The Dreaded "Next Book" Scenario

Have you ever finished a book and gone into your local book store in frantic search of the next book in the series only to  find that your local bookstore doesn't carry the book you need?  Nooooooooo!  What to do, what to do?

But this brings to light an interesting observation: THIS is the reason trilogies are suddenly so popular.  Because if an author writes a successful first installment, he (or she) is guaranteed sales for his second and third book.  It's genius, really.  Built-in fan base, and he really only needs to write one good book - the second and third books of the trilogy could be complete rubbish, and they'd still sell, just because readers, as a general rule, want to know how things end. For better or worse.  So, those of you out there considering writing a stand-alone title, rethink your decision.  Cash in on that idea and stretch it out over three books.  Four, even.

Incidentally, the "have you ever" scenario was me yesterday.  I finished Laini Taylor's Days of Blood & Starlight in the wee hours of the morning, and HAD to know how the story ended.  I rushed to the local book store on my lunch hour the next day, ready to grab it off the shelf only to have my soul crushed when I found out the store didn't have it.  "We can order it for you, though. It'll take about a week to get here."  No thank you.  I'll be dead from curiosity by then. (Thank the godstars for Amazon Prime.)