A.’s answer to “I'm sure you've been asked this many times, but have you considered turning the Automatic Detectiv…” > Likes and Comments

I am with you, with the influx of ePublishing, and the flood of new writers (under the banner of, "anyone can be a writer with the Internet"), and the monetary incentive driving writers to be PROLIFIC, brief, historically fast to publishing, accessible and not exactly risk-taking, no one is just writing a story.

The complete, new and satisfying story (long or short) seems to be more and more the exception rather than the rule. This is wonderful for the short story genre which I love, sadly it is probably the more difficult writing, and a lot of there writers skills aren't mature enough or up to the task.

But, the real result is everything is a SERIES, EVRYTHING! Even stories that are not. No one seems to be able to write a book anymore. They write 100 - 150 pages, and then end, often not even with a cliff-hanger or any type of resolution, just like a TV mini-series. The end with the statement, but the next installment (book 2), coming out in 3 months...

Book 2? I think to myself, many of these aren't even Book 1, this isn't a series, it's one novel that they have split the publishing on, a-la-Harry-Potter-Movie-7&8. Mostly, so they can sell one book to each reader 3 or 4 times.

Not, that I exactly blame them for wanting to make a living, but calling one book, one story, one idea, one narrative 2, 3 or even 4 books, is just a sad state for literature. At least JK had the decency to have complete stories, adventures that stood alone, but had elements that evolved the story and characters as a whole.

I admire writers who are still writing a novel! A whole book, exploring an idea or ideas completely, making a whole story. Then moving on to the next. It isn't to diminish the writers who build a universe and characters that can explore many ideas and stories in a common framework, but they still are writing a novel, a whole story.

That’s one of the things I love about Mr. Martinez’s writing. Just about every one of his books could be expanded into a series, but he has so many ideas, that he doesn’t need to do that. There is nothing wrong with series, I love certain series where I like the character and welcome the chance to revisit them, but I am just in awe of Mr. Martinez’s imagination.

Some day, if the ideas don’t come so easily, I would be happy if he went back and told us more adventures of the great characters he has created, but for now, I love opening a book of his I haven’t read, not having any idea what new characters and scenarios he will reveal to me.

Personally, I love the fact that most of your stories are self-contained (the plots can stand alone, without 5 sequels). These days, nearly every book in the fantasy/speculative-fiction genre is part of some huge 4 or 5 book series. It makes re-reading hard and not as enjoyable.

PLEASE consider writing more detective books starring Mack, the Automatic Detective! I loved it and am recommending it to everyone.

Hope you do come back to it, given the world you created you can easily explore new vistas and ideas.