Christy Reece is with us today to celebrate the release of the fourth book in her Last Chance Rescue series. Considering this topic, I really appreciate the irony.
Haven’t I Seen You Somewhere Before?
One of the most enjoyable things about writing a series is the opportunity to create interesting secondary characters who will someday have their own book. Introducing a character several books ahead of their own really helps me get to know them. When the time comes to write their story, we’re very well acquainted.I love reading related books because there always seems to be a character I want to know more about. If this person isn’t the main character, I’m often left wanting to know more. With related books, I get to find out.
When I began writing RESCUE ME, I never dreamed it would launch the Last Chance Rescue series. I began that first book with no intention of writing any related books. At least until I met an intriguing secondary character named Noah McCall. This man came to life so vividly for me and was so intriguing, I even considered changing the storyline of RESCUE ME to make him the hero. My heroine, Eden, wouldn’t hear of it. She was still in love with the man who’d broken her heart years before and no matter how much I argued with her, she refused to consider loving anyone else. So I was left with no choice but to write RETURN TO ME, which is Noah McCall’s story. From there, each time I wrote a book, an intriguing secondary character would appear and I knew immediately he or she would have to have their own book.
Gabe Maddox has been a secondary character in the three previous LCR books. In NO CHANCE, he finally gets to tell his story. In the books leading up to his, Gabe has become increasingly fascinating and mysterious. When he revealed several secrets in RUN TO ME, he solidified the need for his own story. I had to find out what made him tick…why was he so unrelenting and harsh? What had happened to turn him into the man he is today? When I found out he was married, I was stunned. Where was his wife? What had happened to tear them apart? And why were they still married if they were no longer together? When he finally told me what happened, I fell for him hard. Gabe is definitely hero material and deserves his own book.
Have you ever read a book with a secondary character and just had to know more? Did the author write a book for that character? If you could name one secondary character in any romance that you really want to have his or her story told, who would it be?
We have two copies of No Chance to giveaway. Leave a comment with your answer to Christy’s question!
No, I cannot think of any secondary characters offhand that I would like to have their own books – because I read a lot of series books, and the secondary charachters usually get their own stories. Thank goodness.
Not have an LCR series? Oh my… I can’t imagine.
I will have to say that one of the reasons Rescue Me pulled me in so completely is that it didn’t follow the romance formula – one hero and one heroine. For a bit while reading it, I couldn’t decide who I wanted to BE the hero. Turned out exactly as it needed to, and you know I’m so glad Noah got his own story.
For me, secondary characters can make or break a book. Some of my favorites are Izzie and Lopez from Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters series. Izzie will finally get a CHANCE for his own story next year.
Other memorable secondary characters that come to mind are (and I hope I get the names correct) Alex and Rebel from Nina Bruhns’ new series and Clutch and Sarah, as well as Saint and PJ, from Stephanie Tyler’s series.
Have a great weekend, Christy. Good luck with the deadlines.
Hi Pat, thanks goodness is right! That’s the great thing about series, isn’t it?
Linda Howard’s Dream Man made me really want a book about Dane’s best friend. I can’t recall his name but I so wanted to read his book. Even though he became engaged to a beautiful woman during the story, I still wanted to see him as a main character. Don’t think that will ever happen. I’m over it…almost. (:
Thanks so much for stopping by!
I can’t think of a favorite secondary character in a series who didn’t get his/her own book. You can usually tell which of the ones will be later central characters, and that’s fine. There are several secondary characters in mysteries I’ve read that I wished got their own book, although I couldn’t give you names right now. It seems to me, though, especially in romance, that if it’s not intended to be a series there usually aren’t other men in it who are really viable options. They’re evil or cretins or unattractive or old or something along those lines, unless the competition for the heroine is part of the storyline.
Hey Kara, yes, I think we both would have been sad if Noah hadn’t gotten his own story.
You mentioned a lot of great secondary characters. I wonder what happens in the very last book of a much beloved series. Are there no secondary characters readers want to know more about or is everything neatly tied up with the last book?
Hey Susanna, I think you’re right about current romances, especially now that series and related books seem the norm. But before series really took off, I remember reading books and thinking I’d love it if he or she had their own story.
I know this was years ago, but was it Nick in Whitney My Love everyone wanted a book for. And she ended up with a novella for him? Or was it from another book of hers?
I can’t think of a secondary character in a series either that hasn’t had their own story or having one in the works. With that said I will say (I won’t spoil it, but..) The last book by Nicholas Sparks Dear John(which isn’t even close to the same page as the romance books we talk about) but that book definitely has some loose ends that needs to be taken care of. I don’t want to say more than that because the movie is coming out, but I’d like to see another book come out that continues that story.
Hi Christy
I love when authors are surprised by their characters as if they have no control over them (When I found out he was married). I loved
Polly Chase, the matriarch of the Chase family from Lauren Dane’s Chase Brothers series. I’d love to see her have her own story, even if she’s older. Don’t enter me as I have all your wonderful, exciting, can’t put them down books.
Hey Crystal, unresolved issues in a book can be painful too! And I’m sure you’re not the only one who feels this way. With his legion of fan, he’ll probably receive lots of requests for another one.
Will you see the movie?
Hey Mary! I’m glad someone other than me has a secondary character they’d like to have a book about. I was beginning to think I’m the only one and maybe it’s just my unresolved issues. (:
Thank you for your kind words! And thanks for coming by.
Hey Christy!
