Setting expectations for FEVERSONG
Today is a new era in many ways. I handle all my social platforms now. When you write to me at Facebook or any of my email addresses, it’s me you’re getting. What happens on those platforms is my decision and no one else’s. I feel more in touch and personally connected with my fans than ever. If I’m in the writing cave, you may not see me online or get answers to your emails for weeks at a time and for that I apologize but I trust you’ll be happy to know when you’re not hearing from me, it means I’m busy doing what I love most and I hope you love me doing most—writing.
Speaking of writing, when I sat down to begin the last installment in this story arc, I revisited the original notes I’d made many years ago, shortly after I had the dream that inspired the Fever series. I’d compiled reams of notes during the eleven years I’d been writing about Mac, Barrons, Dani and the crew and it was mesmerizing to look back over them, see how everything evolved, analyze where I felt I hit the mark and where I missed it, and plot how to bring it full circle. Five years ago, I wrote the scenes that became the final two chapters in Feversong. I was pleased to find I didn’t need to change a single word when I plugged those chapters in.
I feel as if an era in my life has ended. For the duration of the series, events in my life paralleled Mac’s in so many ways that I developed a superstition that my existence would never be normal again, until I wrote the final pages of Mac’s journey. I have high hopes for a much less chaotic future for both of us.
Hindsight is 20/20 and I couldn’t even begin to tackle writing Feversong until I’d analyzed the successes and problem areas in the series as a whole. I felt my biggest problem area was in stepping away from Mac & Barrons to write a Dani book while I healed from my tumultuous divorce. In 2011, I felt unequal to the task of writing about their epic love affair when my heart was broken and I wasn’t feeling in the least romantic. I knew I couldn’t do justice to them, and the Mega’s head was beguilingly easy for me to slip into: she’s sharp and bombastic, funny and tough, yet heartbreakingly vulnerable beneath it all. At that time in my life, Dani’s was a much easier skin for me to wear than Mac’s.
Yet—and this is a big yet—I wouldn’t un-write Iced for anything. I love that book and I love Dani’s character. She and Mac are completely different. I adore them both.
For the past few years, I’ve reflected that perhaps I should have gone straight from Shadowfever to Burned, while continuing to develop Dani as a side character, then once Mac & Barrons’s story arc was done, brought Dani to the forefront as a primary character and begun a new series. I think it would have been easier for the reader to absorb and digest as well. Looking back, Iced is the book that—were I to present the series in a sort of ‘which-thing-here-isn’t-like-the-others’ test—we’d all instantly point to it.
But while writing Feversong, my opinion changed, because I realized if I’d never written Iced, Feversong wouldn’t have turned out to be what it is. It wouldn’t work the way it does. It wouldn’t have half the pathos and emotion it ended up having. All because we got that ‘day in the life of Dani ‘the Mega’ O’Malley as part of the series foundation. There are some side characters whose voices are so strong writers have no choice but to move them to the main stage with the other principle players.
Upon the completion of the series, I look back and think—I’ll be damned, it turned out pretty much exactly the way I wanted it to. I’m not sure this wasn’t the way these four books were supposed to go. It was merely a rockier delivery than I would have preferred for myself and for you.
The questions that matter to me at the end of any book or series are:
1. Does it hold emotional, intellectual and psychological water? Does it have sincerity, cohesion and pathos?
2. Is each element that was necessary for the foundation cemented in place when I finally put the roof on the structure and close the front door?
3. Have my themes and motifs been established, developed and expounded upon?
4. Have I attained three-dimensionality of primary and secondary characters and does the ending of each of their journeys honor my initial vision, while doing justice to their essential character?
5. Is there enough light that the darkness is eclipsed? Have I achieved innate emotional integrity?
If I meet those criteria, I’m satisfied with how I’ve told the story.
Halfway through this series, I realized I was shooting myself in the foot professionally. It was one of the reasons I resisted writing the first five books initially. From the morning I woke up from my dream that became the Fever Series, I knew in my gut it was going to be a difficult challenge to tackle. When readers tell me this series feels different for them, it’s true on so many levels.
