Lost At Sea

by Erica Boyce

  If you had to choose a theme song for Lost at Sea, what would that song be? On the subject of music, what did you listen to as you wrote this book?

  Is it too literal if I say “Not an Addict” by K’s Choice? It’s such a beautiful, heartbreaking song, and I think the message goes beyond the substance addictions that Annie and Lacey are dealing with. Almost every character is addicted to something—approval, independence, friendship, whatever—and a good deal of the book is about them learning to accept that about themselves and achieve balance, rather than endlessly seeking that thing out. Also (and here’s where my music nerdery comes out), I really like the fact that much of the song is in a minor key, but it ends in a major key. It makes you feel like there’s some hope in there for the future, even when things are feeling pretty bleak, and that’s definitely something that I wanted to convey in the book.

  As for what I listened to, I wish I had a cool answer for this, but the truth is I can’t have music playing while I’m writing. I’m way too likely to get caught up in singing along and not get very much writing done! However, I’ll admit I listened to a lot of ’90s music in between writing sessions and was super excited to sneak a bit of that into Annie’s chapters. Third Eye Blind, Goo Goo Dolls, No Doubt, Alanis Morissette, Foo Fighters, and especially Matchbox Twenty (my eternal favorite). What can I say? I’m a true “early millennial,” and I’ve got some serious nostalgia for that music!

  If you could live in one fictional world, which would you choose?

  Harry Potter’s, without question. I mean, right? I’m pretty sure almost anyone who grew up in the late ’90s would say the same thing!

  What is one thing that surprised you about becoming a published author?

  Actually seeing my book on the shelves in bookstores has been amazing and surprising! I knew, logically, that they’d be sold somewhere, but seeing my name in those stores that I’ve loved my whole life has been pretty surreal.

  SPOILER:

  The novel closes with the radio call between Jess and John right before his death. Why did you choose to end the novel in such a sudden moment? What do you hope your readers will feel when they turn the final page?

  Much of the book moves around these concentric circles of knowledge: who knows what about whom and how that all comes to light after John’s disappearance. Jess knows the most about what happened to John, but not the why. I wanted to end with the simplicity and clarity of that moment, once all the messy, tangled family stuff had already been revealed. Also, I think it’s pretty clear by that point that this isn’t the sort of book where John is miraculously found alive, but I wanted to eliminate any doubt before the last page was turned! I hope readers come away with a sense of inevitability—as in, of course that’s how it had to end—and a better understanding of who John was.

  Acknowledgments

  First of all, my heartfelt thanks to the fishermen and fishing families of the Cape. I learned so much from you in my time at the Alliance, and I hope my deep respect and admiration for you all comes through in these pages. And don’t worry: none of the characters in the book is based on any of you!

  Thank you always to my family for your support and tireless cheerleading. The next book will have a happy ending, I promise…

  Thank you to Eric Smith, who gives the best pep talks of all and talked me down from many a ledge in the process of making this book. #TeamRocks forever.

  To Grace Menary-Winefield, MJ Johnston, Kirsten Wenum, Kaitlyn Kennedy, Margaret Coffee, Michael Leali, and the entire Sourcebooks team: all of you turned me from a writer into an author. Words can never describe how grateful I am for that—and I really, really love words!

  Thank you to the Dana Kaye team, who were instrumental in walking me through the process of getting this book out there and finding my readers.

  Thank you to Mark Oshiro, Paul Parker, and Josh Boyce, all of whom helped me make sure I was getting it as close to “right” as possible.

  Many thanks to my writing community, which has coached me through writer’s blocks and steered me toward a better plot: Karisa Langlo, Allia Benner, and the Critical Mass crew at Writers’ Loft.

  And thank you, thank you, thank you to Chris. This life has taken us through some serious twists and surprising turns (and is about to get even more chaotic!). There is no one else I would rather build it with than you.

  About the Author

  Erica Boyce is a native New Englander, a graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, and associate fiction editor at Pangyrus. By day, she works with fishermen and community organizers across the country to help keep small-boat fishing fleets in business. By night, she writes. She lives outside Boston with her husband and dog, a corgi named Finn. Lost at Sea is her second novel. She enjoys speaking to book clubs, and you can find her online at ericaboyce.com or @boycebabbles on Instagram, Facebook, and Goodreads.

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