tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3878752953637981313.post6697490386212852902..comments2023-10-15T03:16:44.927-06:00Comments on Suspense Novelist: The Thing About Continued Characters . . .Peg Brantleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04906858123466177508noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3878752953637981313.post-48797454332260554182008-07-20T08:11:00.000-06:002008-07-20T08:11:00.000-06:00Great question, Mary!Although characters continue ...Great question, Mary!<BR/><BR/>Although characters continue in a series (unless they get killed of, LOL), a series eventually ends. A common length for a series is 3 books, but often they are more.<BR/><BR/>There's usually one over-arching theme. For example, Terri Blackstock did a series of books about all electronic and computerized things suddenly stopping. No planes, no cars, no lights, no water . . . even the doors at the local Wal Mart don't open. The books were about how people come together (or not) in the face of this phenomena.<BR/><BR/>Colleen Coble and Brandilyn Collins have each written several series, even briefly co-mingling their characters from one to another. Very cool.<BR/><BR/>A continuing character, like Agatha Christy's Miss Marple, or Hercule Poirot, show up in book after book that don't necessarily have a common theme--other than solving a murder, of course.<BR/><BR/>The problem I'm having with this book is that so far, I can't get a feel for the continuing character, Kathy Mallory. I'm beginning to think a few brief reminders in the first couple of pages would be forgiven by long-time readers and appreciated by the new guys.<BR/><BR/>I hope this helps.Peg Brantleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04906858123466177508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3878752953637981313.post-92222804934762289222008-07-20T07:33:00.000-06:002008-07-20T07:33:00.000-06:00I'm a bit ignorant about this subject but I find i...I'm a bit ignorant about this subject but I find it interesting. What is the difference between a continued character and a series? Is it just in how the character develops from book to book?Mary Garciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06956346473216022340noreply@blogger.com