actually, dude, i think that if you were to mention the origins near the end of the not-prequel instead, it would work better. like you'd planned it that way, or something. quick! delete these posts so NO ONE EVER KNOWS.
Hah! This is gonna sound like I'm stealing the idea, but... that was the intended connection between the two books. By the end of the not-sequel, you'd know how the Puppeteer "got out."
right on. and i have no doubt at all that you already had something devious planned out. i'm um . . . well, already working on a sequel to something that i'm not quite done with yet, so when everything is said and done, if any of it sees the light of day, it'll look like i planned it all out meticulously, when really all i'm doing is going back and retconning the shit out of the first story to match what'll happen in the second. yeehaw!
i'm off to look for a thread to ask what you're working on now. erm, as long as it isn't fiendishly top-secret.