Write On.. and On

Phyllis announced this morning that she wants another story.

Apparently the fact that she's got a new story coming out in a few weeks has only whetted her appetite for further adventure.

The thing is, I love Phyllis.  I would be more than happy to write her another story.  (No doubt she will bug me until I do, so there's that incentive as well... :))

The question is, how much is enough?

Fancy Nancy appears to be able to sustain interest book after book after book.  Same with Pinkalicious, Lilly, Harry the Dirty Dog, and Curious George.  For other characters, one story is enough.  You don't see the continuing sagas of Ferdinand or Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouak, Pack and Quack.

So how does a writer decide whether to revisit or move on?

In my own writing, most picture book ideas are stand-alones.  But Phyllis seems to be a character who doesn't quit at one story.  When I wrote the first one, I never thought of a sequel, but a couple years later she felt she had more to say :)  And now I find a little piece of an idea niggling in the back of my brain, rolling around, turning over and over, investigating itself the way your tongue explores the space where a tooth used to be, wondering if there's anything to it.

I don't know yet.  Is the world ready for a third adventure in Punxsutawney?

Phyllis thinks so!!!