So, the last week’s been a little busy, and I didn’t get a chance to share some exciting news here. Just in case you missed it on Facebook and Twitter, here are a few hints.
Yup, my first middle-grade novel, ALL FOUR STARS, is getting a sequel!
I think that this calls for some bold purple font. Hooray!!!
Here’s the announcement in official Publishers Marketplace lingo:
ALL FOUR STARS author Tara Dairman’s untitled sequel, again starring intrepid food critic and gourmet chef-in-training Gladys Gatsby, as she is banished to a tasteless summer camp and finds a brand new nemesis, again to Shauna Rossano at Putnam, by Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency (World).
And there is a longer announcement here on my literary agency’s website.
Many thanks to my terrific agent, Ammi-Joan Paquette, for writing up those lovely announcements and for making this deal happen along with my fabulous editor, Shauna Rossano, with whom I can’t wait to work all over again!
So, in case you’re curious, here are a few more details I can share.
1) As the announcement said, the sequel is currently untitled…and I expect it to remain so for a while. (Honestly, we had so much trouble coming up with the title for the first book that I will put off thinking about titling book 2 for as long as my publisher lets me get away with it!)
2) The sequel is currently slated for publication in the summer of 2015, one year after ALL FOUR STARS hits the shelves.
3) I’ve known what will happen in the sequel for a while now, and am currently in the midst of drafting it. Of course, little things are changing along the way, but overall my outline has been a pretty good beacon of light through this process.
4) There will be some new characters in the sequel! Interestingly enough, two of the most important ones are mentioned in the first book, but never quite make it into a scene there.
5) Telling you #4 is kind of silly, since unless you are my close personal relation or my critique partner, you haven’t even read book 1 yet.
6) Then again, who reads this blog other than my close personal relations and critique partners? So maybe item #4 will create more of a stir than I thought.
Well, that’s the sequel news! I’m so excited to be writing a series, which is what I had not-so-secretly hoped would eventually follow from my first book deal. I’m just thrilled that the folks at Penguin seem to love Gladys as much as I do, and want to see more of her story out in the world.
So happy for you, my dear! You deserve every single second of this excitement… I can’t wait for the world to fall in love with Gladys as much as all of us already have!!
Such awesome news. Can’t wait to read both books!
Do I count as a close personal relation or critique partner? Now I am going to have to read ALL FOUR STARS with a highlighter pen in hand and highlight all the “just mentioned not seen” characters so I can figure out #4 before the sequel!
Heh heh, Jeannie, you can count as both. As long as I get enough ARCs, I definitely plan to put one on the Colorado circuit! And I look forward to fielding your hypotheses about which characters will make it into the spotlight in book 2.
I wish I had the option of HOORAY-ing in purple in the comments! This is such fantastic news, for Gladys, for your career, and for your lucky readers!
Oh yes, purple Hoorays! So happy for you Tara, and can’t wait to read ALL FOUR STARS and its sequel!!
I love everything about this! And I can’t wait to hunt down these mentioned characters as I read the first book. It looks like I’m the only exception to #6. 🙁 Looking forward to the next two summers! Now that you’re going to be a series, will you get a series name too, like the way The Babysitters Club books work? Something along the lines of _Gladys Gatsby: All Four Stars_? Or will the books just have completely separate titles? Oh, I’m just so excited for you!!!
Sarah, you totally count as family in my book. 🙂
Now, about the series title thing, that’s a good question. I’m pretty sure they’ll just have completely separate titles, but maybe I should check with my editor, just in case!
I’m SO excited for you, Tara! You know I love, LOVE Gladys! I’ve meant to stop by and congratulate you since a long time ago, but it’s been hectic for me. First I went to LA, then my hubby got surgery, and now I’m in Santiago so that he has his rehab. Anyway!! Congrats!! This made me so happy!! xoxo
I’m not close family or friend I’m reading! Concatulations! Sounds pawesome =^.^=
水着 水玉