Mar
Spending Time With Old Friends…
That’s what it feels like every single time I sit down to write another Southern Sewing Circle Mystery (I’m working on # 4 now). And it is one of my favorite parts of writing a series.
When you spend upwards of five to six hours a day with people (even those that reside in your head), you get to know them. 
You know their strengths, you know their flaws, you know their vulnerabilities, you know what makes them tick and why…and you become attached. Like they’re old friends.
In my Southern Sewing Circle books, the main character–Tori Sinclair–is part of a sewing circle. The circle, itself, is comprised of nine women (including Tori). They range in age from early twenties to seventy-something and each and every one of them has a personality all their own.
Margaret Louise is loyal and true–a sixty-something woman who backs up those often misused words by offering them unconditionally (that, people, is the true test of “loyalty”).
Her twin sister, Leona–is a pistol. And I do mean a pistol. She’s very cultured. Never married. A little full of herself. A total flirt (think Blanche from the Golden Girls).
Rose is in her upper seventies. She’s a retired schoolteacher who speaks her mind. Always. She’s sharp-tongued most of the time, yet has a softness about her that can’t go unnoticed, either.
Georgina Hayes, the town’s mayor, is welcoming. She’s also strong and self sufficient.
Beatrice Tharrington is the youngest of the group, living in Sweet Briar as a nanny for a local family. She’s shy yet extremely observant. She’s growing as the series continues.
Melissa Davis is in her early thirties and is the mom of seven kids. She’s always on the go… Loves her family even if she’s harried 24/7.
Debbie Calhoun is mid thirties and a real go-getter. She manages to make motherhood (to two), marriage (to the semi-famous author, Colby Calhoun), and owning her own business (Debbie’s Bakery) look easy.
And then there’s Dixie Dunn. There’s not much to say about Dixie other than she’s old, and more than a little bitter (at least so far as my main character goes). She, too, adds her own dimension to the group. Especially when the claws retract just long enough to show a side that’s not completely bitter.
These people have become real to me. Sitting down with them, after having worked on other projects, is like coming home. I know what they’re going to say before they say it, I have a feel for who is going to do what in any given situation, and–when surprises happen–they make rolling with the punches a treat!
So tell us, do you enjoy series? Do you, as readers, feel as if series’ characters become like old friends, too? Any stand out from books you’ve read?
~Elizabeth
March 4th, 2010 at 1:53 am
LOL! Well, you already know my answers to this. Yes, I love reading series. And yes, I do feel like the characters become old friends. I mentioned the Georgetown series in a previous post here, but my mom and I also felt the same about the characters in the Rita Mae Brown Mrs. Murphy series, and it was even worse (better?) with the Vicky Bliss mysteries by Elizabeth Peters (who is also Barbara Michaels). I so wish my mom had been alive to read the last one in that series – she would have just been delighted with how the author wrote characters from another series into it..not to mention she wrote herself (the author) into it! (Ok, excuse my fuzzy grammar there – looong night at work.)
I’ve even indoctrinated my husband. He now knows to ignore me when I start exclaiming about characters in books like they’re friends I just haven’t caught up with lately…
March 4th, 2010 at 9:20 am
LOL on your husband knowing to ignore you. As a writer, your last sentence makes me happy (it’s nice to know books–whether they’re mine or not–affect people). As a reader, I wholeheartedly agree!!!!
March 4th, 2010 at 9:26 am
I also enjoy reading series, as long as the author makes stories different, but also believable in the mythos they created. And that they don’t use copy and paste to fill out the pages.
I’d read a lot of W.E.B Griffin until he started filling about 1/3 of the book with what in wrote in the older books. I understand a little back story, but he’s really bad about this.
I remember asking my mom to buy the last Thomas Covenant book in hardcover when it first came out (I was 12 or 13?) because I was so excited about how the series would end.
For the same reason I keep most of the books I buy in a series so I can re-read them before the next one comes out. (Harry Potter
Lately I’ve like reading series that branch out into a lot of different, but related characters. For example the 163x series from Eric Flint and others. Same core set of characters, but a lot of others. If you like time travel/alternative history these are a good series (start with 1632 by Eric Flint)
Finally, series drive you absolutely nuts when the author takes years between books. Yes I’m talking about George R.R. Martin!
March 4th, 2010 at 9:59 am
I love reading series because I know as soon as my visit is over, I’ll be seeing them either in 6 monts or a year and I look forward to that visit. The good thing is I can always revisit them anytime I want until the next adventure.
One of my favorite series is “In Death” by J.D. Robb. I also like “Booktown” mysteries by Lorna Barrett.
