Poem: "Mending Fence"

That's an interesting observation. I think you've got a point about the different plot structures. Of course, part of the thing with Fiorenza's series is that it's newer; it hasn't had as much time yet for problems or side characters to start reappearing.

>> The Fiorenza poems so far are not obviously ordered, except by the expressed-in-comments notion that the fate know her by reputation by the most recent poem <<

The flow is subtler there, yes. I did figure that "Can She Bake a Scary Pie?" logically preceded "Fair Maiden Meets Fierce Villain." Over time, people become more accustomed to turning to her for help and thus more respectful of her because they've seen her solve more problems.

>> I'm tempted to liken the Fiorenza series to an episodic TV series,<<

That makes sense. I've watched a number of historic TV shows, and I enjoy them.

>> Monster House to a soap opera (with potential for spinoff series),<<

0_o ZOMG, it is. I had not thought of it that way, but it is. Clearly my mother's fond recollections of watching Dark Shadows have rubbed off on me more than I realized.

>> and Origami Mage to a stand-alone novel. <<

Yeah, that makes sense too. It's the only one with a very clear beginning and end, and a strongly guiding plot arc.

>>Having said that, I'm sure things will change. <<

That's possible. Part of what broke Monster House out of the primary narrator's viewpoint was that it won the poll for last month's bonus poem, and the original inspiration for that perk included the option to explore side stories and bit characters. Since Fiorenza won this month's poll for an extra series poem, that might broaden the field there too -- or not.

>>The too-perfect neighbors moving in pushed the "soap opera" button, for me. I'm not sure I'd've said that earlier.<<

Blame aldersprig for that. ;) Where else could I possibly have put them?