Teaser Tuesday: The Future of the Pink Series
It’s official. Pink XII– aka the book after The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla— will be the last book in the Pink Carnation series.
Twelve is a pretty good number for a series, don’t you think?
Here’s what I can tell you about Pink XII so far. It’s Jane’s book. It’s set in Portugal in autumn 1807. And it will presumably make its appearance at some point in 2015.
The first book in the series, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, was published in 2005. It’s hard to believe that the Pink series has been going strong for nearly a decade– but the decade mark seemed like a good time to wrap it up, before it begins to go stale.
Wrapping up the series doesn’t mean that we’ll be leaving the world of Pink forever. I’m not ruling out the possibility of novellas or related novels. After all, there are still far too many characters who need their stories told….
More about Pink XII soon!
What a bittersweet moment! The Pink books have been so great, but it’s also nice to see a conclusion, like when you’re reading a good book and you can’t wait to see how it wraps up. It also doesn’t hurt that the standalones have been fantastic. Thanks for 10 great years of Pink!
Congratulations Lauren! While, I, like many, will miss the Pink series, we love your writing, no matter the story. Because of the research and dedication you put into every book, we will always be entertained.
We will always have Turnip. 🙂
I will miss the Pink series, but as you and I have discussed, you don’t really want to go the Lilian Jackson Braun route and have thirty books in a series that all start to sound alike after a while!!
The wonderful thing about books is that you can always re-read them. We can rediscover Paris with Amy and Richard, fall in love with Miles and Hen, let go of preconceptions with Geoff and Letty, look down on everyone else with Mary and Vaughn, emerge from naivete with Charlotte and Robert, conquer India with Penelope and Alex, eat Christmas pudding with Turnip and Arabella, find love behind the scenes with Laura and Andre, write execrable poetry with Emma and Augustus, and celebrate “middle age” with Gwen and her Laughing Colonel, any time we want. All of these friends live on my bookshelf and always will.
Thanks for saying it so well, Jessica. I’ve already forgotten some of each book and now what better excuse to start all over and enjoy them again. All series need an end time, even though we hate to part with them.
Sad in a way, yet amazing that you have done so much in a short time. I am very glad we will still see some of these great characters now and then. Does this mean you will be getting around to Kat and Tommy?
It’s going to be sad, not having a new book to look forward to after Pink XII. However, we’ll always have the twelve books to return to, like what Jessica S. said we can always relive them.
I’m looking forward to XI and XII, then, and to your other standalone books! Thank you for giving us the PC series. PC has helped me through tough times and I’m so glad to have the PC books as friends forever.
I will miss them but understand completely and looking forward to the last two.
Bittersweet for sure! But I’m glad you are wrapping them up while they’re strong and I can’t wait to see what happens to Jane.
How bittersweet! I’m so glad to hear that the end of the series doesn’t mean we will be totally leaving all of our beloved flowery friends behind.
Oh I will miss looking forward to a new Pink book but this has been such a wonderful journey.Plus Jane’s book, the most anticipated is upcoming so yaaay! and like someone mentioned earlier, we’ll always have Turnip 😉
I am so proud that one of my favourite authors has the guts to end a series instead of dragging it out and allowing it to grow stale, repetitive, and sub-standard. While I am sad, I’m excited to see where you go next and see what new tales you spin for us.
Jolly well-said indeed!
Oh I will be sad to see them end! Thank you for providing so many hours of good reading! I have recommended them to so many friends. I will continue to follow your future pursuits!
Sad to see it end but as others have said we have two more to look forward to. I am a re-reader so I will enjoy doing a redo and reading what have become some of my favorite books.
I’m both happy and sad to hear the news of the last official pink book. I was hoping you’d continue the series in perpetuity, but knew it couldn’t happen. I was hoping we might be able to extend the series through Napoleon’s exile to Saint Helena but I can see that it won’t happen now. It’s been a great run Lauren!
Ohhhh. I’m sorry to read this but I understand. I want this series to go on forever! I love it all. Thank you for many many hours of enjoyment.
I will miss the pink novels, but I am excited to see what you have in store for us next!
While I’m a little sad and will also miss the Pink books, I’m super excited that we get Jane’s book. 😀
Congratulations on a series well written! Eagerly awaiting all the words you have written and about to write.
Thank you for opening the door for me to the modern romance novel. It’s been such a pleasure!
Now we can officially start guessing who Jane winds up with…Capt. Reid’s double agent son has always been my choice since he aided Pen and Alex…
Thanks, Lauren. Favorites forever.