March 4th, 2010 at 10:12 am
I like series and wait and look for the next book to come out. Sadly, it only takes me a short time to read what takes a year (often longer) for the author to write. Sometimes, as I bounce from one series to another, I lose track and realise two books have come out that I missed – which is confusing, but fun, as I get to read two in a row. That happened last time with the Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries by C.S. Harris and I’m actually three books behind in the Lord Francis Powerscourt mysteries by David Dickson (I like those historicals!). But next up to read in the newest by C.J. Box, Blue Heaven, which is a stand-alone, but will be followed in April by the next in his Joe Pickett series, which I’m chomping at the bit to get to. After Blue Heaven I’m reaching for the newest Dana Stabenow book (#17! and I still love them) in the Kate Shugak series, A Night Too Dark. So many wonderful books, too little time!!!
Chris. C. – Have you read any of the Harry turtledove alt history books? I loved Guns of the South and the first 3 in the Southern Victory/The Great War series, although I haven’t read the rest.
March 4th, 2010 at 11:01 am
Chris & Kate: A St. Louis writer named Mark Sumner wrote two alternative history westerns, set shortly after the Civil War, with lots of magic and such. I was sorry more didn’t follow.
And Chris, Flint is doing a convention in North Carolina come August. In part, I think they’re focusing on 1632. Also: “George R.R. Martin is not your —– ” (Couldn’t resist the nod to Neil Gaiman).
Kate, I want to read Box. Haven’t found the first book yet, and to some degree, I let serendipity dictate reading order. Have you tried Craig Johnson? His stories are set in Wyoming. I was frozen when I finished his first book, even though it was a summer night in Atlanta. He’s been making me cold ever since.
Science fiction writer Jack McDevitt writes two series with three primary characters. Alex Benedict, Chase Kolpath, and Priscilla Hutchins. Yup, they’ve become friends.
March 4th, 2010 at 11:02 am
It seems that all of the books I read are series. And I do love getting to know the characters in them. I’m not able to always buy the books in sequence so I am forever going back and rereading. Yes I do keep them all.
March 4th, 2010 at 11:10 am
Yep, I love series. I keep all the books, and if a new book comes out and I haven’t read the series in awhile I go back to book 1 and listen to them on audiobooks to reunite with the characters before reading the new book!
March 4th, 2010 at 11:32 am
I remember as a kid, reading the Little House books. I knew those characters so well. And while they were real people…they read like fiction stories. And then a few summers ago, when I had the chance to go to her Mansfield, MO house and I saw Pa’s fiddle? His *actual* fiddle??? Well, let’s just say I got a wee bit excited (if my oldest was reading this she’d be rolling her eyes at my choice of “wee bit”).
I love the characters in Janet Evanovich’s book, too. So much so that when my favorite–Lula–goes off screen for a while, I get antsy. You know a writer has done a good job when you can picture these characters as real people.
March 4th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
I’m on the same page as Elizabeth–started w/ the Little House books and read all of those (so did my son!). I’m a fan of any book w/ a series–Suzanne Brockman and the Navy Seals (whew, hot!); Carla Neggars. I like the comfort of the same characters weaving in and out of other story lines.
Also, the Stephanie Plum series–G’ma Mazur and Lula–I want to go hang out with them!
March 4th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
Kellie,
Yay! Another Little House fan! And Stephanie Plum, too. There’s one of her books where they’re coming back from Las Vegas and Lula takes the car back. She’s MIA for a few chapters. I literally skimmed through those chapters just so I could get to her faster! LOL!
March 4th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Joe, I highly recommend the Joe Pickett books (to everyone, but especially guys), but it is really best to read from the beginning. His characters grow and change and things that happen in earlier books have an impact on what happens in further stories. Personally, I really only like series where the characters change through time (and all of them should change, not just one or two, which is why I stopped reading Patricia Cornwell – cannot stand the male cop), which is part of the reason I like the Stabenow books too. The protagonist goes through a lot, so do her friends and family, and the weather changes. Speaking of cold, her books are set in Alaska and in the first book, A Cold Day for Murder, there are icy descriptions of not just the weather, but the action. But then I wouldn’t be so eagerly awaiting #17 if she didn’t have great characters, sense of place, and excellent plots.
March 4th, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Joe – I hadn’t seen that blog by Neil until now. Pretty funny. Damn fanboys!
Thanks to everyone for ideas on what to read next.
March 4th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Dru, I just finished the first of Lorna Barnett’s Booktown Mysterys. I’d read more. I’m kind of exploring different cozy writers getting a feel for the genre. I really love Maggie Sefton’s Knitting mysterys with Kelly and the gang. Colorado’s a lot closer to home than St. Louis is…
I like the JD Robb series but I don’t worry about where I am in the books. I really love the Eve Duncan series that Iris Johonson does?
Fantasy, I loved Robert Jordon’s Wheel of Time (but I got lost book seven or so…) and also Knights of the Templer series – no idea who wrote them. But I got deep into that world…
Lynn
March 4th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
Oh, and a plug to Idaho… I’ve read the Sun Valley Series that Ridley Pearson wrote just because of the setting… Is setting a character? LOL
March 4th, 2010 at 7:17 pm
Yes indeed, love series. I feel like I have a vested interest in how their “lives” progress….