Ask the Author: Kendra Elliot
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Kendra Elliot
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Kendra Elliot
Hi Tina, All the books you’ve listed are novellas which means they are 80-100 pages each. Publishers typically don’t release novellas in print because it’s not cost effective. You’d end up paying almost as much for an 80 page book as a 400 page book. Melinda and I have asked them to group some together and print them, but they turned us down.
Kendra Elliot
Every Saturday morning, my guy says, “What day is it??” And I’m expected to answer, “RACE DAY!” (During the season, that is) I watch but he the supercross superfan. Every book requires 30-40 new character names—even if they’re only mentioned once. After as many books as I’ve written, finding new names is a chore. One Saturday I noticed that there were a lot of unique names on the TV screen, so I decided to pull names from there. 😆 You’re only the third person to directly contact me about it.
Kendra Elliot
Thank you! Mercy and Truman are my favorites too. You’ll find more of them in the Columbia River series and Noelle Marshall series.
Kendra Elliot
As of right now, I don’t plan to write more of that series—but I never say never! I assume you read In The Pines and At The River because those are Mercy books. Mercy and Truman will continue as prominent secondary characters in my Noelle Marshall series.
Rashelle Ann
Thank you for answering my question. If you decide to add more to the series, I will be one the first to buy it. And yes, I have read both of the Merc
Thank you for answering my question. If you decide to add more to the series, I will be one the first to buy it. And yes, I have read both of the Mercy books. Just so darn good! Thank you for giving all of us Mercy and Truman. 😎
...more
Sep 15, 2025 08:09PM · flag
Sep 15, 2025 08:09PM · flag
Kendra Elliot
We love it too! We don’t have anything planned at the moment. We have some ideas and our publisher says they’ll take whatever we write, but both our schedules are tight. Schedules for writing our own stuff and for life in general. But we really want to do more!
Kendra Elliot
Hi Amanda. That’s not necessary. I write each book so that it stands alone. Characters are reintroduced so you’re never in the dark. I don’t include all their history, but enough. And I never write cliffhangers.
Kendra Elliot
None of the Mercy series or Columbia River series have sex scenes. Neither do any of the novellas Melinda and I wrote together.
Kendra Elliot
Hi Adam, I’m so glad you’re enjoying the books! You’ll be happy to know that The Next Grave is coming out on December 10 and it continues Evan and Rowan‘s story
Kendra Elliot
Hi Annette, I'd recommend the Rogue series first simply because a few of those characters have occasional small roles in Widow's Island.
Kendra Elliot
None of the characters in the Widow's Island series are related to any of my other series, so you can read those 10 novellas at any time.
Kendra Elliot
Hi Annette, I’m not quite sure what you’re asking. After the Mercy series, there is only one other series—so far—The Columbia River series, and those books are numbered in order. Entire series order would be Bone Secrets, Callahan & McLane, Mercy, and then Columbia River. The stand alone Echo Road, can be read anytime after the end of the Mercy series. Did I answer your question?
Kendra Elliot
There will be six
Kendra Elliot
Hi Christy. Their story continued in The Silence and they are secondary characters in The Last Sister. I adore them too.
Kendra Elliot
Hi Julia. Publishing date is best. (Not including the novellas I write with Melinda Leigh) Bone Secrets, Callahan & McLane, Mercy Kilpatrick, and then Columbia River. The dates are on my website. Every book is a stand alone, but my fans tell me they know the characters better if read in order.
Kendra Elliot
Hi Julie
To do that, I’d recommend the Bone Secrets series, then Callahan & McLane, then Mercy Kilpatrick series, and then Columbia River. Each series order can be found on my website.
To do that, I’d recommend the Bone Secrets series, then Callahan & McLane, then Mercy Kilpatrick series, and then Columbia River. Each series order can be found on my website.
Kendra Elliot
Hi Aaron,
Officially, no. But Mercy and Truman are the main characters in In The Pines and At The River in The Columbia River series. They also pop up as secondary characters in some of the other books in that series.
Officially, no. But Mercy and Truman are the main characters in In The Pines and At The River in The Columbia River series. They also pop up as secondary characters in some of the other books in that series.
Kendra Elliot
The Mercy series was to officially end at six books. I sold my publisher six books pitched as The Columbia River series, but found I couldn’t leave Mercy behind. At The River also has Mercy and Truman as main characters. This series turned out to feature a variety of lead characters…sort of like my Bone Secrets series.
Kendra Elliot
Hi Jamie,
Right now my plan is to have Rowan and Evan be the main characters in The Next Grave—but I haven’t started writing it yet and sometimes I end up going in a completely different direction than planned. You probably already know this but Evan is a secondary character in many of my Mercy Kilpatrick books and Rowan makes her first appearance in A Merciful Promise.
Right now my plan is to have Rowan and Evan be the main characters in The Next Grave—but I haven’t started writing it yet and sometimes I end up going in a completely different direction than planned. You probably already know this but Evan is a secondary character in many of my Mercy Kilpatrick books and Rowan makes her first appearance in A Merciful Promise.
Kendra Elliot
You can read any of the series first. Enjoy!
Kendra Elliot
Hi Nik,
Complicated question. Lol. The Widow’s Island series are novellas that I co write with Melinda Leigh, and we alternate who writes each book. These novellas aren’t related to any of my novels, so starting with the first, Close to The Bone, is a safe bet.
As for my novels, I recommend reading by series, in published order, starting with The Bone Secrets series, then the Callahan series, and then the Mercy Kilpatick series, and on to the Columbia River series. Series orders can be found on my website.
Complicated question. Lol. The Widow’s Island series are novellas that I co write with Melinda Leigh, and we alternate who writes each book. These novellas aren’t related to any of my novels, so starting with the first, Close to The Bone, is a safe bet.
As for my novels, I recommend reading by series, in published order, starting with The Bone Secrets series, then the Callahan series, and then the Mercy Kilpatick series, and on to the Columbia River series. Series orders can be found on my website.
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