The Temple IV anthology), OVER THE LINE, PRIMORDIAL, IMPETUOUS, SINS AND SECRETS, SPECIAL AGENT SANTA, SHADOWS AND RUINS, JUNGLE FEVER (April 19 release)
There are more SIA novels in the works: HIDEAWAY, CLANDESTINE, BREATHLESS and
JAGUAR MOON
I’ve also written a vampire trilogy for Ellora’s Cave and plan to write a futuristic/fantasy trilogy for them as well. So you could say that series and trilogy work are now firmly entrenched in my writing world.
What do you think about series romances? Do you feel they sometimes continue too long? What keeps you craving more of the special world an author creates? The first two replies to this post explaining in detail what you like about series and why, gets a download of Winter Warriors Anthology, the first book in the SIA series.
Denise A. Agnew
www.deniseagnew.com
I loved Puerto Azul so much in PRIMORDIAL that Puerto Azul is featured in JUNGLE FEVER (coming out April 19), BREATHLESS and JAGUAR MOON (not yet released).
I’m so glad I’ve been able to do both. I have several stand alone books that are out of print with the last publisher, and I’m hunting for a new publisher for them. I’m never been too much of a niche writer in that if I want to write about something a little different, I’ve been able to do that. Such as when I wrote MIDNIGHT ROSE, which is a paranormal/romantic suspense/historical set in London during the Jack The Ripper murders. Then I wrote LOVE FROM THE ASHES, a historical set during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. I even have a story floating around in my head that features a Roman hero and a British heroine. 