Most authors give you a beginning, middle and end in each book they write. For good reason. We readers like beginnings, middles and ends in one tidy package. It makes us feel complete. We can pick a book up, plunge in, race to the climax, get the climax, close the book with an HEA (or not) and get on with our lives.
Too bad I wasn’t offering you anything remotely like that.
Darkfever was a beginning. Bloodfever, Faefever and Dreamfever were middles. Shadowfever was an end. (It’s no wonder most people like Shadowfever more than any of the others. Endings get all the good stuff.) Then, as if I hadn’t tortured myself and you enough, I did it again, even more jarringly: Iced was a beginning. Wait—Burned was another beginning. Feverborn was a middle and Feversong is the end.
Who the f*&^ writes books like that?
People don’t like books like that. They’re aggravating, unsatisfying and linger in your head because you have no resolution. You end up shipping the characters in your spare time. The author becomes the enemy because that wench is withholding your ending and by the time she finally gets around to writing it, if it doesn’t go where you shipped it, you’re doubly irritated with her.
Never. Again. Henceforth all my books will individually contain beginnings, middles and ends. I’m done with that nightmare of a blueprint. I’ve evolved. I can more wisely navigate the path the Muse leads me down and the path I take on behalf of my characters and readers.
But I digress.
The point of this was to set expectations for Feversong and I haven’t yet broached that topic.
I had to decide many things before I wrote the first sentence of this final book. There were too many characters/storylines for me to resolve them all in a single installment, so the first decision I had to make was how to distill focus.
Expectation 1: Most secondary character’s stories do NOT get resolved in Feversong. I made a conscious decision to tightly focus on the main protagonists, gently sweeping all the secondary characters to the side of the stage. I neither ignore nor advance their stories. I mention them so you know where they are in events, but leave their stories open for the future. I couldn’t do justice to both primary character and secondary character stories in a single book and I’m unwilling to hurriedly whiz through secondary stories because A: I have big plans for some of them, and B: I would have had to sacrifice the innate integrity of their story arc. Did I mention I have BIG plans for some of them?
Expectation 2: Mac and Barrons’s story is completed at the end of Feversong.
Expectation 3: Other stories are just beginning.
Expectation 4: I’m not yet willing to discuss what comes next. I’ll tell you when I am.
Expectation 5: Feversong is split between two primary characters: Mac and Jada/Dani. Though the book has four ‘parts,’ to me it has two significant parts. The first half is one thing, the second half is another. I don’t know that I’ve ever written a book quite like this one before. I endeavored to alternate from one main POV to the next, as consistently as possible but there were times when the action and emotion defied the formula and I will never adhere to a formula at the expense of the story.
Expectation 6: Feversong came in at just under 160,000 words. Shadowfever was approximately 190,000 words. Rule of thumb is 100,000 words usually equals about 370-400 book pages. However, it depends on how the book is typeset: how many lines on each page, what size font. 160,000 words can end up being 450 printed book pages. Or 700 printed book pages. Final page count is out of my hands and in the publishers. This is why I go by word count.
Expectation 7: There’s a glossary is in the back. Please factor that in when you’re nearing the end, if you’re using an e-reader. I know it can be jarring but also helpful in recalling the plethora of details.
A final expectation: the writing industry is a tough market. It’s not what it was ten, five or even two years ago. The reader speaks with their money. Traditional publishing is facing many challenges and the writer’s ability to make their bosses a profit dictates what the writer can do. Not because the publishers says ‘no’ but because if what I do doesn’t make them money, I don’t get paid and can’t support my family, my employees and their families.
Expectation # 1 for future books: If there are certain characters you’d like to see more of, please show your support through pre-orders, first week sales and social media. Writers, characters and fans together—are a team. I have to prove myself every day to my bosses. I have to prove the financial viability of my storylines and characters to them via sales.
I might have a strong desire to write a specific set of characters but if readers don’t buy those books straight out of the gate…well, I know how smart my readers are. You hear what I’m saying.
