One of the best things about writing a long-running series is that, as the writer, I get to know my characters very, very well.
I know exactly what Drew Kincaid, charmer extraordinaire, for example, will do to make up with his mate after a fight. Forget about flowers or chocolates. No, this is Drew. Strong, intelligent, witty…and just a little bit devious. Hence the gift Indigo receives from him in TANGLE OF NEED, and one that I think will melt even the hardest heart. I’d tell you what it was, but I’m taking my cue from Drew and being just a little bit devious and whetting your appetite for that scene – it’ll sneak up on you when you least expect it.
I also know the personalities of each of the lieutenants. I know for example that Tomás likes to dice with his life by jerking the chain of the other lieutenants—and that he’d lay down that life and bleed for them without a thought. Just because he’s a smartass doesn’t mean he’s not also fiercely loyal.
In many cases, characters reappear across a number of books. I think this does a great deal to create the sense of family that is so integral to the books.
For example, Senior Soldier Elias from the SnowDancer pack, has appeared in all the books focused on SnowDancer. We know he has a mate he loves, and a daughter he dotes on, and that he’s a man liked and respected by others in the pack. We even know that at some stage in his courtship of his mate, he may possibly have been found buck naked in circumstances his packmates find hilarious to this day. 😉
In TANGLE OF NEED, we see Eli again, this time in his position as the leader of the senior soldiers. And when Eli appears, he’s not a stranger. He’s someone we know, a friend in the world.
Because of this continuity of character across the series, each time I start a book, it feels like I’m stepping into the ongoing life of the world and its characters, and bringing you a snapshot of a particular aspect of it. And I can’t wait to keep on taking those snapshots.
Do you love to follow characters across series books? Are there secondary or minor characters who have stolen your heart as a result of their appearance in a number of stories?
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