Smischnick
asked
Susan Mallery:
I absolutely love your Fools Gold series. Question 1: how many more books you plan on writing in the series, as we have noticed more characters being added to the series during these last 3 books? We would love it to go on forever. Question 2: how do you keep the characters straight and come up with so many unique and love able ones? Thanks for taking the time to answer....we are huge fans!!!!
Susan Mallery
Hi, Smischnick! (Intriguing name. ;) ) How many more books will be in the Fool's Gold series? At least six more. YOURS FOR CHRISTMAS will be out later this year - Kenny and Bailey in Fool's Gold at Christmastime... sigh! And four new Fool's Gold books next year, and I'm just now beginning to work on an idea for a 2016 Fool's Gold book, so we'll see...
How do I keep the characters straight? I have a Fool's Gold bible that my assistant and I have kept from the very first book, CHASING PERFECT. Every character is in there, whether a main character or just a walk-on. I've got lists that organize them alphabetically by first or last name, by profession, even by age. The bible shows every detail that is mentioned in the books... hair color, eye color, personality quirks, etc. Of course, the main characters and the regular secondary characters are so real to me that I can usually remember all the details without looking in the bible.
As for how I come up with so many unique characters... first, THANK YOU! It means a lot to me to know that you feel each character is unique. I work hard at that. The heroines are all women I'd love to have as friends, but just like in real life, that doesn't mean that they're all the same as each other. It's important to give each character her own strengths and weaknesses, a history that sets her apart from the others.
How do I keep the characters straight? I have a Fool's Gold bible that my assistant and I have kept from the very first book, CHASING PERFECT. Every character is in there, whether a main character or just a walk-on. I've got lists that organize them alphabetically by first or last name, by profession, even by age. The bible shows every detail that is mentioned in the books... hair color, eye color, personality quirks, etc. Of course, the main characters and the regular secondary characters are so real to me that I can usually remember all the details without looking in the bible.
As for how I come up with so many unique characters... first, THANK YOU! It means a lot to me to know that you feel each character is unique. I work hard at that. The heroines are all women I'd love to have as friends, but just like in real life, that doesn't mean that they're all the same as each other. It's important to give each character her own strengths and weaknesses, a history that sets her apart from the others.
More Answered Questions
Margot Tobias
asked
Susan Mallery:
Is there a town in California's Gold Country that inspired Fool's Gold?
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more