In closing, I hope to see many of you at the Feversong Book Launch party in NOLA 2017. It’s the first con I’ve planned myself down to the last detail and I’ve been having a blast with it. I’ve got a total dream team of fans and friends that have thrown themselves into it with true Fever passion. We’ve got one hell of a party planned for you.
Thanks for being such terrific readers, fans and friends.
Speaking of writing, when I sat down to begin the last installment in this story arc, I revisited the original notes I’d made many years ago, shortly after I had the dream that inspired the Fever series. I’d compiled reams of notes during the eleven years I’d been writing about Mac, Barrons, Dani and the crew and it was mesmerizing to look back over them, see how everything evolved, analyze where I felt I hit the mark and where I missed it, and plot how to bring it full circle. Five years ago, I wrote the scenes that became the final two chapters in Feversong. I was pleased to find I didn’t need to change a single word when I plugged those chapters in.
I feel as if an era in my life has ended. For the duration of the series, events in my life paralleled Mac’s in so many ways that I developed a superstition that my existence would never be normal again, until I wrote the final pages of Mac’s journey. I have high hopes for a much less chaotic future for both of us.
Hindsight is 20/20 and I couldn’t even begin to tackle writing Feversong until I’d analyzed the successes and problem areas in the series as a whole. I felt my biggest problem area was in stepping away from Mac & Barrons to write a Dani book while I healed from my tumultuous divorce. In 2011, I felt unequal to the task of writing about their epic love affair when my heart was broken and I wasn’t feeling in the least romantic. I knew I couldn’t do justice to them, and the Mega’s head was beguilingly easy for me to slip into: she’s sharp and bombastic, funny and tough, yet heartbreakingly vulnerable beneath it all. At that time in my life, Dani’s was a much easier skin for me to wear than Mac’s.
Yet—and this is a big yet—I wouldn’t un-write Iced for anything. I love that book and I love Dani’s character. She and Mac are completely different. I adore them both.
For the past few years, I’ve reflected that perhaps I should have gone straight from Shadowfever to Burned, while continuing to develop Dani as a side character, then once Mac & Barrons’s story arc was done, brought Dani to the forefront as a primary character and begun a new series. I think it would have been easier for the reader to absorb and digest as well. Looking back, Iced is the book that—were I to present the series in a sort of ‘which-thing-here-isn’t-like-the-others’ test—we’d all instantly point to it.
But while writing Feversong, my opinion changed, because I realized if I’d never written Iced, Feversong wouldn’t have turned out to be what it is. It wouldn’t work the way it does. It wouldn’t have half the pathos and emotion it ended up having. All because we got that ‘day in the life of Dani ‘the Mega’ O’Malley as part of the series foundation. There are some side characters whose voices are so strong writers have no choice but to move them to the main stage with the other principle players.
Upon the completion of the series, I look back and think—I’ll be damned, it turned out pretty much exactly the way I wanted it to. I’m not sure this wasn’t the way these four books were supposed to go. It was merely a rockier delivery than I would have preferred for myself and for you.
The questions that matter to me at the end of any book or series are:
1. Does it hold emotional, intellectual and psychological water? Does it have sincerity, cohesion and pathos?
2. Is each element that was necessary for the foundation cemented in place when I finally put the roof on the structure and close the front door?
3. Have my themes and motifs been established, developed and expounded upon?
4. Have I attained three-dimensionality of primary and secondary characters and does the ending of each of their journeys honor my initial vision, while doing justice to their essential character?
5. Is there enough light that the darkness is eclipsed? Have I achieved innate emotional integrity?
If I meet those criteria, I’m satisfied with how I’ve told the story.
Halfway through this series, I realized I was shooting myself in the foot professionally. It was one of the reasons I resisted writing the first five books initially. From the morning I woke up from my dream that became the Fever Series, I knew in my gut it was going to be a difficult challenge to tackle. When readers tell me this series feels different for them, it’s true on so many levels.
Most authors give you a beginning, middle and end in each book they write. For good reason. We readers like beginnings, middles and ends in one tidy package. It makes us feel complete. We can pick a book up, plunge in, race to the climax, get the climax, close the book with an HEA (or not) and get on with our lives.
Too bad I wasn’t offering you anything remotely like that.
