When I first began writing, I assumed most novels should stand on their own. Tell one complete story. Tie up the loose ends. Close the book.
Over the years, though, I’ve discovered that some stories simply refuse to end when you reach the last page. Not because there’s a…
…cliffhanger or because the publisher wants another book, but because the characters still have somewhere to go.
Life doesn’t end after one difficult season, and neither do the people we come to care about.
One of my favorite parts of reading is watching characters grow over time. A single novel can reveal who someone is in one extraordinary moment, but a series allows us to watch how those experiences change them. Their victories shape them. Their failures shape them. Even the quiet moments between the dramatic ones begin to matter.
That’s why I enjoy writing series.
When I finished In the Meadow, I realized there were still questions worth asking. The story itself had reached a satisfying conclusion, but the lives of the characters I had discovered along the way hadn’t. They were still carrying the consequences of everything that had happened, and I found myself wondering what those consequences would look like months—or even years—later.
That’s where Returning the Meadow began.
Not with a new plot.
With familiar people facing new challenges.
I think that’s one of the greatest gifts a series can offer. Instead of simply introducing new characters every time, it invites readers to continue walking beside people they’ve already come to know. It’s what I always wonder when I finish a good book; I want to know what happens next.
This month, Echoes Book Club will possibly be reading Returning the Meadow, and if so, I’m looking forward to hearing what everyone thinks and seeing which moments spark the best conversations. One of the joys of a book club is discovering how differently each of us experiences the same story.
Thank you for continuing this journey with me. Whether you’ve been here since my first novel or you’ve only recently discovered my books, I’m grateful you’ve chosen to spend some of your reading life with these stories.
Until next time,
Isaac Hunter
!! IN THE MEADOW !!
If you’re looking for a story built around mystery and ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances, I hope you’ll consider stepping into the Meadow.
What do you think?