Will there be a sequel to The Green Ember?
I get asked about this quite often, so I thought I’d make a location where a curious person can easily get answers. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask them in the comments. Okay. Here goes.
Will you be writing a sequel to The Green Ember?
Yes! It’s mostly written, in fact. I am in the editing stage right now. I’m super excited to share this story with you.
When will it be released?
We are aiming for Spring 2016. But we want to make certain it’s the best it can (reasonably) be. We are working very hard to hit our goal!
Will Heather and Picket be the main characters in the sequel?
Yes!
Will Zach Franzen be doing the cover art and illustrations once again?
Yes! He’s working on them right now. He is eager to share them with you!
Will there be more short prequels like The Black Star of Kingston and what are the Tales of Old Natalia?
I hope so. I’m planning on it. Black Star was the first in the Tales of Old Natalia series. The Tales of Old Natalia series title was meant to distinguish the older stories, starting with Whitson Mariner coming to Natalia in Black Star, from The Green Ember series.
Are you saying there will be a series of Green Ember books?
I think there will be three.
Do you have a title for book 2?
Not settled yet. Soon, I hope. Got any great ideas?
As always, any important news (sequel title and cover art, or another award lost, etc.), as well as any special offers, will be shared first with my newsletter subscribers.
My newsletter, Blast to Smithereens, has an unlimited budget for spectacular graphics. (As you can see.) Subscribe today, or face the wrath of the rabbit on my shoulder. Where’s the monkey that used to be on my back? I’ll give you three guesses and the first two do count, because this will be a fair assessment of your insight. UPDATE: The preceding banter (re: the bunny and the late monkey) was purely rhetorical.
Do you have any questions about the sequel? Feel free to ask away!
Luke guesses that the monkey on your back blew up with everything else that’s blowing up behind you. 🙂
That Luke!
I’m fairly sure the rabbit with the gun shot him. It was a rough game of King of the Smithereen.
I did not expect answers to this question! 🙂
We cannot wait for the sequel! May God bless your editings and polishings!
Thank you, Katharine!
We are so excited for the sequel. We are forever fans after just finishing The Green Ember. Thank you so much, I can definitely say your book has encouraged my son and his love of reading.
I’m so happy to hear that, Tara! Thank you so much for taking time to share that with me. It means a lot to me. Blessings on you and your son.
I got The Green Ember on Kindle when it was on a great sale, figuring it couldn’t hurt. I loved it so much I knew it was worthy of being a “real” book and I just bought the hard copy. Eagerly awaiting the sequel!
Thanks for having an incarnational experience with The Green Ember. Very good to hear on this last day of Christmas!
Thank you!
I just finished reading both of the books out loud to my children. They are wonderful. We want to know if anyone is going to make a movie out of The Green Ember. It would be fantastic.
Thank you, Carrie!
Who knows? I hope that’s an option some day. It’s not impossible.
My kids and I haven’t finished reading the Green Ember yet, but are already greatly excited about the other books. They want more adventure; I want another book that’s so engaging that I can use it as a carrot to dangle over their heads to keep or school day on track. 😉
More carrots and hungry rabbits on the way, Bridget. 🙂
So happy to read that there is indeed another book coming! We are a homeschooling family of six and heard about the Green Ember on Read Aloud Revival. I quickly purchased the book on the Kindle, realized that the Green Ember was a book that we needed a hard copy of, so I ditched the Kindle, purchased the real deal and we read the Green Ember again, from cover to cover! Then we had to read the Blackstar of Kingston which was another wonderful read, that we finished all too quickly! Once we were finished with it, the kids asked “Keep reading the next one!” So we are ready! 😉 Our children (ages 11, 8, 6 and 4) were just asking the other day when the sequel to the Green Ember would be coming out and if there would be a movie! They will be thrilled to hear the news that the next one is being worked on! Spring 2016! We are forever fans! Thank you for writing books that my children love, despite our wide age range and having both boys and girls!
Lauren,
Thank you so much for sharing this with me. I am delighted to hear your family enjoyed the books! I’m very eager to share the next story with you and others. It’s a tremendous honor for my little story to have a place in your family’s affections. What a gift! Thank you again.
