Luap wrote:
Book two was written and typeset and ready to go a couple of months after Book One. But sales of Book One simply did not warrant publish a sequel.
Thought it might be something like that. But that is just wrong, Luap; not your decision, but the inadequate sales of The River. Perhaps the message was a little ahead of its time for the masses and the realization of profitable, let alone break-even sales.
Notwithstanding this, The Inner Voice has been a real force in my own life for a long time, long before I read The River, not only morally but also in my technical work. Seeing its expression in The River was a meaningful confirmation and validation for me, especially coming from an author with the credentials of a Paul C. Buff.
Sometimes, though, our work is ultimately judged by critera that transcend the marketplace. History is replete with examples. Therefore my recommendation, take it for what it's worth, would be to produce a limited edition of Book Two, priced high to recoup some of the publication costs if necessary, and to begin work immediately on Book Three. Completion of the trilogy without regard to immediate sales could be a worthwile pursuit in the long run, depending upon how one keeps score.
If you run into Paul, Luap, tell him that while immediate financial success is one measure of performance, it is not the only one. There are those of us who, having read The River, are awaiting yet further illumination... in addition to what we have obtained from White Lightning and Alien Bees.