The Tricky Sequel

In December, I published the first book in a new futuristic erotic romance series called The Tau Cetus Chronicles, in which police agents and Beautiful Dolls sex robots are primary characters. The first book in the series is Programmed To Please, which has already gotten some rave reviews. It features a romance between police agent Jai Turner and notorious arms dealer Marque Callex.

Book two in the series is titled Programmed To Protect, and features Jai’s partner, Leith Wyatt. It was inspired by a fan who read Programmed To Please and begged for a sequel telling Leith’s story. Since he’s such a noble character, I was thrilled to give him a happily-ever-after of his own, even if it does come with a very unique twist.

Here’s the blurb:

Tau Cetus police agent Leith Wyatt is tasked by the ruling High Council with overseeing the production of a robot army for the planet’s defense. Wyatt doesn’t trust the oily robot manufacturer Anson Carron, and when Carron gives Wyatt the Beautiful Doll sexbot Ginger as a gift, Wyatt knows it’s for a sinister reason -- Beautiful Dolls are legendary for their addictive sexual prowess. Wyatt tries to resist the Doll, but Ginger is sweet, kind, sexy, and every intimate encounter they share manages to pull him deeper under her spell. And when Wyatt discovers Carron’s plan to overthrow the High Council in order to grab control of the planet for himself, Wyatt must decide whether his loyalty lies with the planet he’s sworn to protect, or the megalomaniac creator of the android he now loves.

 

Programmed To Protect was released last month, and so far it’s selling well, but I’m holding my breath waiting for reader response. Will it satisfy their request for a sequel? Did I give Leith a believable and enjoyable storyline?

In fact, this series was originally intended to be a one off, but I really enjoyed writing Leith’s story. If the books do well, I may decide to stay in my Tau Cetus world for a while – there are certainly enough interesting characters there!

That’s the beauty of self-publishing… I can get instant feedback on whether readers are buying/enjoying the series, and, depending on the response, I can either continue to write about this alien world that's much like our own, or move on to my next idea.

As an author, do you stress over sequels?  As a reader, do you prefer to read series instead of single titles, wanting to know more about the characters you’ve invested so much time getting to know?

Let me know what you think!

Thanks,

Jenna

www.jennaives.com

Why Judge Writer's Contests?

I received a questionaire last night asking me why I judge writer's contests, how many, etc. And it gave me pause.
Why judge unpublished and published authors' contests?

I average 7 a year. Would be more if I volunteered for all the requests I receive for them. I'm a sucker when a chapter I've judged for asks me personally. I've been getting better at ignoring some of the ones that are mass mailing requests. The reason? It takes time judging contests. Lots of time. Particularly when it's for published authors' books and you have to read 5 or 6 whole book, rather than 25-30 pages per entry for 5 or 6 authors.

So why judge? The satisfaction of giving back to the writing community. I want to help others, who may have the chance to get their manuscripts before an editor or agent that they might not otherwise. To share some advice if a writer needs some help.

And often, I find wonderful stories that I hope I'll be able to read in print some day. One I fell in love with recently is now an American Title finalist and her manuscript is still in the running. I can't wait to read her book one of these days. Another was a published author's work that I probably would never have checked out, but I love her stories and she's made a fan of me. Just because I read it in a contest.

So why judge contests? To find new authors whose books I want to read, to help the beginning writer to succeed, and helping writing chapters out that need my help, but also, sometimes looking at a manuscript, I will see what works and what doesn't, which helps to remind me what makes a story riveting, that I want to read without putting down until the very last page.

What Makes a Book Memorable

Do you have at least one bookcase filled with books with which you couldn’t bear to part? Books that are keepers in every sense? I’ve mysteries, romances, historicals, erotica, women’s fiction, medical suspenses, literary classics, etc. But one of the books I read this past fall definitely earned an alphabetized spot in my master bookcase. CAN’T WAIT TO GET TO HEAVEN by Fannie Flagg is memorable in every way. Her keen storytelling ability, humorous fictional “voice” and characters made this tale come alive for me and I couldn’t put the book down. I read this novel from cover to cover in one sitting and plan on re-reading it a couple times a year. Elner Shimfissel ranks right up there with the most well-written, clearly-defined characters I’ve ever read. Her exploits and insights, as well as those of other characters, will tap your emotions on every page. Fannie has also provided her readers with a stellar cast of secondary characters, each a fictional persona you won’t forget. I remember watching Fannie during her guest panelist days on MATCH GAME. While reading CAN’T WAIT TO GET TO HEAVEN, her authorial “voice” rang loud and clear. This is a skill we authors strive to master and one that puts an author on my auto-buy list. Can’t wait to read Fannie’s next novel.

What about you all? What book do you find memorable and pull from your bookshelf time and again?


Blessings and all the best,


Shawna Moore's Website
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