Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Going Forth On A Fourth

Like any sensible freelance children's book writer with a cat, I emailed my editor and told her my vet wanted to know if there was going to be a fourth moon book.

My editor emailed back say say she intended to discuss that very possibility with the appropriate person to discuss those kinds of things at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The next day, my editor emailed me to say she had indeed discussed the possibility with the appropriate person and she and the appropriate person were interested in the idea. They particularly liked the concept of setting it a number of years later, so any babies or potential babies from This World We Live In would be teenagers. She suggested as an alternative possibility setting it 3 or 4 years after This World,perhaps focusing on Jon, but I don't like that concept as much.

So nothing is definite, but the next step is mine to take, which is to come up with something resembling a plot. I intend to finish polishing The Offering (previously known as Hart) first, and that's going to take a few more days. Then I'll let my brain focus on possible storylines for The Shade Of The Moon, and when I'm satisfied with what I come up with, I'll write it down, email it out, and see what happens.

No matter what, I'll be sure to tell you and my vet!

25 comments:

Lisa-Marie Jordan said...

Sounds great, Susan! I look forward to hearing more about the fourth Moon book, and I'm pretty excited about The Offering as well!

Paige Y. said...

Hurrah! I'm excited, my teachers and students will be excited too.

Anonymous said...

This is wonderful news!

(On a different subject, maybe it's just my old eyes, but it's getting hard to see some of the writing on the right side of your blog; especially the tan letters.)

Glen

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Good morning Lisa-Marie Jordan, Paige Y. and Glen-

I guess I'm enjoying the idea of a fourth book. I woke up way too early this morning and my mind began racing with plot possibilities.

Of course, now Glen is suggesting I take all that energy and devote it to redecorating the blog. Maybe I'll do that over the weekend!

Anonymous said...

Oh, sure, make me the bad guy.

Glen

princessbubbah said...

That's wonderful news, I'll take anything I can get. I love these books and the characters, I can't see Miranda ever stop writing, it's in her blood. A lot can happen in a few years, especially in such an unsettled world. I'm looking forward to every word you write..

Mr. Cavin said...

When it comes to Heart's new name, the poet in me wishes you'd drop the article so it would work as a gerund or a verb: Offering. Since I haven't actually read the book, I cannot say whether my more inclusive suggestion holds any water as an appropriate title for the narrative you actually wrote. But if this story has anything to do with sacrifice (as opposed to the sacrifice), then my bet is the punchier version is close enough for the fellows in marketing.

Anonymous said...

The book could still be told in epistolary (letter) form -- Miranda to whoever, Laura to whoever, with maybe some official-looking reports inbetween to show just how "safe" the safe towns really might be. Or, if you've got Miranda breaking her vow never to keep another diary, it could be presented as a historical document with "annotations" to show what happened later.

Just a few more suggestions to use or discard

Anonymous Santa Fe

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Hello to Glen (who makes me redecorate) and to princessbubbah and Mr. Cavin and Anonymous Santa Fe-

I travel in great society. Or at least the society of people with interesting names.

I am definitely focusing on 16 years down the line, always with the caveat that I'll expend more energy on a setup the publisher would like than any other. That's easy enough for me, since I have fun ending the world no matter when.

As for Offering/The Offering, I'm sticking with The Offering. It's more of a gerund noun book than a gerund verb book. Or it will be when I finish the polishing/rewriting!

Elaine Marie Alphin said...

Sigh... Blogger ate my comment then redirected me to somewhere with no return. Basically I wrote I was delighted that you're proceeding with a fourth book! Also, I mentioned that I wondered whether you have yet told your agent and/or your editor about The Offering? I'm really intrigued about that one. Of course, I'm also still wishing that Blood Wounds was a Spring release - we don't always get what we want, however!

Emily said...

I can't wait to read more of the story. I recommend the series all the time.

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Hi Elaine Marie Alphin and Emily and thank you-

I wish Blood Wounds were coming out this spring also. I'm impatient for it to be a reality, since it feels like I wrote it so long ago.

I've mentioned The Offering a couple of times to my agent and she hasn't emailed a word back about it. Her response time to the possibility of a fourth book is a lot faster (well, any response would be a lot faster than no response, like any number, no matter how small, is bigger than zero).

Thus endeth the math lesson for the day.

I'm at the Let's Have Fun Making Up Plot Twists part of the Possible Book Four creative process. That, and hearing from people who like my books, is my favorite part of writing.

Okay, making stuff up, hearing from people, and getting paid are all my favorites.

It's a good life!

Kay said...

My daughter will be thrilled! She finished the third this week and demanded that I tell her how to get up with you so she could beg for the rest of the story!
My 8th graders have been devouring them ever since I shared the first one with them this fall!

Nina said...

Yay! Glad to hear that it's a possibly a possibility in the works :*) I will pass that along in all my schools where you have totally devoted fans (both staff and student).

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Thank you Kay and thank you Nina!

ETA to say my word verification is "imisme."

For some reason I find that very amusing.

Anonymous said...

Is there really going to be a fourth book? That's great! I'm so excited!

I remember when I finished "Life as We Knew It". I the re-read it three of four times. (I think I racked up some overdue fines because of it, ha ha.) I didn't know there was a sequel for a year or two, but I also loved "The Dead and the Gone". And I got chills when I read the preview in the back for "This World We Live In"!

I also really want to thank you, because your books have inspired me to become an author. Or, at least try to.

I personally hope that the book is about people born after the asteroid, or who were very, very young when it happened. Can't wait for it to come out!

Cassie

Linda Jacobs said...

Yippee! What a great feeling it must be to make this up. It can be anything you want it to be! Have fun! And keep us posted!

WonderWoman619 said...

Very exciting news!!!! It's positive :) Best of luck as you pursue the ideas for a 4th moon book! Looking forward to it.

Anonymous said...

Awesome News!!
I am really looking forward to your fourth book but i do hope you don't change your mind.. that would be really disappointing :(
Continue the great effort.

Fear Death By Water said...

My day has offically been made.

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Hi to Cassie, Linda Jacobs, Julie, Anonymous, and Fear Death By Water-

I spent a lot of this afternoon writing a plot synopsis for The Shade Of The Moon (I had a school visit yesterday which involved a lot of driving that allowed me to think). I'll send the synopsis off to my editor on Monday, and we'll see where things go from there.

I should be working on The Offering revisions, but I just remembered I promised Glen I'd redecorate the blog. Clearly the more important activity!

Bridget Higdon said...

Wow! Another moon book would be fantastic! Iv'e always wanted to see what would happen next!

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Thanks tigerlily*.

I admit I'm kind of curious myself!

Anonymous said...

Yes a fourth book would be so wonderful. Maybe it could be written in Alex's POV? Or maybe from Gabriel's POV 16 years later?

Julie said...

I for one would love a 4th book in the series, and I also wish that there would be movies made of them, as it would be a really exciting kind of movie to make and to see.