Day 101--Interview with Anne Greenwood Brown, Author of "Lies Beneath"

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Today I have the pleasure of introducing a contracted author who's debut novel, Lies Beneath, has not yet been released. I first spotted the book cover on Amazon about a month ago. It captured my imagination and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I became curious about the novel and, of course, the author. 

I contacted Anne Greenwood Brown in March and asked to interview her. I hope you enjoy our discussion about book publishing and marketing. I often hear that it's impossible for new authors to break into traditional publishing, but Ms. Brown proves it still happens. Her agent sold her manuscript in 5 days to Random House (Delacorte Press).

Anne Greenwood Brown

Jennifer: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Anne: I don't remember a particular moment. I guess I just always . . . wrote. I remember putting together little story books when I was in Kindergarten and my dad would make copies on his office copier. I'd go around the neighborhood hocking my wares, trying to sell enough copies to be able to buy a pack of gum. In grade school, I tried my hand at cartoons. In high school, I was a major journaler. Then, when I was 30 I made a bucket list: "Things To Do Before I Hit 40." Write a Novel was number one on the list. I did accomplish that particular goal, although publication didn't come right away.

Jennifer: Can you describe the process you went through to find an agent?

Anne: Sure! I did what most people do. I wrote hair-raisingly horrible query letters. For my first novel, I sent out two letters that literally said "I don't know what I'm doing, but . . . ." I got two rejections, and I never sent that novel out again. I wrote a second novel, a slightly better query letter (27 drafts of it over time), got a handful of requests for partials and fulls, all followed by very nice, personalized rejection letters. Then I wrote a third novel (a MG novel for my kids).

About that time I decided to go to my first writers conference with the intent of live pitching Novel #2. For whatever reason, I pitched the MG novel instead. The agent I met with, Jacquie Flynn, asked that I send it to her, which I did and didn't hear anything more.

So I wrote novel #4, which was LIES BENEATH. About the time I finished that (August 2010), Jacquie called to say she wanted to rep the MG novel. (Hooray!) It went on sub that fall but never sold, so she sent out LIES BENEATH at the end of January 2011, and it sold to Random House 5 days later in a 2-book deal (which will hopefully be a 3-book deal when all is said and done).

Jennifer: What advice would you give an aspiring author about acquiring an agent?

Anne: Go to conferences. Make in-person connections with people. Even if they say "no" at the live pitch, at least you can approach them with a different project later and say "I met you at . . ." Also study query letters--what works, what doesn't. Ask for help. I made a real breakthrough in the quality of my queries when I asked an author I followed on Twitter if she'd review it for me. I didn't know her at all. I figured the worst she could do was ignore me. Turned out, she was feeling generous that day!

Jennifer: Were you confident all along that Lies Beneath would be published or was it a nail-biting experience?

Anne: Confidence? What's that? Truth is, whatever the project, all you can do is hope. I think it would take quite a bit of arrogance to have any for-sure expectations. Lies Beneath sold so quickly I didn't have time for confidence or hope or fear. I was excited to get the news, that's for sure!

Jennifer: Your book cover is captivating. Were you asked for your input when it was created?

Anne: Thank you! I love it, too. I can't wait to reveal the cover for the sequel, Deep Betrayal, which I think I like even more (if that's possible). Anyway, to answer your question, when it came to covers my contract allowed me "meaningful input." Which means that when my editor was finally shown a cover that she liked, she showed it to me and I got to tweak it. For example the original lettering was way too sweet for the tone of the book, so I asked that they change that.

Jennifer: Your publisher is Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Do you work with them directly or only through your agent?

Anne: When it comes to selling sequels and negotiating contracts, my agent does that. Thank God. In my day job, I work a lot with contracts, but these publishing contracts are doozies, and frankly very specialized. I was glad to have an expert in the field who knew what battles were worth fighting and whether I was being treated fairly. As for the editing process though, I work directly with my editor.

Jennifer: Lies Beneath would make a fantastic movie in my opinion, based on the plot and the setting. Have you sold the film rights yet?

