Ending a Series...

I don't write a story intending it to be part of a trilogy or series. Most of my books come from stand alone ideas that then give birth to interesting characters that demand a book of their own.

Yep, I'm one of those weird authors whose characters rule their author - I simply write what they tell me to or the record images that consume my waking thoughts until I've put them on paper.

I'm finishing the third novel in one of my series and, I think, it's going to be the last one in this series. It's awesome to know it's finished. It's fantastic to know that I've created a set of  'real' characters, settings, and stories that have intrigued readers to follow through its entirety.

But it's also really horribly sad to say good-bye.

These are 'people' I've been 'living with' for the last few years. And we've been through some big-time serious stuff, let me tell you. I mean, everything came out okay in the end - which was a huge relief, let me tell you ;) since I was there for every step of their journey.

Again, I know logically that they aren't real people and their journeys are simply the words I put on paper - but... They were, are, and (I suspect) always will be so much more.

I know that I've felt this way when I've become particularly attached to a series I was reading as well. You almost dread reading the closing chapter because you know, when you've read that last page, it's over. You can read it again, and you probably will, but that shiny, new, amazing feeling is different now that you know how it all ends. Does it diminish you're loyalty and devotion to these characters? NO. But it does make those last, fulfilling pages of resolution in that final book harder to tear through?  :)

So, I want to know. What was the last series or book you didn't want to end? Did you read it or will you read the series or book again? What do you do when you're done reading an especially important book?