I write for both People’s Friend and My Weekly Pocket Novels. They are quite different in their requirements but I enjoy the changes.
In the past I have allowed the same characters to creep into other stories. For example, a new heroine went to the wedding of an old one in another story ... nobody noticed but it amused me. Recently I have been writing a series for People’s Friend. It started life as an idea sent to the magazine for a serial. It was rejected for two reasons: one that the subject matter touched on another recent serial and secondly, the editor felt it would not have enough content for them. I sent in the story to Tracey Steele who loved it and took the book immediately. She then asked for another, following the same family. It was so easy and a third followed. Now I’ve written a fourth which comes out in April. ‘Tomorrow’s Dreams’, ‘Dare to Love’ and ‘Where Love Belongs’ tell the story of the Vale family members over the years from 1925 to post WW2. I wrote the series based on the Pottery industry. My father was a china manufacturer so it was great for me to re-visit the area and remember so many things from my own childhood ... not I add, that I was around at the time of these stories! It was lovely as I knew the characters so well and watched them grow up. It felt like meeting with old friends. No current plans for a fifth ... but who knows? After a break, they may all creep back into my life again.
I think you will do a 5th Chrissie and maybe even a sixth and seventh..... Sounds as if you really love those characters! I'm looking forward to reading about them. Cara x
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great idea, Chrissie and it sounds as though Tracey really likes your series! Here's to another dozen episodes!
ReplyDeleteI've had characters appearing (or being alluded to) in my novels. Mrs Oakengate, my awful hirer of timid companions is one, and I tend to use the same names. Mistletoe and Mystery, which is out next week, is set in Midchester, my fictional town that I've used in a couple of my self-published ebooks, and characters cross over there.
Thanks for sharing this, Chrissie. It's nice to be surrounded by old friends when writing, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteBy the way, thanks for the increased text size -much easier to read, for me at any rate!
Not sure how the text size increase happened! I didn't do anything but I did compose it in notpad and then copy and paste.
ReplyDeleteI'm already feeling that I miss my Vale family but not sure the readers will feel as I do. I must try something new!! Chrissie