PEOPLE

Young Author Living the Dream

While it is not uncommon for creative young adults to dream of moving to New York City to live a lavish and upbeat lifestyle, one graduate has already gone and done it.

Not only did the Class of 2021’s Samantha Carter set a goal to graduate early and make that move, but, when most seniors were living up their senior year, she was spending her nights writing a novel.

Looking for the Sun is a gothic, fantasy novel that explores death and its faces. The book centers on two main characters, Happy and Book, as they go on a journey to find where the sun lives. On the way, the two discover a deep friendship and bond that cannot be broken. “If there is anything one should take away from my book, it is the absolute strength that comes with a reliable friend,” says the young author.

Her primary idea flowed from her reading Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, which she felt encompassed the hope for the American dream. “I wasn’t particularly a fan of the novel, but I was drawn to this seemingly unconditional friendship between the main characters, Lennie and George.” Other aspects of her book, such as her characters constant travel and lack of a base, originated from the many times she moved as a kid. “I wanted to emphasize that a home doesn’t have to be a physical abode, but a personal connection.”

Her biggest inspiration is the fiction itself. “I love how fictional writing is completely dependent on imagination. It is a mosaic of research, structure, themes, characters, plot, and more but, without an idea of where you want the story to go and what kind of story you want to tell, there can’t be anything. I’m simply moved by storytelling, how it communicates, speaks ideas, and conveys messages to others.”

GLOBAL GOALS

Sam was also accepted into a program at Hunter College, which will enable her to become fluent in Chinese within five years. “I’ve always had the drive to learn another language, not just for the benefits it would bring in the workforce but, more significantly, giving me the ability to speak to more people. Being a storyteller and a writer fuels me in my learning of another language. There are so many stories to learn and listen to in other languages.”

This brilliant, young author’s dream is to one day write for television. “Television has made significant breakthroughs in representation and I want to be a part of this wave of media that allows people to see themselves in what they watch. With that in mind, the best piece of advice I would give someone my age or someone looking to achieve their goals is to take opportunities that come to you while seeking out the ones you want. And of course, work towards what makes you happy!”

I AM MOVED BY PASSION AND COMPASSION. I AM GENUINELY AWED BY THOSE WHO UPLIFT OTHERS, AND HOPE TO SOMEDAY DO THE SAME.