To write a sequel or not to write a sequel? by B. J. Scott
***B. J. Scott will award gifts of swag (including a canvas tote bag, a mouse pad, a pen, book thong, bookmark, can cooler, magnet, and key chain — US/Canada only) to randomly drawn commenters from this tour and her Virtual Book Tour, and a grand prize of one $50 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter from this tour ****
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To write a sequel or not to write a sequel?
Once that first book is published, the reviews and accolades start, you heave a huge sigh of relief. You did it and your labor of love has been well received. But where do you go from here?
Do you write a new book, that is totally separate from the first or do you consider a series? A tough decision if the muse for one book is speaking louder than the other. Even worse if the sequel is not speaking to you at all. There are pros and cons to both, but if you are trying to establish a brand and fan base, a sequel might be the ticket.
You and your fans are already familiar with your characters. If fortunate, you may even have readers chomping at the bit for another glimpse of your hero or his family saga. With any luck, you have established a growing fan base and feel comfortable with continuing where you left off. With a well thought out plot and characters your reader can relate to, you are well on your way.
This is also where discipline comes in to play. You may have a deadline and need to put aside other things to get the manuscript finished. You may have to struggle through the writer block and trying to keep the muse for the book you really want to write quiet while you craft your next in what could be a series of novels. Most of all, the onus is on the author to produce a book that is equal to or if possible better than the one before. We owe it to our readers and ourselves to strive to produce the very best book we can, to learn from the mistakes and victories we discovered in our first kick at the can.
Once you have established your brand and have followers waiting for your next release, you can consider branching out, maybe even to another genre. But give them what they want and make it good should be your mantra. Do your homework and see what is selling and what is not. If you wrote a book that is not doing stellar, it might be the readers have lost interest in that particular genre. If that is the case, writing another book about the same subject, might now be wise. But there are so many to choose from and so many new ideas, you are bound to find one that suits your needs.
I was overwhelmed with how well Highland Legacy was received and the requests for a sequel or two, involving the other brothers. At the request of my editor, I put aside my other works in progress and wrote Highland Quest, Bryce’s story. I am currently working on the third book of the series, Highland Homecoming and hope to have it ready for release in the spring of 2013. All three books revolve around the Fraser brothers, but I wrote each as a stand alone title. A person should be able to pick up any book of the series and be able to read it from start of finish with ease, even if they have not read the other books. Hopefully each will leave the reader wanting more.
How do you feel about sequels? Are you anxious to read more about a family and their adventures?
or
Would you rather move on to something entirely different?
BLURB:
No longer content in the shadows of his older brothers and on a quest to find his destiny, Bryce Fraser’s chosen path is fraught with danger, passion, and decisions. Can his unspoken love for spirited, beguiling Fallon be triumphant in a time of war and uncertainty, or will they both fall prey to the devious plans of a traitorous laird from a rival clan?
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EXCERPT:
Loch Ryan Scotland, 1307
“Wa . . . water,” Bryce mumbled, but there was no one there to listen.
His throat was parched and he ran his tongue over dry, cracked lips, but his action offered no relief. An entire loch lay only a few feet away, but he couldn’t muster the strength to drag himself to the bank and quench his thirst.
“Cold . . . so cold.”
Despite the sun beating down on him, he’d swear he was encased in ice. His life’s blood seeped from his wounds, soaking the ground beneath him. He tried to raise his head, but the excruciating pain radiating across his chest stole his breath away.
Was this what it felt like to die? If so, he prayed the Almighty would be merciful and take him now.
Bryce moaned, a shift in his position bringing on another nauseating wave of agony. He sucked in a short, sharp, gulp of air and stretched his arm out as far as he could, his fingers grappling in the dirt.
If only I could reach my sword.
Beads of perspiration dampened his brow. As the strength slowly drained from his body, drawing a simple breath became more difficult. The end grew near. No time to make amends for sins of the past, and he had committed his share.
Regrets? He had those, too. “Fallon.” He whispered her name then heaved a ragged sigh.
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AQKYPU0
Soul Mate Publishing http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/highland-quest/
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/highland-quest-bj-scott/1114002946?ean=2940016110769&isbn=2940016110769
Filed under: Guest Blogger Tagged: B. J. Scott, Giveaway, Guest Blogger, Highland Quest, Romance, Writing
