Thursday, October 01, 2009

GUEST AUTHOR: Tessa Dare

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

On Tuesday, A Lady of Persuasion, the last book in my trilogy released. It was both exciting and a little bit sad. I worked on those books for two years, and by the time I wrote that third book, I knew and loved the characters so well. Now their stories are told, released out there into the world, for readers to do with them what they will. I have new projects I’m excited about, new characters I love. But I’ll miss that circle of friends that started with four hunting buddies and a hoyden.

The end of a well-loved series is always bittersweet. I remember the release of the 7th Harry Potter book. It was so exciting—I couldn’t wait to find what happened—but at the same time, it was sad to think that was the last time Mr. Dare and I would be waiting up till midnight to purchase a book, then feverishly reading it all night long.

Right now, I’m on pins and needles for To Desire a Devil, the fourth and final installment in Elizabeth Hoyt’s “Four Soldiers” series. Half of me wants it in my hands NOW, and the other half wants to never read it, because then that’s The End!

Diana Gabaldon’s latest, Echo in the Bone, came out this week. I won’t be reading it—yet. I loooove Jamie and Claire, but a few years ago, I decided I just couldn’t handle the years of suspense between each installment of the series! I’m waiting for her to finish, and then I’ll read them all straight through.

Are there books you yearn for, yet dread at the same time because they mean the end of a wonderful thing?

Tessa Dare

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Tessa :)
Thank you for the thoughtful post.
I've tried to wait on a series' completion but the anticipation of knowing the next installment always made me read it.
I'm sad when a series ends and the characters will have no more adventures. Luckily I can always re-read.
I'm hoping the end of the Wheel of Time series does Robert Jordan justice.
:)
All the best,
Thanks again for sharing,
RKCharron
xoxo

J.K. Coi said...

Tessa, thanks for visiting! I LOVE your series! Your characters have made me sigh and smile and laugh out loud. Thank you!

You mentioned Gabaldon and I did a little squee--I picked up An Echo in The Bone the day it came out. It's sitting by my bed although I haven't even cracked it open yet! I want to read it soooo bad, but hers is one of those series that is going to consume my entire life when I finally start reading it, and I just can't afford to let that happen right now. So I'm saving it to be my reward when I finish writing my current book (considering I have 60,000 words to go, it's more likely going to be a Christmas present)

Unknown said...

Congrats on a fabulous trilogy. You must be exhausted after three months of back-to-back releases. But what fun, too!

When I truly love a book, I never want it to end. I'll actually put it down sometimes to savor it a bit longer. :)

I've fallen for C.S. Harris's Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mysteries, and I cannot wait to see how she'll get everybody out of the pickle she's put them into, LOL.She cannot write them fast enough for me.

J Perry Stone said...

Hello Tessa.

I have to say, your ability to make me care about your characters is astounding. I'm so glad you're in the industry!!

I haven't read the second or third book yet, but I have them waiting near my bed.

Tessa Dare said...

Hi, JK! Thanks so much for inviting me over today! Sorry to be a little late to the party - it's that West Coast thing, you know. But the darelings are off to school, and I'm ready to chat!

I'm glad to hear you're a Gabaldon fan, too! One of these days I'll get caught up on her. I probably won't be able to hold out until she finishes. But I want to read them all back-to-back, so I can keep track of all the complex threads. Her books are just amazing.

RK - I haven't read any of the Wheel of Time series, but you're right..re-reads are always there, when you need a fix of a favorite series!

Maggie, I have heard great things about that CS Harris series! I will have to check it out.

J, thanks so much for all your kind words and support. LYG!

Janga said...

Hi, Tessa!

I don't think I ever dread the end of a series, but that's probably because I am a great rereader of my favorites. I have been anxious and near hypervintalting waiting for the conclusion of a series--Eloisa James's Pleasure for Pleasure, for example. Going back even further, I, along with many other Jo Beverley fans, waited years and years for Rothgar's story and for Dare's (in her Rogues series).

The series books I'm most impatient for now are Leo's story (Lisa Kleypas's Hathaways) and Con's story (Mary Balogh's Huxtables).

Tessa Dare said...

Janga, I'm desperate for LK's Leo book too! And I haven't even read Poppy's yet!