Kern Carter was born in Trinidad and raised in Toronto, Canada, where he lives today.

A high school dropout who became a single father at the age of 18, he later graduated from St. Bonaventure University in New York with a major in English literature. Today he works both as an author and as a professional speaker and mentor to aspiring young writers.

Kern has written five middle-grade and young adult novels, including two that are forthcoming: Is There a Boy Like Me (middle grade, Scholastic 2024), And Then There Was Us (young adult, Tundra/PRH 2024), Boys and Girls Screaming (young adult, Cormorant Books 2022), Beauty Scars (young adult, self-published 2017) and Thoughts of a Fractured Soul (young adult, self-published 2014).

He has said, “Writing made me brave. The words that fear prevented me from saying verbally, effortlessly poured onto pages. When my first book came out, and readers I didn’t know sent me messages about what it meant to them—what my words meant to their lives—it changed me. It gave me the confidence to start speaking out loud the words that were in my head but paralyzed by anxiety. I felt unleashed. Those adolescent years of uncertainty and insecurity are still clear in my mind, further exaggerated when I became a parent at 18. So, when I write stories, I may be inventing the characters and situations, but all of the emotions I infuse into these characters are based on genuine emotions I’ve experienced.”

Kern, who says his favorite hobby is studying pop culture, can be found at https://www.kerncarter.com/

Q: Your deep, edgy novels for teens are thought-provoking reads that unpack family drama, friendships and failed relationships. You’ve said your goal is to “touch the world with my words,” and you’re certainly doing that. But interesting that only two of the five novels have male protagonists (Is There a Boy Like Me and Thoughts of a Fractured Soul), plus one has a male co-protagonist (Beauty Scars). Can you talk about why?

A: Great question. Having a daughter certainly impacts my storytelling, but if I’m being honest, the presence of a female protagonist isn’t as intentional as it seems. When I’m dreaming up stories, I don’t force myself to write a female lead. And I certainly don’t consider whether or not a publisher will like it better if the lead character is female. I just write the ideas that come to my mind and so far, female protagonists seem to take the lead.

Q: As someone who dropped out of high school and had a (now grown) daughter at the age of 18, you presumably have rich material to draw on. How has that played into your choice of writing for pre-teens and teens, and specifically the way you explore adolescent vulnerabilities, doubts, fears and male toxicity?

A: That’s exactly it. My later teenage years were my most tumultuous. Dropping out, having a baby, the disconnection from my family; all of it has stayed with me throughout all these years. So when I write, it’s easy for me to draw emotional inspiration from those times. They certainly were memorable, for many different reasons.

Q: Despite your high school troubles, did you grow up in an overall supportive family? An older brother who achieved his dream of a Stanford scholarship and playing for the NFL perhaps made you set your own bar high. And you were ambitious from an early age, posting your goal of being a published author (and listing the top five publishers beside that) on a large board at the foot of your bed as a child. You even wrote a “book” at age eight. Can you talk about your childhood and early teen years?

A: I had the most beautiful, supportive childhood. Beginning in Trinidad, my grandparents and aunt took care of me (for the most part). When my two brothers and I finally moved to Canada with my mom, we moved into a community-housing neighborhood. But the community really was special. We had a community center at the bottom of our building where we ate, got help with homework, watched movies, played sports and really just bonded as a community. And then my mother; she’s such a gift. My brothers and I often say that our mom was an advantage for us because she poured everything into her children and always put us first, for better or worse. She told us to dream big and never let our surroundings dictate our potential. With the success all three of us have had, I know she’s proud.

Q: One of your passions is supporting young people, especially aspiring writers, pursue their dreams. What are your most effective tools for helping them build confidence and skills?

A: I tell all authors I work with to build a learning mindset. Study the craft of writing, study the industry and always work at getting better. Also, find community. There are so many writers out there at all different stages of their journey. Don’t think that you have to do this alone. You don’t. And when you find community, it helps keep you focused and inspired because you have others to observe and lean on when need be.

Q: In 2023, you were named one of “six Black Canadian writers to watch.” How did that feel, and how does your race affect your writing, career and ability to inspire youth of color?

A: It’s interesting because it felt amazing to be included on that list. But I would be lying if part of me didn’t wish they removed the Black and just put “writer.” My storytelling is not impacted by my race, not as far as making race part of the stories I share. My real-life experiences as a Black man certainly do impact my perspective and allow me to tell parts of stories I otherwise wouldn’t be able to communicate, but for me, my stories are not a refuge for any kind of real-life racial trauma. Where my race does play a role is when I step into classrooms and feel the surprise of young people when I tell them I write books. There’s a curiosity in their eyes, a spark that I feel from all students, but particularly Black students who didn’t believe someone like me was possible.

Q: Okay, it’s time to reveal what we can expect next from you.

A: More books, more books, more books. I have two coming out next year that I can’t wait for people to read. My goal is to be one of the most influential authors in the world, and I feel like I’m on my way to becoming that person. I also have a film that I co-created and co-wrote that will air this fall, called Wallflower: https://www.wallflowertheseries.com/thestoryandteam/kerncarter

I’m so excited because it’s the first film I’ve ever produced and to know that it will be on TV is beyond exhilarating.

-Pam Withers