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Hi, Abby,

Thanks for posting. I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed THE 39 CLUES. As you can guess, it was fun to write, too.

I never collaborated with other authors before. Here’s how it worked. A group, mostly editorial staff, worked up an outline for the whole story. Rick Riordan wrote the first book and, while it was being prepared for publication, the unedited manuscript was sent to me so I would know where he left off and where I would begin with Book #2. They did the same with my manuscript when it was time for Peter Lerangis to start work on Book #3. The whole series went like that. There was never a book that included more than one author, but we did have the previous book(s) to read so we’d know where to proceed from.

I did enjoy the work, and what little contact I had with the other authors. We’re all friends now, even though we live in vastly different places. But I have to say I prefer to have total control over what I write, which you can’t have if someone else is developing the characters you have to write about.

My favorite part was the very end of the Amy & Dan section, in a follow-up series called UNSTOPPABLE. The book is FLASHPOINT, and I had the responsibility of ending the series and presiding over Amy and Dan retiring from the hunt. I don’t know if you read it, but it’s out there, so it should be easy to find.

Thanks for your interest, Abby. Happy reading!

                                                                                                        —–Gordon Korman—–