Today I am super excited to welcome back Katey Hawthorne to Joyfully Jay. Katey is here to give us some thoughts about reading and writing a linked series where there stories exist in the same world, but are not necessarily directly connected to one another. She is also giving away a reader’s choice of one book from her fabulous Superpowered Love series. So please join me in giving her a big welcome!
I’m a character reader, myself. I read to fall in love. That doesn’t mean I need the character to be a “good guy” (witness my love of all the Lannisters in Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire), it just means I need to care what happens to them. So of course, I also love a series that can follow a character or group of characters for several books and keep my interest. But there’s another kind of series that works for me too.
I mean, of course, the linked series, a set of novels that have only/mostly “the verse” in common. No, Browncoats, I do not refer necessarily to Firefly or even the Whedonverse, but something more general: a single, fictional reality. I’ll let the link do the heavy explaining for those interested, but basicaly that can mean anything from our own world with an alternate history to the out-and-out constructed world ala Tolkien. Think Kevin Smith’s Viewaskew Niverse or the overall set up of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld*.
Stories in a linked series like this don’t continue the same story in a direct way, they just explore different parts of and characters in the same world. Occasionally they expand on the same themes and are complementary. In theory the characters from different books could walk into each other or already know each other, but if they do, it’s likely to be completely incidental. As a result, the books can be read in any order — which is the first selling point for me.
By now I’m sure someone’s going, “Wait, is she talking about her own books?” Busted! Yeah, the superpowered love books operate that way, though a lot of my other stuff doesn’t. But that’s why I’m the one here yammering about this during Jay’s series celebration. So hey, there’s an easy example to illustrate my…
Second selling point: less infodump. This is particularly a problem in fantasy, sci-fi, and other speculative fiction — though it certainly exists everywhere. SFF gets it bad, though, because in most cases the author has gone to the trouble to build a new world and is trying to show the reader how very shiny it is. The linked series is cool for this because different books can actually deal with different aspects of a world or situation, as opposed to trying to shove them all into a story where they don’t belong — which is frankly distracting as hell** — or glossing over them. It’s also awesome for setting things up for later books and/or planting fun Easter eggs without screwing up the freedom to read them in any order.
So to take the easy way out and go back to the superpowered example: in Equilibrium, Hansen talks about “witch hunters” who murdered his uncle, but how these witch hunters operate isn’t particularly important to Hansen and Sam’s story — nor is it something Hansen would be sitting around thinking to himself or explaining to Sam, considering their, er, situation. But in a later (currently unnamed) book, a kid called Jody will be taken by witch hunters and given an intimate portrait of what it is they do — and how the superpowered (called “awakened”) types take care of it.
In Riot Boy, Brady warns his cousin Malory that “they do have prisons that hold people like you, you know.” It’s not relevant to Brady and Et’s story to find out how or why. But in Reentry Burn, Mal’s story, oh, we’ll hear alllllllll about how those penitentiaries operate. (And yeah, you won’t have to read Riot Boy to get Reentry Burn, when it happens. I made sure. It’s complementary, is all.)
In Nobody’s Hero, Jamie complains about vigilante superheroes and those who can’t keep their superpowered secrets, but they’re not really relevant to his own pseudo-heroic issues. In Losing Better, the whole story will revolve around a possible vigilante superhero and the FBI agent sent to shut him down.
The potential connections are endless, but far from mind-boggling, this way. Can choose to dig a little deeper — or not.
Third selling point: layers — the easy way. On a related note, worlds are nuanced and layered, kinda like the real one we live in, and that’s what worldbuilding is all about. With a chronological, continuing series, the layers are built in a particular order to further the overarching series plot as well as the hopefully satisfying plot of the single book itself. With a linked series, the layers can be built in any order without sacrificing overall complexity. You don’t have to swallow the medicine at once, but you still get a full dosage in each book no matter what, and by the time you’re on the fourth or fifth, you’ve got more layers than an onion. (Or parfait. Everyone likes parfait. Way more than medicine. Dammit, mixing my metaphors, sorry.) But not only can you read them in whatever order you choose — or not read them, if one looks like it’s not your cup of tea — you can also get the next layer without having to re-read the first book or two or whatever came before.
I mean, I’ve had George R.R. Martin’s A Dance With Dragons waiting on my iPad since it came out last year and haven’t even touched it yet. I’m too paranoid I forgot everything from the first four books, but no way I’m going back and reading them all again right now. Hey, like I say, I love that kind of series more than life itself, but there are some days that I want it to go down a little easier.
So I could natter on about it all day, but the material point is that a linked ‘verse series allows a lot of the benefits without many of the pitfalls, and the same goes for the other way around. Personally I can’t get enough of both, either reading or writing them. Some days I want Tolkien to break my brain with awesome; some days I just want an instant payoff — but with that little extra something to keep me coming back. Pick your pleasure.
I mean, that’s the point of romance, right?
*Yes, many of the Discworld books are series, but some are standalone or complementary/subplots that don’t need to be read with the others, etc. It’s a big old world on the backs of four elephants on top of a turtle in which Awesome Things Happen. See also D&D books in realms like Dragonlance and/or Forgotten Realms. Yeeeeah, I’m a huge nerd, no one’s shocked.
