I have an unrelated Swarm story completed and ready for editing. I am considering whether I would be able to write a sequel to Going, Going .... I want to do so. I am mentally stuck on what would be the earliest part of the story and I haven't latched onto what would be the grist of the body of the story. In Going, Going ..., I waded into an area -- abused women -- that I really know nothing about and have almost no experience with. I am an amateur writer and I think it shows. For the sequel, a professional writer would take the time and energy to fully research the area. I don't have the time or the rigor to do so. It remains to be seen whether I'm dumb enough to continue in an area fraught with very real consequences.
Although I keep (fairly) good notes, the story emerging from my keyboard always surprises me. Characters reveal themselves to me. Issues, problems and opportunities present themselves and I try my best to deal with them. I have to re-read passages of my own work again and again in order to get back on track. I try to tie up loose ends, but sometimes I forget.
A reader recently made the point that Ellen's CAP score should have risen. I don't remember whether I even considered the idea. Ellen already had an eight-something CAP score. She was re-tested at the same time as Bob. Her new score was not mentioned. It is entirely possible that she got a very good bounce but didn't get a nine. Given the issues in her history, she must have been scary-smart to achieve an eight. She also would have other important positive attributes that I haven't delved into. I am presently thinking about the fact that three males in her new household have an an average of nearly four females to satisfy, and what that might mean over a longer term. (Some of the males in the story are matched up with FIVE females.) I didn't want to cause the family to be even larger than fourteen adults -- at least, not in that story.
I imagine a sequel might be something like "A Day in the Life of Jane Davidson" by Zipper D. Dude, except that the days would be anything but quiet and contented and the sponsors would be among the central characters. Throughout the Swarm Universe, women are truly enslaved. Adverse consequences are sometimes mentioned, but then the point fades into the background of the story.
I want to thank those of you who wrote to me. I would be happy to know your further thoughts.