Grace and peace,
Sam
We are rereading The Green Ember and just before my daughter drifted off to sleep, she turned over suddenly and asked me to find out when the next book would be released. Now I know. Thank you. We look forward to diving into it ASAP. No pressure.
Have a blessed day.
Thank you, Becky!
My girls keep asking about the sequel. Their main concern (11 & 12) is there going to a romance and is anyone getting married. They fell in love with the characters as we read through The Green Ember. They told the dentist he should read it to his kids and he showed them he marked it on his Good Reads page. We heard about it on the Read Aloud Revival fb page.
Thanks for sharing this, JEnneper! And please thank your girls for being little Ember evangelists. 🙂
I know it’s a predictable cliche, but they will have to wait and see what’s to come in love and war. 🙂
My 8 and 6 year olds love your books. They will be thrilled to hear about the sequel. They were very confused when figured out The Black Star was not about Heather and Picket. 🙂 Your character development is exceptional. Title ideas? Maybe a phrase from your pledge? “My Place Beside You” or “The End of the World” ? A little late now, but how awesome if you had done 4 books, named for each phrase?
Becca,
I’m sorry about the confusion! We tried to do what we could to make that clear, but I was afraid that might happen. 🙁
More Heather and Picket on the way.
Great title ideas!
Just finished The Green Ember with my grandsons. It is all we talk about and that there must be more. We listened to the audio version which was excellently read. Can’t wait till the sequel. Best adventure ever with my little guys. Thank you.
Thank you so much. I’m honored you would take the time to comment here. I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the book with your grandsons! That makes my day.
We haven’t read either book, and we are wondering which to begin with? Thanks!
Hi, Aimee. I recommend starting with The Green Ember, then going back to the prequel.
Thanks!
Really enjoyed Green Ember and looking forward to the sequel. If you are still looking for a title for it, something that came to mind is “Ember Rising” though without having read it, I don’t know if that fits. By the way, if you are still in the editing stage and could use another pair of eyes on it before release, let me know. I would be happy to help.
Thanks, Steve! That’s a good name. I think I have a good one, but I’m not certain yet! And thanks for the offer.
Oh man oh man, do we ever love your books! and
I can’t stop telling people.
We loved how the characters in this adventure transform through struggle and sorrow, hope in something not yet seen, contend with their lower natures, fight fears, succumb to fears, and triumph again.
So many great bits that we quote throughout our days!
Spectacular! 🙂
My kids aged 10, 8 and 6 now have paper doll characters of all the heroes and villans strewn about the house and elaborate scenes set up to re-tell the tale. What could be better than a book you take with you into life?
It has evoked world-view discussions and character motivation debates. We are several weeks out from finishing it and still talk about the characters and events, wondering about what their futures hold, why they viewed things the way they did, what changed them, etc. There was discussion of how Pickett was a little like Anikan Skywalker (or could have been) 🙂
This is a re-read and re-read-er for sure. We already go back and review lines and passages that struck us.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful and rich stories!
We are reading Black Star now, and we cannot WAIT to get our paws on the next one!
Marla, this is really encouraging. Thank you! It sounds like you have some very creative kids. I’m so grateful to you for sharing this with me. It means so much to me and fuels my desire to carry on. God bless you.
Wow! Wow! Wow! We just finished The Green Ember and we all loved it! 6 kids, 10 and under, and although I won’t exaggerate and say even the 1 and 3 year old begged me to fill every “empty” moment with more of Heather and Picket,
I will say it wouldn’t have surprised me if they had. Such a great read aloud. I found your website when the kids begged me to find out if you had a sequel. Black Star starts in the morning. We’re all so excited! Keep up the good work!!!!!
Addie, I am so delighted to hear this. Thank you! I hope you enjoy Black Star and that future books do not disappoint.
Mr. Smith,
My name is Reagan Harper and I teach 4th grade at Midland Classical Academy in Midland, TX. We have read the “Green Ember ” together and are currently reading “The Blackstar of Kingston”. There are no words to express how much we have enjoyed these books! My students absolutely love them!! I promised them that I would share their comments, questions and ideas about the sequel with you, which you will find below! Thanks for using your gifts to bring us these stories, they are beautiful. We can’t wait to read the sequel!! If it’s not out by spring, we’ve decided to have a summer book club just so we can read it together!
