Writing a multi-author series

A little while ago Amarinda Jones asked me to write a multi-book series with her called, “Sex Odyssey”. The books are all about the heroine’s journey, both internal and literal. I was thrilled to be asked, as she writes incredible characters. But I was terrified as well, that my books would not be good enough.
I wrote three stand-alone books, set around Resort City, and with interlinked characters.

Now I know some of you authors are experts at this. I know some series have big “bibles” with every detail plotted and planned, the world totally developed, so all the author needs to do, is write the story within the guidelines. I have heard of one science fiction multi-author series where the bible alone is over two hundred pages. That’s a book all by itself.

But the “Sex Odyssey” series is not like that. The series bible is a dozen emails with comments like, “My heroine is buxom, is wearing tailored black pants and a shirt, and has her hair in a neat updo. She bumps into your heroine in the doorway of the Sea Shanty Inn. What does your heroine look like and what is she wearing?”
Well, I knew what my heroine looked like, but she was in bed, naked, at that point so I had to stop and think. Hmm. What would she be wearing tomorrow? And why would she be going to the Sea Shanty Inn?

A little later, I realized for my plot to work, the beach needed to have sand dunes. So I emailed in a hurry, “The small beach near the trailer park has a row of sand dunes between the road and the water.”

By the time I wrote my third book, the town, Resort City, had taken shape and I had notes and diagrams of where scenes had already happened, and the trailer park, where all my books have several scenes, was a clear picture in my head.

Some of the characters are in both Amarinda’s books and mine, some of my characters are in all three books. One of the heroes of book three was a minor character in the two previous books, who simply demanded his story. I wasn’t sure how that would work. He is gay and my first two books are one woman/two man ménages. But the perfect man for him arrived in town, so book three ended up as an MM story.

And as for writing a multi-author series. Exciting, thrilling, scary. Would I do it again? Hell yes.

Blurb: “Sex Odyssey: Three For the Road” by Berengaria Brown.
When three fuck-buddies go on a two-week road trip together, will it turn into a sex odyssey or will it be the death of any hope of a relationship or romance?
Jennifer Adams agrees to a vacation with Chris and Robert. When she sees she’s expected to live in a shipping container, instead of a conventional RV, the vacation is almost over before it has begun. Jenni is lured by great sex with two yummy men. But will that be enough?

Buy link:http://www.evernightpublishing.com/products/Three-for-the-Road-by-Berengaria-Brown.html


Berengaria Brown