Is this the end or is it a new beginning?
In Sweet Chérie, a second chance Caribbean Christmas romance by Guadeloupean author, Maëlla K., the challenge is set, “Three dates. If you still want a divorce after the third date, I’ll sign anything you want.“
Not only do we fall in love, but we get to experience Christmas in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. And now we get to learn about the short story and the author…
About Sweet Chérie
What inspired the story?
The song “Sweet Chérie” by Patrick Saint-Eloi from the zouk band Kassav’ and it’s a spin-off of another Christmas story I wrote in 2020.
Did you include any island traditions in the story and what are they?
Chapter 1 is set during a Chanté Nwèl. People come together to sing local Christmas carols.
What are the tropes in the romance?
Second chance. Teenagehood “friends” to lovers.
If you could boil the story down to one sentence, what would that be?
Loving someone is a choice that you must consciously make every day.
If you could tell a reader anything about the story, what would that be?
This love story is about people turning 60. I think it’s important to represent Caribbean people in the later part of life and still trying to figure out what they want, still having dreams and trying to achieve them.
Which came first? The characters or the plot?
I came up with Eddy first since he was a supporting character in “Nwè Love”, as Vanessa’s father. I mentioned briefly Gabby, but at that time I didn’t give much thought to her character.
What was the toughest and the easiest part of writing this romance?
For once, there was no easy part because I had no frame of reference on what Caribbean people in their 50’s today were as teenagers and young adults. How they dressed, how they talked, who their idols were, what activities they did to chill with their friends etc. I did some research, but there’s still so little info that I think the deep research required should take at least a year. I only had 9 months to write, so… but I enjoyed writing the deep discussions that Eddy and Gabby had about what went wrong in their marriage.
What are you working on next?
The translation of “Sweet Chérie” and “Nwè Love”. But my next project will probably be some kind of romance thriller.
Christmas in the Caribbean
What are some of your island’s Christmas traditions?
The Chanté Nwèl. The Christmas Nativity scene as miniatures you put next to the Christmas tree.
What are your favourite Christmas traditions?
The Chanté Nwèl.
Do you have a personal Christmas tradition and what is it?
On Christmas’ Eve, we eat a nice meal, we open the gifts and we go to bed early. Staying up until Midnight is getting harder each year because we are exhausted.
What is one of your favourite Christmas memories?
I don’t have one specific memory. I think it’s more about the atmosphere of being together in the same place. We did celebrate Christmas in New York once, but I remember the feeling of being together with my family, not so much what we did.
What is your favourite/go to Christmas song?
If you could have anything, what would you want this Christmas?
Enough money to delegate house cleaning for a year, so I can focus on my creative projects.
How will you be spending Christmas day?
Sleeping (no, I’m lying. I will be working on my many online projects)
Sweet Chérie is a part of a Caribbean Christmas Romance project by Tim Tim? Bwa Fik! and is now available through Amazon here in French and will be available in English in December 2024.
To learn more about Maëlla K., visit her website and connect with her on Instagram and/or BlueSky
