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From Burnout to Bestseller: A Writer's Journey
1 Jul
Summary
- Author left journalism due to burnout and company changes.
- A personal passion project became a best-selling novel.
- The novel was adapted into a popular TV series on Prime Video.
Carley Fortune, a former journalist experiencing professional burnout, channeled her frustrations into a personal writing project. This endeavor, initially conceived as a creative outlet, transformed into the best-selling novel Every Summer After.
Fortune completed the book in four months, drawing inspiration from her childhood journals. Despite not initially intending to publish, the novel gained traction after its release in summer 2022. Its rights were sold to Amazon, navigating production challenges including a writer's strike.
The novel's success paved the way for a television adaptation, retitled Every Year After, which recently wrapped its first season on Prime Video. Fortune collaborated closely with showrunner Amy B. Harris, trusting the team to capture the story's essence while making necessary changes for the screen.
A non-negotiable aspect for Fortune was maintaining the story's Canadian setting, specifically Barry's Bay, where she grew up. This commitment ensured the show's authenticity and resonated with its Canadian readership. The adaptation also saw Elisha Cuthbert cast as Sue, a role Fortune found particularly fitting.
Fortune has since signed a two-book deal and released several more novels, including Meet Me at the Lake and This Summer Will Be Different. The latter is also being adapted for television by Netflix Canada, with production beginning this summer on Prince Edward Island.
Every Year After has been renewed for a second season, which will be based on Fortune's follow-up novel, Our Golden Summer. Fortune's work continues to celebrate Canadian settings and themes, with fans increasingly traveling to the locations featured in her books.
