Sarah asked Zoë Marriott:

I have just finished reading Shadows on the Moon. This book has captured my heart. It had me on an emotional roller coaster. It made me cry, laugh, fall in love, and even through pillows across the room in excitement and anger. My question is if you are or will be writing a sequel?

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I'm so glad that you enjoyed the book - thank you very much for letting me know. But the answer to your question is: Nope. At least, not right now.

Although I do have a very strong idea of what happens to Suzume, Otieno, and Akira, after they leave Tsuki no Hikari no Kuni and travel to Athazie, that strong idea does not include any events interesting enough to write a book about.

Basically, in my own head (and of course, you are free to have an entirely different version of this, and ignore everything I've written here) they get to Athazie after a long sea journey and have a slightly awkward adjustment period for a little while. Suzume struggles with the feeling that she does not deserve happiness. She is not sure how to build a new identity that she actually wants to live with. But eventually, with everyone's love and support, she settles down. A large part of her own healing process is based in learning to heal other people like her - people who have been traumatised and left with scars on their minds and hearts - using her musical gift. She and Otieno stay together and eventually have children whom they love dearly and who fill their lives with laughter and a bit of craziness. Akira, in the meantime, becomes very famous because of her amazing dancing talent. She travels all over the country, performing to worshipful crowds. After a few years, she and Otieno's father admit that they have fallen in love. They, too, are very happy.

After reading that, you might be thinking - hey, that sounds pretty awesome to me. I'd read that. Why can't you write that?

Because it's a happy ending - not a story. The events I've described there wouldn't generate enough excitement to fill even fifty pages. There's no conflict. Nothing changes significantly. No one needs anything which they do not get. A book in which the only events are everyone quietly being happy and having peaceful, contented lives might sound soothing but in reality it would be the b-word. Yes, that b-word. BORING.

In order for me to actually write a book about Suzume and Otieno and Akira's lives in Athazie, I would need to have a revelation about what happens to them in their future. I'd need to wake up one day and realise that there was going to be a terrible plague, or a war, or that one of them was going to die and leave the others bereft. And you know what? I don't wanna! I don't want to take a wrecking ball to their contentment. I want these guys to fade happily into the sunset. I've already put them through enough, don't you think? They deserve to retire.

Having said all that, I have written a couple of short stories featuring the characters from Shadows on the Moon. One is basically a very short epilogue showing a slice of life in Athazie and you can read it here: http://www.ink-slingers.co.uk/post/71... There's also a short story in this anthology: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... about Akira's early life and her famous dance at the Shadow Ball that won the prince's heart. And finally, I love the setting so much that I'm currently working on another fairytale retelling set in the Moonlit Lands, which hopefully will be published in the next couple of years. (hide spoiler)]

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How do you go about writing characters that are strong and also damaged, like frost and Suzume?

A Goodreads user asked Zoë Marriott:

I have just started reading shadows of the moon and barefoot on the wind. It's the first series in a long time that I have read in a night. Are you planning on writing any more in the series. Would there be a little mermaid inspired novel set in the Moonlit Lands?

A Goodreads user asked Zoë Marriott:

I adore your book The Swan Kingdom, Alexandra is an awesome character and I loved the plot twists, the romance and especially your writing! But do you have anymore plans to write books based on hidden and not very popular fairy tales?

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I have just finished reading Shadows on the Moon. This book has captured my heart. It had me on an emotional roller coaster. It made me cry, laugh, fall in love, and even through pillows across the room in excitement and anger. My question is if you are or will be writing a sequel?

More Answered Questions

How do you go about writing characters that are strong and also damaged, like frost and Suzume?

I have just started reading shadows of the moon and barefoot on the wind. It's the first series in a long time that I have read in a night. Are you planning on writing any more in the series. Would there be a little mermaid inspired novel set in the Moonlit Lands?

I adore your book The Swan Kingdom, Alexandra is an awesome character and I loved the plot twists, the romance and especially your writing! But do you have anymore plans to write books based on hidden and not very popular fairy tales?

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