Over the past few years, I’ve grown used to getting some flack for the endings of my novels. When Girl at War was published, I got loads of questions whether there would be a sequel. What would happen to Ana; what about Luka, or her sister, or her godparents; why I hadn’t given them any closure? It felt like a very American question. Today, the work of demining parts of Croatia and Bosnia in the aftermath of cluster bombs continues. They are still digging up mass graves, identifying bodies, notifying families. Genocide does not allow for closure. By design, it is meant to erase the possibility of ever having closure.

Fast-forward seven years and a new spate of emails—what will happen to Charlie and Austin? River Valley? Will there be a sequel? There’s no bow at the end of True Biz, and I know that can be a bummer—sometimes it’s nice to have a freakin’ bow! But that wouldn’t be the truth. And while this book is fiction, that doesn’t mean it’s not true. If you’re curious about the ending of the novel (spoilers ahead!) I’ve written a little essay on the subject down below. TLDR?: It’s my hope that if enough people are dissatisfied with the ending of True Biz, they might work to change it.

The Future of the Deaf Community Belongs to You

(A version of this essay was published in the Reese’s Book Club App in April)

In these whirlwind days since the release of True Biz, a lot of people have asked me whether there will be a sequel. Sometimes, they say, they’ve so enjoyed their time with these characters that they simply wish there was more to see and do (thank you!). Most of the time, though, readers want closure. And I get it—as readers, we often turn to fiction as a means of escape from our own chaotic worlds, and there is pleasure in seeing the proverbial giftwrap bow at the end of a book. I empathize with that, and yet—there is very clearly no bow at the end of this novel. Because the future of the deaf community belongs to you.