S is for Sequels

One of my current WIPs is a sequel to my paranormal novella I Heard Your Voice.

I’m not used to writing sequels. I’ve never written or even planned a series, nor have I taken supporting characters from one story and given them a plot of their own. And in this instance, I’m using the same characters, which threw up one slight problem – what do you do when your characters got their happy ending in the first book?

I write erotic romance, which means there has to be a romance thread somewhere. However, the primary romantic arc has already happened, so my choices are to split them up and bring in a new love, or to find a way to develop their relationship. And I really didn’t want to split them up. I liked them together.

Coming up with a separate story arc was straightforward – they belong to a team of paranormal investigators and my heroine has just discovered her mediumistic abilities, so the sequel takes the next step in her development. But how to handle the romance angle?

Fortunately, on this occasion, I had a side-plot from the original story about sex enhancing paranormal activity. Weave that into the plot and I had a neat way of keeping the hero fully involved, so to speak.

But next time I write a sequel, I think I’ll go the supporting-characters route. This way is too exhausting!