Please welcome erotic romance and domestic discipline author Starla Kaye back to the blog. Today Starla is here to share her love of reading and writing books in a series.
I read a lot of books from many different authors, but I admit that I love reading stories that are part of a series. Opening each new book is like visiting friends, even if the returning characters from other stories have only a small part. Some of my favorite authors with series dear to me include Janet Chapman (Spellbound Falls Romance and her Midnight Bay series), Linda Lael Miller (McKettricks, Stone Creek), Catherine Coulter (FBI Thriller series), and Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum series and Lizzy and Diesel series).
As a writer I also like to play with an occasional book series. It takes time to create a setting, a feel for the time period or particulars to an overall theme, and to create characters. For me, it is like creating a family of people near and dear to me that I care about and want to help each of them find their HEA.
The Devils in Denim Series is my newest series already fleshed out in my mind but just beginning to be published with Black Velvet Seductions . My “devils’ are eight cowboys adopted as troubled teens by Samuel Grayson. He managed to smooth some of the hard edges off the boys and turn their lives around. But the grown men still carry emotional baggage and need the love of a woman who can go nose-to-nose with them, understand them, hug them, and help them trust in love.
The first story in the Devils in Denim Series, The Cowboy’s Bride, introduces Lee Grayson, a troubled quarterback for the Denver Mustangs, and Amy Ward with dreams of her own. Dreams that are put are on hold because of what happened at a wild, celebration party at Lee’s home. When Amy awakens in bed with Lee, she has no idea how she got there. Lee has no memory of how they wound up in bed together either. When the media finds out about their situation, Lee is threatened with suspension by his team. Lee and Amy escape the paparazzi by hiding out at Lee’s father’s ranch. What can this miss-matched couple do to save Lee’s career and Amy’s secret desire for Lee? **Eventually this story will continue in a novella, RIDING FOR A FALL.
I am also currently working on an historical Western series, Braddocks, with Blushing Books. The five Braddock brothers went to the frontier to get away from their powerful and controlling father and build their lives in their own way. Daniel: Braddocks, Book One was published July 31, 2012. This story introduces the series with the oldest brother, Sheriff Daniel Braddock. He’d gone home to see his parents, who strongly disapprove of his choices, which drives him to swear he will never come back to Boston again. His life is now in frontier Kansas. While in Boston he meets Jennie, a pampered and spoiled beauty that he can’t resist. In a spell of craziness they get married in spite of their differences, in spite of both their families being against it. She wants him to stay there; he can’t. He leaves her behind, telling her he will come back for her, although he is certain she will come to her senses and realize the mistake they’ve made. But Jennie won’t give up so easily on the man she loves.**This series has consensual spanking elements. ADAM: BRADDOCKS, BOOK TWO will be released later this year.
I have also started a Regency series, The Claymores, with Blushing Books. There will eventually be five books about the Duke of Claymore’s children from two different wives and his beloved lover who refused to marry him. His Lady Ashlynn is the first story in the series and will be published later this year. Lady Ashlynn Remington is the youngest of twin sisters born to her English father’s American mistress. She is also the most headstrong of his three daughters and two sons. She resisted coming with him to England, disliking the English ways and especially displeased with English nobility. She is determined to return to America and the man she’d hoped to marry. Her father, though, is equally determined to keep her here. When she meets a handsome, powerful duke at one of the balls, she is attracted and resistant at the same time. But Blaine Wellingsworth, the Duke of Ashcroft, promptly asks for her hand in marriage and, against her desires, her father eagerly accepts. She won’t give up her plans so easily…
Books Referenced:
THE COWBOY’S BRIDE from Black Velvet Seductions
DANIEL: BRADDOCKS, BOOK ONE from Blushing Books
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I am a big fan of series books. It is always like going back and visiting family and I love to see what the characters have been doing. These look like great reads.
The Devils in Denim series is a good one. I’ve heard Starla’s bare bones ideas for the series and it’s a goodie. I am currently reading Rose’s Cowboys, the next story in the series. Yes..it was Rose’s Cowboys (plural)…and YES it is STEAMY!
I’m really looking forward to writing this Devils in Denim series. And, yes, Rose’s Cowboys is STEAMY!
Interesting post.
I’ve hit the jackpot here today – cowboys, historical westerns & Regency. I’m loving the sound of all 3 series.
I’m a fan of historical westerns too Mary.
It’s hard to go wrong with a western – historical or contemporary. 
All three series are great fun to write, with lots of rough/tough heroes who get plenty of annoyance from their women. It can’t get better than that.