And when Virginia meets Sebastian, who has his own issues and secrets, everything gets complicated even further.
So Mackler got permission to crawl back into her earlier book and make a few tweaks.
The Universe Is Expanding and So Am Ihits shelves May 29, 2018.
BLOOMSBURY
The first one I read wasThe Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things.
And look where that led us!
CAROLYN MACKLER:To this interview right now?
Bloomsbury
And to co-writingThe Future of Us.
(Actually, thats what I really meant.)
Tell me about that, yo.
MACKLER:Did you just say yo?
ASHER:I sure did, yo!
MACKLER:A few years ago, an idea came to me about Virginia Shreves.
I knew it would take place the summer after her brother was kicked out of college.
But Virginia and her new story kept coming back to me until I could no longer resist.
ASHER:How do you even go about writing a sequel after so many years?
ASHER:What about modernizingThe Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things?
I mean, I do think its kind of cool.
MACKLER:Yeah I could do it… because we make the rules, right?
ASHER:Well, thatiswhat fiction writers do.
For example, in the new book, Virginia has a phone.
So I went back into the original book and put a phone in her hands now and then.
Important stuff like that.
I didnt change anything big or plotty or structural.
ASHER:Now I want a Hostess Cupcake!
So I love the covers of both books and the way they work together.
Bloomsbury did an amazing job with them all the splashy colors and circles!
I cant wait to see them out in the world.
ASHER:Of course, now that youve written a sequel, you need a prequel.
But set it way back in time.
I even have a title!
Ready for this?The Earth, My Chest, and Other Very Flat Things.
MACKLER:I seriously dont even know how to answer that.
ASHER:Maybe… yo?
