The other day, I got an email from a woman whose granddaughter had just finished reading my first novel, Logan’s Fire. It was a YA novel published in 1996, so it’s 18 years old. The book has been out of print for at least 10 years. It was nice to be reminded that copies are still out there in libraries, on eBay, and on Amazon.com.

The fact that the grandmother said her granddaughter loved the book and wanted to read more let me know that the story of a young man dealing with the consequences of setting a poor example for his younger sister still holds up and can interest a new generation of teens.

What makes me sad is that I always wanted to turn the book into a series featuring the three men who help the teens. It would have been along the lines of the old “Highway to Heaven” television show, with a teen focus and differing time periods.

I tried. I really tried.

I wrote about half a dozen follow-up novels. I agreed to keep the series focused on the present day. However, I couldn’t get it past a committee that needed to be in unanimous agreement on a new book. It really irked me when only one person on the committee said “no” for a lame reason.

So the series fizzled, and I moved onto other genres. However, in today’s world of small presses and self-publishing, I’ve been thinking about doing the series myself. Heck, I’ve already got six books that just need re-editing and updating. I should even be able to reclaim the rights to my first book, since it has gone out of print.

That series may see the light of day yet.

James Rada Jr. is the author of seven novels, including Canawlers, October Mourning, and The Rain Man. His other books include Logan’s Fire, Beast, and Battlefield Angels: The Daughters of Charity Work as Civil War Nurses. Jim’s articles regularly appear in regional and national magazines, such as History Channel Magazine and History Magazine, and he has published more than two dozen short stories. He lives in Gettysburg, PA, with his wife and sons.