Tyler:
They find horses to defeat the wolves.
“Dawn of the Ember”
“The Rising Warrior”
Canyon:
“King of the East”
I would like to know more about Helmer’s story and the
Hawks’ story. How they began, etc…
Will a rabbit join the wolves?
Kaleb:
Will they find Kyle again?
Jay:
Why do the hawks hate rabbits?
Is Helmer going to be in the sequel?
Will humans ever enter the story?
Ty :
“The Shining Crown”
“The Great Escape”
Kimberly:
Will Heather and Picket find their family?
Solveig:
Will kyle be in the next story?
“Trader’s Blood”
Sadie:
“Green Ember Rising”
“The Untangling of Mysteries”
“The End of Bunny Time”
Will we discover that Heather and Picket are royalty?
Susan:
Will Smalls and Heather get married?
“The Green Ember; Rise of the Rabbits”
Alex:
Will Heather and Picket’s wicked uncle be in the sequel?
Oh my goodness, this is so wonderful. Thanks for sharing all these ideas, kids! Wow.
Will Helmer be in the sequel?
Will Kyle and Emma end up getting married?
Does Picket get his revenge on redeye or does he maybe forgive him?
Will Whether and Picket’s wicked uncle come back to the good side?
Does Smalls restore the thirty warrens?
“The king of the thirty warrens”
Hi, Symeon. Those are some good questions. The only one I can answer (I don’t want to give anything away!) is the third one, and that’s in the end of The Green Ember. 🙂
We are on a driving vacation with lots of time in the car and read The Green Ember on the way to our destination! My boys are so excited to read The Black Star of Kingston that they want to start right now…on our vacation! I assured them we will read it on our way home in a few days! Their comments: “The Green Ember was great!” and “I loved when Picket defeated the birds and the wolf!”
Thank you for the kind words of encouragement!
We just finished The Green Ember as a read a loud with our 10, 8, and 5 year old. We loved it and can’t wait for the sequel. Here are some thoughts from the kids about your writing. Five year old: ” I think in the second book at the start it will be about interesting worlds”. 10 year old: ” I really enjoyed the book and I never wanted to stop reading.” The 8 year old: “I liked how he made people who you wouldn’t have thought be the ones who betrayed the king. I love how you wrote things that no one expected.” Thank you for your beautiful and entertaining story. Can’t wait for book 2!!
Thank you, Tiffany, for those sweet words! I loved hearing what the kids said. Most kind! I can’t wait to share this next story with your kids (and a few others, I hope). 🙂
I chose the Green Ember for my book club and everyone who read it loved it! It is one of the best books I have eer written. My friend asked if there was a sequel. I said no, and we were both disappointed. I am so happy that Picket and Heather’s adventures aren’t over!! Thank you so much for this fantastic story.
Hi Zoe,
We are working on that, but right now it’s tough. I’m so sorry!
We listened to The Green Ember through Audible as a family. My older kids 6, 8, and 10 and myself as well loved it and can’t wait for more! They want to know if new ones will be on Audible and if Joel Clarkson will read it?
Thank you, Tricia. I hope Joel can do the second book. It will be on Audible.
Ok so I read the Green Ember, and I just finished Ember Falls. They were amazing!!! But I am about to cry because there is no 3rd book. Please say there is another one on its way! The ending of Ember Falls was SO sad and it left me dangling. I was SO hoping that Heather and Picket would reunite with their family, and that Morbin would somehow be defeated. For all that to happen there HAS to be another book!!
Fear not, Lucy, there is more to come. It will take a little while, but you can be first to find out when Book 3 releases by signing up for my newsletter.
https://sdsmith.net/sign-up-for-updates/
We just finished ember falls and my kids are all In tears! They LOVE his series so much- they don’t want it to end and they can’t wait to find out what comes next! We can’t wait to hear when the third book comes out!
I’m so sorry!
It’s not over yet.
Our family is desperate to know when book three will be out! Our favourite read aloud so far. Wishing you speedy typing and lots of time to create the next instalment…Thank you.
