Blog Tour: Guest Post from Rosie Clarke Author of New Arrivals at Mulberry Lane

I am very excited to be part of the blog tour for New Arrivals at Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke. I have a guest post from Rosie for you today talking about writing series versus writing stand alone novels. The book is available now and you can click here to buy your copy. Don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour for more exclusive content. 

Here's what it's all about:

1943 Mulberry Lane, London. In the midst of another bleak winter, life is hard for the residents of The Lane.

When Rose Merchant arrives at Mulberry Lane, she is carrying a secret that haunts her. How can she tell her landlady and the Lanes’ matriarch Peggy Ashley that she is the daughter of a murderer? As Rose learns that she is amongst friends she gradually learns to trust and even to love.

But when Peggy's estranged husband Laurie returns home for good, both Rose and Peggy’s lives are once again turned upside down.

Can they both find their way through the heartache to find happiness?

WRITING SERIES AS OPPOSED TO ONE OFF NOVELS.

WHICH DO YOU PREFER?

Rosie says:

I am often asked where my plots come from and whether I prefer to write standalone novels or series. The answer is that I find writing series comes as a result of bringing the right characters to life.  Once you have people you really like writing about, then you want to go on telling their stories.  One off books are useful if you want to write something especially for Christmas or you’re trying out a period that you don’t know as well, because it gives you a chance to do things you might not be able to do in a series.

I was asked to write a Christmas book this year and the result was Christmas is For Children.  It was commissioned as a standalone and written as such.  However, I have already had readers asking if I’m going to write more stories for these characters.  I’m sorry to disappoint readers, but at the moment I haven’t thought about making this a series.  I am at the moment considering a standalone set in the period of the WW1 and that may well develop into a series if it comes to life with believable characters and a plot that will stand several more books. Also, another WW2 book with a different theme as it will be mainly set in the countryside.

 I think sometimes it is good to write the one off books, because not all readers follow all my books and perhaps it is annoying if you buy a book you think you will enjoy and then discover it is about number four or five in a series. I’ve done that myself and been disappointed. So now and then I write one for those readers who just want to read a book and not have to go searching for previous books.  At the beginning of Hetty’s Secret War – the third in the Women at War series – I’ve taken a brief look back at previous books in that trilogy so newcomers can catch up and readers who read the earlier ones months ago can refresh their memories.  I’m hoping that readers will find it acceptable and those who remember it perfectly do not have to read it!

I have almost finished book number five in the Mulberry Lane series and I am thinking of doing a sixth.  As number five is about the end of the war, I plan to take number six on a few years and then catch up on what has happened to the residents in the light of the eventful fifties.  It would be nice to hear whether readers would like to read the later book(s).  After that I’m considering another series with a central theme, but they are only fragments as yet, just beginning to take a shadowy form on the back burner of my mind.  It’s a bit like King’s Cross Station when all the platforms are occupied and other trains blow their whistles to let you know they’re on their way but are told to hold down the line and wait their turn.

I’ve always been a quick writer, though I do loads of revisions, and once I have an idea I start writing immediately.  Often, the first chapters will be erased or heavily revised, because they’re not right, but they sort out the gold from the dust.  As I’ve said in another blog post, it is the characters who decide what their stories will be and until I have them fixed in my mind I’m not always sure where the book is going.    So it is a case of playing about with words and ideas until they come into my mind and only when a first book is almost finished will I know if I need to make this a series and I’m lucky in that my publishers give me a chance to do both.

Whether you’re a fan of series or standalones, I hope you will try and enjoy my books.  

About the author

Rosie is happily married and lives in a quiet village in East Anglia. Writing books is a passion for Rosie, she also likes to read, watch good films and enjoys holidays in the sunshine. She loves shoes and adores animals, especially squirrels and dogs.

Follow Rosie

Twitter handle: @AnneHerries

Facebook: @RosieClarke

Thank you so much for stopping by today Rosie and sharing that post with us. Don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour for reviews and more exclusive content!