FAQ: How many Kitty books will there be?

I just signed a contract for four more Kitty books.  Those will be novels # 8, 9 and 10 in the series, and the long-discussed Kitty short story collection (including the Cormac and Ben story “Looking After Family,” and the Cormac novella that shows what’s been happening to him over the last few books).

Beyond that, I’m not exactly sure how many books there will be.  When I started the series, I thought I’d write five books, tops.  But I keep getting ideas that don’t fit in the book I’m writing, so I put them off for the next book.  So far, I’ve been reliably developing ideas for two or more books past the one I’m currently working on.  As long as that keeps happening, I’ll keep writing the series.

However, I do have an end point in mind.  I know what the last book in the series looks like, and I really want to write that one some day, a) because it’s so cool, I’ve got some awesome stuff lined up, really; and b) I think most series really do have natural lifespans and I want the series to end while it’s still fun to write — and read.

In the meantime, though, I’m wrapping up the first draft of the eighth book this week.  I’ll be ready to start outlining the ninth book shortly after that, and I’ve started the “crock pot” on book 10 bubbling.  After that, we’ll have to see what I can come up with.