Today we have
Carla Caruso
joining us...please give her a warm welcome !!
Hi Carla, great to
have you … could you tell us a little about yourself ?
Hello, I’m an
Australian-based writer (with Italian ancestry!). My background is in
journalism, but writing novels has always been a pipedream for me, which has
finally come true. I’m married, a star-sign junkie, running fanatic, sometimes
vegetarian – and have a tabby cat with ‘tood called Luca.
What or who initially
inspired you to become a writer?
Oh
my gosh, I was such a bookworm as a kid – Enid Blyton, Sweet Valley, The
Baby-Sitters Club, Judy Blume, you name it. I remember when I was five years
old, getting a book for my birthday and staring at the print, asking my mom if
I could read yet – I was so desperate to!
What kind of research
do you do for a novel and how extensive do you get?
For
my latest novel, Cityglitter, I did a whole bunch of research online and at the
library on fairies (which is a central theme). I even watched Tinker Bell on DVD!
Unfortunately, I couldn’t interview a real fairy haha. Often travel spots will
inspire writing, so I’m always scribbling copious notes when I’m away. I’m
planning to write a rural romance next, so am planning to go on a cray-fishing
boat as part of the research. That should be cool.
Do you have a special
place you like to do your writing? Such as an office, a spare room, the dining
room table, your couch?
I
have a white-walled, airy home office, with a book shelf behind me and a pink
shag rug on the floor – it’s the most girly room in the house! It looks out
onto our backyard, which is quite big and green. A mandarin tree provides a bit
of shade in the summertime, too. (My cat’s curled up behind me as we speak!)
As a reader, what
types of works do you like to read and do you think they influence the
genre/genres you write in?
I’m
a sucker for a romantic comedy – in film or book form. I do try to read outside
my genre, but the rom-coms are my ‘comfort’ books. I feel at home reading them!
Favorite authors are Sophie Kinsella and Maggie Alderson. They always make me
chortle!
What is your favorite
method of writing...as in laptop, desktop, Ipad or the old fashioned pencil and
paper?? And do you plot out your story
or go with the flow of your muse?
I
write mostly on my PC (though I have a laptop) and I do plot, but in a brief
sort of way. I write down a lot of ideas in a mini notepad, then type them all
up, work out a bit of a plot structure from that, and away I go. It’s not
overly detailed and very haphazard. It’s the only way I can work!
When you need a break
or some time off from the trials of being a writer, what can you be found
doing?
Reading
in the sun haha! Plus, because I’m sitting a lot as a novelist (and freelance
journo), but an energetic sort of person, I crave getting outdoors and moving
my limbs. Jogging’s my release! I also love to socialize with family and
friends, read my star-sign and watch trashy TV. I’ve recently discovered ‘Tamara
Ecclestone: Billion $$ Girl’ – love it!
Is there anything
about yourself nobody knows that you would like to share with our readers??
I
used to have a habit of losing things like my purse when I was a kid, so now I
double check that I have all my bank cards in my wallet etcetera all the time.
I’m a bit obsessive!
Now for fun, I have a
few personal questions,
Your Favorite 5
1) Favorite color – white (a non-color sorry!) or yellow
2) Favorite dessert – cheesecake or Pavlova (you can’t make a girl
choose ha!)
3) Favorite season – sizzling summer
4) Favorite sad song – If I Ever Fall in Love by Shai
5) Favorite romantic movie – The Vow
And a bonus, what is
your ideal romantic vacation??
The
Maldives! Or Bora Bora
Where can our readers
find you??
Twitter: @CarlaCaruso79
Website/blog: www.carlacaruso.com.au
Is there an upcoming
or current release you would like to share with us today and where can we find
it?
Cityglitter
(from Penguin’s Destiny Romance)
is about a gorgeous fairy living a glam life
in the big city who does the one thing she promised herself she’d never do:
fall in love with a human! The fairies in the story all look like Victoria’s
Secret Angels – with actual wings.
http://www.destinyromance.com/
Before we let you
leave us, do you have a favorite recipe you'd like to share? I like to cook and am always looking for new
recipes to try and share but it's totally up to you.
I’ve
just discovered this new site, Vogue Vegan, because I’m a wannabe vegetarian,
so I’m going to steal one of theirs at this link: http://www.thevoguevegan.com/raw-bites-with-simone-samuels-mushroom-medley/ Enjoy!
Oh yummy!! Carla the mushroom recipe sounds really good. I would love to try that... thanks so much for the recipe link !
It was great having you here today and learning more about you !
Readers, make sure you get your copy of Cityglitter today :)
Until next time, happy reading!
Krista
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