LETTERS TO THE LOST by Brigid Kemmerer

I've been a fan of Brigid Kemmerer for a long time, and I interviewed her a few years back. I'm excited to announce that she has a brand new book out, and it looks spectacular:

Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. It's the only way Juliet can cope.

Declan Murphy isn't the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he's trying to escape the demons of his past.

When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he's opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they're not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart.

In our last interview (from 2012), you said, "I'm a firm believer of putting conflict on every page, and that includes the opening." Is this still true? In what ways, if any, have your novel openings evolved since?

This is absolutely still true! My writing has definitely improved, but sometimes I'll still get emails from my beta readers saying, "I think you might have started this one a little too fast..." I like to jump right into the action. My goal is to grab a reader so they can't put a book down once it starts.

A goal you've attained many times! I always love romances written through letters. Did Juliet and Declan's story come to you at once, or did it weave itself together over time?

For the most part, it came to me all at once. It was the first book I've ever sold on proposal (meaning Bloomsbury bought the book before it was fully written), so I had to write out a full synopsis with the twist and everything. I was worried that would sap my creativity, but it was actually really helpful to have an outline by my side as I was writing.

Indeed. I wish I'd embraced outlines sooner! I also love the book's cover--what about the design do you like the most?

I love the cover! I think I'm most excited about the fact that Bloomsbury's art department actually hand-wrote letters from the book, and then superimposed those on the flower petals. It's incredibly detailed and beautiful, and I love the juxtaposition of words about blood and death being superimposed on something delicate and beautiful like the flowers.

I didn't know those were the actual letters! What a poignant way to symbolize the story's themes. What are some of your current projects?

My next novel will be More Than We Can Tell, a contemporary YA companion novel to Letters to the Lost. After that will be A Curse So Dark and Lonely, a contemporary/fantasy crossover, hopefully coming mid-2019.

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