Every once in a while a writer gets an idea that sends them to a place they never thought they would go. Mine was writing a series. I had only written single titles and I can't even say I was fond of even reading series so I knew I wasn't going to write one. Finding an author I liked and knowing I had to start from the beginning turned me off, especially if I'd just found this author at book ten. However once I realized in some series the books also stand alone as single titles but has a common denominator, I was elated. Still, I wasn't going to write one. When readers and other authors pushed me beyond my comfort zone and asked for more after they'd read Whispers in the Dark it started the birth of my St. Agnes series.
Whispers in the Dark started out as a single title, however, once the book was birthed the characters and readers screamed for more. Everyone fell in love with the town of St. Agnes. I even had a reader contact me to tell me she and her sister spent an entire day on the Eastern Shore of Virginia looking for it. She was really disappointed when I told her St. Agnes is a fictious town. However, you can find a piece of it in many of the small towns from north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to the Maryland state line. Not only did they fall you love with Dominique and Jericho they fell in love with St. Agnes' Chief of Police, Hunter Roberts. He was supposed to be a strong secondary character, a walk on character you might say that was going to give Dominique a run for her money. The crazy thing is, he didn't have a story. Readers emailed me from as far away as California and Canada asking about his story. Wow! He didn't have one! What was I to do? Well, as my story goes, one week I was sick with a chest and head cold and one night on my pseudophed, Nyquil, Mucinex high I dreamt of Chief Hunter Roberts story, Vision in the Dark in it's entirety and the concept and titles of four other stories from St. Agnes. St. Agnes was born!
Book two, Visions in the Dark is Chief Roberts' story and book three involves Jericho's best friend, Marcus, St. Agnes' newpaper editor. St. Agnes is, or should I say was a quaint little town on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Rumor has it after Dominique Rue showed up things just started to pop. She might debate that because Chief Roberts has a dark past of his own. I'm not sure if Dominique is the cause, however there is some truth behind the reasoning.
Attempted murders, kidnappings and bullets ripping through flesh. Who's to say. Well I hope you travel to St. Agnes as you read my series and stay awhile. There's so much more in store for you. Also, take a minute to visit my other blog, www.denisejeffriestheauthor.blogspot.com We are taking a month long virtual road trip to St. Agnes starting today! You will get up close and personal with the town and the people who live there. Also, there will be prizes and books galore! I can't wait to see you there.
Every once in a while a writer gets an idea that sends them to a place they never thought they would go. Mine was writing a series. I had only written single titles and I can't even say I was fond of even reading series so I knew I wasn't going to write one. Finding an author I liked and knowing I had to start from the beginning turned me off, especially if I'd just found this author at book ten. However once I realized in some series the books also stand alone as single titles but has a common denominator, I was elated. Still, I wasn't going to write one. When readers and other authors pushed me beyond my comfort zone and asked for more after they'd read Whispers in the Dark it started the birth of my St. Agnes series. 
Whispers in the Dark started out as a single title, however, once the book was birthed the characters and readers screamed for more. Everyone fell in love with the town of St. Agnes. I even had a reader contact me to tell me she and her sister spent an entire day on the Eastern Shore of Virginia looking for it. She was really disappointed when I told her St. Agnes is a fictious town. However, you can find a piece of it in many of the small towns from north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to the Maryland state line. Not only did they fall you love with Dominique and Jericho they fell in love with St. Agnes' Chief of Police, Hunter Roberts. He was supposed to be a strong secondary character, a walk on character you might say that was going to give Dominique a run for her money. The crazy thing is, he didn't have a story. Readers emailed me from as far away as California and Canada asking about his story. Wow! He didn't have one! What was I to do? Well, as my story goes, one week I was sick with a chest and head cold and one night on my pseudophed, Nyquil, Mucinex high I dreamt of Chief Hunter Roberts story, Vision in the Dark in it's entirety and the concept and titles of four other stories from St. Agnes. St. Agnes was born! 
Book two, Visions in the Dark is Chief Roberts' story and book three involves Jericho's best friend, Marcus, St. Agnes' newpaper editor. St. Agnes is, or should I say was a quaint little town on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Rumor has it after Dominique Rue showed up things just started to pop. She might debate that because Chief Roberts has a dark past of his own. I'm not sure if Dominique is the cause, however there is some truth behind the reasoning. 
Attempted murders, kidnappings and bullets ripping through flesh. Who's to say. Well I hope you travel to St. Agnes as you read my series and stay awhile. There's so much more in store for you. Also, take a minute to visit my other blog, www.denisejeffriestheauthor.blogspot.com We are taking a month long virtual road trip to St. Agnes starting today! You will get up close and personal with the town and the people who live there. Also, there will be prizes and books galore! I can't wait to see you there.
Great secondary characters often demand their own stories. I never expected to write a series either, but lately it seems that each story has a secondary character with a background that is just too juicy not to have their own novel.
ReplyDeleteThe St. Agnes series sounds intriguing. Heading over to Goodreads to add it to my TBR list.
Thanks Reese. It's been a blast writing it. Enjoy and keep me posted.
ReplyDelete