It builds continuity and anticipation for the next book. This method also gets readers pre-involved with the characters, giving them more of a stake in the next book. My third book, Vows, follows an unusual time line. The first half takes place simultaneously with Hidden Agenda and then moves forward. In book two, Joshua Kirkland is found unconscious, nearly dead and readers were left wondering if he lived or died.
Vows shows readers what happens before and after that scene in Hidden Agenda.
For my last book, David Cole s story, I needed to give David time to grow up. Be Prepared for the Unexpected Sometimes a series or family of characters take on a life of their own. I was caught off guard to learn my four-book series wasn t going to end as I had planned. Readers were ready for the second generation to take shape. So, I went back to work and further developed family trees.