We chat with author Emma Grey about Start At The End, which is a powerful, soul-stirring, sliding-doors novel from the bestselling author of The Last Love Note and Pictures of You that explores second chances and unwritten endings.
Hi, Emma! Welcome back! How have you been since we last spoke for the release of Pictures of You?
Hello! Thanks for having me back. I’ve been super busy since we last spoke. In addition to writing my new novel, one of the most exciting developments is that Pictures of You has been optioned for a TV series by Magpie Pictures, a production company in Australia, with a view to international release. I’m also working with composer Sally Whitwell on the stage musical of one of my teenage novels, and a couple of other secret screen projects that are fun and different.
Your latest novel, Start at the End, is out April 7th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Deep, hopeful, romantic and “Sliding Doors”.
What can readers expect?
This is another one readers are saying is ‘shattering and reassembling’ them. While there’s a strong theme of loss, there is a romantic, uplifting outcome. The novel’s other themes include creative betrayal and resilience, academic plagiarism, male depression and addiction, and the characters inhabit the worlds of music, screenwriting and science.
Where did the inspiration for Start at the End come from?
I lost my husband Jeff in 2016. From time to time, I’ve wondered what would have happened had this unfolded the other way around. This novel gave me the opportunity to imagine different scenarios and other approaches to loss, and to see that, even when it feels like the end of our lives, and when we’re not living the outcome we wanted, there are always opportunities to start again.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
The young character, Parker, was a joy to write. She’s struggling with the events in her life but manages not only to triumph over her own challenges but to teach the adults what courage looks like. There’s a particular scene (I won’t spoil it) that almost had me standing and cheering for her. As a “pantser” it’s such a delight to see these characters pull themselves through difficult things.
You mentioned in your last chat with us that you bought a big whiteboard for this book. Did you have enough space to keep track? Can you tell us a bit about your planning process?
I attempted to use the whiteboard during the first draft, but my habitual pantsing won through. Ironically, for a book called “Start at the End”, I began the story with what is now the middle. With editorial advice, I restructured the book and made it more chronological. The whiteboard came in handy for subsequent drafts, to see the whole book at a glance. As always, I deleted many thousands of words. Every time I write a novel, there’s half a book left over in a “ditched” document.
For my next book, having now worked with screenwriters and producers on Pictures of You, I’m thinking of writing a “treatment” of the story before I start. It will likely veer off the rails regardless, but it might bring some comfort to my editors, at least!
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
In the first draft of this novel, I attempted something that turned out to be impossible to pull off, and was a distraction from the emotion in the story. So I admitted defeat and untangled that idea, which streamlined the story (already complex enough, with a sliding doors concept) and it all became easier from there.
What are some of the key lessons you’ve learned since your debut?
Mindset-wise, I thought this would all get easier, but I’m finding the opposite. Perhaps it’s the sense that, once you’ve written a couple of bestsellers, it feels like there’s further to fall if something goes wrong. Having said that, I’ve built an audience of loyal readers who would be there to catch me if that happened. They’ve been incredibly supportive all through.
What’s next for you?
I’m looking forward to touring in Australia, the US and Canada for Start at the End, then I’ll come home to work on a new novel—this time about mothers and daughters.
By then, we’ll have a script for the pilot episode of Pictures of You, and be into the next stages of series development.
I’m speaking with producers about Start at the End, which I imagine as a film, so hopefully those will be productive discussions, and we’re charging ahead with our musical and another screen project, too.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
I’m very intrigued by the premise of Yesteryear. Having fallen in love with the film of Project Hail Mary, I’ll listen to the audiobook. I’ve read an advance copy of Australian author Anna Johnston’s beautiful new book, When Lemons Give you Life and was also privileged to read thriller author Hannah Richell’s grief memoir, An Ocean and A Day.
