Hi! This is Anna Lowe, and today I’d like to talk about why I take the time and trouble to create free bonus materials for my readers. Bonus materials include things like bonus scenes, games, recipes, and “making ofs” about my books. These take a lot of time to create, and sometimes, that’s hard to fit in to a busy work/family schedule. But I find the time to create bonus content because I really enjoy doing so, and here’s why...
First,
I love a good story and great characters - so much that I don’t
want to let go of them even when I reach “The End.” But even the
best stories need endings, because that’s a critical part of what
makes them so good - the fact that they reach a satisfying happy end.
One solution is to let readers revisit favorite characters through
cameos in subsequent books. That’s one reason I write tightly
intertwined series such as Aloha Shifters, Fire Maidens, Twin Moon
Ranch, Blue Moon Saloon - well, all my series, I guess!
But
in that pause immediately after “The End,” I’m usually not
ready to jump directly into the next book. I want to savor what I’ve
just experienced. Can you relate? It’s like a great opera
performance where the singers come out for an encore. The audience
isn’t ready to let go of the masterpiece they’ve just
experienced, and the artists aren’t either. This is true of reading
too. If there’s no bonus material, I find myself lingering over the
cover, blurb, or a favorite part of the book I just finished, just to
hang on to the magical feeling the story created.
That’s
why having bonus material is so great, and that’s why I take the
time to create it. For me and for readers! The most significant way I
do this is through writing bonus epilogues. These are fun little
stories that follow the
central couple of
a book
in their happily ever after. Usually,
there’s some tension or a problem to solve - another little
challenge for that couple. Other times, there’s a change of scenery
that comes with a
new set of
issues to
resolve.
For
example, I followed up on Fire Maidens: Paris (Book 1 of my new
Billionaires & Bodyguards series) with a bonus scene that sees
Natalie taking
on a pair of rogue vampires by herself
(“Double
Trouble”).
Why? I
really wanted to show Natalie coming into her own as a Fire Maiden,
independently of her mate’s support. So
there’s that fear/thrill factor we
experience through her point
of view and
a huge rush of pride in the end. I guess I had an ulterior motive as
well: reminding women how powerful they can be on their own.
For
Book 2, Fire Maidens: London, the bonus scene I wrote (“An
Unexpected Visitor”) gives
the hero and heroine some down time - until they’re interrupted by
an infuriating supporting character from the main story. In this
case, we see Liam and Gemma working together to overcome a different
kind of problem. Thus,
the reader gets to watch their relationship evolve as well as getting
a hint of how this
couple
will shape
their own future.
At
times, I introduce a new character or characters in a bonus scene,
usually to pump
up
the tension. Several times, these new characters have
proven to be
so fascinating, they threaten to steal the show. A
few times, I’ve even ended up
writing entire books for them! That’s how Axel, the sweet, shy
boar shifter hero of Desert Rose came to be. Another example is
Harrison,
the hero of Sasquatch Surprise, who
was only supposed to make a brief appearance in another bonus scene.
In the end, he got his own novel/love story!
Extra
scenes aren’t the only kind of bonus content I create,
although they
are the medium
I put the most time into. I’ve also posted recipes that allow
my readers to
get
a taste of the story world - literally! For
example, I have a raspberry/chocolate chip muffin recipe I love so
much, I wrote it into one of my Blue Moon Saloon books. Then I shared
that
recipe
so readers
can
make that little part of the story their own - and maybe even imagine
their own hunky hero coming up behind them for a kiss and a lick of
batter from their finger!
Otherwise,
I
enjoy
creating puzzles and games. Puzzles
are always fun, especially when they feature the hunky heroes on the
covers of my books!
I also
found
a fun website that lets you create your own slot machine. The sound
effects are great, and it’s a
lot of
fun
to try line
up
three covers in a row. Also, there’s no risk, since there’s no
actual gambling - just free, fun games. Yet
another example are
memory games, which
are a fun way of familiarizing yourself with or lingering over a
whole series.
Those
are some ways I give
myself and readers a
chance to
dwell in
a great
story world. And
as for a
final
reason why I bother - well, that’s simple. Bonus materials are my
way
of thanking fans
for reading, reviewing, and spreading word about my books. I
truly feel grateful to be part of a community with
an appreciation for
similar
things,
like
the chance to escape the real world through suspenseful and
satisfying romances. So,
I hope you enjoy my books as well as the bonus content I create!
PS
- How can you find this great stuff? Come to my author website (http://www.annalowebooks.com) and
see! Look under the “free” tab to
find the path to
dozens of bonus scenes,
or
click on the “Bonus” tab for fun little tidbits like “making
ofs”, games, and puzzles. Enjoy!
