Have you ever wondered what writers consider when they put together
connected stories? Then today’s your
lucky day!
1. Decide upon a
theme. What connects these stories? Will your stories be location driven? Family driven? Holiday driven? For example, all stories in Christmas,
Actually are set in Christmas Town, Maine.
The three stories feature three siblings. It’s the holiday season. All stories are
sweet (no explicit sex).
2. Same note or
different tune? Will all the stories be
light-hearted or all sexy? Do the author
voices blend together or complement each other?
For example, in Christmas, Actually there are three unique storytelling
voices – from a more emotional read to a lighter touch.
3. Brainstorming
community traditions. Every town, city,
or suburb has a set of traditions, myths, and rites of passage. These traditions will help tie the books
together. For example, in Christmas,
Actually there is an annual holiday pageant that involves the entire town. And if you kiss someone on Christmas Eve
under the town square gazebo, there are wedding bells for you in the new year.
4. A unique set of
characters. It sounds silly, but you
should check in with your characters.
Unless one of your themes is cops, you probably don’t want every story
to have one. Nor do you want them to
have the same first name. And if your
character shows up in someone else’s story, you don’t want their names to sound
the same (Ted, Tad, etc.).
5. Draft
check-in. If your character shows up in
someone else’s story – even as a walk on – you need to review their dialogue
and action to make sure it’s consistent with the way you’ve written the character.
With a little bit of prep and regular check-ins, you can pave the way
to a worry-free, connected set of stories.
If you don’t…trust me. What can
go wrong, will go wrong. Good luck!
The Christmas Date is the third novella in Christmas, Actually – three
holiday stories about three siblings living in Christmas Town, where tradition
has it that a kiss on Christmas Eve in the town square gazebo will lead to
wedding bells in the new year!
Gina Vernay was in an accident as a
child and has a scar down her right cheek.
Since then, Gina has always sat on the sidelines, lacking the
self-confidence to shine. Wanting what
many of her friends have – love, a family – Gina signs up for an online dating
account. But her picture doesn’t show
her scar. And she’s always too busy
running The Tea Cup in Christmas Town to meet anyone, much less a man to share
a kiss under the mistletoe in the town’s gazebo. But when one persistent on-line suitor
arranges to meet her on Christmas Eve, Gina’s life turns upside down.
Excerpt from The Christmas Date:
In the wee hours of Christmas Eve morning, Gina stood
at the edge of the town square and traced the deep, jagged scar that ran from
her left temple to her jawline with the tip of a gloved finger, as if her touch
could erase the past. The small ball of worry, the one that hadn’t let her
sleep last night, expanded like bread dough in her chest, pressing against her
lungs.
I should have
told him.
Snow fell silently, blanketing the square and the
balsam firs lining it. The trees, mistletoe gazebo and surrounding quaint old
buildings were draped in holiday lights. The town square looked like a snow
globe, beautifully pristine and peaceful. The wind swirled around her, stealing
her worried breath.
