Alcatraz 4 Shock!

[Bastille]

I feel kinda bad about posting this since I haven't been on in months, due to lack of father being home and computer as slow as ever, but I needed answer of somesort to this question.

On Amazon I found this and it made my stomach flop. Is this really true?

"Editorial Reviews
Product Description
The fourth and final book in the fabulously funny Alcatraz Smedry series!

Alcatraz Smedry is on a mission to save the day! In his final adventure in the series by bestselling adult fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson, Alcatraz has a lot to prove and, as always, little time in which to do it!"

If this has already been posted and answered, I apologize.

[firstRainbowRose]

Sadly, it is true.  Brandon was only under contract for the first four books, which is the end of the arch on how Al becomes famous.  He has sent in a proposal for the second half of the story (books five through... I don't remember how many there are in the second one.) but I don't know if they've approved it or not.

[Miyabi]

And sadly, he has to give Scholastic the first option for it.

[Fireborn]

Actually, Brandon's intention from the beginning was to write five books, but Scholastic only contracted him for four, so we're not sure if they're going to do number five or not.  And Al was famous the whole time, that's not something that will simply happen in the fourth book.

[Miyabi]

I'm not sure on the exacts, but the contact was for four with them having the first option for his next YA novel.  (That might be wrong, but it's something like that.)  I do know for sure they have the first option on his next YA novel though.

[Bastille]

Thanks guys. I just wanted to know so that way when I finished the forth I wouldn't be like "That's IT?"   

[Peter Ahlstrom]

Scholastic has turned down the next book. Brandon eventually wants to publish it somewhere else, but it is difficult to get a publisher to do something like that (pick it up without having the earlier books) if the series has not sold all that well in the first place. Which is the case with Alcatraz. The first book sold just fine, and then they didn't print nearly as many copies of the second book, so no one could find it in stores, etc. etc.

We will hopefully see the end of Alcatraz's story in the future, but it won't be soon. Plus Brandon's schedule is packed for the next few years.

[Miyabi]

Is he still going to do a YA novel next year?

[readerMom]

I think it is Scholastic's fault it didn't sell. They didn't market it at all. Even in their monthly flyer they send to parents I only saw the first book twice and the second once. If they don't advertise it, it won't sell.
My neighbor, a sixth grade teacher, read the book to her students as part of studying optics. They loved it. It is too bad the publisher didn't make more of an effort.

[Miyabi]

There was also the fact that it seemed to sell out everywhere and they refused to like make more of it.

[Bastille]

We will hopefully see the end of Alcatraz's story in the future, but it won't be soon.

Wait, are you saying that the forth is not going to wrap up like a normal ending book? 

[Fireborn]

We will hopefully see the end of Alcatraz's story in the future, but it won't be soon.

Wait, are you saying that the forth is not going to wrap up like a normal ending book? 

It's not the last book, so no.

[Bastille]

ahhh ok. that makes sense.