The Future of the SO Series…
You might be asking yourself what future? I thought the SO series is over with Peyton’s story! Well, yes and no. As many of you know Ethan, our handsome FBI has been patiently waiting in the wings for his own story ever since his introduction in Calen’s Captive. We know he’s a hero without a cause, but I’ve started to give him one.
I decided a while ago that Ethan will launch Of Valor and Villains, a new series with new heroes, including his merc friend Jackson Lang who falls for the waif next door and friend from med school Carter Donovan who meets a ghost from his past.
But there were too many loose ends from the SO series to have this be an entirely new cast of characters. Some of you think Killian, the assassin from Trick’s Trap, needs a redemption arc and I happen to agree! I’ve got my eye on a curvy little accountant/librarian who paints miniatures on the side for our shadowy anti-hero. I also had some plans for our Russian friend Viktor, who will finally deal with the forces ordering him to do unspeakable things against his conscience.
And then there’s Caroline, Liam’s ex-fiancee. I did not expect to like that woman at all. I set her up to a mega-B if you know what I mean, because unlike some people I think there are true villains in life and we should have people to root against. But like in life, once you delve into someone’s story you gain a better understanding of them. And damn, is Caroline under a lot of pressure! Enough so that I don’t think her story is done. Our brittle ice queen needs a smoldering man to melt all that ice to get to the damaged but sensuous woman under that hard shell. He also has to be good with a gun because of course our ice queen stumbled into a mess with her hotel high flyers! Right now I’m think Mason, or intrepid Interpol agent from PP, although that’s not set in stone.
Why do these stories have to be a new series? Well, there are a couple of reasons for that. The hallmark of the Singular Obsession books was the billionaires and the people in their circle. And while some wealthy men and women will appear in the OVAV series it’s not strictly their world anymore. The OVAV series will mainly belong to men and women who live a completely different way.
Also there is a marketing issue to consider. Some people don’t like Step-brother romances and at heart that it what Making Her His, SO #1 is. I wrote the book after reading 50+ Lynne Graham novels back-to-back. The SO series starts as an homage to all those red-cover Harlequin books from my youth (shout out to FahLeena Latrese for her long ago gift of two of these for my 3rd grade bday). But I digress, stepbrothers are not everyone’s cup of tea and I want everyone to read my books. So a hot FBI agent as an alternate entry-point to my work seems like a good idea. Only time will tell if it actually is 😀
So yes. Of Valor and Villains is shaping up to be a companion series to the Singular Obsession books and the marketing will reflect that when the time comes. Ethan’s book has been stalled this summer as a lack of child-care put most of my writing on hold but kiddo goes back to her overpriced pre-school on Wednesday so I’m trying to gear up now. But I thought some of you might like to know where I am and thus this update post.
XOXO to you all!