Friday, February 4, 2011

Friend Friday: Stacey Kennedy

My guest today is Stacey Kennedy, one of the Six Sentence Sunday regulars!

Please give her some love!
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First of all let me thank Taryn for letting me stop by and chat with you all. If we’ve never met before... HI!


A little thing to know about me is I write Urban Fantasy Romance series. My very first series, The Magical Sword is coming to an end. On January 24, 2011, the final novel, First and Last was released with Liquid Silver Books.



Now, I’ve been asked this before, when do you end a series? Well, I’m going to tell you my point of view on the matter and see if we agree. Let me say it was a tough decision. I had to ask myself, “do I continue writing stories with my beloved characters or do I stop?”

When I finished First and Last, Nexi’s life felt complete to me. As much as I wanted to continue on, write ten more stories about Nexi and Kyden, I just couldn’t. Of course, and we all have seen this, I could have kept writing but along the way I suspect that the characters would change too much and Nexi’s character would’ve felt tired. One woman can only handle so much danger! So, I made the decision to stop the series at four novels.

The good thing was it didn’t mean I couldn’t continue writing in the world I’ve created. It just meant I had to write from another point of view. And that’s exactly what I did. I’ve just finished the first novel in The Enchanted Sight series, Tainted Blood. It makes me happy to say that it will include Nexi and Kyden, but only as secondary characters. However, they still play important roles in the new series.

I felt that to stay true to what I intended to happen in Nexi’s life, the end had to come. It was time to let them go. Was it hard? Of course, very hard. I love Nexi’s character. Her sassy attitude paired with Kyden’s sex appeal...it was difficult to let them. But I felt it important to end their stories feeling complete. I didn’t want to start a whole new set of adventures that gave Nexi any more serious trouble. The girl deserves to rest and live a happy life.

So now, I ask you...how many series have you read that you think have gone on for too long and which ones do you love that have gone on forever?

Oh...and can’t forget this part! If you enjoy urban fantasy romance with dangerous times ahead, steamy sex and drool worthy men—The Magical Sword might be a series you would enjoy.



    Buy links:
            Liquid Silver Books  Amazon  Fictionwise
~ Stacey

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18 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Stacey! I think even for characters and a world I really love 3-5 books is about what I can handle in a series before I start losing interest.

Brenda said...

Good morning Stacey and Taryn,
From a reader's opinion, I was sad as I finished the last book of the Harry Potter series. I wanted the adventures to go on. But I agree with Stacey; at some point the story has to end. As a co-author, we have an erotic thriller series in the works; one book 1/2 written and enough notes for 3 more books. I am constantly thinking of new plots to write for our character. The character really comes alive for us. I'll know how Stacey feels when we decide to end the books. Probably like helping your child pack to move out on their own.

Stacey Kennedy said...

Eleri, I'm right with you!! I find too that the characters change too much by the 10th novel, then when it ends the characters resemble someone I don't recognize. And that just won't do!!

Yes, Brenda, it is a gut wrenching decision to end their stories and probably is much like sending your kid of to college. But when it's time...it's time. :)

Anonymous said...

HI Stacey! Great interview - really interesting to think about writing/reading a series. I just finished the trilogy of the Hunger Games and felt like it was perfect ending. Sometimes an author wants to do an extra one and the last falls flat. Love Six Sentence Sunday and all the entries!

Stacey Kennedy said...

Hey Jennifer!! Yup, I agree completely. Quit at a high note, right?! As hard as it is to stay goodbye...it's gotta be done! Congrats on finishing your trilogy!! And yes, Six Sunday ROCKS!

Janet Lane Walters said...

Hi, A nice interview. I'm in the process of finishing a series and I know the pull to keep on writing the same characters but not only the characters need to move on to places where we don't control them but the authors need to move on or find themselves repeating. There are only so many complications to be added. Good luck with your new and your old books.

Tishia Mackey said...

I agree, I think you ended that series exactly where it was meant to be ended! I am very glad though that you are writing about some of those other characters. I can't wait to read your other books! I'm hoping to get an eReader with our tax return money :)

Taryn Kincaid said...

Hey, thanks for guesting with me today, Stacey, and keeping everyone entertained while I was off at the evil day job!

Best of luck with the series!

Taryn Kincaid said...

PS: Um, my friend Jennifer is a fabulous writer, but I'm pretty sure she's not the author of Hunger Games!

Taryn Kincaid said...

Eleri, Brenda, Jen, Janet, Tishia:

Thanks so much for stopping by!

I may buck the trend a little... I LOVE series. Well, I will clarify that. I love series, like Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series, where there is a new h/h in each book, but the world-building remains intact and prior characters put in cameo appearances. Although I agree somewhat about Harry Potter (although I admit I didn't like where the end had taken us, anyway, and was ready to see it end), I may not always want adventures to go on and on and on. One thing if we're talking about Nancy Drew or the Bobbsey twins, another if we're talking romance. At some point, I HAVE to have my HEA. I have to have it!
So if the main characters remain the same throughout...well, sometimes I can't get enough of 'em...but sometimes they've outstayed their welcome. Sometimes I want to read the next book and the next. But often I am ready to call it quits after a few. Especially if there are a lot of scenes obviously thrown in for padding, that don't really move the story anywhere.
That said...if a favorite author does it...I'm likely to read on...and on...and on...

Stacey Kennedy said...

JL, thanks and good luck with your series!!

Tishia, an ereader is a MUST. I'm pretty sure I couldn't live without mine!! Thanks for stopping by!!

Thanks for having me, Taryn. I do hear you. There are a few series out there that have LOTS of books and I will buy each one cause I love the characters. If each book rocks it out, then I'm happy! But sometimes...I've seen where this doesn't happen. And that makes me a grumpy reader!!

:)

Taryn Kincaid said...

Yeppers, I totally agree!

Shawn said...

Hey there! I love a good series, but if you think it's time to stop, then you should. You would know better than anyone. And if your readers are sad to see the series end, that's a good thing!

Taryn Kincaid said...

Hi, Shawn. Thanks for stopping by! I agree...always leave 'em laughing -- r crying, or pining -- or, in the case of a wonderful characters and a great series, yearning for more!

BTW, I went over to check out your blog. We both have "Dream" in the title! And, also, when I originally started this blog (before I pared it down, turned it blue and brought my name out more prominently) it was as "Dream Voyagers," with the subhead something along the lines of "rants from a word wrangler"! So...since we have all that in common, I decided to follow you!

Jenna Kernan said...

Hi Stacy and Taryn. Great blog post. I enjoy both reading and writing series. I'm working on a paranormal series now. It's challenging to make the stories all connect with an over-arching story. But it's a fun challenge!

Taryn Kincaid said...

Jenna Kernan, as I live and breathe! Long time, no see!

Jenna's paranormal skinwalker books for Harlequin Nocturne and Nocturne Bites are terrific reads, peeps.

Stacey Kennedy said...

Yup, couldn't agree with you more, Shawn! :)


Jenna, series ROCK!!

Unknown said...

Definitely gonna check this series out!

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