TAMPA BAY, Fla. – How far would you go to keep what’s yours? Debut author Marie Still is searching for the answer in her exciting new psychological thriller, “We’re All Lying,” (March 14, 2023, Rising Action Publishing). Exploring the weight of family secrets — and how far we’ll go to keep them — this dark, twisty novel is sure to thrill fans of Gillian Flynn and Karin Slaughter.
Someone is hunting Cass. She lives an enviable life: a successful career, two great kids, and a handsome husband. Then an email from her husband’s mistress, Emma, brings the façade of perfection crumbling around her, setting off a chain of events where buried secrets come back to haunt her. A taunting email turns into stalking and escalates into much worse. Ethan and Cass try to move on, then Emma disappears. No longer considered a victim, Cass finds herself the prime suspect and center of the investigation. Her dark secrets — including ones she didn’t know existed — threaten to destroy everything they’ve worked for.
A fast-paced psychological thriller with jaw-dropping twists, the novel examines buried family secrets and how desperation can lead to fatal mistakes when “We’re All Lying.”
“We’re All Lying”
Marie Still | March 14, 2023 | Rising Action Publishing | Psychological Thriller
Paperback, ISBN, $22.99 | Ebook, ISBN, $9.99
About the Author
MARIE STILL grew up obsessed with words and the dark and complex characters authors bring to life with them. Now she creates her own while living in Tampa with her husband, four kids, two dogs, and a very grumpy hedgehog. Her debut novel, “We’re All Lying” will be released March 14, 2023, from Rising Action Publishing. “Beverly Bonnefinche is Dead” “My Darlings” will follow in late 2023 and 2024, respectively. She also writes under Kristen Seeley. Find out more about Marie at mariestill.com.
Follow Marie Still on social media:
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About Rising Action Publishing
Rising Action Publishing is an independent publishing house committed to diverse stories and who is passionate about literature and sharing authors’ stories with the world. A member of IBPA, their commitment extends to readers, and their carefully curated collection of books includes unputdownable page-turners across many genres, delivering surprise and delight and that are filled with emotion.
Rising Action Publishing is more than a publisher, and it considers authors family. They support the authors they represent to ensure their books garner the attention and dedication they deserve. They never charge reading fees and are not a hybrid or vanity press. Their authors enjoy 360° support from start to finish, including all formats (digital, print, audio), wide channel and market distribution, marketing and advertising, public relations, ARC programs, the highest quality editing, formatting, cover design and more.
Follow Rising Action on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
In an interview, Marie Still can discuss:
- The journey behind releasing her debut novel
- The novel’s numerous themes, including jealousy, marriage and family
- How her experience living in Tampa Bay, Florida, inspired the book’s setting
- Where the book is situated in the domestic thriller/domestic noir landscape
- Projects she’s working on next, including 2023 and 2024 releases
An interview with Marie Still
“We’re All Lying” is your debut novel. What was the process like getting your first book published?
I was in the process of querying “Beverly Bonnefinche is Dead” when I wrote “We’re All Lying.” I queried the book for two weeks and had13 agents show interest. On the third week, I received an offer from Rising Action Publishing for both books. I was drawn to their business model and passion for both stories, so decided to sign unagented. Since then, I’ve signed my third book “My Darlings” with them.
Jealousy is one of the key themes of the book. Why did you want to explore that emotion?
I’m drawn to human emotions, especially the darker ones. Jealousy can bore beneath people’s skin and change them as a person. It’s consuming and can make them act out of character — or bring a side of their personality to the forefront they wish would stay buried. Jealousy is often immediately associated with love and relationships, but it really extends beyond that.
We live in a world where people can curate the life they want people to see: They use social media to post the good, while hiding the bad. When you’re an observer of this, who may not be happy or comfortable with your life and in your skin, it can breed jealousy. The sad side of this is the detrimental effect it can have on mental health. The scary side is when people, driven by jealousy, act on it and do bad things.
The book also delves into the value of family
Family means something different to everyone. Some people are lucky enough to grow up in loving nurturing homes, and others don’t get that. But your family is your foundation, these people who you didn’t choose have a huge impact on the person you grow into. Even in the most stable of homes, we’re all human, and parents make mistakes. I think the other thing explored in “We’re All Lying” is what makes a family. Sometimes it isn’t blood, and rather the people who are there for you when you’re at your best and when you’re at your worst.
Without any spoilers: What parts of the book were difficult for you to write? Which sections came easier?
It was really important for me to write Cass’ pain, anger, hurt in a realistic way. This took me putting myself in her shoes and conjuring up every time I’ve had my heart broken. I cried with Cass while writing those scenes. I’ve had early readers contact me and tell me how raw and real the emotions felt. While the “I never saw that twist coming!” emails are always fun, those readers who really understood Cass have meant the world to me.
How is “We’re All Lying” different from some of the other domestic thrillers out there?
“We’re All Lying” isn’t an affair book; it’s not a stalker book; it’s not a missing girl book. It has all of those things that have been folded into a story with characters who are flawed and messy and real. There are characters you will hate, and that’s OK — you’re supposed to. I’m such a fan of the genre, I’d never want to say it’s better or worse than what’s out there. I’m just happy that it will find its home on shelves with readers who enjoy the ride as much as I enjoyed crafting it.
Did you learn anything about yourself throughout the process of writing and publishing the book?
When you are first starting as a writer it’s hard to believe in yourself. Writing is a lonely process. I have an amazing community of writing friends, but imposter syndrome is a sneaky little thing and can catch you off-guard.
Having a team at my publisher who believes in my stories, and now as it has started to make its way into readers’ hands, gives me the confidence to continue opening my computer and putting words to paper.
Also, publishing is slow. I have learned that I can (surprisingly) be patient(ish).
What do you hope readers gain from reading the novel?
An escape, a thrill, an unguessable twisty ride that keeps them flipping the pages, and a few sleepless nights. As an avid thriller reader, I hope to give my readers what so many authors have gifted me. I love thrillers because of the constant questions and revelations they create throughout the scenes for readers, those breadcrumbs and “OMG” moments you get until you reach the final big reveal.
And last but not least: What projects are you working on next?
My current work in progress folder is filled with 14 concepts that I’ll eventually get to. But right now, I have two main projects. “The Woman From 3A” (a working title) is a dual-timeline thriller where Arden has disappeared. It opens with incredibly odd footage of her taken from her apartment building’s security camera. With police not moving fast enough, and her best friend Kat fearing the worst, she takes matters into her own hands to find out what happened to Arden before it’s too late. My other work-in-progress is a story that’s been floating around my head for a few years now. It takes place in The Village of Lucketts (where my family lived before we moved to Tampa). A tight-knit community has been living there, hiding their dark and creepy ways in plain sight, since first settling there in 1718.
A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.
Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.