Darkfever was a beginning. Bloodfever, Faefever and Dreamfever were middles. Shadowfever was an end. (It’s no wonder most people like Shadowfever more than any of the others. Endings get all the good stuff.) Then, as if I hadn’t tortured myself and you enough, I did it again, even more jarringly: Iced was a beginning. Wait—Burned was another beginning. Feverborn was a middle and Feversong is the end.
Who the f*&^ writes books like that?
People don’t like books like that. They’re aggravating, unsatisfying and linger in your head because you have no resolution. You end up shipping the characters in your spare time. The author becomes the enemy because that wench is withholding your ending and by the time she finally gets around to writing it, if it doesn’t go where you shipped it, you’re doubly irritated with her.
Never. Again. Henceforth all my books will individually contain beginnings, middles and ends. I’m done with that nightmare of a blueprint. I’ve evolved. I can more wisely navigate the path the Muse leads me down and the path I take on behalf of my characters and readers.
But I digress.
The point of this was to set expectations for Feversong and I haven’t yet broached that topic.
I had to decide many things before I wrote the first sentence of this final book. There were too many characters/storylines for me to resolve them all in a single installment, so the first decision I had to make was how to distill focus.
Expectation 1: Most secondary character’s stories do NOT get resolved in Feversong. I made a conscious decision to tightly focus on the main protagonists, gently sweeping all the secondary characters to the side of the stage. I neither ignore nor advance their stories. I mention them so you know where they are in events, but leave their stories open for the future. I couldn’t do justice to both primary character and secondary character stories in a single book and I’m unwilling to hurriedly whiz through secondary stories because A: I have big plans for some of them, and B: I would have had to sacrifice the innate integrity of their story arc. Did I mention I have BIG plans for some of them?
Expectation 2: Mac and Barrons’s story is completed at the end of Feversong.
Expectation 3: Other stories are just beginning.
Expectation 4: I’m not yet willing to discuss what comes next. I’ll tell you when I am.
Expectation 5: Feversong is split between two primary characters: Mac and Jada/Dani. Though the book has four ‘parts,’ to me it has two significant parts. The first half is one thing, the second half is another. I don’t know that I’ve ever written a book quite like this one before. I endeavored to alternate from one main POV to the next, as consistently as possible but there were times when the action and emotion defied the formula and I will never adhere to a formula at the expense of the story.
Expectation 6: Feversong came in at just under 160,000 words. Shadowfever was approximately 190,000 words. Rule of thumb is 100,000 words usually equals about 370-400 book pages. However, it depends on how the book is typeset: how many lines on each page, what size font. 160,000 words can end up being 450 printed book pages. Or 700 printed book pages. Final page count is out of my hands and in the publishers. This is why I go by word count.
Expectation 7: There’s a glossary is in the back. Please factor that in when you’re nearing the end, if you’re using an e-reader. I know it can be jarring but also helpful in recalling the plethora of details.
A final expectation: the writing industry is a tough market. It’s not what it was ten, five or even two years ago. The reader speaks with their money. Traditional publishing is facing many challenges and the writer’s ability to make their bosses a profit dictates what the writer can do. Not because the publishers says ‘no’ but because if what I do doesn’t make them money, I don’t get paid and can’t support my family, my employees and their families.
Expectation # 1 for future books: If there are certain characters you’d like to see more of, please show your support through pre-orders, first week sales and social media. Writers, characters and fans together—are a team. I have to prove myself every day to my bosses. I have to prove the financial viability of my storylines and characters to them via sales.
I might have a strong desire to write a specific set of characters but if readers don’t buy those books straight out of the gate…well, I know how smart my readers are. You hear what I’m saying.
In closing, I hope to see many of you at the Feversong Book Launch party in NOLA 2017. It’s the first con I’ve planned myself down to the last detail and I’ve been having a blast with it. I’ve got a total dream team of fans and friends that have thrown themselves into it with true Fever passion. We’ve got one hell of a party planned for you.
Thanks for being such terrific readers, fans and friends.
