Guest Blog: Vijaya Schartz: What is it About Series That Makes Us Want More?

SNOW CHEETAH, Book Five in the Chronicles of Kassouk series, is out this month, and I swear it's the last book in the series… Scout's honor… although I remember saying that before.

WHITE TIGER, a futuristic romance full of action and adventure, I never intended to write a series. This book represented all the things I loved: a kick-butt heroine, a little sci-fi, big cats, swords, a gorgeous hero, cool aliens, intricate plot twists, a bit of a mystery, with a dash of paranormal abilities. The premise: a group of humans, marooned on the wrong planet, have reached a medieval state of evolution, when powerful aliens want to use them as labor. The heroine is a human officer in the cavalry and the hero is a hybrid, half human, half alien.

This was not my first book, so by then I thought I knew what I was doing… but I would never have guessed, at the time, what would come out of that novel.

The first publisher of this book released it as a single title sci-fi romance, a new genre at the time, and it went to gather a few awards and many 5-star reviews from national magazines and mainstream reviewers. I was in heaven… for a few months.

Then my publisher closed down, and after a bitter battle in bankruptcy court (who considered copyrights an asset to be sold), almost a year later, I finally regained the rights to my books published with them. Almost immediately, I received an offer by a new publishing company, Desert Breeze Publishing, who wanted to re-publish White Tiger. They loved that book, but they thought my other works were a little too sensual for their lines.

Glad that Desert Breeze wanted this book, but slightly disappointed that they didn't want my other titles, I replied that White Tiger could easily be the first book in a new series. After all I had created this wonderful world and several readers had already asked me if there would be other books, because they liked the world of Kassouk so much. My new publisher saw the potential and sent me a three book contract.

Thus was born a new series: The Chronicles of Kassouk. I gave the books titles involving great cats, in good Kassouk tradition, and the adventure really started. Each book, set in the same world, involved a different couple, a different romance, a different plot. Each time I chose my hero and heroine on the opposite sides of the divide, and most of my heroines kick butts.

After Book Four, Blue Lioness, I thought I was finished. But when my publisher asked if there would be other books, I came up with the idea of a prequel, the story of how humans happened to inhabit that far flung planet. Another action-packed story, another couple with an impossible romance, another intriguing plot, villains, and high stakes, and Noah's Ark was born.

Then I thought I was really done. Guess what? I was wrong. Since I had written the prequel, I had yet to close the circle. So here comes SNOW CHEETAH, Book Five, and the last one. In this novel, the people of Earth finally rediscover this planet, and are surprised to find humans there.

You can find SNOW CHEETAH at:
http://amzn.com/B00P4H3T5C
Also available at B&N, ARE, and will be in paperback in December.

BLURB:
On a mission to annex a planet for Earth, Captain Martial Terrien faces a culture with incredible psychic abilities, and falls for its lovely but forbidden queen.

Natalia, future queen of Kassouk, pressured into bonding with a power-hungry prince, yearns to improve her people's lives. She finds the handsome Earth captain a refreshing distraction, despite his five fingers and ridiculous claim of being human, like the lowly workers of her world.

Captain Martial Terrien, nano-enhanced Space Marine from Earth, is on a secret, desperate mission to find his people a new home. The unexpected population on the chosen planet complicates his task, especially since the ruling caste can read minds, levitate, and teleport at will. Furthermore, the lovely princess and her pet cheetah take a shine to him, and beautiful women always spelled disaster in his past.

Natalia's jilted suitor, determined to reign at any cost, vows to annihilate the Earthlings. When the conflict escalates, can Martial obey Earth Central Command, or will he jeopardize the future of his race to save Natalia and her people?

You can find this book in eBook format at all major eBook retailers and in paperback in December, just in time for the holidays.

BIO:
Born in France, award-winning author Vijaya Schartz never conformed to anything and could never refuse a challenge. She likes action and exotic settings, in life and on the page. She traveled the world and claims she must be a time traveler, since she writes with the same ease about the far past and the far future. With over twenty titles published, Vijaya Schartz writes action adventure laced with sensuality and suspense, in exotic, medieval, and futuristic settings. Her books collected many five star reviews and literary awards. She makes you believe you actually lived these extraordinary adventures among her characters. Her stories have been compared to Indiana Jones with sizzling romance. She takes that as a compliment anytime.

Where to find Vijaya Schartz:
http://www.vijayaschartz.com/
https://www.facebook.com/vijaya.schartz
https://twitter.com/Vijayaschartz