The Terror of a Sequel

I have been bopping along all summer, cultivating a new pen name for the YA fantasy series that I've been working on with my teen-aged son. One of the bigger things I've been working on, however, is the sequel to Just Add Heat. I've had the story mapped out in my head since shortly after finishing the first book, but I've been too chicken to commit to writing it out. Now that I have, I'm terrified of the reaction it will bring. Not that it's subject matter is controversial, it's not, it's just that I'm sure how the story will be met with readers. Just Add Heat skews to a younger crowd (more to the twenty-somethings), and I'm afraid that those readers might have expectations for a different follow-up.

Regardless, I'm not changing it. I will give you a hint about some of the story line by its title, though: Hot Mama. For an idea of some of the things I'll be covering, see my post Pregnant in Romancelvania. Besides the big issue that Justine and Carter are dealing with, there's the realization that life doesn't always go the way you expect it to. I don't know, throwing a bit of water on their happily ever after seemed like the thing to do, because who wants to read a story where the characters get everything they want? Now I'm just hoping that things will go on schedule for my projected release date in September. Putting the date out here on the interwebs is my own special cattle prod. I need to be held accountable!