Episode 50 with the Witty, Insightful Writer of Black Card and Zero Fade, Chris L. Terry

Show Notes and Links to Chris L. Terry’s Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 50

On Episode 50, Pete welcomes Chris L. Terry, author of 2019’s Black Card and Zero Fade. Chris and Pete discuss Chris’ writing, particularly Black Card, gentrification, his punk rock and reading history, and racism and questions of identity, as seen in the world and in his writing.

Catapult Article: "Tragic Gentrification Mulatto"

Buy Black Card Through Amazon 

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At about 3:05, Chris talks about growing up in Richmond, VA, along with his music and literary influences

 

At about 10:10, Chris talks about the punk aesthetic, what sets it apart from other types of music, and what he drew from it when he was younger

 

At about 11:40, Chris talks about strains of “Southern Pride”/white supremacist slogans in metal music and how the atmosphere was often alienating 

 

At about 16:00, Pete and Chris talk about punk rock’s more recent history and how Chris got into the punk scene

 

At about 18:55, Chris talks about his formative writing experiences that later led to 

 

At about 21:05, Chris and Pete shout out librarians, including Chris’ mother

 

At about 22:05, Chris talks about chill-inducing texts from his childhood and beyond, including “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin, and “Red Wind” by Raymond Chandler

 

At about 25:30, Chris talks about his work as a screenwriter, writing a script for his novel Black Card

 

At about 29:45, Chris talks about potential actors to play Lucius, Russell, and Mona in Black Card

 

At about 30:40, Chris talks about his first novel, Zero Fade

 

At about 32:40, Chris discusses his insightful essay from Catapult Magazine, “Tragic Gentrification Mulatto,” and the many layers of his neighborhood of View Park, Los Angeles

 

At about 40:20, Pete and Chris talk about Kanye West’s de(evolution)

 

At about 42:10, Chris begins to discuss Black Card

 

At about 44:00, Chris discusses the idea of “performing” as a black man, with regard to the unnamed narrator of the novel

 

At about 46:40, Chris discusses the character of Lucius and the significance of the titular “black card”

 

At about 48:30, Chris discusses the interesting character of Mona, her tokenization by the main character, and the way that Chris deals with the archetype of The “Magical Negro” in the novel

 

At about 52:15, Chris describes the scene in which a father of an acquaintance uses a racist slur and connects it to incidents in his own life

 

At about 55:25, Chris talks about the book as a “coming-of-age” and “coming-of-race” text, and his desire to represent certain audiences on the page

 

At about 57:20, Chris reads an excerpt from Black Card

 

At about 1:02:25, Chris talks about upcoming projects

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