Thank goodness I’m not the only one! I’ve always thought he and Jane would make a good pair—most men would bore Jane, but not Jack Reid.
I’m excited to read Jane’s story, and whilst it’s really sad to see the series end, I’m glad we’ve got these BRILLIANT 12 books forever.
I agree. Jack Reid is such a wonderful character with so many possibilities. Perhaps he could have a novella one day?
We understand your desire to move on and UP. The Pink Carnation series has brought me untold joy over the years.
After following the goings-on of Miss Jane through the entire series, who can conquer her?
Stay tuned!
As everyone else has stated, such a bittersweet post! Can’t wait to hear the end of Jane’s story, and read the upcoming novels!
So sad to hear of the end, but at the same time can’t wait to get the Jane and Jack (my choice for her) book! And given that The Ashford Affair is my favorite novel of yours so far, this means you’ll have even more time to devote to stand-alone books, so on balance, yay!
I will miss them. But I do get it. Moonlighting went on just a little to long too. I do enjoy series with ensemble casts. Maybe you have another one?
You started so young. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years. With the passing of “Elisabeth Peters” it’s amazing to realize how many different adventures a good writer can lead. Looking forward to what come next.
All of the above…I am sad to see the series ending to come, but I have purchased most of them again for the iPad so I will always have them to reread. I really enjoyed Ashford Affair and That Summer sounds wonderful. Many good things to look forward to. Thank you for telling us in advance!
I am very sad – I could go on reading the “Pink Carnation” books forever. But I’m grateful for those you’ve written and excited for the grand finale. I own them all and hope to reread the series many times over.
As long as you keep writing – thanks, Lauren.
Say it isn’t so! “Pink” has captured so many readers. With your writing, I don’t think it would ever go stale. I’m glad to have time to adjust to the end, though, with two more novels and also the hope that you will write about some of the other “left behind” characters one day. I, too, enjoy the research you put in and have learned so much! My sister, daughter, and I will have to find another series to share and discuss.
Best of luck!
Hard to believe it’s been 10 years! I think the series is still fresh, but appreciate that you want to go out on a high note. I am both a re-reader and a glommer; I can totally envision a big back-to-back read of the series after the final book is out. Not to mention the occasional re-read of individual favorites (if I could even pick out favorites).
Sad news, I love the wonderful stories, historical atmosphere and delightful humour of the pink books. I only discovered them last year so for me it feels like I have just discovered new friends only to lose them.
However I do understand your need to leave them on a high and move on. I wish you the very best of luck in your future novels and I will certainly be pouncing on them as soon as they are released.
It would be lovely if you occasionally get a pink fog and do a novella. Your loyal readers certainly won’t be forgetting the pink characters no matter how many years go on. That is one thing I am really enthusiastic about with ebooks; the rebirth of the 19th century type novella.
I am a new Pink reader.
Have enjoyed each book 2and I understand why you’d like to have Jane’s story conclude the series.
Hoping you find yourself missing the Pink characters and you write a novella or two in a few years.
Best of luck with your new books!
Now I am secretly pleased that I haven’t yet read the Passion of the Purple Plumeria because I still have three Pink books to read not just two!
I’m sure I’m not just the only one that hopes you start a new series, as well as the great stand-alones.
Like everyone said, I’m very sad to see the end of the series! They got me through some pretty rough times and even inspired me to write, but you always told that Jane’s story would be the last one, chronologically speaking… Let’s hope that you get around, one day, to writing Kat and Tommy’s story…
And as for Jane’s hero…. I do hope he will be the one everybody has in mind! Such a promising character he is!
I first discovered the pink series years ago (in high school!) and was instantly swept away. They are absolutely go-to favorites of mine which have gotten me through college and medical school. I will be sad to see the series come to an end but am so very excited to read Jane’s book. She is an extraordinary woman and it will take quite a man to catch her eye. I am also excited to see what becomes of Colin and Eloise. I look forward to finishing the series and moving on to read all of your wonderful books to come.
I hope you’ll do something more set in the Regency era someday. It’s my favorite “escape” reading when it’s done right, and you do. (Not that your other books are in any way inferior; I just love Regencies.)
Lauren,
Your books, all of them (especially the Pinks), have been a GREAT escape. I’ve reread them a hundred times and will continue to reread them. Thanks for all your hard work!!!!! I cannot wait for what you come up in the future.
P.S- I hope its who I think it is!!! 😉
I’m only sad that we won’t get Tommy and Kat’s story….fingers crossed you decide to revisit it in a novella or novel. 😉