The Serendipity Duet: You’ve Got Questions, I’ve Got Answers

Ever since I announced my plans to write a two-book spin-off of my young adult quartet THE KING SERIES, I’ve had a lot of questions. Now that UNDENIABLE, Book 1 of The Serendipity Duet, is nearing release, I decided to share some of those, along with answers.

Free free to leave your own questions below.

  • What King Series characters are featured in The Serendipity Duet? Quite a few. Featured main characters include Rafe Brooks, Nell Massler, Cathryn Whitmore and Zoe Hamilton. There are also some surprise pop-up appearances from some supporting cast members. You’ll have to read it to see.
  • Why a spin-off series? Why not more books in THE KING SERIESBecause THE KING SERIES was Tasmyn’s Fearless | The King Series Book 1 | Tawdra Kandlestory, and Tasmyn’s story is finished, for my purposes. I am not saying I will never write another story about her again–she may have a short in my planned King anthology–but she and Michael got their happily-ever-after, and I’m finished. A spin-off series was necessary because both Rafe and Nell demanded their own books. It just happened to work out well.
  • Is The Serendipity Duet young adult? No, it’s not. It is definitely New Adult. I want to make this crystal clear! Both books include some sexual scenes as well as some swearing and other adult situations. I will repeat: UNDENIABLE and UNQUENCHABLE are not YA books.
  • Why did you choose to make The Serendipity Duet New Adult instead of YA? This was, in some ways, a difficult decision because I know so many young people who have loved Tasmyn, Michael and the other characters from King and would like to read more about Rafe and Nell. However, I had three reasons for making the books NA: one, the stories as they unfurled before me were decidedly NOT YA. Two, the characters’ ages made more sense in NA. Three, I am moving away from writing YA altogether. Although I enjoyed my time in King, I know that my passion (no pun intended) lies with NA and adult romance. 
  • Breathless | The King Series Book 2 by Tawdra KandleCan you read The Serendipity Duet without reading The King Series? You can, certainly, but you will probably enjoy the books more if you’ve read at least BREATHLESS and RESTLESS. And it wouldn’t hurt to read ENDLESS as well. So you might as well go ahead and read all four, since FEARLESS is the first book. Happily, there is a handy omnibus ebook now available on Amazon and Smashwords so you can read all about King in one place.
  • When does The Serendipity Duet take place in the timing of The King Series? UNDENIABLE picks up about three months after the end of RESTLESS and a good portion of it takes place at the same time as ENDLESS. If you include the short stories related to these two series, UNDENIABLE also crosses a little into Stardust on the Sea (from ETERNAL SUMMER). UNQUENCHABLE takes place a little during Stardust and then has its own chronology independent of The King Series. 
  • Do Tasmyn and Michael appear in The Serendipity Duet? Well. . .yes and no. They are mentioned, certainly, and they are seen, but they are not active characters. 
  • Anything else we should know about The Serendipity Duet? You should know that the first book, UNDENIABLE, ends on a sort of cliff-hanger. I don’t usually do that, but this is how it worked out. Rest assured, book 2, UNQUENCHABLE will follow shortly. 

Monday Musings: Why Joss Whedon Rocks

Am I desperate for a topic? Maybe. But the fact remains, this is about the coolest thing I could blog.

All of my books mention or refer to Joss Whedon or one of his shows or movies in some form. This is because Joss is the master of all things wonderful when it come to television and movies. Oh, and short internet shows. (See: Dr. Horrible’s Sing A Long)

I’ve chronicled how I stumbled upon this paragon of paranormal elsewhere. But let’s talk about a little about some of Joss’s work.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Yes, I’m a little crazed about this show, still, ten years after it went off the air. But hey, this was life and culture changing stuff. The writing and the characters were irresistible. My sister and I rarely have a conversation, aloud or text, wherein we don’t make reference to Buffy or use a line. Among my favorites:

The earth is doomed.”

“If the apocalypse comes, beep me!”

“I wear the cheese, the cheese does not wear me.”

“I’m a comfortador also.”

“Men with your. . .sales.”

Your loss is my chocolatey gain.”

Angel: Also awesome, as a Buffy spin-off and the way it dovetailed with Buffy and gave us more insight into Buffyesque characters like Cordelia and Wesley. Oh, and Harmony. Plus, it gave Spike a place to go after Buffy ended. Oh, and there was Lorne, the Host, who rocked that green face. But all in all, it was darker, and the ending was not my favorite.

Firefly: We didn’t know what to expect. Cowboys in space? Really? It was a testament to Joss and our trust that we tried it out. And we were blown away. Wow. Again with the characters and the amazing dialogue!

