We chat with debut author Charity Alyse about Other Side of the Tracks, which follows three teens entangled by secret love, open hatred, and the invisible societal constraints wrapped around people both Black and white.
Hi, Charity! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! Thanks for having me!
I am a self proclaimed literature nerd through and through. I received my undergraduate degree in English Literature and to this day, I am always down for a conversation centered on Shakespearean conspiracy theories. I prefer iced coffee over any hot drink and my favorite shows are Gilmore Girls and Anne with An E. If I have a good book, a pumpkin spice iced coffee with brown sugar cold foam, and one of those television shows, I can stay inside happily for days and days!
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I was in kindergarten when I discovered my love for writing. I remember recreating fairy tales with Black characters at the center. This was way before Princess Tiana came onto the scene. Sleeping Beauty had microbraids and prince charming had dreadlocks. I loved using the darkest shades in my crayon box to create my own version of fairytales. It made my little self feel seen and gave me hope that one day I’d have my own happily ever after.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
The first book I remember is a Daniel and the Lions Den pop up book. I’d make my mom read it to me every night before bed! The book that made me want to become an author for Young Adults is called Geek High by Piper Banks. There are four books total and I read the entire series in a month! A book I haven’t been able to stop thinking about is Those Who Prey by Jennifer Moffet. It’s a thriller that tugged on my emotions the entire time!
Your debut novel, Other Side of the Tracks, is out November 22nd! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Romantic, unforgettable, heart-wrenching, raw, and honest.
What can readers expect?
I read a lot of classic African American literature while drafting Other Side of the Tracks. When it came time for developmental edits, I watched a lot of hood classics like Poetic Justice and Boyz in the Hood. So, I think the reader will find that Other Side of the Tracks is very unapologetic in its representation of Black love, art, and longing. I really tried to glean honesty from the Black entertainment that I digested during my journey to pub.
Readers can expect for the stereotypes they believed about others to fall from their minds and hearts like chains. I hope that after readers finish Other Side of the Tracks they’ll be less afraid to take chances and more willing to embrace those around them no matter where they come from. Other Side of the Tracks will make readers cry, laugh, and dream again. Most importantly, it will act as a mirror and challenge it’s reader to take a step to the other side of the tracks in their own lives and spark a change their.
Where did the inspiration for Other Side of the Tracks come from?
Other Side of the Tracks began as a ten page assignment for my Creative Writing Children’s Stories class. I was a junior in college at the time and the class was smack dab in between my senior seminar for Shakespeare and my African American Literature course. I was in my own version of heaven, surrounded by books all day but I was also drowning in homework.
To be honest, at first I was going to submit something I’d already written but then a character popped in my mind. It was a girl in an oversized hoodie with ripped jeans and converse sneakers. She stood on a football field far away from the other students huddled together with candles in their hands. They were mourning a young Black boy who was murdered and she didn’t know how she fit into it all.
She was me.
The Black Lives Matter movement was beginning to gain traction on media and the students in my predominately white university had varying opinions. I felt like I couldn’t share how I really felt unless I was home with my family. I was divided and did not have a voice. But, I did have a pen and this girl in my mind who’s story needed to be told. I finished the ten page story in one night. My class was in tears when we discussed it. They’d all read it and was blown away. It sparked a conversation that I didn’t think we’d ever have at my university. My professor encouraged me to turn it into a novel and I did just that.
Other Side of the Tracks was a form of therapy for me. In the nine months it took to complete the story, I added two other points of view, fleshed out the world outside the football field, and realized that my pen is just as powerful as a poster at a protest. I realized that my voice and my stories mattered and that they can spark change.
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges I faced in writing Other Side of the Tracks was the three POVs. It’s so hard to stick to a timeline that stretches over all of their arcs. At one point, they were all on different days of the week! During copy edits, I had to quite literally pull up a calendar and write what each character was doing day by day. That helped to get everything under control!
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really enjoyed exploring the character of Justin. When I sold Other Side of the Tracks Justin’s POV was written in third person. To be honest, his character was really hard to understand. Black men are complex beings. Many times, they are forced to block out their emotions so not to take up space or appear angry and problematic. There is so much double consciousness plaguing the mind of many Black men and I wanted to be hoenst about that. I wanted to give Justin’s character the space to feel even if it were only inwardly. I wanted to give him the space to explore his emotion, to love a Black woman well, and to be intellegent. Just as the Black men around me are. I wanted to present to the world a different version of the Black male many of us don’t see in media. After getting to know Justin deeper, I was able to write his character in first person and I think that made his arc really special, raw, and honest.
What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
I received over 200 rejections before signing with an agent. It was a painful few years. During that period rejection, I’d always hear the same thing: “There isn’t a market for books like these.” I cried a lot during that time. I also prayed a lot, too. I knew the story needed to be told and that the characters could make a difference in the lives of those who read their story. That was what helped me overcome. I knew that Other Side of the Tracks mattered. During the summer of 2020, I think the world really began to realize the importance of social change and reconciliation. I believe this fact really helped Other Side of the Tracks get the chance it has. I’m grateful for that, but it’s bittersweet. I hope that publishing continues to see how powerfully honest stories by authors of color really are and how these stories can help in sparking social change.
What’s next for you?
I hope to have a long career in writing books! To be honest, books were one of my saving graces growing up. I learned so much about myself and the world around me through literature. I’d love to offer stories like the ones I read to another young and curious reader. I also just got engaged in May! I’m excited about planning a wedding and getting married soon!
Lastly, what have been some of your favourite 2022 reads? Any 2023 releases our readers should look out for?
My favorite read of 2022 was I Rise by Marie Arnold. I’m looking forward to reading The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim.
