Luke Carter Interview

Today, we’re here with Luke Carter, hero in my debut novel The Stillburrow—

Luke Carter: Hey, before we start, I just wanted to thank you for finally letting me get a chance to talk—

Linda Kage: Wait. What do you mean, FINALLY? I allowed you plenty of dialogue in The Stillburrow Crush.

Carter: Yeah, but the entire story was written in first person point of view from Carrie’s perspective. No one got to see what I was thinking at all. I’m just saying… I’m grateful I’ve finally got a chance to speak my mind.

Kage: Well, okay then. Let’s hear what’s on Luke’s mind. Tell us a little something about yourself.

Carter: What? Right now?

Kage: (eyes rolling) You’re the one who was all fired to begin the interview, bud.

Carter: OK, fine. I’m ready. Uh… Hi, everyone. I’m Luke Carter. I’m a senior at SEC. That’s short for Stillburrow Education Center, though I’m not sure why they have such a fancy name for a little nothing school in a little nothing town. Sure, the grade school and high school are connected in one building, so it wouldn’t be right to exclusively call it Stillburrow High or Stillburrow Grade School. But SEC? Can you say lame? Whenever we have a game and all the cheerleaders start yelling, “Go SEC,” you just want to cringe with embarrassment. Which brings me around to football. I’m on the team… as the quarterback. We had an awesome season. Even beat Valley this year, which hasn’t happened for a long time. I was siked. But other than that, my dad’s the bank president. Mom’s a homemaker. And I’m a fairly decent student. My favorite subject is trig.

Kage: Trigonometry, huh? Wow. I would’ve guessed English.

Carter: (frowning) Really? Why?

Kage: Well, because you’re such a good poet.

Carter: (Eyes growing the size of saucers) SHHHH! Will you keep your voice down! (Hunching his shoulders and glancing around to make sure no one else heard). No one’s supposed to know about that.

Kage: About what? The fact that you like to write poetry?

Carter: WILL YOU KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN? Please? That’s private.

Kage: (Cringing). Uh, I hate to break it to you, bud. But anyone who reads "The Stillburrow Crush" is going to know your little secret.

Carter: WHAT! You put that in the book? How could you put my most private—

Kage: Hey, don’t yell at me. This is Carrie’s story. You need to take your problem up with her? SHE was the narrator.

Carter: (Scowling). Oh, don’t think I won’t.

Kage: (Grins a little smugly) You two sure like to argue, don’t you?

Carter: (not quite able to perfect an innocent, I-have-no-idea-what-you’re-talking-about smile) What?

Kage: Don’t give me that look. I know you. You LIKE picking fights with Carrie.

Carter: (Shrugs. Guilty grin slips through) What can I say? I like her witty, smart-aleck personality.

Kage: And why is that?

Carter: (Snorts) What are you, Dr. Phil, all the sudden?

Kage: Just curious.

Carter: OK, fine. Don’t you dare tell her this, but I admire that bold quality about her. I’m… I don’t know. I’m jealous, I guess. She’s just so… free. She doesn’t worry about what other people think; she just says what’s on her mind.

Kage: And you wish you were more like that?

Carter: (Shrugs) Well, yeah. Sure. I mean, as the captain of the football team, you’re expected to be the popular jock. Everyone’s always watching you, scrutinizing every little move you make. It’s impossible to act like yourself. Be yourself.

Kage: You mean, like the sensitive poet you really want to be.

Carter: Seriously, can we NOT talk about that?

Kage: (Laughs) OK, fine. I’ll let it go for now.

Carter: Thank you.

Kage: Let’s keep talking about Carrie.

Carter: (Frowns with suspicious, narrowed eyes) What about her?

Kage: Hey, I’m a major romance enthusiast. I want to know how you two hooked up?

Carter: Well, gee. You wrote the story, Ms. Kage. If you don’t know…

Kage: (Rolls eyes) And you say Carrie’s the smart aleck. We’re FINALLY in your mind now, Luke. Remember? I want to hear it from your point of view.

Carter: Oh... Well, honestly, I have no idea how that happened. Carrie just… happens to people. It’s hard to explain. She’s kind of like a train wreck. One minute, you’re chugging along, minding your own business, following the tracks laid out for you. Then, suddenly, everything’s derailed and one huge mess with Carrie standing right in the middle of it.

Kage: I suppose you don’t want her to know you said that about her either, huh?

Carter: Na, I don’t mind if you tell her that. I like to tell her she’s a disaster magnet all the time. Just read her story to discover all the problems she finds herself getting involved in. I mean, how many people can say they were suspended, grounded, grew a crush, kissed that crush, and aced trigonometry all for the first time within a one month time frame? Not to mention that whole mess with her brother and Abby Eggrow. Carrie’s been a busy girl lately. And ever since she interviewed me for the school paper, I got sucked into the catastrophe right along with her.

Kage: You got sucked into it, or you were drawn in because you like her?

Carter: Sucked in. Drawn in. Does it really matter?

Kage: Major romance enthusiast here, remember? YES, it matters.

Carter: OK, fine. I was drawn in. But Carrie’s just so... animated, you know. I couldn’t help but go back for more torture. Arguing with her’s fun. She’s addictive.

Kage: Awww. My romance enthusiast heart just with pitter pat. That was a sweet, wonderful line.

Carter: (Blushes) Geesh, it wasn’t that big a deal. You already know I like her.

Kage: But you said it so romantically. That must be why you’re such a good—

Carter: If you say poet again, this interview is over.

Kage: (Evil grin). Actually, I was just about ready to wrap things up. You could probably only go downhill from the “addictive” quote. Is there any last minute comment you’d like to make, so everyone can get a better insight into your personality?

Carter: UH…. Now, dang it. You got me all flustered. I can’t think straight. You’re too much like Carrie in that respect, you know? Talk a poor guy into knots.

Kage: Well, I did invent her.

Carter: Yeah, you did. I’d really like that thank you for that too. Without Carrie around, my life would’ve proceeded with its dull boring, “expected” path. I’m glad you threw her on my tracks to shake things up. She’s become my inspiration.

Kage: (Sighs dreamily) Now, there’s my perfect finale. Ladies and gents: Luke Carter, hero of my young adult romance story, The Stillburrow Crush.

If you’ve grown “addicted” to him, here’s where you can find more: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/. The Stillburrow Crush releases tomorrow from The Wild Rose Press. He might not get to give his point of view, but I must say Carrie gives a pretty actuate depiction of him.

Thanks for stopping by to check out his interview.