From Medical Romance to Mystery: Spinning Off a Series
by Jacqueline Diamond In writing a long series, challenges include keeping track of the characters, varying the storylines and making each book fresh. Given all those issues, why would an author (me) who’s written a successful 17-book romance series want to spin off a mystery series? Hold on while I backtrack a little. My career began 100 books ago. Lady in Disguise, a Regency romance, came out in 1983. Since then, I’ve sold Regencies, medical romances, romantic comedies, fantasy and paranormal novels, and mysteries including Danger Music and The Eyes of a Stranger. I love the tension and puzzle aspect of mysteries but, despite excellent reviews, was never able to connect with a consistent publisher for them. I was luckier with my romances, which found a home at Harlequin. An area of interest for me and readers has been the medical field. I wrote a five-book series called Downhome Doctors, inspired by my father, who was for many years the only doctor in a