FOR READERS
Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Shira Anthony:
Do you wait until the series is complete/published before starting? Do you care if it’s complete? Do you like spinoff series? And do you need closure at the end of each book?
Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks!
If the story is angsty and a series of at least three books, I wait until it is done, especially with cliffys. If the book ends on a solid note, with a sense of closure, but i know more is to come then if it is really good I read along.
Most series though, i read as they come out, simply because many of my favorite authors write the books as stand alones but older past characters show up and you may miss out on inside jokes. If i know there will be regular new books ( a year or less) i will also keep reading as they come out. If it takes longer then I wait.
Spin offs, especially “The Next Generation” of kids are the best! as well as short stories of a chapter that it would have been too much in the book but is fantastic on its own. Even if it is only 30,000 or less words.
I’m going to reference an author and if that is a no-no, then just erase my comment. Susi Hawke/ Susan Hawke is superb at writing spin offs that become a whole new series. She co-authors with others and does a brilliant job. She updates regularly and has such a huge variety of M/M romances.