The Writer’s (Devoted) Spouse

I found the Jezebel response to the fantastic Paul Krugman piece in the New Yorker interesting. Basically Irin Carmon asks if the wives of great male writers should get more credit. Krugman’s wife, Robin Wells, a fellow economist, edits Krugman’s piece and can be credited with making him less dry and more appealing to the layperson. It is not an uncommon situation that male writers from Eugene O’Neill to Stephen King tend to have devoted wives in the background, taking care of their children, making sure they eat, reading their first drafts, and encouraging them every step of the way. But Carmon wonders if female writers can say the same.

My response: Wait, there are writer’s whose spouses DON’T support them in these ways? Unless I specifically ask him not to be, my husband, CH, is pretty much my first reader on everything. Back when I first started writing for American Top 40, I would call him to brainstorm whenever I got stuck on a punchline for a joke. CH found the web designer for Fierce and Nerdy and he’s the one that makes sure that it runs smoothly on the technical side. He’s also the one that designed the 32 Candles site, including the recent redesign, now that we have some sense of what the book cover is going to be.

He takes care of our daughter when I’m writing on the weekends and when we’re on vacation. If I’m dragging my feet about doing anything that makes me uncomfortable — like asking my agent or editor a question, taking my author photo, or earlier in my novel writing career, just sending out query letters; he pushes me over that road block. And if I’m fretting late at night, he talks me through it, going over what we’ll do in the worst case scenario for whatever I’m worrying about until I relax and go to sleep. I often divide my life into Before CH and After CH. And the majority of my writing success came After CH.

This is why I (only half) joke that writers shouldn’t marry other writers. I don’t want to make too broad a generalization, but I know very few paid writers who don’t have a devoted spouse, toiling away for them in the background. We tend to need a lot of nurturing, and I know that I’m not the only one who wouldn’t eat, shower, or write regularly if it wasn’t for my spouse.

I tend to advise all women against settling, but I especially think it’s crucial for female writers to find someone who they don’t only get along with personally but also writing-wise. Ursula LeGuin credits her husband’s support for her writing success in a then male-dominated genre. Lorraine Hansberry was supported by her husband (who she met on a picket line) emotionally and financially while she wrote Raisin in the Sun.

There are so many examples, I could go on and on. But my main response to the Jezebel article would be, “Yes, women writers have devoted spouses, too.”

“16 Candles Meets E. Lynn Harris” and Yes! You’re “In” My New Novel

“Sixteen Candles Meets E. Lynn Harris” — that’s what they’re calling my book in-house at HarperCollins, according to Marketing Manager, Bobby Brinson. What a nice compliment! Find out what else he had to say about 32 CANDLES here. Though, it should be noted that my father wasn’t exactly “affluent” when my mother met him. But he was certainly wealthier, more popular and way more handsome than anyone else she had ever dated.

Anywho, Mr. Brinson’s comments got me to thinking about how every novel is a Slumdog Millionaire of sorts, with every experience and detail you encounter adding up to a Frankenstein of a book.

I’ve said before that the main two influences for this story were my mother and my best friend, but there are also elements of my husband, LA friends, my relatives, and many others. For example, I landed on Davie’s first job after an actress I went to grad school with told me in passing that her main job was at an LA cabaret, the male character of Nicky is inspired by my no-nonsense aunts, and Davie’s car is the same beater that I bought for $600 when I first moved to LA.

It’s funny, b/c they always say write what you know, but often it feels like novels leave you little signs and gifts in everyone you meet and in every place you go, so that in the end, you’re not just writing what you know, but also what you encounter and what you hear about.

If you’re a conscious writer, every conversation carries weight, every hurt can be recycled, and every single person you meet is an inspiration.

The other day, I was brunching with two other Smithies and I told them that I was working on a novel about three Smithies living in LA, who were about to turn 30 — that’s not really what it’s about, but I’m a little terrible at summarizing and pitching (I don’t even want to tell you how long it took to get my query letter together), so I’ve settled on that simple explanation for now. The immediate reaction of one Smithie upon hearing about this new novel was a suspicious, “Are we in it?”

That’s a hard question to answer, because on the surface, no one is “in” this next novel. There is no one person that completely inspired any one character. Yet in a way, every Smithie I’ve ever met is in it. Also, every guy my friends and I have ever dated is in it. And if I’ve met or heard about your sibling or parents — well, they’re in it, too. Have we ever had a conversation that lasted more than five minutes? Then guess what, you’re in this novel someway, somehow.

