P.S. Longer Letter Later is an Epistolary Novel written by Paula Danziger and Ann M. Martin and published in 1998. It has a sequel, Snail Mail No More.
Tara and Elizabeth are childhood friends. After Tara moves away, they keep in touch through letters. Tara's letters are written by Paula Danziger (known for the Amber Brown series) while Elizabeth's letters are written by Ann M. Martin (known for The Baby-Sitters Club series).
Tropes:
- Alcoholic Parent: Elizabeth's father starts drinking after he loses his job.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Elizabeth admits to Tara that she wishes her father was dead in the sequel after he eventually leaves the family but still torments them. It comes true.
- Birth-Death Juxtaposition: Tara's baby sister is born just months before the death of Elizabeth's estranged alcoholic father.
- Calling Parents by Their Name: Tara calls her parents "Barb" and "Luke" (or, when she's mad at them, "Barbara" and "Lucas"). They were only seventeen when Tara was born and their youthfulness is highlighted by their informal relationship with her.
- Cool Big Sis:
- Elizabeth is very kind to her four year old sister Emma and often takes care of her. Tara is also this to Emma, who adores her and misses her after she moves away.
- Tara's young mother Barb was this to Elizabeth. They occasionally send letters to each other, and Barb often worries about Elizabeth's well-being and gives her advice.
- Disappeared Dad: Elizabeth's father after he walks away. He dies in the sequel while driving drunk.
- Expy: Except for the upper-class family, Elizabeth resembles Mary Anne from The Baby-Sitters Club in personality, interests, and even dressing style. Fitting as they are both Ann M. Martin's characters.
- Hate Sink: Elizabeth's father. He's an alcoholic, neglectful father who insults Tara and her mother, ruins the life of his family, and then leaves without saying anything.
- Interclass Friendship: Elizabeth comes from a wealthy household, while Tara is the result of Teen Pregnancy and her irresponsible parents never had much money.
- I Wished You Were Dead: In the sequel, Elizabeth admits to Tara that she wishes her father was dead. When he dies, she feels terrible.
- Light Feminine and Dark Feminine: Shy Proper Lady Elizabeth is the Light, snarky and wild Tara is the Dark.
- Most Writers Are Writers: Both Tara and Elizabeth like writing. Tara joins the school newspaper, while Elizabeth prefers poetry.
- Mum Looks Like a Sister: Barb is so young that she is occasionally mistaken for Tara's sister.
- Only Friend: For most of the book, Tara is this to Elizabeth, who stops having a social life after Tara moves to another city (she gets better at the end). On the other hand, Tara finds many friends in Ohio but still keeps in touch with Elizabeth.
- Parental Favoritism: In the sequel, Elizabeth's father favors Emma over Elizabeth, because Elizabeth hates him for what he did to the family, while Emma is too young and still loves him.
- Pen Pals: Tara and Elizabeth writing letters to each other. They switch to e-mails in the sequel.
- Practically Different Generations: Tara and her baby sister are well over a decade apart in age.
- Riches to Rags: Elizabeth's family is very rich, until her father loses his job, starts spending too much money and accumulating huge debts, and then abandons the family. His wife and daughters are forced to sell everything and move to a very small apartment.
- Toxic Friend Influence: Elizabeth's father hates Tara because he thinks she has a bad influence on his daughter.
- Wacky Parent, Serious Child: Tara has always been more mature than her parents, though Barb and Luke eventually become more responsible.
