We all know (or should know) that no love story is perfect. Rarely does the guy meet the girl, they immediately fall in love and then go running into the sunset together. Sometimes it takes a long road. Sometimes people have issues to work through. And sometimes, we make dumb slash insane slightly illegal mistakes along the way.
In author Ernessa T. Carter’s new book she examines the reality of love and beauty in context of a southern black girl’s life. The girl: silent nerd type who is called “Monkey Night” (seriously). The guy: Head high school quarterback and heir to million-dollar company.
Will they ever get together?
MN: How much is the book’s main character connected to you?
Carter: This book overlaps to both John Hughes’ films and “The Color Purple.” I kind of feel like Davie (main character) is to me as Molly Ringwald is to John Hughes, as Celie is to Alice Walker; in that we don’t really have much in common.
MN: Then where did your inspiration come from?
Carter: I was living in Japan and I was always looking for things to read. And the book store closest to me had a section with just film scripts. And part of them were in English and the other part in Japanese. And as I was reading the script for “Sixteen Candles” it just occurred to me… I loved the movie so much when I was in high school. And I really wanted to have a high school experience like that but I was black and from St. Louis and really not popular at all. It occurred to me, what would it be like if someone experienced something like this at an older age. So it started percolating there in 2005.
MN: How long was the writing process?
Carter: It took two years. Was a fairly organic process, slowly coming together to what you have now.
MN: The breakup of the chapters is unique and important to the story flow. How did that come about, stylistically?
Carter: You know, I wish I knew! [Laughs] It’s funny because I knew what had happened between the “Then” and “Now” sections, but I literally felt like I couldn’t figure out where to talk about it. But it works, because it’s a surprise for the readers.
MN: How has the book been received?
It’s one of those things where I just don’t know. The book comes out on Tuesday and a few people have asked me ‘ how are sales going?’ And its not out yet, its going to be a huge surprise. I think they’re a little concerned I’ll be about promoting it after it comes out. [Laugh] Since it’s already gotten so much buzz.
MN: It seems like the story ends all well and good, but do you see a continuation?
Carter: I just finished the draft of my second book, which is going to be called, “The Awesome Girl’s Guide to Dating Extraordinary Men”. Davie shows up in the next one making a cameo. I kind of have a lot of fun writing this next one and get to go deeper with the characters.
MN: Are your characters based on anyone?
Carter: I always feel like their based on everybody…people you meet. One of the characters in this book is based on my aunt– the way she talks and loves those around her. And they feel like real characters, I pull from people everywhere.
MN: How much does L.A. affect your writing?
Carter: With LA… it’s a character in itself, because it’s such an interesting experience to live here. Also, as far as my own journey, I came here reluctantly after school. Came out here to do TV writing, but realized my personality isn’t best for working with other people. And the first two years I didn’t really like it, thought it was fake. And then I met my husband and it felt like I was falling in love with him as I was falling in love with the city. I actually met him three months after starting to write the book. And I kind of opened up and realized what an awesome place LA. is. And I hope that comes through in the books.
MN: Did meeting your husband help develop the love story in the book?
Carter: It’s funny because my plays were all dark and cynical. I don’t really write plays anymore and I think it was basically me processing being happy and had done a lot of work on myself trying to get to that place.
MN: So you got plastic surgery? A boob job?
Carter: [Laugh] No, no! No boob job. Internal work. It was a lot of growth because you have to be real to get to know someone.
MN: It takes your protagonist 17 years to find happiness and confront her demons. What was the overall message of the book?
Carter: When I first met my husband I kind of felt like I learned a lot. In the process of writing this book I realized you don’t have to be perfect in order to be loved. Just being happy will help you receive love. And the main character is a bit crazy, so if she can find love, all of us can.
It was also born out of frustration, because I read a lot and I love novels so much. And I love romantic novels. But every time I read about a character, they were perfect—so pretty and soo glamorous and they have these great jobs. And I was working at a dead end job, for $15 an hour—real life. I really wanted a protagonist who was awkward, didn’t have the classic perfect looks and was a little crazy; since there’s a little crazy in all of us. So it’s about being relatable.
MN: You didn’t leave any stone unturned. Love that about the book!
Carter: You know, I just saw “Bounty Hunter” with Jennifer Aniston and Gerald Butler. And he’s a compulsive gambler and they had split up before. They go on this odd adventure and then get back together. But he’s still a compulsive gambler and she actually had very good reason for breaking up with him in the first place. I’m watching this and thinking, ‘ if nothing changed, why are we routing for you to get back together?’
I wanted to take my protagonist through this journey and by the end your routing for her and she’s truly happy.
