In June, the thought crossed my mind.
What if I ended the "Adventure" series, once I reached November 1989 in fictional time, since I'd been fantasizing for a few years now about a plotline that climaxes then?
The thought of ending the series didn't bring relief, nor did it bring distress. The more I rolled the thought around in the back of my mind, the more right it felt. It would mean a further fictional year of stories, which would probably take me a year in real time to write.
So, this past week, I've sketched out what will happen in those five stories, in terms of known plotlines. I've left plenty of space for standalone detective plots and inspiration to color in the details known at this time.
I count 33 stories that currently make up the "Adventure" series. With five more, it would end at 38. Maybe I'll break them down to more stories and hit an even 40, or maybe I'll write some parts quickly and end up with fewer stories.
I don't ever expect to declare, when I post the anticipated final installment, that I'll never write another. What I am certain of is that my intention will be that no further stories will be written.
It feels right to declare that the series will indeed be finite, as I start this weekend on the first of the major story arc I expect to encompass the final five stories.
The original "Adventure" novella -- which was intended to be a standalone, and was such for over a dozen years -- was published in the fanzine Heart and Soul 6 twenty years ago. For me, this series has been an extremely gratifying personal adventure.