Author Interview: Sophie Stava on her novel COUNT MY LIES
What happens when a tiny white lie takes on a life of its own?
Sophie Stava’s engrossing debut novel Count My Lies was published this week to huge success! It’s a Good Morning America Book Club pick, an Indie Next pick, and a March pick for Book of the Month. Friends, I can promise it’s a delightfully wild ride! Sophie and I chatted about writing suspense novels, her favorite liars in fiction, and her tips on drafting and querying agents.
About the novel: Sloane Caraway is a compulsive liar who weasels her way into becoming the nanny for the wealthy and privileged Jay and Violet Lockhart—a seemingly picture-perfect New York couple whose shiny façade conceals damning secrets. I can’t say anything more without giving away twists, but this is a compulsive read that’s been called “diabolically plotted,”1 “utterly gripping,”2 and “the very definition of a page-turner!”3
Lacey: Tell me about your writing process. Did you know the twists and reveals—they're so delicious!—before drafting, or did the story surprise you as you were writing?
Sophie: I usually start writing with just a tiny seed of an idea or a “what if” and develop the manuscript from there, so I rarely, if ever, know the ending of a story! In the case of Count My Lies, my parents and my brother (all avid readers) were the beta readers of my very first draft and their feedback sparked the inspiration for the big twist at the end. I think it was my mom who said, “right now this reads as a story about x, but I think it might be a story about y.” My brother had a note about structure that inspired me to re-write the second half and in that re-write, I realized my mom was right!
I strongly ascribe to Stephen King's theory that writing a novel is like going on an archeological dig: the first draft is often finding the bones and discovering what is under the surface. When you're working with the right beta readers, the right agent and editor, they're able to say, "keep digging," and with each draft, the story becomes clearer and the writing tighter.
I think most writers will agree that the re-writing is where the story really takes shape, although admittedly, there’s always a moment at the end of a first draft when I think, “Have I done it? Have I written something that needs no edits?!” (spoiler: no, no I haven’t, and I likely never will!)
Lacey: You live in Los Angeles, yet the novel is set in New York City. Talk about that decision, and why it felt important to the story.
Sophie: When I began writing the first chapter of the novel—in which Sloane meets Jay [Violet's husband] in a park—the scene was so clear in my head: they were in the middle of a bustling neighborhood, surrounded by oak trees and brownstones, and I knew the story was begging to be set in New York. I loved the idea of the novel taking place in a big city, but at the same time, in a small community, and Brooklyn felt like that sweet spot.
Lacey: One thing I loved about Count My Lies is how it plays with the reader's expectations of who we should be rooting for. Why do you think readers get so much satisfaction when siding with someone like Sloane, who is a compulsive liar, among other things?
Sophie: What I love about Sloane is that even though she’s clearly flawed, her intentions aren’t nefarious. To me, she has such a relatable motivation for lying: she lies to ingratiate herself to people, to be liked, to be accepted, and I think that desire is universal. It’s so natural to want to people-please and to want to fit in. Her method is certainly reproachable, but my hope is that readers empathize with why she’s doing what does, and that they want to see her succeed—however that success may look for her.
Lacey: Reading your book, I was struck by the similarities between writing and lying. Both are methods of storytelling that require carefully constructed half-truths, bending reality just enough to be believable. What do you think draws people to lying— whether it's a compulsive act, the way Sloane is a compulsive liar, or by becoming a novelist spinning fictional stories?
Sophie: Lying so interesting to me because it’s widely accepted as a societal norm—saying we’re fine when we’re not, telling someone we think their haircut looks great when we don’t really think so, pretending to have heard of a band that we haven’t—but obviously, only under the right set of circumstances. But defining exactly what those circumstances are is a nuanced and complicated subject. Is it appropriate to lie to spare someone’s feelings? To spare your own? In most instances, it’s a way—similar to writing, as you point out—to get someone to think what you want them to think, and as long as you can justify those intentions, you let yourself off the hook; Sloane certainly does!
To me, social media also falls into this same category. So often people use social media to manufacture the image or persona they want others to see, rather than to depict what is actually going on in their lives—something I thought a lot about while writing Count My Lies. In some ways, there’s this shared understanding that everyone is curating their posts to create this falsified version of themselves, but at the same time, it’s almost as if we then disregard that understanding and accept the curated feed as real life. Sloane’s lying feels like an extension of that; she thinks people will be more interested in the made-up details of her life than the truth, and she’s been proven right, more than once.
Lacey: Would you consider yourself a good liar?
Sophie: I couldn’t tell a convincing lie to save my life! My face gives it away every time and even white lies or lies of omission make me feel sick to my stomach. I think that’s why I found it so fun to put myself in the shoes of a character who is willing to say anything, no matter how outrageous.
Lacey: Who are some of your favorite liars in fiction?
Sophie: My favorite liar in fiction is Amy Dunne from Gone Girl. She so cleverly crafts a version of herself that readers will find compelling. From the get-go, she manipulates you to be on her side and empathize with what she going through— and then BAM, when you realize you’ve been had, it’s applause-worthy. Count My Lies also tips its hat to The Talented Mr. Ripley; Tom Ripley is another a favorite liar of mine.
Lacey: What feelings do you hope readers walk away from your book thinking about when they've finished reading?
Sophie: At its core, Count My Lies is about the desperation to be seen, to be liked, to be accepted, and what that desperation will drive people to do. It’s about the dangers of not finding that acceptance within yourself. Sloane may be a liar, but I found her reasons for lying to be deeply empathetic, and I hope readers will feel the same.
Lacey: What advice do you have for writers currently drafting a novel?
Sophie: Don’t wait until inspiration strikes or until you know what’s going to happen in your book to start—or keep–writing! It’s easy to feel stuck or daunted by the enormity of finishing a book, but approaching it word by word, or page by page often helps me to feel less overwhelmed. I often find that as long as my fingers are on the keyboard, ideas will come.
Lacey: What advice do you have for writers querying agents?
Sophie: Take your time honing your query package before starting to query. I think when we’re done writing a manuscript, we’re really eager (and understandably so) to send it out into the world, but developing a strong query letter is an entirely different skill set than novel writing and agents are so inundated with emails that unless you nail it, you likely won’t have the opportunity for anyone to read what you’ve spent so long working on.
Lacey: Which authors do you admire / take inspiration from?
Sophie: I think being surprised when reading is the ultimate treat, but I think the lead-up to the twist is just as important as the twist itself. Gillian Flynn always builds tension so skillfully, as does Laura Lippman, Tana French, Megan Abbott, and Paula Hawkins, all writers I read religiously. Recently, in terms of thrillers, I’ve loved Rebecca Makkai’s I Have Some Questions For You and Jessica Knoll’s Bright Young Women. In terms of how I think about the craft of writing, both Stephen King’s memoir, On Writing, and Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, are books I re-read regularly for inspiration and perspective.
Sophie Stava received her BA in English literature from UC Santa Barbara. She currently resides in Southern California with her family. COUNT MY LIES is her debut novel.
Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters
Amy Tintera, New York Times bestselling author of Listen for the Lie
Liane Moriarty, New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies
Can't wait to read your book, Sophie!
I loved this insightful interview! I'm excited to dive into my (signed!!) copy of COUNT MY LIES! <3