Don't Leave Me Hanging

Last week, I read a book by a new author. It was a shifter romance with an interesting take on the cultural hierarchy, and yes, before you say it, shifter culture is a thing in fiction novels. Not the point. The point is that I was happily reading this book and being drawn into the story when the unthinkable happened.

The author ended the book with a cliffhanger, leaving me to wait for the next book to wonder what’s going to happen.  And let me tell you, I was pissed.

Now, I knew going in that the book was the first in a series. That’s fine. When I’m emotionally invested in characters and the story, I’m excited by the prospect of more books. Sure, I get impatient waiting for the next book, especially when I’m quick to devour the one before, but I understand writing takes time.

As for the cliffhanger, I had no idea it was coming. Not only was I pissed off when I realized the book was over, and we were left wondering what would happen to our beloved alpha and the mate he was so desperately hoping for, but I was also left unfulfilled. I felt like I’d been cheated.

I know what the author was doing. Creating the suspense and hoping the cliffhanger would leave readers so excited to know what was going to happen that they would be sure to come back for more. The funny thing is I’ve done this before. It’s been a long time. I’ve done it before, but I don’t do it anymore.

I would never tell another author how to write her book, unless she asked for my advice. I will say that I’ve become spoiled. Very few of the authors I read these days are using cliffhangers as a means to entice readers. Most, myself included, are writing each book in their series so that it could be read as a standalone but is more enjoyable when all preceding books are read in order.

On the rare occasions that I read books that have cliffhangers, I usually do it knowingly. Most authors are kind enough to realize readers don’t like to be left in the lurch. They typically include a disclaimer at the beginning of the book that warns readers the story ends on a cliffhanger. Some even go as far as to include the release date for the next book so readers can decide if they want to take the risk.

Believe it or not, reading a book with a cliffhanger is a risk, especially when the book is written by a new author. I can’t tell you how often writers come and go. There are quite a few with staying power but just as many who stop writing. Some not only stop writing but also seem to fall off the face of the earth, never to be heard from again. It’s disappointing when an author I like stops writing, but it’s frustrating when an author I like stops writing after leaving their last book on a cliffhanger. Then I never know what happened, and that sucks.

It sounds petty, but as a reader, I’m begging all authors. Don’t leave me hanging if you can help it. If you’re going to do it, at least warn me before I open the book. Give me the ability to make an informed decision about whether or not I want to read the book yet.