A FENNEC exclusive interview with Carley Fortune, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After, One Golden Summer, This Summer Will Be Different and Meet Me at the Lake.
With the television adaptation of Every Summer After finally out, Carley Fortune revisited the story that introduced readers to Percy, Sam, and the lakeside setting of her books.
If you’ve read a Carley Fortune novel, you’ll know that summers aren’t just a backdrop; they’re the heart of the story. Her characters spend years looking back on summers that shaped them, so naturally, we were curious whether there was one from her own life that she still returns to.
While Carley couldn’t pinpoint a single summer that changed everything, the summer between high school and university immediately came to mind. Growing up in Barry’s Bay before moving to Toronto, she spent that summer dreaming about what came next, along with one of her closest friends.
“My very, very good friend from high school and I moved to Toronto together from Barry’s Bay, and we spent so much time that summer kind of imagining what our city life would be like.”
Barry’s Bay remains at the centre of so much of Carley’s work, and in reality, it’s also a place she never really left behind.
I visit Barry’s Bay all the time. My parents still live there. I love it.
As Every Summer After gained a massive fanbase, readers repeatedly asked for Charlie’s story, but returning to Barry’s Bay wasn’t something Carley wanted to rush.
“I needed some time and space to have the confidence to go back there, to go back to Barry’s Bay when people had such strong feelings and so much love for that story.”
At the same time, she admitted that Charlie’s story has been living in her head for far longer than One Golden Summer has been on bookstore shelves.
Long before Every Summer After became a bestseller, she was already writing from Charlie’s perspective.
I knew so much about that character that I couldn’t possibly put it into that first book.
After finishing her third novel, she finally felt ready.
“I said to my editor that I thought it was time to go back.”
And judging by the reaction to One Golden Summer, readers agreed.
Now, with Every Year After, the television adaptation of Every Summer After, Carley was very emotional when she heard that Percy and Sam’s story was to come to life on screen, as she was at the place that inspired the story.
I was actually at the lake where I wrote the book and where the book kind of inspired me. It felt like the most incredible full-circle moment.
However, book fans should expect changes, as the move from page to screen has allowed the story to expand in exciting ways. The team hopes the series will continue for many seasons, with some of the novel’s smaller characters given much bigger roles.
Still, Carley reassured readers that the heart of Percy and Sam’s story remains very much intact and said that watching those characters grow and evolve beyond the pages of the novel has been one of the most exciting parts of the adaptation process.
The core love story between Sam and Percy is going to give fans of the book exactly what they want.
She also teased that readers should keep their eyes peeled for plenty of Easter eggs hidden throughout the series.
So whether you’re returning to Barry’s Bay through the show or preparing to dive into the world of Percy and Sam’s story for the first time, there’s plenty to be excited about.
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