Dr. Horrible’s Sing A Long Blog: Hey, guys! Let’s take Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion and Felicia Day (two of the three Buffy alum) and give them this quirky little story and some really kicking music. And then let’s just put it up on the internet, not on TV or the movie. Freaking amazing.

Much Ado About Nothing: Because he IS so freaking cool, Joss and friends frequently sit around and read Shakespeare aloud together. Do I want an invite to his next impromptu Bard Buffet? Oh, yes, I do. But I digress. Joss needed something to take his mind off the complications and stress of making AVENGERS (another favorite) and his wife suggested, “Hey, let’s take 12 days and film a Shakespeare play here at our gorgeous home, with our friends who are actors. It’ll be a hoot.” So maybe I’m paraphrasing but you get it. And that’s what they did, and the fact that the Divine Mr. W did a blockbuster like AVENGERS and a sweet little side piece like MUCH ADO at the same time is exactly why I find him so wonderful. And Much Ado will make you fall in love with Shakespeare all over again. Or for the first time. Whatever.

Is there more Joss goodness? Of course there is. But this is as much as I can fit in tonight, because I have to go back to my own little novel. . .and hope that something Joss-like falls into it.

 

Monday Musings: A New Year, Yada, Yada, Yada

I’ve never been much for new year’s resolutions. The closest I get is trying to re-organize after Christmas: I am a stickler about not using any of my shiny new gifts until they are set up and it is AFTER January 1st. I was the kid who left her gifts under the tree until the last minute: I liked to be reminded of the joy of Christmas morning, I guess.

But one of the changes I want to make in my life in 2014 is to be a better blogger, a better site-owner. I can justify using my website to keep everyone up-to-date on my books and my events, but there is a small part of me, growing louder, that wants to write more than just my stories.

This is a big change from the small part of me a few years ago that said, “Stop just blogging to your family and write those stories!!”

So to that end, I hope to be sharing some more Monday musings with y’all this year. I’m not going to say it’ll happen every Monday, but I’ll try.

And for those of you looking at the timestamp on this post, yes, Miss Stickler, it’s technically Tuesday. So sue me. I’ll do better next week.

Maybe.

LITERARY ADDICTS Weekly Wednesday Meme: Which Character Would Be Your Best Friend?

literaryaddictsmeme

 

 

Books have always been my best friends. I prefer the worlds and people within the covers of books over most flesh and blood beings, with certain spectacular exceptions.

So it isn’t odd that I have also found some of my best friends in characters of those books.

The first of my best book friends would be Laura Ingalls Wilder. I found her so utterly relatable and steadfast, someone upon whom41XEdvUb+GL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_ a person could depend. . .if you want to learn more about her, her life and her times, I highly recommend The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure. I reviewed it on this site a few years ago, and I stand by my feelings. Awesome book about an amazing person.

And then was Katie John of the books by the same name, by Mary Calhoun. Some of what I read in her books still affect my life today, and Katie John was a friend you’d want to have. She was fun, daring, smart and loyal. And she lived in this really cool house.

All-for-Hope-196x300Today, when I think of books I’ve read most recently, I think I would like to have Hope Sheffield of Olivia Hardin’s All for Hope as my best book friend. She’s someone you want on your side: she takes care of her own, she’s nurturing, and she’s forgiving, all qualities I need in a friend.

Who would be your best book friend? Be sure to hop around to all the other participating blogs and see their answers!

A Writer in the World: At the DMV

 

traveling_by_car_209233

A few weeks ago, I found myself in the DMV, or whatever its name is in the state of Florida. For the third time in my life, I was waiting while one of my daughters took her road test in order to earn her license.

As I sat there, it occurred to me that this is one of the most tense, anxiety-provoking situations that a parent experiences. Because, you see, there is nothing you can do. Your job is done. You cannot take the test for your child; you cannot even be in the car to provide moral support or words of assurance. You have to sit back, hope you’ve done your best to prepare her and try to keep the nerves from getting the best of you.

As a writer, I experience something similar every time a book is released. I’ve written the best story I can. I’ve revised, edited, revised again. I’ve had it formatted, chosen the best cover I possibly could. And then I release it out into the world.

I can’t go with it. I can’t be there every time someone buys my book to explain why I made the choices I did, why a character says what she does. I have to let it go and trust that I’ve done my best.

That day in the DMV, my daughter dashed back into the waiting room wearing a triumphant smile: she had passed. The hard work had paid off, and it was time to celebrate.

Since I’m gearing up to release a new book, I know I’ll be back in my virtual waiting room again soon. I hope the results are just as awesome.