In this week's edition of Endnotes, we take a look at Emily Adrian's Seduction Theory, a clever story about an MFA student revealing secrets about her writing professors’ marriage. In its review, PW says "Adrian poses intriguing questions about the nature of betrayal, the blurry ethics of professor-student intimacy, and the right to tell another person’s story."
Here's how the book came together:
Emily Adrian
“I wanted to write a story about a long-standing marriage threatened by infidelity, and I wanted the story to be deeply romantic. I think that what often gets lost in the discourse surrounding marriage and monogamy is eros itself. Sometimes the conflict is not that you’ve fallen out of love with your spouse but that you remain in love with and possessive of each other in spite of all these other pressures you’re both under.”
Susan Ginsburg
“I did love Seduction Theory from day one. It was such a fresh and intriguing and dazzling way of writing an academic novel. I submitted the book to a select number of editors who seemed pitch-perfect for it, and Little, Brown, with a dream team, preempted it immediately!”
Gabriella Mongelli
“Even at the submission level, the manuscript was already in fantastic shape—so much of the editorial work was refining those finer layers of texture and detail in the novel. Emily has an incredible command of language and sensibility, without ever losing her sense of wit or humor, and never flinched at any idea or suggestion I made—big or small.”
Gregg Kulick
“From the moment this project landed, the entire art department was eager to dive in. Julianna Lee quickly discovered the ideal cover image—one that immediately resonated with the team. Though she explored other concepts, this image simply felt, and looked, right. She then developed several type treatments, and the final combination we chose strikes exactly the energetic, engaging tone the book demands.”