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by
Trina
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Oct 01, 2016 08:35AM
I adored the series, every part of it especially ICED since I thought the series was over at Shadowfever. I work at a library and it's a series I often recommend. I could have read it backwards and still have been happy with the story. I look forward to whatever you write in the future.
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I love your blog posts. Everytime you post one, I see another facet of you as a person and a writer. As always, thank you for sharing your wicked/crazy talent with all of us and keeping this reader enthralled in your wonderful, dark and beautiful world of Fever.
This was a bittersweet post and I can honestly say it may me tear up. I've been reading this series since the first book came out and it's become one of my favorites that I go back to again and again. The characters feel like home. I love this series and I look forward to your future works. Thank you for a truly amazing set of books. :)
No matter how Feversong ends- the Fever Series will always be my HANDS DOWN most beloved series, cashing in the most rereads, containing my favorite love story. I truly would not wish to change a thing, only that it is ending.
This is one of my favorite book series by far. I'm looking forward to Feversong and I hope it's a huge success for you. As far as future books go, I would absolutely LOVE a series on The Nine! There is so much there to explore and Barrons has always been my favorite character.
I honor your sincerity, openness, and honesty. Your journey is our (your readers) journey. I'd never choose a different path. Many blessings to you and your fans.
I'm so excited for NOLA 2017 but also for anything you plan to write next. I've loved your writing since all of the highlander books and I'm sure whatever you do in the future will be just as great! Thank you so much for being such a great writer!!
Barron is one of my all time favorite leading character's too! It's been a while since I read the series, but I remember being bummed when I was done. I was so distraught that I looked up other books you had written and found another series that I read and loved! Something to do with Scotts and perhaps time travel. They were awesome! I'm sorry you went through some rough times but I'd like you know that your writing took what I enjoy in reading to a entirely different level. I was blown away! Thanks and keep up the great work.
I was blown away by the Fever books and I have bought the second series Iced/ Burned and pre-ordered Feverborn. I have a holiday booked so they will be coming too
I can't believe you're making Barrons break up with me! Who is going to keep me up all night, breathless and lustful for "one more page" now? I hope you have a man just as intelligent and complicated and crafty and capable, just as flat out compelling, waiting in the wings there. Otherwise life is about to get serious for a lot of men out here.
I am very excited and sad to be getting Feversong. SInce I first found Darkfever about 10 years ago it has my my favorite. I tell anyone and everyone who will listen to read the series. I can't wait to see what you do next.
It sure has been a ride! I trust you Karen, only you know these characters. At first Iced was not what I wanted because we were all so focused on Mac and Barrons but then......I loved it :) I'm sure we all differ in our opinions. Some of us love some books and some of us others, but in the end we all thank you for this amazing world you let us into.Just pre-ordered.
Can't wait to party w/ you and everyone else in NOLA in 2017! I'm planning on re-reading from the BEGINNING in starting in November so my deets should be on point lol. Thank you for all the care and love you put into your books! You are one of my most treasured authors!! xoxo
Your fever series has been wonderful to read.. No matter what anyone says or how you feel, always remember YOU make a difference and have changed someone's life through your work. Because of your books, I have began reading again religiously after a long battle with depression .. these characters have absolutely helped me get back into the fun of reading and using my imagination in beautiful ways. Please keep writing and know that what is meant to be will be for you and your stories.. thank you so much for you.. tamara
woohoo reading feversong now up to p140 , arm hurts heavy book--have shoulder injury, my physical therapist is gonna give me the stank face for reading so long at one time!
Feversong was way better than Burned/Feverborn. Both of which....yeah. That being said. I can not believe Ryo is now relegated to sloppy seconds. You can't build up some epic love affair with Dancer kill him and then have Ryo come in later. Now Dani/Ryo will always be compared to Dani/Dancer and if that is not a supreme bummer I don't know what is. There was no question that it was Mac/Barrons to the end. Now I just feel jipped (again). What a waste of time its been pining over Ryo/Dani all these years. smh
Sheena wrote: "Feversong was way better than Burned/Feverborn. Both of which....yeah. That being said. I can not believe Ryo is now relegated to sloppy seconds. You can't build up some epic love affair with Dan..."
