Courtney Summers has a new project in store for readers and EW has an exclusive first look.
Set to arrive in February,The Projectis Summers' follow-up to herNew York Timesbest-selling novelSadie.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Where and when did you start developing the idea for this novel?
Credit: Megan Gunter
COURTNEY SUMMERS:My editor and I were trying to figure out what could followSadie.
We want to gauge our own susceptibility to their charms.
Then I had to find my way into [the story].
St. Martin’s Publishing Group
Is the Unity Project inspired by a real-life group?
It’s very, very lightly inspired by the early days of Peoples Temple and Jim Jones.
It’s not actually about Jonestown this book is its own thing.
I wanted to verify not to sensationalize and not to make cults a spectacle.
What was it about that cult specifically that struck you?
Whats really interesting about Peoples Temple is it appealed to people’s better nature.
What can you tell us about the central characters in the novel?
How did this cover concept come about?
It was designed by Kerri Resnick, with an illustration by Marie Bergeron.
Its just so cool, shes got such a wicked vision and she caught the vibe so perfectly.
The cover reveal is the best part [of the process] to me.
What do you want future readers of this book to know?
My longtime readers should know that theyre in for a certain amount of devastation.
And anyone who hasnt read me, thats something they can look forward to.
[Laughs]
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