I think the well-defined secondary characters in the LCR series are one of the main reasons I was hooked so quickly. You gave them a strong voice and nobody could ignore them. That’s exactly how I first began to notice Gabe Maddox. He just had a magnetic presence and created so many unanswered questions and secrets that I wanted answered. And so it goes with Cole, Lucas and McKenna.
After I read Shiloh Walker’s “Fragile”, I frantically searched high and low for news on her next book to see whether or not a secondary character, Quinn, would be the lead. Sure enough, “Broken” comes out next month and Quinn will indeed have his say.
It will be interesting to meet the new characters you have lined up and also, I’m dying to know what next year’s trilogy titles will be!
Hope everyone enjoys a great weekend!
Oops! Once again, I forgot to ask that my name not be included in the drawing. I hope someone who has never read one of Christy’s books gets the prize!
Hey Oklanannie, I’m so glad Gabe intrigued you. Heaven knows he intrigued me. (:
I have got to read those Shiloh Walker books. I’ve heard so many good things about them. I have The Missing on my Kindle but still haven’t had the CHANCE to read it. Will make that a priority after some of my deadlines pass.
Trilogy titles coming soon, I promise! Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a great weekend too!
One of my favorite secondary characters was Jenks from the Rachel Morgan series, and yes, Kim Harrison did give us a book, Fistful of Charms, which gave us Jenks in human size.
Most of the secondary characters I read about eventually get their own story. Larissa Ione’s Demonica series is a good example.
I have read series where some secondary characters get their own story. I like that. Can’t remember the name of the series though.
Hi Cathy, I love it when the author gives you the story you want. Human size, huh? I think I need to read these books. (:
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Estella, I’ve heard great things about Larissa Ione’s books. She’s already on my list!
Question on the eventually. Does it bother you to have to wait a while? A long while?
Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Chey, I think that’s happening more and more. And in writing a series, it’s great to be able to introduce a character several books ahead. Usually, by the time I’m ready to write that character’s book, I know them so much better.
Thanks for stopping by.
Con from Mary Balogh’s Huxtable family series (First Comes Marriage, etc) caught my attention, and I looked forward to his appearances in the books focusing on his four cousins. I am excited for the release of his own story later in the year.
Hi Jess, yes, I love Mary Balogh’s books. She writes amazing characters!
Thanks for commenting!
oh yes, like i mentioned before on the “waiting on acheron” post here, i am anticipating hawke’s book in ms. singh’s psy-changeling series, especially after i read the third book, caressed by ice where hawke was a major sec character. i think his book is coming in 2011 sometime? but i can’t wait to read it and know who his heroine is as well.
Chelleyreads, don’t you just love the anticipation? And trying to guess who the heroine will be makes it so much fun. (:
I have read stories where secondary characters come back and get their own stories. Its one of my favorite types to read because you get to find out more about characters you were only briefly introduced to and curious about. A couple like this I can think of right now are: Lynsay Sands – Argueneau series, Shiloh Walker with Fragile and soon Broken, Kelley Armstrong – Otherworld series. I know theres more but thats all I can think of right now.
I love it when secondary characters get their own stories. Dear Christy your name had been on my to-buy list for ages and after meeting you here I went and ordered all four books. Cannot wait to get my hands on them now!!
Is only one secondary character allowed? 🙂 I’d love to see books about these three:
1. Jericho Barrons from Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series. Who wouldn’t want to know his whole story!
2. Madoc from Shannon K Butcher’s Sentinel Wars series, it’s eluded to that he may get his own book so I’m hoping that happens.
3. Pretty much any secondary character in Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters series. She’s finally working on Izzy’s book but honestly I’m so in love with this series that she could do several on each h/h and I’d be just as ecstatic (I’m a total Sam fan!).
Christie: I have one of your books in my TBR pile, saving it for vacation when I can spend more than a few stolen moments reading!
I have read so many books and really cannot remember a secondary character that I liked that did not eventually get his or her own book. It is just a matter of patience on my part to wait.
Rosie G.
Hi Donnas! Getting invested in a character and then anticipating his or her book is one of the best parts of reading a series to me.
Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Luci! Thanks so much for ordering my books. Hope you enjoy them! And I’m glad you enjoy books where secondary characters get their own story. The LCR series, other than the first one, is all about that. (:
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Sherri, you can name as many secondary characters as you like. (: And you mentioned some great ones!
Thanks for taking one of my books on vacation with you. Hope you enjoy it and your vacation!
Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Rosie G. Ah yes, patience is sometimes needed for those characters to get their own book. But when they do, isn’t it exciting?
Thanks for stopping by.
Caitlyn
Oh there are very often secondary characters that I want to get to know better, I often contact authors to see if there is a chance that they will get their own stories
Danny, that’s one of the most fabulous things about the Internet. These days authors are so easy to communicate with. Asking an author if she is going to write about a character is just a few clicks away. Love that!
Thanks for stopping by.
I have been very happy that most of my secondary characters have made it to their own book – SEP, Brockmann, and lots ahead of time that I know they are going to since upfront we know it is a series. Let’s here it for series books! My Fav! A lot of the suspense books I read have the same character – cop whatever and I like that too.
Karen T.
I am a big fan of Rachel Gibson’s hockey books and she has been very good about writing books for secondary characters that run throughout the series.
I wish Elizabeth Hoyt would write another Prince book featuring Bennett Granville, he was the half-brother of Harry Pye the hero of The Leopard Prince. She could even call it The Falcon Prince b/c he wears a falcon carving around his neck.
Totally agree, Karen T. Yay for the series!
Thanks for stopping by.
Scorpio, what a cool title. I’m sure she’d love to hear your idea.
Thanks for stopping by!