Sex And The City CREATOR CANDACE BUSHNELL TALKS TO OK! ABOUT DATING, HER LATEST BOOK AND NEW YORK IN THE ’90S
‘SEX AND THE CITY’ CREATOR CANDACE BUSHNELL TELLS OK!’S JOSIE COPSON ABOUT WRITING, NEW YORK IN THE ’90S AND COPING WITH GRIEF
The women of Sex And The City – Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha – may have become pop culture legends, but they started off as nothing more than a figment of Candace Bushnell’s imagination. Luckily for us, they didn’t stay inside her mind for long, and were soon turned into a newspaper column, before becoming a book, then finally one of the world’s most iconic TV series.
The endlessly quotable and relatable Sex And The City became a beacon for single women and thirty-somethings everywhere, showing that marriage and babies aren’t the only route to happiness. It taught us that the real joy is the journey, and the friendships you form – and the shoes you buy – along the way.
Now, Candace is back with her ninth book which is asking, Is There Still Sex
In The City?. Writing her latest tome hasn’t been easy for the 60 year old, who was also dealing with her divorce from her husband of ten years, Charles Askegard, her father’s death and best friend’s suicide at the same time. Writing became Candace’s therapy, and she tells us she found solace in the dry humour Sex And The City fans love so much.
We meet in the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar – which has hosted Rihanna and Heidi Klum, and where we can just see the Sex And The City girls hanging out – to discuss the inspiration for her new book, dating in your fifties and her memories of the Sex And The City set... How does it feel to release your ninth book, Candace? I can’t believe it’s my ninth, but in other ways I think I should have written more by now! Why didn’t I write 12?
Do you always like to be working on a writing project?
Yes, I always have to be doing something creative, and trying to tell a story. Whether it’s just for fun, or a serious book. Ever since I was young I’ve always had the drive to tell stories.
You were experiencing a lot of turmoil in your life. How did you carry on? You get to a stage in life where you just have to learn how to move on from loss. When you reach a certain age you can be moving forward, but all of a sudden