In this weeks’ edition of Endnotes, we take a look at Gabrielle Korn’s The Shutouts (St. Martin’s, Dec.). The novel revisits the dystopian world of Korn’s Yours for the Taking, with PW praising the author’s “skillful exploration of alarming choices made by people in power and survivors’ attempts to forge communities. It’s another winner from Korn”

Here’s how the book came together:

Jonathan Bush Art Director, St. Martin’s Press

“The type was chosen to mirror book one in this series, but we experimented with other apocalyptic landscapes before landing on this design. The cover is a ruined house with no windows or roof with the same surreal and somewhat menacing orange sky, signaling that this is the alternative perspective from book one.”

Gabrielle Korn, Author

“As soon as Yours for the Taking was done, I wrote the first 60 pages of The Shutouts and my agent pitched it to my editor, who acquired it pretty immediately. It felt amazing to have a contract for book two before book one even came out. I turned in a first draft in under six months, since we wanted it to come out one year after the first book.”

Nicki Richesin, Literary Agent, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner

“I’ve represented Gabrielle since her first book. When I signed her, I thought she’d continue writing whip-smart cultural analysis. I was surprised when she first presented the idea of writing a novel, but when we discussed Yours for the Taking, her first book in this series, I knew she had to do it. I was thrilled that Gabrielle wanted to continue writing about this rich and complex world that she created out of thin air.”

Hannah O’Grady, Senior Editor, St. Martin’s Press

“We acquired The Shutouts shortly after Gabrielle turned in the final manuscript for Yours for the Taking. From the beginning, Gabrielle and I had discussed the possibility of a sequel. Her vision for The Shutouts provided a satisfying continuation of the story lines of Yours for the Taking while introducing new characters and ideas. We pounced on it!”