IT’S A SIGN!!! – Moon & Sun Book 3: The Emerald Sun

A long time ago (back in 2006-2008), I wrote two novels I loved and younger readers loved.

The Ruby Key: Moon & Sun Book 1

The Silver Door: Moon & Sun Book 2

I’d started work on the third one, The Emerald Sun: Moon & Sun Book 3…

And then Scholastic told me they weren’t going to continue the series. It would end with Book 3, and they would only want the third book if I took a massive pay cut.

I couldn’t afford to take the pay cut. We were already just squeaking by.

So I stopped working on the series, and wrote a bunch of writing books instead. Mugging the Muse: Writing Fiction for Love & Money, Create a Character Clinic, Create a Plot Clinic… and a long list of other books and classes I’m not going to name goes here, but that kept a roof over our heads and food in our bellies.

Meanwhile, however, I kept hearing from the kids who wanted to know what happened next with Genna, Dan, the Cat…

And now those kids are adults.

The rights to the first two books have reverted to me. Today I start the read-through of the first one to get back into the world, to get the voice back, and to find and take notes on any toys I left on the floor that I can pick up for Book 3.

And after I did the first run of reading, I got an unexpected gift.

During a Hard Drive Move (which is never anyone’s favorite thing) years ago (which I think coincided with our move from Georgia back to Florida, I lost track of the Book 3 outline and early chapters.

My older computer had become massively obsolete. I moved the backups to a new computer, and when I did this, Moon & Sun had already become a dead project, so I didn’t check to make sure I could find it.

Forward a bunch of years to when I wanted to find it, and I couldn’t. Realize… Macs have excellent backup, and really good search, and I knew what I was looking for. And no search term I had brought me to those manuscripts.

Today, on the day I started this project, I dug into an unrelated folder looking for something else, and found the entire Moon & Sun project in there, including the start of Book 3. Wasn’t where it was supposed to be, but everything opens, everything is readable, everything is usable.

It’s a sign. Time to write Book 3, time to get the first two into print again, time to bring this world back to life.

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Posted

December 4, 2018

Moon & Sun Series, The Emerald Sun, The Ruby Key, The Silver Door, Writing Life, Writing Neep

Holly

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119 responses to “IT’S A SIGN!!! – Moon & Sun Book 3: The Emerald Sun”

Lorelei

February 29, 2024

Heyya, on a whim I decided to look up what ever happend to this series that I was obsessed with in my youth. I am terribly sorry what happened to this series. I loved it so much, I drew fan art of it. I have an old D&D character based on the descriptions of the nightlings. I do hope someday we will have the third novel. Just wanted to let you know that there are those of us who loved the series but just didn’t have a way of finding out what happened to it, after the local library didnt stock the third book. Best wishes, and hang in there.

Reply
1. Holly
  
  November 8, 2024
  
  Hi, Lorelei.
  
  This is Rebecca, Holly’s daughter. I am sorry to have to write this, but unfortunately Holly died of complications due to cancer on August 27th. If you have access to the forums, you can see the full post here: https://hollyswritingclasses.com/forum/threads/about-holly.15413/
  
  She would have absolutely LOVED knowing you drew fan art for the books and based a D&D character on the nightlings. Seriously, she was such a geek for D&D (passed it to me and her middle child, Mark) and it would have thrilled her.
  
  As far as Moon & Sun, in late ’23 Holly was thrilled to have another author pick up the series. Her very good friend, Katharina Gerlach (https://www.katharinagerlach.com). If you’re interested in the Emerald Sun and what else she might have planned, you can sign up for the alerts here https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/965276/122604832467977274/share
  
  Reply
Oliver

January 26, 2024

I read the first two books in this series when I was about 10 years old, and I’m now in my early 20’s. Several years ago I remembered this book series and how much I’d absolutely adored it, but was heartbroken that I couldn’t remember the name. I googled for probably over an hour trying to find it and, given that I’m now here in your comments section, I did! I check back on this thread periodically to see if there’s anything new, but I thought I’d leave a comment of my own this time.
The Moon & Sun series are absolutely fantastic books, and are just so strikingly unique that they’ve stuck with me over a decade later. I am so hopeful that you’ll be able to continue this series, and I hope your other books do very well regardless!

Reply
1. Holly
  
  November 8, 2024
  
  Hi, Oliver.
  