Hi L Rosney,
I’m working very hard on it, but of course these things take longer than we wish they did. I hope it is worth the wait. Thanks for your patience and encouragement!
Sam
Thanks for introducing us to your shoulder-rabbit, and hopefully no actual monkeys were hurt in his rise to prominence in that office. We are an All-American home-schooling family of ten – eight kidlets – living in Abu Dhabi where I work. On a hunch after seeing your books show up on my Amazon suggestions and following links to your page and others, I bought your three books and a T-shirt for my youngest – turning 8 this month. In preparation, I have just read all three on Audible, and thoroughly enjoyed my commutes this past two weeks. Keep up the great work, Sir!!!
Looking forward to the next glowing Ember,
David Hambleton
David,
Thanks so much for the encouraging words! Wow, you are living quite a story with your family in a unique setting. What a cool plot.
I’m so glad to hear you guys are enjoying the books!
Cheers!
Sam
Sam,
Gave the 3 books and T-Shirt to 8-y-o Josiah last evening, and the older kids just about mugged him for the books, trying to distract him with his other gifts. “Look at your new shiny Matchbox Dubai Police Lamborghini, Yoshi!” while tucking books under arms; which I did not have to oppose, as he relieved them of the treasured tomes, one by one. “But Dad, there are new books in the house!” they protested. After a valiant mosh, he walked away with the lot. He may be little, but he is wiry… We are all most excited for this adventure.
My elder daughters (20 and 18) are budding authors with shoulder coneys (Innocent-looking white bunny, “Boing”, Minister of the chaotic Pink Sparkles – which can make anything happen, and not a few other denizens of shoulderdom), who are interested in submitting for publication – the girls, not the denizens. They participate in NaNoWriMo (www.nanowrimo.org) with impressive annual accomplishments; have completed “Literary Lessons From the Lord of the Rings Student Edition (2nd Edition)” by HomeScholarBooks; throw away great story lines in LOTR, Narnia, and Sherlock FanFic blogs; and one of them is receiving accolades and being illustrated and posted in a display at the Ferrari World theme park by Zayed University and the Sheikha of Abu Dhabi for her short Emirati-based fairy-tale works (she competed amongst hundreds of locals writing original works about local folk legend characters, and has won two years running).
We share Tolkien and Lewis’ convictions that Believers should be producing works of secular art, and that fiction can be more true and inspirational than reality. There is a dearth of principled writers who can carry a narrative without resorting to inglorious base idioms. Thank you for your part in producing work imbued with high things. Can you help the girls with a path?
Blessings,
David
Hi David,
Sorry to be late to respond! This one slipped past the goalie. Thanks for the encouragement and support. Your kids sound like they are way ahead of where I was at their age. Wow! I wasn’t even reading much at as a kid. That’s fantastic.
As for advice, I don’t have too much. I’m not 100% sure what the question is. I don’t have a path I recommend exactly. It sounds like they are doing the work of writing and enjoying it. There are just two jobs for authors, creating and connecting. You have to, in my experience, work at both.
It sounds like they are killing it at creation, and everything one needs to know about connecting is pretty easy to find online (build a newsletter, etc.) and the barrier there for most folks is they aren’t willing to do the work to learn or execute. Because it’s hard for most writer-types to be bold and share. (It is for me.)
I wish you and yours well, and I hope they find joy in serving others through storytelling.
Cheers,
Sam
How about, “Blaze of the Green Ember” – and end with the birth of a ginger baby bunny… (Did I just give away the “hook”?)
I have read and love all of the books and am waiting impatiently for the fourth book and any others that may come after.
I noticed that it said that the prologue of the third book was from a book called the wreck and rise of whitson mariner. Is that also a work in progress or is it already out? I can’t find it anywhere.
Good luck and happy writing!
Hi Elliana,
Yes, I hope to write that book. God bless!
Sam
I finished Ember Rising a coupel months ago, reread the entire series, and now me and my brother are extremely impatiently waiting for the fouth one!!
🙂
Will you write a 4th Green Ember book?
https://sdsmith.net/faq-green-ember-s-d-smith/
Is there going to be a movie? I am almost done with the 4th book and have recommended it to my brother.