Writing the Vampire books

I have a long history of not finishing what I start. I've had several art projects I would start and several books started but never finished. I was always amazed if I finished reading a book. One of the books I had been reading and the exact chapter title had said, "do you finish what you start." I ended the book there and haven't found it again since. So the simple fact I finished 7 and a half books, I feel pretty accomplished and since it is my verbal baby I am very happy with my writing. I only hope others will enjoy it the way I have.

I hadn't planned on writing this story again. the first time I had written this was years ago except due to computer glitches and other problems I didn't have it saved so I would have to start again from the start. Instead I had started to read more books again which to this day I love to do and it's the most relaxing for me. After not writing for several years my husband wanted to sit down and write for a while, at least for fun. We sat at the kitchen table across from each other and I could hear him typing away on his Acer and i wasn't typing yet on mine. I had ideas but this one story kept coming back to me but I felt depressed over the times I had lost it. So far it totals at least 6 times. He gave me a thumb drive to make sure I would not lose it this time and I haven't yet. It took me 3 months during the summer to write the story out again and this time write all 7 and a half books. Three years later I wrote Mortal and 2 other books that have not been published yet but will be later on.

When I first started with my Family Secrets series I had no idea that it was going to be this long. At first all I had were 2 people who fell in love under abnormal circumstances and several situations that would keep them apart. That had been all I had to go on. When I wrote the story the characters came to life for me. I dreamed about them, daydreamed and felt they breathed real life. They created their own likes and dislikes to the point they took on a whole new life of their own and the story kept following like this. Originally I had thought about going in another direction however I felt this was the way they would do things based on their own natural inclinations so I let the story flow. When I finished I realized how long it had turned out to be. Even though the 8th book is still being worked on right now. I had decided to divide the story into smaller sections so each book is roughly 95,000 words or more. The third book is a little larger along with a few others later on.

The first book in the series helps set up the rest quite a bit so it is a little slower however each book you get into the more detailed and more situations present themselves. I couldn't help but get excited as I went over reading the books again and I have to say so far the 3rd and 4th books are my favorite. It's not that i don't care for the earlier ones however its where the story really begins to shift and get more detailed. At the beginning your getting to know the McAllister family and starting to delve into their world, the second book digs in even deeper with Jacobs family history and then it explodes into the 3rd book which brings so much more to life and more starts to make sense.

I really wanted to put across a family who had been accepted by society and who was happy with their lives until someone very evil and did not care for others would come along and change everything. To see how a family would act under dire circumstances and survive each century especially knowing if she was given the chance to kill them she would. The midnight madam cared for no one other then herself. I always liked the concept of vampires having more control over themselves especially when they have lived for so long. It's not as if they are being controlled by magic or the moon the way werewolves would be. I wanted to see their natural personalities and abilities to become larger then life.

When I had originally decided to end the family secrets series I was half way through the last book. I had left it there knowing I would go back to it when I felt it had the right ending. I admit I had thought about continuing however there really wasn't much more I wanted to continue with the family even though I've found myself addicted to certain family members. This is when I decided to write a few side books to family secrets. One that would take it in a very different direction.

I have so many story ideas written down that I can't wait to get started on and many stories started waiting to be finished while several are already written and waiting for their day to be published. I've really enjoyed writing the Family Secrets Series that I look forward to each book coming out and for everyone to read.

So far the only writing rules that I have for myself is to enjoy what I'm writing and if it gives me a reason to research I love it even more however I always love whatever is imagined.