  This is Rebecca, Holly’s daughter. I am sorry to have to write this, but unfortunately Holly died of complications due to cancer on August 27th. If you have access to the forums, you can see the full post here: https://hollyswritingclasses.com/forum/threads/about-holly.15413/
  
  As far as Moon & Sun, in late ’23 Holly was thrilled to have another author pick up the series. Her very good friend, Katharina Gerlach (https://www.katharinagerlach.com). If you’re interested in the Emerald Sun and what else she might have planned, you can sign up for the alerts here https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/965276/122604832467977274/share
  
  Reply
Jessica

September 16, 2023

I got the first book after it had already been out of print. I went to a goodwill with my grandma and picked it out and was reading it while walking through the store and didn’t want to put it down. I begged my dad to find me the second book but he couldn’t find it in the name brand stores. I would love to see the ending of the series. I understand if that’s not a realistic dream. If the second one doesn’t come back into print I’ll look for it in a second hand bookshop to see what else is in store for the characters. Thank you for writing the books you’ve gotten to write thus far. The first one was beautifully written and I absolutely adored it 🙂 and I’m sure I’ll like the second book just as much. Still holding out a shred of hope the third one might surface one day!

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Hannah

June 29, 2023

Oh I’m so excited!!!

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C. Sarz

May 22, 2023

Picked this series up at 38 y.o. a few months ago hoping to find a series to help connect my 11 y.o. to reading. I hope you can finish it. Was truly enthralled in the world.

Reply
Claire LaVelle

February 27, 2023

I’m unable to get the sign-up link to work but I’d still love to see the end of this series. Looking forward to your Ohio series as well!

Reply
1. Holly
  
  February 28, 2023
  
  I’m apparently going to have to rebuild the sign-up. I’m sorry for the error you encountered.
  
  Reply
Lexii

February 2, 2023

Hi there! I was in grade school when I saw your first Sun and Moon book at my school book fair and I was hooked!! I JUST now found this wondering what became of this series and I’m so glad I did!! I hope you have gotten more people to sign since the last post and I hope I’ll get to lay my eyes on that 3rd book! Thank you for this wonderful series!

Reply
1. Holly
  
  February 16, 2023
  
  Not many, unfortunately.
  Maybe enough, though. I keep hoping the Ohio novels will do well enough for me that I’ll be able to live on them while I write Emerald Sun.
  
  Reply
Jill

September 16, 2022

I read the first two books with my daughter in elementary school and loved the series. I’ve looked every couple years to see if the series would be finished. I’m also waiting for Song of Fire and Ice books which I read before the tv series was even thought of. So sad that these great stories aren’t being finished! They become more popular when they are a completed SET by the way… Who wants to sit down to read a 2 out of 3 series with no hope of an ending??? No wonder the books aren’t as popular right now. Finish and they will become popular! I can even see movies made out of this wonderful imaginative world! Leap of faith… The entertainment industry is too flighty. They only take completed works seriously. (I’m a retired microchip layout engineer, stay at home mom, elderly caretaker, and science fiction lover!)

Reply
Lauryn

July 6, 2022

Hi Ms. Lisle!
I’m thrilled to find your email list and Ko-fi, I joined moments ago. Moon & Sun was my favourite series as a kid, I must have read those books fifty times. They came with me on every road trip I ever took—I would read The Ruby Key on the way there and The Silver Door on the way back. I held out hope for years of another chapter in your story but figured that it wasn’t meant to be. I’ve now read about your journey back to this series and really admire your perseverance. I’m foaming at the mouth to read The Emerald Sun, and wanted to thank you for your dedication to all the kids like me who loved the world you created.

Reply
1. Holly
  
  July 6, 2022
  
  Thank you so much, Lauryn. The dream of building a block of time in which to write The Emerald Sun is scooting closer. I’m hopeful.
  
  Reply
Belinda Loew

May 29, 2022

I really hope you write a third book! I got the first two books secondhand at a bookcase and I read both of them in two days. I was looking up the following books in the series and was crushed and heartbroken to find that they aren’t written yet. The books were incredible and it’s disappointing that it’s been a struggle for you to continue the series. Personally, I would love to gain some closure about the countless loose ends that I feel the second book left! I will recommend the books to friends and I hope to get them on your email list!

Reply
1. Holly Lisle
  
  May 31, 2022
  
  I’d love to gain some closure, too. With luck, the five-book Ohio Series will buy me some time to write it.
  
  Reply
N. Daniel

April 30, 2022

I have been looking for the third book online and in stores for ages. My children and I loved the first two books and they will still randomly quote lines at me.

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Nidhi Nallasivam

February 5, 2022

The amount of love I have for this series is such that I am very glad that even the possibility of this happening creates much joy in my life. While I really want it to happen, I also understand all the constraints you have as a writer. All I would request is, please don’t close this project. I will try my best to bring out truly how many people are into this book series- most in their twenties, much like me must be very awash in the huff and puff of general life, I don’t think they read your blog. And hence would be a lowly estimate. Give it time. Please let us know if there is any community effort we can contribute to to make it happen. Either way, you’re the best, and we’re with you <3

Reply
1. Holly
  
  February 7, 2022
  
  Thank you. I believe it will happen. I believe I will find enough people who want to read it.
  
  And I want to write the last one so much.
  
  Reply