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The Maggie Series (reimagined)
🕑 Added 2021-02-24 02:22:54 +0000 UTCThe Maggie series has been out for quite a while now and the covers are looking a little tired. I've been thinking of redoing them, and retitling them as well.
For a long time I've considered the title: Black Beach. But recently worried, given the genre, the uninitiated will think it's interracial hotwife erotica. I want the series to have more weight. than just the Maggie title on it. The series (at least to me) is way more than a dirty book meant for casual kicks. It has more layers to it, and I tried at times to write it like regular fiction. I wanted to have something more powerful on the cover.
So this is my most recent try. I went with the title Black Sand. The black sand beach outside Maggie's Rhode Island place seems like a new birthplace for adult Maggie, and I also like the idea of sand as a measurement of time.
What do you think? Do you like the title? Do you like the cover?
I also wanted to add the image of the bird cage but everything I tried came out clumsy. Here's the bird cage:
Obviously this isn't exactly great, but this is where I'm at.
So what do you think? Am I off base with these ideas? If you've read the Maggie series, what strikes at your heart about the books symbolically; what's an image you'd use to describe the Maggie series to someone you think might like the books?
And here's another question: if you've never read the Maggie series (why not?), would you prefer to buy it in one big 300k word chunk, or to buy the individual books?
Should I take down the individual books and leave up the collected version only? Do you find all my books and series confusing when you go to my Amazon page?
I wonder if I left up the individual books maybe I could use a symbol for each book, some totemic representation against a stormy sky, the bird cage just being one example. Just brainstorming here, and I'd love to hear your thoughts, whether you loved Maggie, hated Maggie, or have never read any of the books at all!
Comments
Sitri
It's been a while since I've lasted commented on a post. I've been on and off and haven't read much of what you've posted. I just caught up with A Wager With Sade 019. On to the Maggie series. I've been reading it on and off for months now being distracted by your Kimmy series and other authors and their works. I have to say, the Maggie series was extremely well written. I would say it's second to the Losing His Wife series. I just prefer "darker" stories in general and the way this book turned out was, in my opinion, excellent. I DID NOT see the ending coming though with who paired up with who. But that made it even hotter for me. This was a sad story but a happy one at the same time. A very hot and erotic read as well. I have no opinion on a new cover for the series but I must say, this book deserves very high praise. Gosh I love all your books I've read and I hate that I have so much more to read but have no time. I hope you've been well KT!
MTO
Perhaps events have you thinking about changes. Go for it!
BNR
Agreed, for selfish reasons. There is a bit of a drought of good erotica right now.
Tracey52
At the end of the day kt only you can best estimate what is best financially and go with that. I agree that numbering the books helps a lot when rereading. I’d be inclined to by a complete volume to reread especially if there were some added extra like deleted chapter or out takes. Having said this you need to finish more of your works kt for this to be a thing. I love your stuff and I read everything but you’ve left us hanging on a lot of series😬
MTO
The dark clouds are more ominous than the themes of the novel.
MTO
Similar to Kimmy, Maggie's claim of sexual freedom is only a part of a larger story of her awakening identity. I think Maggie (and KT) deserves wider exposure. Republishing as a single novel should give you an opening to a new audience. Black Sand Beach?
BNR
Cole and Maggie are my favorite KT example of NTR. You can see where it began as a kink that went full cuckolding. What I'm not fond of, is weak characters. So I'm always conflicted on NTR stories. The main examples always have someone crying in the corner. Movie example - "The Getaway" 1994 (I like Steve McQueen but I thought the 1994 version was much more well made.)
