Same world, different genres--How to set it up?

[Catrin Lewis]

I'm caught in a quandary. The series I'm writing, "The Architects," is Christian romantic suspense. All four books (as projected) deal with the relationship of one particular couple. The suspense plot in all of them is or will be high-stakes and confront them with matters of life and death. In each of the novels, the protagonists are faced with major spiritual and moral issues that can make or break their Christian growth, if they aren't killed first.

Moreover, all of them have titles that are direct or indirect quotations from the King James Version of the Bible. All of them have main theme verses quoted at the start of the book and subordinate verses quoted at the beginning of each division.

And all of them have a secular classical work and a Christian hymn that run through the plot. The characters acknowledge these works and alternately draw inspiration from or react against them.

But there are stories I want to write in the same world, where the rules I've set up for the main series don't fit.

Some would have spiritual crises, but no life-threatening suspense or happily-ever-after romance. Or we'll have suspense, but the threat is economic destruction, and there'll be no love story or spiritual crisis. Some would involve my main characters, but separately, before they met, and some would have side characters as their heroes.

My question is, how do I present these side stories as part of the same world without raising the wrong expectations as to genre, etc.? How similar or different should the covers be? What about titling? Should I keep some kind of musical leitmotif, even if it isn't classical or religious?

I'm asking now because one of these stories overlaps the timeline of the second novel of The Architects series, and I'd like to get it written while the events of that story are fresh in my mind.

All thoughts welcome!

 

[JT Woody]

following because, I am in a similar boat and too would like to know how others have handled it!

 

[Naomasa298]

Do any events overlap, or is it just the setting? Also, will you use the same writing style?

 

[Catrin Lewis]

Do any events overlap, or is it just the setting? Also, will you use the same writing style?

Events do overlap. I've set up the story featuring the side character in the novel I'm about to publish.

The style will be the same, I think. Deep third POV, realistic situations, contemporary cultural issues and politics brought in to complicate matters.

 

[Naomasa298]

Events do overlap. I've set up the story featuring the side character in the novel I'm about to publish.

The style will be the same, I think. Deep third POV, realistic situations, contemporary cultural issues and politics brought in to complicate matters.

I reckon you would just make it clear in the blurb, and perhaps select a title that primes the reader for the different genre, if you can find an appropriate line.

Also, maybe you could give these ones a tagline in the title, or give the series a different name, I don't know, something like The Architects: Damascus (or something suitably Biblical, I know virtually nothing about it but I hope you get what I mean).

 

[Catrin Lewis]

I reckon you would just make it clear in the blurb, and perhaps select a title that primes the reader for the different genre, if you can find an appropriate line.

Also, maybe you could give these ones a tagline in the title, or give the series a different name, I don't know, something like The Architects: Damascus (or something suitably Biblical, I know virtually nothing about it but I hope you get what I mean).

I was thinking of calling the related novella and short story series "The Architects' Sketchbook" or something of the sort.

I'll consider what you say about using place names or themes for these works, where I've previously used direct quotations. The awkward thing about this particular novella is that there's a parable of Jesus that directly relates, that of the servants who receive money/responsibility to handle while their master is away in a far country. But if I quote it directly (i.e., The Talents), it's a little too on the nose, and if I get into anything suggesting masters and servants, a lot of people's heads might go spiralling, since the hero of the story is a black man. I'm concerned about the implications, myself.

Though something on the order of The Faithful Servant or A Faithful Servant or Good and Faithful Servant might not be too far off the mark. Both my protagonist and his colleague and antagonist, a bigoted white guy who thinks he's the one who should have been left in charge during my main couple's honeymoon, think they're doing their best to benefit the firm while the bosses are away. Neither of them think they're burying their talent, as the parable condemns.

 

[Homer Potvin]

Christian romantic suspense

That's very specific, obviously. This might be a classic case of two of out three ain't bad. I'd have to assume that the Christian part is mandatory for your target readers, so you can't mess with that one too much. The other two might be negotiable. Suspense is easy in that it comes in many forms and is pretty adaptable to whatever else is around it. The romance is probably the harder part since there are established roles and landmarks that need to be hit.

I don't know. I'd work on softening one of the three categories and see what you can fit in there. Live by genre, die by the genre is the other option.

 

[Catrin Lewis]

I don't know. I'd work on softening one of the three categories and see what you can fit in there. Live by genre, die by the genre is the other option.

I've been meaning to reply to this, but every time I come across this thread I seem to be on my phone, and I don't think as well with one finger on the keys as I do with ten.

Precisely what genre I'm working with is a question. Not that I couldn't write the story without answering it first, but what will I call it when it's marketing time? Is it still suspense if no one's life is at stake?

 

[WellWater]

If I understand this correctly, then it seems to me that any overlapping that occurs between the works only ties them together and is not a bad thing.

As for the side characters who are not seeking inspiration from scripture or sacred music, since you have secular tunes in the mix, it is in the flow of the story to allow these side characters inspiration from secular music. I don't think that leaps away from the genre. (Surely, even cloistered nuns permit a popular tune to run through their minds now and then). And certainly, those side characters are important to your Christian story because, after all, there are plenty of people not on the narrow path that touch the lives of those trying to stay on it.

Maybe better to not let overthinking cue The Temptations' Ball of Confusion.

 

[Catrin Lewis]

If I understand this correctly, then it seems to me that any overlapping that occurs between the works only ties them together and is not a bad thing.

As for the side characters who are not seeking inspiration from scripture or sacred music, since you have secular tunes in the mix, it is in the flow of the story to allow these side characters inspiration from secular music. I don't think that leaps away from the genre. (Surely, even cloistered nuns permit a popular tune to run through their minds now and then). And certainly, those side characters are important to your Christian story because, after all, there are plenty of people not on the narrow path that touch the lives of those trying to stay on it.

Maybe better to not let overthinking cue The Temptations' Ball of Confusion.

The MC for this story is into Afrobeat, but that might be too esoteric for my audience. Heaven knows, it's too esoteric for my main series FMC!

Actually, the Temps' "Ball of Confusion" might be the very thing. Though without permission from the copyright holder(s), I couldn't quote any of it. That'd be frustrating.