Standalone Books in a Non-sequential Series by Cardeno C.
Happy Monday, y'all! A bit ago I asked for reader questions that I could answer in a blog post (please keep 'em coming) and today I'm going to answer a couple. These questions were about my series. I tend to write standalone books in series, meaning each book is independent with its own main characters, but the books are connected in some way.
The Home Series is about characters who know each other due to familial relationships or friendships. Most of them live in the fictional town of Emile City. My goal for that series is for the readers to feel like they know all the characters, like they're at brunch listening to their friends chat around the table. The men in that series are friends; they've know each other for years and their friendships have blossomed throughout the series.
The Family Series is another contemporary series but, unlike the Home series where the characters are connected through friendship and location, the Family books are connected through a writing goal. Specifically, in the Family series I'm hoping to show completely different relationship dynamics and how those dynamics fulfill the people in those relationships. The men in these books aren't necessarily perfect but, I hope, they're perfect for each other. From book to book, I hope to show how different people have different needs and how those needs can be met by a person who compliments them. Oh, and there's also a little blood-family thing going on.
The Mates Series is a paranormal series. There is a world created in this series and that world is consistent across books, but, once again, each book focuses on different main characters. Although the world in the series stretches across the books, the focus of each book is predominantly the relationship of the main characters so, once again, they can be read independently and in any order.
I often get asked which book in a series a reader should read first and I always answer the same way: whichever one seems most interesting to you. I truly write the books to be read in any order and they are not published in chronological order.
A reader asked me how this came about and the only answer I can give is that I don't think chronologically. To me, it's interesting to weave the books and characters together in pieces and have them all come together organically rather than taking the steps one at a time. I know when I start a series what my goals are for the series, many of the characters, and how they'll connect. Because order isn't relevant (for the most part), I feel like I have the freedom to write the books in the order that makes sense to me and also depending on which characters are screaming the loudest in my head.
I hope that makes sense and that it answered the questions. Please feel free to ask me anything else you think might make a good blog post. I'm always grateful for the help. Have a terrific week.
CC
www.cardenoc.com
The Home Series is about characters who know each other due to familial relationships or friendships. Most of them live in the fictional town of Emile City. My goal for that series is for the readers to feel like they know all the characters, like they're at brunch listening to their friends chat around the table. The men in that series are friends; they've know each other for years and their friendships have blossomed throughout the series.
The Family Series is another contemporary series but, unlike the Home series where the characters are connected through friendship and location, the Family books are connected through a writing goal. Specifically, in the Family series I'm hoping to show completely different relationship dynamics and how those dynamics fulfill the people in those relationships. The men in these books aren't necessarily perfect but, I hope, they're perfect for each other. From book to book, I hope to show how different people have different needs and how those needs can be met by a person who compliments them. Oh, and there's also a little blood-family thing going on.The Mates Series is a paranormal series. There is a world created in this series and that world is consistent across books, but, once again, each book focuses on different main characters. Although the world in the series stretches across the books, the focus of each book is predominantly the relationship of the main characters so, once again, they can be read independently and in any order. I often get asked which book in a series a reader should read first and I always answer the same way: whichever one seems most interesting to you. I truly write the books to be read in any order and they are not published in chronological order.
A reader asked me how this came about and the only answer I can give is that I don't think chronologically. To me, it's interesting to weave the books and characters together in pieces and have them all come together organically rather than taking the steps one at a time. I know when I start a series what my goals are for the series, many of the characters, and how they'll connect. Because order isn't relevant (for the most part), I feel like I have the freedom to write the books in the order that makes sense to me and also depending on which characters are screaming the loudest in my head.
I hope that makes sense and that it answered the questions. Please feel free to ask me anything else you think might make a good blog post. I'm always grateful for the help. Have a terrific week.
CC
www.cardenoc.com
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Traci wrote: "Ok, this is one of my favorite authors along with Mary Calmes. I have read all these books and the Home series when I first read it, was a little confusing when I tried to make it blend with a ti..." Hi, Traci. Thank you SO much for the response. I'm honored the books are rereads and I'm so glad the blog post helped explain things. Let me know if you have any questions I can address in a future post. - CC
The family series as been interesting as well, it is great to see your description of what was meant when you wrote the series, now it makes the books even better and I have already pre ordered the next in the series. The first one being about a domineering cop with a free spirit and the second one with an awkward professor and a young construction worker. I love them.
The Mates series concentrates on characters that were developed from the first one Wake Me, which I LOVED!! The second on another character introduced from the first book. I cannot wait until the next one. I love these series, because you hopefully can get a glimpse of the characters you don't want to let go of from your first reads, like the Home Series. All of your books are rereads for me or what I call comfort reads!! Love your books, keep on writing...