How Do We Know When a Series Should End?--Reb MacRath



 

That good advice sounds simpler than it often is. Let's call the inner voice IV. Anyone who's quit smoking or drinking will tell you that the road to hell is paved with the devil's whispers: Go on, one more smoke or drink won't kill you...This isn't the right  time to quit...With all the stress you're under, you'll die from a heart attack or stroke instead of cancer or cirrhosis...Etc.

That IV is every bit as seductive and compelling as the one that says it's time to move to a new city or write a book unlike any other book you've done. You'd be just as foolish to turn a deaf ear as you would to act without thinking.

In the past twelve months I've made decisions based on two IV Siren calls. For brevity's sake, I'll deal here with the second. Besides, the first seemed to be a no brainer: moving from Seattle after eight years to Tucson, AZ. Cost of living and rent are far cheaper...the hot, dry weather will be kinder to my new knee and underlying arthritis...the crime rate in Seattle keeps rising every year...

But the second IV took me completely by surprise. This one told me that the time's at hand to close out the Seattle BOP mysteries. Three have been published so far, with a fourth now being formatted and a fifth already drafted. Why say goodbye to Chief Armstrong and the colorful gang at Seattle BOP? 




These considerations led to my accepting the second IV  call:

1) Over the course of five Seattle BOP Mysteries, I've taken the series as far as it can go. 

2) Readers who've grown from the start with a series by a popular, best-selling author--be it Sue Grafton, Robert B. Parker, Michael Connelly, or Claude Bouchard--eagerly await the latest entry and know that they can count on a timely delivery. 

3) If readers haven't discovered or taken to a series within the first three to five books, they're as unlikely to try a series of twenty titles as I am to start watching Game of Thrones. Too big a time commitment--especially if the characters have gone through profound changes. 

4) It seemed time to move on from the present tense narrative style employed in all of the BOP mysteries.

5) I've grown too disenchanted with Seattle to continue setting books here.

6) The change will allow me to move one or two new characters from Seattle BOP to a new outfit in Tucson.



This is my report.



Welcome to MacRathWorld, if you like premium blends of mystery, action, and suspense. From Caesar's Rome to Seattle today, the twists fly at the speed of night. If you're unfamiliar with my work, I recommend starting with the new Seattle BOP mysteries. Here's the link to my AuthorPage on Amazon for a detailed look at the variety of 'rides' in my amusement park.


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Comments

Sandra Horn said…
Iam among the hordes of people waiting eagerly to see the effect of the move on your next book!
Ruth Leigh said…
Now there's a great exposition of the IV! You make such a good point about long series. 5 does sound like a great number. And fascinated to hear you've moved to Arizona. All I know about Seattle is:

1. Coffee
2. Space Needle
3. Frasier
4. Microsoft
5. Puget Sound
6. It rains all the time

Let us know how you get on. Have you got another WIP?
Reb MacRath said…
Thanks, Sandra. The effects of the two IVs won't be seen till publication of the fifth book in 2023. That one is set in Arizona: two invented desert towns and Tombstone. By the time it comes out, I'll be working on the new series. But how the devil do I find a new company name as compelling as Seattle BOP? The Tucson what?
Reb MacRath said…
Thanks, Ruth. Moving date is actually August 2, when I'll board the Coast Starlight train for a deluxe spin down the West Coast to Los Angeles, where I'll catch a connecting train to Tucson. I'm super-excited about the move and the ride on the Coast Starlight--arguably the best U.S. train.
Peter Leyland said…
Great post Reb. Oh to be in that fortunate position where readers wait on your every word! Conan Doyle had a real problem killing off Sherlock Holmes. I think his fans threatened to cancel subscriptions to The Strand Magazine if he wasn't restored to life. As for Ian Rankin and Rebus, I had to publish a second edition of my Detective in Fiction book just to set the record straight. Hope the knee is improving and good luck with the new Tucson setting.
Reb MacRath said…
Thanks, Peter. Sometimes I wonder if Sue Grafton died, with only one left to write in her alphabet series, fearing that her fans would demand a reboot starting at A1.
I like the sound of the Coast Starlight. These American train names are so interesting. I've travelled on board the California Zephyr, but only the part from Chicago to Denver so I probably missed the best bit. Hope your move goes well.
One of my Canadian cousins used to spend the winters in Arizona because of his arthritis, and I can also sympathise with this (especially living in Edinburgh as I do! - even going to Spain for a holiday is a real treat).
Reb MacRath said…
Cecilia, traveling on the Coast Starlight--indeed, a wonderful name--has been a dream of mine for years. There are cheaper ways, of course, to get to Tucson, AZ, but I decided to treat myself this once and travel not just on the CS but in a first class bedroom! I'm counting on the AZ weather to help my stiffened joints.