A novel is a world created, and just like in the real world, it is composed of all of us. And that’s kind of what I dig the most about being a writer.

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Ernessa T. Carter is the author of the novel, 32 CANDLES, which will be released by HarperCollins/Amistad on June 22, 2010. Pre-order your copy on Amazon here.


A Valentine to My City [I Love LA]

It’s funny that Valentine’s Day is bearing down on us like an oncoming train. I still haven’t figured out what to get my husband yet, and I’m having trouble finding time to get out and shop, because I’m way too busy writing the rough draft of THE AWESOME GIRL’S GUIDE TO DATING EXTRAORDINARY MEN, which I recently decided to append with a “: I LOVE L.A.” — you know, because the title wasn’t long enough.


If a lottery was won, you would probably find my family setting up shop in Hawaii within the the month, but for now, I just adore LA. Living here has been like a relationship that started off well, went sour. We almost broke up a few times, but then we got back together again in the best way possible.

I love that every band that I’m interested in will eventually come through LA for a concert. After years of having to discover indie movies on tape and dvd, I love that I can now see whatever American indie I want in an actual movie theater. I like that there’s a scene for everyone in this city. If you’re a beautiful blond actress, there’s a scene for you. If you’re a schlumpy patent lawyer, there’s a scene for you. Even this nerdy black writer has been able to find plenty of friends in LA.

It’s funny, because I’ve heard so many people say that they could never live in LA, because it’s too looks-conscious. I would argue the opposite. I found St. Louis to be way too narrow-minded about what constituted a good-looking person. But out here somebody’s always going to like the way you look — especially if you’re unique.

I also love the movie-set diners, being able to eat whatever kind of food you’re in the mood for, always discovering a new and yummy restaurant. I honestly don’t think there’s any better place to be a foodie.

But right now, I loving LA, because it’s just a great place to do Valentine’s Day. Last year, we went to Dusty’s for breakfast, then the Griffith Observatory, and then a movie at the Arclight (where we didn’t have to get there early for a good seat, b/c it’s all reserved seating), and then a nice dinner at my favorite South American restaurant.

This year, we’re switching it up to accommodate the little one. We’ll probably all go somewhere for breakfast, then a museum, then Betty will spend some quality time with her Grandma, while my husband and I hit dinner and a play. Los Angeles makes switching up your usual Valentine’s Day plans easy.

So I consider this post, along with my next book a Valentine to my city. I seriously can’t think of a better place to spend the day represented by a great big heart.


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Ernessa T. Carter is the author of the novel, 32 CANDLES, which will be released by HarperCollins/Amistad on June 22, 2010. Pre-order your copy on Amazon here.

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Photo Credit: Metro Library and Archive

32 CANDLES and the Art of Self-Promotion

bullhornI promised myself that I would hit the ground running with this self-promotion stuff as soon as I scheduled my first interview or received the cover art for 32 CANDLES, whichever came first. Well, I had my first interview on Monday for the Smith Alumnae Quarterly. Fellow Smithies, look for that profile in the spring edition, and big thanks to writer and Friend of FaN, Aimee Swartz, for making the interview so lovely.

Also, I received the first pass of the cover yesterday and I adore it. It’s so fun and man, will it stand out in a bookstore! I’m hoping to be able to debut it soon here.

So yes, it’s time to start self-promoting. I won’t say that I dislike self-promoting. My FB friends already know that I drop several nudges a day about checking out the many wonderful posts and items at fierceandnerdy.com. But I’ll admit that I don’t know much about promotion outside of Fierce and Nerdy, so I’ve got a lot of learning to do and I’m hoping my experiences with this (new-to-me) artform will help other aspiring writers, too. Let’s navigate, shall we?

First up, a three-part favor:

1. The first part is simple really. I’m working on my calendar for the rest of the year, and I need to know which bookstores you love, so that I can try to hit them up for visits before January 2011. You can either leave a message in the comments, PM me at etc AT 32candles dot com, or Facebook me. However you do it, I’ll be grateful for the info.

2. The second part is even more simple. If you haven’t already, please Become a Fan of 32 CANDLES on FaceBook here. And if you’re already a fan, please do me the huge favor of clicking on the link beneath the picture of smoke, and inviting at least two of your friends to join the group.

