Nick Miller dreams about publishing a book in New Girl. His first dabble in fiction is the book "Z is for Zombies." According to Winston, it's terrible, but all writers start with a bad first draft. By the sixth season, Nick completes the book "The Pepperwood Chronicles;" his friends love it, and it becomes a big success.
The Pepperwood Chronicles is a YA book series about Julius Pepperwood; a Chicago cop turned detective in New Orleans. Unfortunately, audiences can't read it in real life, but the show occasionally drops details about The Pepperwood Chronicles that even the most dedicated New Girl fan might have missed.
The Characters Are Based On People In Nick’s Life
Nick comes up with the alter ego Julius Pepperwood when spying on a student in Jess's creative writing class. He uses this character in his first book and then again in The Pepperwood Chronicles.
The character Jessica Night is a love interest of Pepperwood's and is based on Jess. Additionally, Schmidt is the inspiration for the story's antagonist Schmith; the character isn't exactly a flattering analog. Schmith's described as a sociopath who kicks puppies, wears a bolo tie, and eats applesauce out of a baboon skull.
The Fandom Is Called The "Pepper-heads"
Nick wrote the book to be enjoyed by blue-collar nautical workers on the coastline of Maine. However, his fan base is surprisingly younger. Kids at Jess's school love the book for its romance, and they think Nick's a genius.
Fans of the book call themselves "Pepper-heads." The name sounds oddly similar to "Potter-heads," which is the fandom name for Harry Potter. Nick ends up marketing The Pepperwood Chronicles as a YA novel due to the positive response he gets from the students.
There’s A Forward And A Dedication
Nick shows the finished draft of The Pepperwood Chronicles to Jess after returning from New Orleans. She reads the dedication, which states, "To Anthony Rizzo and the Chicago Cubs, for all we've been through. And to my friend Jessica Day for the same thing."
Also, the forward of the book is mentioned in a later episode. Nick advises that the book is best enjoyed with a shrimp cocktail. The reason why is unclear, but viewers don't doubt that it's true.
JFK Is Alive In The Pepperwood Universe
According to a scene in the episode "Double Date," Nick doesn't think the Moon landing happened and believes that horses came from outer space. His interest in conspiracies is the probable reason behind many of the plot points in the book.
Pepperwood spends the novel racing around fan-boats and drowns a DA in a bucket of jambalaya. But, the wildest part is when he finds JFK alive. Viewers get no further explanation of how JFK is alive, but they wish they could read the book to find out.
It Includes Anchors From A Local News Channel
Wanting notes on his book, Nick turns to his best friend Schmidt for help. However, Schmidt thinks the novel needs no improvement. Nick insists that his book has flaws, such as when Pepperwood watches the local news for an entire chapter.
Schmidt interprets the scene as ironic. It shows that Pepperwood's violent world is translated into sound bites for mass consumption. Nick explains that he transcribed Channel 3 News and didn't change the names of the anchors. But, Schmidt insists that it's realism and praises him for it.
It Has A Gay Dog
Nick worries that youths won't understand his book, but after talking to kids from Jess's school, he learns that the story truly resonated with them. They like the romance element as well as the more important themes in the novel.
One student says the gay dog in the book taught them to be proud of their sexuality. Nick says that the dog being gay isn't explicit, but the fact that the teens got in from his writing alone is "pretty dope."
Pepperwood’s Catchphrases Are “Kill Yourself” and “Keep Your Knife Dry”
At a book conference, Nick describes The Pepperwood Chronicles to a potential buyer. He says it's about a man who has nothing, who risks everything, to feel something. He autographs the book for the teen and signs it "kill yourself," which refers to Pepperwood's dilemma at the fish market.
Another Pepperwood catchphrase is mentioned while Nick is getting his photo taken for the magazine "Teen BeTween the Lines." He tells the photographer, "Keep your knife dry." For some reason, it's Pepperwood's way of saying "take a break."
Pepperwood Loves Gumbo
While Nick’s friends are excited to read his book, his girlfriend Reagan is not. She finds fiction boring and always falls asleep while reading it. Nick decides to read the book aloud to Reagan so she can finish it.
Nick reads to Reagan the scene where Pepperwood states his three favorite things: gumbo, sex, and "more of that sweet gumbo." Pepperwood's love for gumbo relates to Nick's time in New Orleans with Reagan, as it's a city famous for its gumbo.
There’s A Fish Morgue And An Underwear Incident
Scenes from the book are often mentioned without any context. Teens at Jess's school briefly talk about a scene at the fish morgue, which apparently exists in Pepperwood's world. They claim it is their favorite chapter and that they read it five times.
The students also discuss a mystery involving Pepperwood and a character named Lady Diamanté. In the book, there's a situation concerning Pepperwood's underwear; Lady Diamante doesn't realize it's his underwear until twenty years later—or maybe, she never realizes.
Pepperwood Goes To Europe
In season seven, Nick and Jess travel around Europe. The vacation inspires the next Pepperwood novel he writes. Pepperwood goes to Europe with Jessica Night, falls in love, and is reborn.
Two chapters involve Pepperwood and Jessica in bed eating croissants. They also spend another chapter chasing a feather down a cobblestone street. Nick’s publisher thinks the book is all fluff and refuses to publish it. However, New Girl fans would love to read this installation of The Pepperwood Chronicles.