I love it! That'll teach one to have expectations!
OMG! THE BEST BOOK EVER! I can't even express enough how feversong got to me! KMM I absolutely adore you to bits! I just hope you never stop writing, (I know too much to ask, can't help myself), I was on the edge of my seat through the whole journey.
I loved Mac and Barrons story sooooooo much, I'm soooo thrilled over the way it ended, it was PERFECT! Just the way it should have been. I was extremely emotional during the third and fourth parts of the book, and now that my precious Barrons is happily concluded, I've got time to unravel Ryodan, because I just am infatuated with the guy! He's such a sweetheart and it was so unfair on him, besides what people thought of him in Iced, I thought of him very differently, and it hasn't changed. So I hope there's more.
I really want to know more about the characters that have been key points in the story, especially the members of the nine, Christian and for some reason, even Cruce.
Anyway, I have placed Feversong in my all time favorites and that's where it'll stay....forever :D
Absolutely loved the series and in particular 'Feversong'. Please tell me there is more to come! I need to find out what eventually happens between Dani and Ryodan......
I never thought, when I opened the first book, that I would find such an amazing story. Mostly because, even though I loved fantasy and read some very good books, I always found the plot or the writing lacking in comparison with my favorite classics. I sometimes love to be proven wrong. I always had a hard time describing The Fever series. It's not just action. It's not just love stories. It's about friendship and sorrow, and loss and perseverance. It's about questioning yourself, making mistakes, trying, failing, trying harder. Your writing is absolutely spectacular, the way you built up the characters, the plot, it's breathtaking.
I just finished Feversong today, and I must say, you've wrote quite the epic ending to my favorite series. I am at peace yet sad, but mostly I am so happy to read that you have plans for some of the secondary characters, because as much as I love Mac and Barrons, our flawed yet amazing favorite couple, I am very curious to see what you've got in store for us readers. Thank you for your work and passion, and for all the good times I had thanks to your books. The Fever series gave the readers comfort through good times and tough times. The readers will be there for you when you will announce your future books.
I'm just gonna say that as a fan I only want you to keep true to your vision, I might like it, I might not like it, but as long as you're writing what you want, what you feel is right I'll keep reading. Most of us will, because your vision, your writing and your heart is what hooked us on these books to begin with.I understand that opinions affect us but you're a writer, a very damn good one (my favourite actually) and it's your story, your characters, your voice, don't change them for anyone, you can change them a million times because YOU feel like it, but don't change anything in your writing because of what others think of it. We complain when things don't go as we planned, as we expected them to, but we keep walking. We might complain about this or that, but we keep reading.
And before I go, and while talking about complaints, I read a lot of people complaining about not wanting to know about Barrons balls and dick. I'm laughing a little bit right now but I'm gonna say this, Karen, when other people write a sex scene I read a sex scene, it's sexy, it's hot, it's even fun, but I read a sex scene. When you write one, all full of emotions and actual details of the act, I don't read a sex scene, I feel it. They're that powerful, they truly are, and I wouldn't change a damn tiny little thing. Not that there's anything tiny or little about their dicks, though...
I pre-ordered High Voltage, I can't wait to read it. I have a special place in my heart for Dani and Ryodan and I want to know all about them.
Thank you, Karen, for sharing you talent, your soul, your heart with us. I cherish them and I know must of us do. Don't change a damn thing if you don't want to, don't ever doubt yourself, and then change everything if you feel like it, do whatever you feel is right for your story. We'll be here to read it.
You’re an amazing author and I would buy and read anything you write (seriously. Anything)! I would do your laundry free for the rest of my life just as long as you kept writing this series! I’m excited to hear you have a special plan for the secondary characters of fever bc I live and breathe Dani/Jada and her posse. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for sharing your work with us!!
Karen, you are Doing Wonderful Job.Self Publishing is a long journey. Being an Indie author, I always help to have a support system to create an ebook cover, edit and proofread, interior design. For marketing, I use usabookreviewers.com to gather book reviews and bookbub.com to market my book. I also started gathering email subscribers. So much to do...