3. The third part is the simplest of them all. The next time someone asks you if you’ve read anything good lately, just tell them that you’re looking forward to this alternative fairytale, 32 CANDLES, which will be out this summer and can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com. Word of mouth is still mostly person-to-person (as opposed to internet-to-person) driven, and I would appreciate the advance buzz.

Alright, that all self-promoted, I’ve got to ask if you guys have any advice about self-promotion. What have you done or seen that you liked and remembered? It doesn’t necessarily have to be in the realm of books. This is basically an open brainstorm.


100% Thanks!

etc

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Ernessa T. Carter is the author of the novel, 32 CANDLES, which will be released by HarperCollins/Amistad on June 22, 2010. Pre-order your copy on Amazon here.
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Photo Credit: rex dart: eskimo spy

Book Review: WENCH by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Usually I only do book reviews over at Fierce and Nerdy, but this is written by a fellow chickadee of my editor, so here are my thoughts on WENCH by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

wenchcoverWhy I Decided To Read It: About a month ago, Dawn Davis, my editor at HarperCollins/Amistad told me that she was really excited about this winter release, and then it seemed like I was hearing about it everywhere. So it made my must-read list.

What’s It About: It’s a fictional story set at a real resort in pre-Civil War Ohio, where white slave owners used to take their black slave mistresses for summer vacay. The book centers on one slave in particular named Lizzie (the optimistic one), and the three other slave women that she befriends at the resort: Mawu (the sassy one), Reenie (the serious one), and Sweet (the sweet one). It’s a bit like Slave and the City — except technically its set in the country.

What Makes It Different: I have read many a slave story, but I have never read anything quite like this. The main character, a dark-skinned slave named Lizzie, who loves her master, and has two children waiting back home for her somehow reminded me of modern day women stuck in toxic relationships. It made the novel seem less removed from present day than any other novel I’ve ever read that was set in the this time period.

What I Loved: First of all, the book is beautifully written. Also, it didn’t feel like a history lesson or a list of awful situations. I adored the complicated relationship between the women and the way Perkins-Valdez navigated race, class, love, fear, and motherhood. Basically motherhood in this book is both a saving grace (it keeps the women human despite their circumstances) and a burden (though they are in a free state, the decision about whether to run or not is more than tough, b/c they have children back at their Southern plantations). And in many ways WENCH works as a suspense, because you wonder who will escape, who will die, and who will stay put. The answers to these questions surprised me and I did not see the ending coming.

Writing Lessons Learned:

Use research subtlety. I‘ve become used to writers peacocking their research, describing every single historical event and place in almost ridiculous detail. However, you wouldn’t know that this book was researched within an inch of its life, because everything is presented organically. For instance Mawu and Lizzie bond over a certain dish that would only be cooked that way by slaves in their situation, and it doesn’t feel like the author is saying, “Hey look at my research!” It’s more like it’s just happening. The historical touches in this book are wonderfully executed.

Same situation, different responses. It’s interesting, b/c all four women are in variants of the same situation at the resort, but their personalities and circumstances lend towards making their stories very individual.

Use the wardrobe. Now I tend to overthink wardrobe, just because I grew up on Ladies Home Journal’s “Can This Marriage Be Saved,” so my default is to over describe what a character is wearing. But oh man did Perkins-Valdez use clothes well in this novel. I don’t want to ruin anything for you, but there’s a brilliant throughline with fancy dresses and there’s also a series of clothing scenes that will break your heart. It made me remember that clothes can be used for something other than shopping-p*rn and representing characters’ aesthetic values. So instead of wearing a sweater I got from Urban Outfitters while I’m typing this, I’m wearing a sweater that I bought with money I didn’t really have from the clearance rack of Urban Outfitters back in 2004, six months after I moved to LA, b/c I was sick of being cold at my dead-end office job. Much better, right!

To Whom Would I Recommend This Book: Historians, Mistresses, Recent Divorcees, History Buffs, Civil War Re-enacters, African-American History Majors, Ohioans, and High Schoolers Who Want To Enjoy What Their Reading For Black History Month

TEN PEOPLE WHO WANT TO READ THIS YESTERDAY: Angela G, Kemi I, Katrina G, Liz C, Tamara L, Shewanee H, Millie M, Gina K, Howard L, and my dear departed Senior English teacher, Mrs. Doyle — man, she would have loved this book.

Click on the cover pic to buy the book.