Osiyo~

Welcome to the Ranch and visiting my guest and crit partner, Heather Kinnane! I’m locking Heather in the round pen for the day to share insights on sequels so grab a donut and coffee and let’s listen. 🙂

Unexpected Sequels

In August this year I finally celebrated the publication of my first book. It’s an ebook, a short romantic fantasy at just over 16,000 words, titled A Faery Dream.

A Faery Dream is the story of 30-something year old Melissa, who has always felt different. For months she’s been dreaming of the particularly sexy Kellen, all the while trying to work out whether her struggling relationship with Tom is worth saving. She decides it isn’t, and just as she does so Kellen steps from her dreams into her reality, with secrets of the past, and explanations for why she’s always felt so out of place – her mother was one of the Fae, and Melissa has a faery name, Nyssa. Kellen is keen for Melissa to return to the Faery Realm with him, but he doesn’t tell Melissa everything, and in holding back he risks not only their relationship but the future of all the Fae.

A Faery Dream was always going to be stand alone. When I got to the end of it (on all of my drafts), I was convinced there was no more – what else could I write that the reader couldn’t imagine? A Happy Ever After was inevitable, there was simply nothing more of the story to tell.

It seems I was wrong.

After it was published, the reviews began to trickle in. They had two things in common, a love of the story (*phew* – author wipes her brow), and a conviction there should be more to it. “I hope it’s a prelude to a full novel,” one reviewer said. “I want more, more, more,” said another. I have to admit I dismissed the first comment – from a friend – who said they hoped for more, but when others felt the same it seems at least my muse was listening, even if I wasn’t.

Approximately three days after A Faery Dream was published, my muse hit me with an opening scene, and once I started I couldn’t stop. Fast forward to around three weeks later, and the first draft of what is presently titled A Faery Dream 2 (I know – totally original 😛 Of course, the name will most likely change in some way by the time it’s published) was finished at 40,000 words. I can’t really tell you much about A Faery Dream 2 without giving away the end of A Faery Dream, but I can say that it does continue Nyssa and Kellen’s story.  

Once it was written I left it for a month, and now I’ve opened the file again, for the editing to begin. I’m about half way through the first edit – there will be at least two passes before it’s handed over to my trusty beta-readers for their keen eagle-eyes to find any problems, and then another pass or two (or more) before I’ll submit it to my publishers, so there’s going to be a bit of a wait yet.

But there’s a lesson for writers in this, I think, that a story is never over, even when you’re certain it is. And perhaps there’s a lesson for readers too – if you love a story so much you want more, let the author know – even if she/he doesn’t plan on adding to the tale, maybe their muse is listening, and will fulfill that wish for you! 🙂

And if you’d like to read some more of those reviews, or buy the book, check out A Faery Dream on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/AFaeryDream or AmazonUK: http://tinyurl.com/AFaeryDreamUK

A Faery Dream is also available at All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-afaerydream-1268479-143.html

And of course at SteameReads: http://steamereads.com.au/product/a-faery-dream/

Author Bio: Heather Kinnane writes steamy stories in almost every genre, though fantasy realms with all their magical possibilities have always been her favourite setting.She lives with her partner, two children and a variety of pets in the idyllic island state of Tasmania, Australia, and spends her spare time (when not writing, or being a mother) reading or walking through the lush Tasmanian bush, which gives her inspiration for many of her fantasy writings. Her debut novella, A Faery Dream, was published by SteameReads in August this year and is available from Amazon, All Romance eBooks and of course at http://www.steamereads.com.au

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 Thanks for that interesting look at sequels, Heather! Good luck with your books. 🙂

Dodadagohvi~ until we meet again