Fresh Ink: An Interview with Debut Novelist Sarah Jio

Fresh Ink is a monthly series of interviews with debut novelists that focuses on the journey from first book contract to publication date. Today’s interview is with Sarah Jio, author of The Violets of March, a mystery/love story/family saga that quickly became not just one of my favorite reads of the year, but one of my favorite reading experiences (yes, there’s a difference).

I’ve been following Sarah on Twitter and Facebook for several months now, and they’ve been full of such amazing accomplishments: Violets sold in Germany and Spain, and went into a third printing before its launch date. It became a Costco Book Buyer pick and was May’s pick for Target’s Emerging Authors program. And did I mention that Sarah’s next book, The Bungalow, will be published next year? I’m so excited Sarah could share a bit of her journey with us!

First, a few quick numbers:

Length of time from book’s start to pub date: 2.5 years

# of agents you queried before signing: 1

# of books written before this one: 1

# of revisions you went through: 4,934,569 (OK, kidding, but there were a lot!)

We’re lucky that there are so many great resources for writers to learn about publishing these days. That being said, what’s the one aspect of the process you never could have predicted?

The sales side! I had very little knowledge about what went into the selling of a book on the publisher’s side. There is an entire team of people—dedicated people—who convince booksellers that your book is going to be a hit (or not). And, the sales side has a big say in many important things, like titles, for instance. My book was originally called “The Waters of March,” but the sales team at Plume felt it was too somber. I was sad to part with title, at first, but was able to arrive at another title that I loved, as did everyone at the imprint.

Your debut novel came out just a few weeks ago and you have a second novel coming out in 2012—that is amazing! Can you tell me a bit about how this all played out? Did you initially get a two-book deal, or was the second book sold after the first?

Yes, I am pinching myself! No, Violets was sold as a single deal. Partway through the editing process of Violets, I was hit (literally upside the head) with the idea for my second novel, The Bungalow. I ran the idea by my agent who gave me her blessing, and then I started writing like a madwoman (in the second trimester of my pregnancy, which, oddly, is a very creative time for me!). And I wrote. And wrote. And wrote more. In a month, I had half of it written and my agent pitched it to my editor at Plume who loved it. I finished the book a month later, incorporating my editor’s comments, and sold it shortly after! It will be out in early spring (most likely March) of 2012.

How did writing the second book differ from writing The Violets of March?

It was very different, and it’s fun to think about that, so thanks for asking! I had learned so much in the process of editing Violets that I was much more organized this second time around. I still wrote from the hip, as I call it (I hate outlines), but I had a good sense of the plot in mind as well as the character’s arcs all mapped out. I credit my editor at Plume for pointing out my mistakes in my first draft in such a constructive way that it helped me become a better and more efficient writer. When I turned in my draft of The Bungalow, my editor had very few changes.

Has working as a freelance writer for magazines helped you in your fiction writing? In your book’s promotion?

Yes, I juggle several magazine stories a week in addition to the blogging I do for Glamour (5-7 posts per day), and I always credit magazines for keeping me creative. My daily magazine work flexes my creative muscles so that when I sit down with fiction at night I’m primed and ready.

And while my being a magazine writer didn’t get me any more publicity than any other person who wrote a good book, it definitely helps in navigating the media world a bit, since I knew the right people to send ARCs too, etc.

The main character in The Violets of March is a best-selling novelist whose life falls into disarray. What were some of the ways you researched to put yourself in her shoes?

I identify with my character, Emily, in many ways, but most notably in her career freeze. Before Violets, I wrote a book that I thought was pretty great, but, well, wasn’t. My first agent sent it out on submission and … it didn’t sell. I regrouped and began thinking about what I really wanted to write and the story I wanted to tell. Was it this novel? My conclusion: No. Yes, it was a good book. But I realized, like Emily, that my heart wasn’t in it. So I set out to write a better book, one in which I loved the characters, the setting, the world. So, in many ways, I drew upon my own feelings about writing when creating Emily’s motivations and concerns.

What’s the biggest difference you’ve noticed between marketing the book before it launched and promoting it now that it’s out?

Well, now that it’s out, I have the pleasure of meeting readers and hearing from them. I get excited to wake up every morning and check my email to see what readers have written. Everyday there is a new email or Tweet or Facebook message from someone who has just finished the book. It is so fun to hear how people react to the story and how it moves them. This is the most fun part about being an author.

And as for promotion, if I didn’t have a newborn (he’s 3 months old), I’d be out on tour doing events, but I decided not to travel for this book given my situation with the baby. Next book!

I noticed you’re working on a third book now. What’s your secret for keeping the momentum going in your writing?

Yes, the third book is nearly halfway done, and I’m SO excited about this one. I think it’s my most emotionally gripping story yet. And that’s the thing, for me to keep momentum going on a story, I have to be IN LOVE with the story. It has to haunt me during the day. I have to dream about it at night. It has to pull me back to my computer. This new novel is doing that for me. I can’t wait to tell you more about it—soon!

About The Violets of March:

A heartbroken woman stumbled upon a diary and steps into the life of its anonymous author.

In her twenties, Emily Wilson was on top of the world: she had a bestselling novel, a husband plucked from the pages of GQ, and a one-way ticket to happily ever after.

Ten years later, the tide has turned on Emily’s good fortune. So when her great-aunt Bee invites her to spend the month of March on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, Emily accepts, longing to be healed by the sea. Researching her next book, Emily discovers a red velvet diary, dated 1943, whose contents reveal startling connections to her own life.

A mesmerizing debut with an idyllic setting and intriguing dual story line, The Violets of March announces Sarah Jio as a writer to watch.

Congratulations on a great launch, Sarah. I can’t wait to read your next book!

Readers, when you’re working on multiple projects, how do you switch gears from one work into the next?