Contract High

I signed the contract for the third novel in the Araneae Nation series, A Time of Dying, about two weeks ago. Yay! The first and second round edits have been done, and I'm on to writing book four.

It's not a new impulse for me to want to write a spinoff series based in a world I have created. I have ideas for the Askara universe as well. But it has surprised me how excited I am for the opportunity to write a spinoff in the Araneae world. So much of the main series focuses on the plague and it's effect on individual clans, that some of the finer nuances within each clan are lost.

I'm considering rectifying that with at least one clan--the Deinopidae. In book three we meet six Deinopidae warriors. In book four we learn they're siblings and that four of the brothers have committed a heinous crime--and then lied about it--for which the punishment is banishment and a vow of silence.

It could be fun, but it depends on how well the first five novels are received whether I can invest time in another five books. I have my fingers crossed, though. There is so much potential in this world, and I would hate to leave it untapped.

I think my favorite example of a series spinoff is the Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs. It spins off Mercy Thompson, which I adore. It's great how the series share the same universe and in parts the same timeline, giving us more perspective on the main series while creating depth of its own.

How about you? Is there a spinoff series you enjoy reading? Or is there a series you wish the author would spin new books from?