Spring Reading (and writing)

After a crazy snowy, cold winter in Boston, Spring has sprung! Finally!

But even as the flowers are opening and the leaves are budding on trees, there's something that has me warm and fuzzy on the inside. And it's been a long time coming.

My second YA book, The Book of Luke, came out almost eight years ago. And from the very beginning I got emails from readers asking about a sequel. I always told them the same thing - not in my plans. After all, when we write stand alone books, the last thing we're thinking about when we type The End is how the story will continue. The whole point of endings is wrapping things up! I had no idea what would happen to Emily and Luke after that.

But then about two years ago I just knew how Emily and Luke's story continued. So I started writing. It was so awesome how Emily just appeared in my head again, I could hear her talking just like old times.

It's been a totally different experience writing a sequel, and not one I'm sure I would do again. It's hard! How do you take characters you thought had resolved everything, and create new challenges for them - without them being ridiculous?

That's why the next books starts on graduation day - in the Spring. After a rocky winter, things are finally looking up, the world is becoming bright and sunny. It felt like the right place to begin. But Spring also brings with it the end of the school year, the end of spending every day with friends, the end of routine. And Summer can bring a whole new set of challenges that are very different.

So until the real start of Summer comes along I'll enjoy the promise that comes with Spring... and prepare for the long, hot summer ahead for Emily and Luke.

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