Welcome, Jane Toombs

 What Makes A Trilogy Different From A Series

I’ve been thinking about this lately and have come up with a few things a trilogy must have  that a series doesn’t need. First of all I expect a trilogy to have a demonstrable connection within the three books:

Either the same main characters throughout the three or secondary characters from the first book taking on major roles in the second and third books.

Or a single goal throughout the three books, such as a problem needing to be solved and finally is in the third. 

Or a specific setting that is the same for every main character in the three books. By specific I  mean something such as a haunted house or the actual area where the story takes place --an area that‘s at the core of the trilogy.

In other words, the three books need a close connection of some kind.

On the other hand, a series needs only to be loosely connected in some way.  That to me is the difference.  And yes, I write series, too.

But the above is why I created A Darkness Of Dragons as a trilogy, not  as a series.  My reasoning being that though each book has different  main characters they are, as secondary characters, in the first book, Also  each book contains the same goal, but it’s not reached until the third book. 
 

A Darkness of Dragons is being published by Devine Destinies. 

Dragon’s Pearl came out June 1.

Blurb: In Sixth Century Wales, Merlin steals magic from the Immortal Black Dragon to try to heal the dying King Arthur.  This fails, tainting some humans with dragon’s blood, and turns the Black Dragon against mankind. 

 To keep humanity safe, Merlin appoints a human Keeper, blood of his blood and Guardian, chosen from those who now have dragon’s blood.  These he teaches how to set wards to block the dragon’s evil, and warns the wards will need renewing.   As long as those from these two blood lines remain in Wales, the dragon is forced to stay in his mountain cave lair. 
  

 Today, after all descendents of these two blood lines have migrated to the United States, the Black Dragon’s lair is now deep within an abandoned copper mine in the wilderness of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  The wards are failing, but the modern descendents know little or nothing about the dragon or their duty.  Will its evil demolish mankind?  

Dragon’s Diamond will be out in July.

Blurb: A naked man regains consciousness on an unknown and isolated beach.  All he can remember is his first name--David.  He has no idea where he is or how he got here, nor does he remember who he is.  Even worse, he can’t remember what he is.  Unless he does, the fate of mankind is at risk…

Dragon’s Stone is currently being written, but I believe will also be out late in 2010. 

Blurb: Ellis and Gwen are distant cousins.  Both have dragon blood, but he isn’t the right body type to be a were-dragon, besides he carries an unknown dark trait from his father.  She’s a female.  No female has ever become a were-dragon.  Unless they both find a way to surmount these problems, The Immortal Black Dragon’s evil will be let loose to take over the world.