**As a side note: the appendix or complementary guidebook (aka: “It’s All There in the Manual“) is a good trick for this too, if the information is never going to be particularly relevant to a plot or understanding, but might interest people all the same. See Tolkien’s Silmarillion and all the appendices to The Lord of the Rings that give incredibly detailed information that would’ve gummed up the works of the story… even more. Another famous example is Frank Herbert’s short but informative appendices to Dune on Arakeen ecology, religion, and the badass Bene Gesserit. Obviously something like my little superpowered series doesn’t need anything so massive, but there is a rundown of the “magic rules” in the verse — aka superpowered science — exists at the website in the same spirit.
Thanks again so much to Katey for stopping by and for the great guest post! If you want to find out more about her, check out Katey’s website at www.kateyhawthorne.com. And if you would like to enter to win one of Katey’s Superpowered Love stories, be sure to leave a comment below. The contest closes on Sunday, July 22 at 11:59 pm EST.
- By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- Winners will be selected by random number.
- If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay and leave your email address if it is not in your profile.
I look forward to reading this series…I enjoy reading about “new worlds” 🙂
morris.crissy@gmail.com
Really interesting post…I’m not a big sci-fi devotee mainly BECAUSE I assume I’ll get bogged down in too many alternate-world details to remember. But who could resist a series called SUPERPOWERED LOVE?
Trix, Katey’s series is definitely not sci fi so no worries. I often have a hard time with books with complex world building but no worries about Superpowered love. They definitely read like contemporaries.
Yeah it’s like a spoonful of sugar makes the worldbuilding go down?
Ha!
I enjoy reading stories with Sci Fi and fantasy themes and would love to win one of her books, which sound so fascinating.
I like the idea of no info-dump. Count me in please 🙂
penumbrareads(at)gmail(dot)com
Ooh~ haha… really enjoyed the interview.
I actually really like when old characters make appearances in other books. Even if they’re not directly related but mentioned anyways, like in an “alternate universe” I’m absolutely fine with that. Because yes, I do indeed fall completely in love with some characters and wish for their stories to never end. lol… Even if they only slightly talk or just “walk on screen” I crane my neck for that small glimpse.
I don’t mind alternate universes. I BEG for them sometimes. lol…
Thanks so much for the contest!
Judi
arella3173_loveless(at)yahoo(dot)com
Judi, I totally agree! I get waaaay too attached to characters when I read. I love those little glimpses or mentions. And when I KNOW there’s more to the story, I totally want to find out what’s up with it. That’s why I like this kind of series–you can do that without getting overly complicated or laying down a “you must read this first!” mandate.
Which is awesome too. Sometimes. But I’m always looking for an alternate universe to read, myself!
I am a fan of alt-history like S M Sterling’s and Harry Turtledove’s. Taking real history and skewing it with alien invasions or “time travel” makes for a great read. I also like my mm romance series that revisit previous characters if just for news on what they are up to.
Nancy oh man, I LOVE alternate history. <3
Please count me in…thanks!
chellebee66 at gmail dot com
I’ve read a few series like this, in the same world but not the same story, and I really liked them. I’d never thought about what it takes to make it work right though. Very interesting post. I loved reading it.
Count me in for the giveaway, please 🙂
kit _singer@hotmail.com
You know, Kit, I’m not sure I thought about it either until I started writing it–though I’ve always loved reading things like this. I love being able to focus on one aspect of a world though and letting the layers build up that way.
Thanks for checking it out!
This is the first I’ve heard of the series, and it sounds fascinating. Please count me in! aspeed2 at gmail.com
I love it when the same characters keep appearing. It rally helps to build a world. Please count me in.
Please include my name in the contest. Thanks!
Katey’s Superpowered Series Is AWESOME!!!! Katey YOU ROCK!!!!!!
If anyone has not read one of her Books yet, you don’t know what your missing, You just HAVE to buy one of her Books & then you’ll be hooked!!!!! Start with “Riot Boy” you won’t be sorry!!!!!
Katey just give me some pom poms & I’ll lead your Cheerleadering Squad, Go Katey, Go Katey!!!! LOL Only thing, with my Big Ol’ (__|__) I won’t be fittin’ in any Cheerleading outfits anymore! ROFLMAO I would Love a chance to enter Katey’s Giveaway.
Take Care Katey & Jay & Stay Naughty,
PaParanormalFan (Renee’ S.)
paranormalromancefan at yahoo dot com
Ahaha, thank you so much, Renee’! You are too kind.
And I like cheerleaders to be of all shapes, gender identities, etc etc. I’ll dress up if you will! <3
It’s nice seeing characters again! Thanks for the giveaway!
OceanAkers @ aol.com
Personally, I love the series that follow the same characters. I never want to leave them behind! (I’m currently re-reading The Sharing Knife. Love Dag and Fawn. :D) Plus I have noooo problem re-reading books that I love. But linked series are a second best. Often romance “series” are like this. They take place in the same town or around the same characters, but are pretty much stand-alone, and have different main characters. Though there are exceptions to this. Nothing wrong with completely stand alone books, but I’m much more likely to pick up a series.
My dad is like that, Ashley–he hardly ever reads stand-alones because he just always wants to get into some big sprawling thing. I find that I’m about 50-50. Partly that’s because I’ve been burned on a lot of series, but also sometimes I just want to turn my brain off.
But I don’t watch a lot of TV, so that has something to do with it.