We chat with author CL Montblanc about Pride or Die, which is a delightful dark comedy debut where the members of an LGBTQ+ club find themselves accidentally framed for attempted murder and it’s up to them to clear their names before it’s too late.
Why was it important for you to include humor and joy while still addressing tough topics like anxiety and discrimination in the novel?
Humor and joy were the most important things for me with this novel. Oftentimes mental health, social issues etc. are constantly top of mind because they’re realities that people already deal with everyday. But joy can be more rare and fleeting, so I find a lot of value in nourishing it whenever you can.
“Pride or Die” blends two genres: teen rom-com and murder mystery. What inspired you to merge these genres?
Both were popular genres for YA (circa 2021), and I had seen them successfully combined in shows like “American Vandal” but not so much in literature. I enjoyed reading fun teen rom-coms, but a lot of them had similar stakes and were confined to “normal high schooler activities.” Adding in a mystery opened up the types of scenarios these kids might find themselves in, and there just felt like a lot of untapped comedic potential.
How do you approach blending genres that seem to be in opposition, like a lighthearted teen rom-com and a tense murder mystery? What does that mix add to the narrative? Did it make the writing process more difficult?
The trick is that they aren’t really in opposition. Both coming-of-age stories and murder mysteries are about facing injustices, dealing with loads of horrible crap, and just trying to make it out alive. There’s the issue of balancing tone, but teens tend to have a morbid sense of humor anyway, and they already have to be worrying about active murderers at school and everywhere else, so this type of scenario is hardly above what they are normally forced to handle. It was challenging, and sometimes unpleasant, to include some of the scarier moments in the story, but it was worth it — the wilder the plot gets, the wilder the potential hijinks.
How did your own experiences influence the writing of “Pride or Die”?
The book is a fictionalized version of my own teen years, with more in common that you might think (or hope). But it felt best to write something that’s true enough to my own experiences that its authenticity might balance out some of the camp and the wackier, more unbelievable elements. In general I’m a huge proponent of trying to both write and read as authentically as possible.
What does writing this book as a path to visibility mean to you, and how do you hope it impacts readers who may feel unseen themselves?
I imagine a lot of book-lovers can understand being a “quiet person,” by which I mean someone who does not exist very loudly. It’s a form of introversion that can either be inherent or be forced by one’s circumstances, and it’s how I see myself. By publishing this book, I’m being loud for the first time in my entire life. “Pride or Die” is hopefully a beacon for those who might feel alone because all of the fellow quiet people are too busy being quiet to reach out.
What kind of impact do you hope “Pride or Die” will have on LGBTQ+ teens?
I hope that teens will feel seen and authentically represented. While the book contains messaging about standing up for yourself, building a community and more, I also don’t really want to tell anyone what to do. I just want my readers to enjoy the book — even coming away from it with a temporary “happy and entertained” feeling would be an amazing impact in my eyes. Oftentimes, that’s really what people — especially teens who are really going through it — are needing most.
How does a background in television and other media affect writing a novel?
No matter your background, the most important thing in my opinion is to read! Even if you’re already a storyteller in other mediums, literature is always very different. For example, one of the first hurdles I came across was writing detailed descriptions, as screenwriting is more dialogue-heavy. But also, knowing that things like dialogue were a strength of mine due to this past experience, writing a contemporary story that emphasizes banter and voice was an intentional, strategic choice.
What is your best piece of writing/storytelling advice?
What I love the most about books (and all media, really,) is always the characters. Most people think of the story they want to tell or its message first, but I like to figure out the characters before anything else. The very first words I wrote for “Pride or Die” were descriptions of the characters’ personalities. All I knew was that they were in a school club together, so I used club roles (e.g. president) to help determine their personalities, while also thinking of what types of dynamics would be fun to play against each other. When I immediately know who the central characters are and allow them to drive the story, I’m always happy with how natural that makes these characters feel.
