Everybody,
I'm sorry:
The phone rang, and I lost my train of thought. The REASON
why I believe that interspersing stand-alones during the life
of a series (or alternating two or more series) is refreshing
probably flows from the alternative point of view the author
must appreciate and use to present different kinds of stories
to the reader. Cuddy is first-person narrative, the legal
thrillers third-person varying viewpoint. To be in one
narrator's head, I have to leave the other's, which I think
is both healthy and stimulating. Short stories also can
provide a nice, finite project during the time between
sending a book-length manuscript off to an agent or editor
and hearing back from him or her.
"Variety is
the spice of life" also isn't limited to mystery writing.
I've also done humor-book proposals, country-and-western
songs, essays, etc. Each is a break from the other, and, I
think, calls upon different aspects of mind and heart, kind
of "cross-training" for authors. I highly recommend
diversifying what you're writing, just as I'd recommend
diversifying what you're reading.
Best from Boston,
Jerry
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