Mike Monroe
My favorite book of yours os Cherry Blossoms...which is a awesome title as it is the spark of beginning of love of story and also representing a full circle of change in the titile characters lives. I like the title of Black Sands with the birdcage on it in some form...I love the full novel aspect of your books ...they are page tuners ...Maggie...Cherry Blossoms...Losing your wife book 1 ...my top 3...masterpieces...Maggie is the book I Love to Hate ...re read a few times during the wait for the continued Kimmy series...I like the covers very much ..Black Sands is the beginning of the end for Max and Maggie relationship as the know it ... The beginning of the betrayal of Cole toward Max.. The end of the Bro Code...beginning of the heartbreak which was dead ahead...like the iceberg in Titanic....end of Jack and Rose
CSH
I think the Maggie series is your best, most honest work. It’s what got me reading your books. New covers might be a chance to give visual representation to the weightier material. That said, you are right about the erotica market and the implications of the title. You’ll be misrepresenting it a bit or at least people will say you are. That’s stupid but true, unfortunately. Stay with the sands theme maybe or the beach. But I’d rethink that title. The first cover is beautiful. If you do all new covers they will need to progress as things get darker. If I remember the first book it’s all sweetness and light, at first, anyway and the cover should reflect that brightness and optimism. If it’s one book that’s not so relevant. The bird cage doesn’t do it for me though I get how it represents the theme of Maggie breaking free of social convention. Maybe something more subtle to represent the idea...an empty whiskey bottle with the cork beside it? A dinghy or small boat about to float out on the tide? Something not quite as incongruous as you have now. Will give it some thought.
Wess
Ok. Feedback was solicited so here's my Grinch take. I guess it's a tribute to your writing that I was so affected by this book. Maggie's character felt manipulative and almost mean as she fell for Cole and moved on from Max - and still gave him false hope. Max frustrated me b/c he was so lacking in confidence and self-destructive. Cole wasn’t believable as a best friend. He went after Maggie. This is the only KT story I haven't reread. However I will put whatever I'm reading aside and immediately read anything new that KT writes. She is by far my favorite writer in this genre. So not much to offer on the new cover theme. I like the option to sample books as opposed to committing to a series. Of course I will always buy a KT series anyway. And I am loving all of her current stories! Cherry Blossoms my favorite...so far. But each to their own. I embrace our diversity.
JamesIsAsleep
I think you should keep everything up as you have it, I don't know how people like to buy these types of stories but it gives them more flexibility to maybe just pay for one or two books of a series first before buying all 38485839 pages of Cherry Blossoms. A smart Amazon book consumer learns to understand the difference between a part of a series, a collection and a full novelization. I guess it might depend on how you want us to consume your older material. Obviously in the present you have to do what you're doing for Devil in the Water, etc. And, I suck at symbolism, the bird cage is the most impactful object to get at what you want as a writer, I imagine. I was trying to think of different objects of even potential significance. None of what I came up with hit as strongly as what you propose. A closet or armoire where Max looked on from either Tempting or Discovering Maggie. A sketchbook for Maggie the art student. A cello for Maggie the music student. Hate even suggesting it but Maggie's wedding dress for her wedding with Max takes on a gravity ...
BNR
I bought the Maggie Collection IMMEDIATELY! I hate the individual books, especially since they were never numbered. While I read them the first time it was fine, but that doesn't work on revisiting them. I love the covers and wish collected Kindle had them inside each section. But to reimagine the theme of the books is tough... How do you convey the same impact of the girl you see changing (or evolving as the theme & metaphor you would want to show.) I like the empty cage analogy at a certain point partway through the books as you read that Maggie has made a change inside herself. I just can't see it floating on the beach. Maybe on an open window sill with the ocean in the background. And on a side note: I wanted to add that "Maggie" was my favorite "long story" book I have read in a long time! I bought each of the 7 individual books and with pleasure bought the collected series. If you make another version, I would drop the single books and make a "SUPER" collection with the Keely books added. Just my opinion.
Glaucon
Also you are 100% correct in what people will initially assume when they see that title in the genre.
Glaucon
I definitely get the impulse to have the iconography of the Maggie series darker than what it currently has. Having said that, I personally feel like these examples come off as much darker than I personally would associate with that series.
KT Morrison
Back to Kimmy in March! And I'm excited to get to it.
VN
Once again please finish the Kimmy saga. By far, your best writing.
VN
Good idea and thought. Just shrink the size of the birdcage and move it to one side. Will look better. Republish the whole Maggie series like an omnibus once edited.
