The Challenge and Reward of Writing a Standalone Series

by Korina Moss

 

Cozy mysteries are my favorite kinds of books to read because they are generally standalone series. I know standalone series sounds like an oxymoron, but it’s really the best of both worlds. Although the series is a continuation of the same characters in the same town, each book’s mystery is complete--it stands alone without plot cliffhangers. I love these types of mysteries because even when I’m racing to finish and find out whodunnit, I don’t want it to end. I always want to continue to follow the characters, even doing their routine things. Just give me a few more chapters of them eating breakfast… working together… doing anything so I don’t have to leave them yet! 

I always start with the first book in a series. Being a writer of a standalone series, however, I’m aware that the first book a reader may pick up may not be Cheddar Off Dead, the first book in my cheese shop mystery series. The challenge comes in writing descriptions that draw new readers in but don’t bore those who are well-versed in my fictional town of Yarrow Glen. A friend of mine who’s an avid cozy mystery reader was put off by an author whose long-running series she loves, but who describes the town and characters the same, verbatim, in every book. As an author, I understand the temptation—it’s difficult to find new ways to describe people and places when you want new readers to know the same things that old readers know. Unfortunately, we can’t all be Sue Grafton in how cleverly she not only made her recapped descriptions work but made them comforting to return to in each book. 

The best part of writing this kind of series is being able to develop my characters and their relationships over many books. I was thrilled when my publisher offered me a second contract to write three more books in my cheese shop mystery series, for a total of six books thus far. It means I can think more long-term about my characters, and it allows them more room to grow. My readers can get to know them even better and see how their personalities and relationships change over time. When readers open another cheese shop mystery, I want them to immediately feel they’re back among old friends. 

The second cheese shop mystery, Gone For Gouda, releases on September 27th and is available for pre-order. Cheddar Off Dead is available wherever books are sold. You can go to korinamossauthor.com for more information. 

Are you like me and always start a series from the first book or do you pick up the latest book? 

VACATIONING WITH MY MUSE

by Korina Moss

Recently, one of my yet-to-be published writer friends asked me what the biggest difference was in my writing life since getting published. The answer came to me while I was on vacation… and working on my book.

I used to wait for my muse to show up before even opening my laptop. Was I feeling creative that day? Did I have several free hours in front of me to write? Sometimes I’d get started, but if the words weren’t flowing from my fingertips, I’d find myself playing virtual solitaire or scrolling through social media. Hence, it took me years to finish a book. The quickest I'd finished a manuscript before starting this series was ten months, and that was only because my agent was expecting it.

Being under contract, I no longer have the luxury of waiting for my muse. Now I summon her, even if I only have thirty minutes and not the whole afternoon. Still, she doesn’t always show up, but I can no longer let writer’s block stop me in my tracks. I must climb over it and put words on the page. They are usually very awful words that look like I’m writing a first grade primer—SEE SPOT RUN. But I’ve found even clumsy thoughts contribute to my progress by advancing the plot and keeping the story in the forefront of my mind. And they invariably turn into better words on another day when my muse has decided to make an appearance. She’s fickle that way.  

Since I’d handed in my third book in May and my editor gave me a date when I’d get it back with suggested revisions, I booked a last-minute trip for my son and me to celebrate his high school graduation. With only three weeks until our cruise, I was certain I’d have no impending deadlines – it would be smooth sailing! 

But as I’d written about in a post last September, “The Juggling Act of Being an Author,” there are many stages in a book’s production. And sure enough, I received the ‘first pass’ pages for my second book, Gone For Gouda, which would be due while I was away. ‘First pass’ pages are when your book has gone through the copy editing and proofreading stages and is now formatted. It’s the last chance to spot any errors—not something I could rush through in the week of chaos between my son’s graduation and our trip. Hence, Gone For Gouda was not gone for good—it came with me. Luckily, a cruise vacation has plenty of down time and I was able to finish it days early and without much interruption of our fun. I even started outlining my next project while onboard.

Not every writer is the same. Many can write more quickly than I can or have better organizational skills or have found a better work-life balance than I have thus far. However, something we all have in common is deadlines, which means if you become a published author, your muse just might have to go on vacation with you.  

  

Readers: Are you able to successfully leave your cares behind when you go away on a trip? 

BOOK MAGIC by Korina Moss

 I’m sure it’s no surprise that as a young girl, I loved books. In a good book, I was transported to the author’s world, feeling every emotion her characters felt, delighting in their triumphs, and wanting to read just one more chapter. I re-read Little Women countless times as a 10-year-old, not because I didn’t know the outcome, but because I wanted to hang out with the March sisters. I read all the Nancy Drew mysteries for the excitement of tagging along with Nancy, Bess, and George to discover the twists and turns of their latest mystery. It was where the first spark of my desire to become an author originated. I wanted to possess that magic that could make others feel the way I did when I read a good book. 

My dream grew along with me, and I often replayed snapshots in my mind of what it would look like to be a writer and to see my creation in bookstores alongside authors I’ve read. I was able to realize that dream when my first book, Cheddar Off Dead, debuted on March 29th.

The paperbacks were on the Barnes & Noble bookshelves for five days before I could get to one because of the busy publicity schedule of releasing my book (and my son having a birthday at the same time). When the day came, one of my sisters drove two hours to share that experience with me. There it was, shelved next to Leslie Meier’s Lucy Stone series, one I’d been reading since the 90s! I hope her longevity rubs off on my Cheese Shop Mystery series. 

The staff made a fuss over me and put a signed copy sticker on the books after I signed them. I’d practiced my signature beforehand like an actor might practice his Oscar speech. Alas, my signature still doesn’t have enough of a flourish, but maybe I’ll develop that with enough signings. 

One of the larger Barnes & Nobles has Cheddar Off Dead displayed on a special New & Notable rack with, among other books, Nine Lives by Danielle Steel! Did I ever think my book would be next to one of Danielle Steel’s? (Just in case you’re confused, I’m the New, she’s the Notable.) 

Seeing the book in bookstores was the physical manifestation of my dream. The book was real, and it was out there. That part had to happen for the other part of my author dream to be possible—could I impart book magic onto readers? 

I did my best to accomplish it, but only the Cheddar Off Dead readers can answer that. 

Readers: What book from your childhood made you believe in "book magic"?