Anne: Ooooo. There is a little movement on that front, but I don't think I'm allowed to talk about it. Suffice it to say, the producer who has picked it up (and is trying to get a studio on board) is someone I had a huge crush on when I was young.

 

Jennifer: How much and what sort of marketing will you be handling personally for Lies Beneath?

Anne: Excellent question. Here's the irony: One of the reasons I didn't want to self publish because I wanted the backing of a publishing house; I didn't think I had the time or talent to pull of an Amanda Hocking-style self-marketing campaign. However, when it came down to it, I've done a lot of the marketing and publicity myself, including:

• Bookmarks
• Postcards
• Swag
• Book Trailer
• Scheduled Book Signings
• School Visits
• Blog Tours
• Interviews

Delacorte has done the more industry things--negotiating with Barnes & Noble, librarians, etc. Also, they did an amazing job packaging the book, from the cover to the commissioned map. Plus Random House Listening Library selected it for the Audio Book collection.

Jennifer: Where can fans connect with you online?

Anne: I have a website http://annegreenwoodbrown.com where I post updates on the book.

I'm on Facebook http://facebook.com/annegreenwoodbrown

I'm on Twitter: @AnneGBrown

I'm on Tumblr: http://annegreenwoodbrown.tumblr.com

Here's my email: annegreenwoodbrown@gmail.com

Jennifer: What do you do when you aren't writing? 

Anne: I work full time, so that takes up most of my daytime hours, besides that I schlep my kids around to their various sporting and musical events, and read as much as I can! There's never enough time to read everything in my pile.

 

Jennifer: Please tell us about Deep Betrayal, the sequel to Lies Beneath.

Anne: Deep Betrayal is a continuation of the story. It involves a larger cast of characters and it delves into different levels of betrayal between family, friends, lovers, society . . .  The big difference, however, is that where Lies Beneath is told from Calder's point of view, Deep Betrayal is told from Lily's. Because of that, they feel like very different books to me.

Video Trailer for Lies Beneath, Anne Greenwood Brown

Opening excerpt from Lies Beneath, Release Date June 6, 2012

                "I hadn’t killed anyone all winter, and I have to say I felt pretty good about that. Sure, I’d wanted to, but too many suspicious drownings got people talking.  Fearful townspeople were the last thing I needed. Besides, I was getting a sick thrill out of denying my body what it craved. Self-control was my latest obsession. I doubted my sisters could say the same thing.

            Rising through the water, I walked my fingers up the bank of dead coral until I found the pattern of cracks I was looking for. I trailed it to the surface, coming up at the spot where I’d stashed my pile of human clothes. My cell phone was ringing from somewhere in the pile. Maris, I thought, gritting my teeth. I’d lost count of how many times she’d called today. I’d let them all go to voice mail.

            A splashing sound pulled my attention from my sister’s ringtone, and I jerked around to face the ocean. An easy hundred yards away, a girl lay on an inflatable raft. A yellow light outlined her body. She wasn’t ripe yet. Maybe, if I waited, the yellow light would grow into something more brilliant—more satisfying—more worth breaking my hard-won self-control over.

            Against my will, the memory of my last kill teased the corners of my brain. It tempted me, mocked me forever thinking I could rise above my nature. My fingers twitched at the months-old memory: the grabbing, the diving, the charade of human legs giving way to tail and fin, the tingling sensation heating my core as I pinned my prey to the ocean floor, absorbing that intoxicating light, drawing the brilliant emotion out of her body until I felt almost . . .

            Oh, what the hell.

            But before I dove after the unsuspecting girl, my cell went off again. For a second I considered chucking it into the ocean; it was the disposable kind, after all. But that was a little extreme. Even for me. I let it go to voice mail. I mean, it wasn’t like I didn’t know why Maris was calling. The old, familiar pull was back. That pull—somewhere behind my rib cage, between my heart and my lungs—that told me it was almost time to leave Bahamian warmth and return to my family in the cold, bleak waters of Lake Superior. It was time to migrate."

Anne Greenwood Brown grew up sailing the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior, leaning over the bow, and wondering what amazing thing might flash by. Now she knows. Anne lives in Minnesota with her patient husband and three hilarious children.