Please help me welcome to the blog today....
Ute Carbone
So great to
have you hear Ute !! Would you mind telling
us a little about yourself?
Thanks for having me at your blog Krista. A little about me? Hmm.. I
live in New Hampshire not too far from the Massachusetts border. I’ve been
married to the same great guy for over thirty years and we have two grown sons.
I like the outdoors, chocolate, red wine and theater. And I love to read.
What did you
want to be when you were growing up or did you always want to be a writer?
No, actually.
My handwriting was and still borders on atrocious, I can’t spell to save my
life and I mix up all the easy stuff like your and you’re and its and it’s even
though I know the difference.
As a kid, I
wanted to be all kinds of things, from zoologist to actress to book store owner
and that only taps the surface! I didn’t start writing seriously until my kids
were school aged. It’s kind of the perfect job, because I get to live all those
other occupations and more vicariously.
When did you
first start writing?
Although I
didn’t get serious about it until much later, I used to write songs and
poems in high school and college. When
my kids were small, I joined a local poetry group. To my huge surprise, they
liked my poetry. Later, I went to a
writing workshop and discovered that I loved writing stories. I started with
short stories and finally challenged myself to write a novel. And I’ve never
looked back!
What is a
typical writing day like for you?
A good writing
day has me working late morning until just after lunch. I start with blog posts,
interviews and any edits that I need to get done and then move on to my work in
progress and try to add a few words. I’m a bit on the slow side, a thousand
words a day is good for me. But I am steady too, so those words do add up.
I usually write
my first drafts long hand, and most often I’ll do this late at night before
bed—ten to midnight on a good day.
Do you have an
specific routine you follow or specific items you need with you when you write?
I need my
coffee!! And I usually do start off with e-mail and facebook and twitter (I’ve
heard it called the Bermuda Triangle. Very apt!) I sometimes will listen to
music if things are noisy around and about my office. And I start with pen and
paper. I write all my drafts out longhand before putting them into the
computer. I revise while typing. Then, after I’m done with a project, I reread
and mark any scene I’m not happy with. And I start all over again: pen and
paper, rewrite into the computer. I do this as often as I think necessary.
What is your
favorite part of writing? Is there
anything you don’t like about being a writer?
I love writing
first drafts, especially early in a project when the possibilities are endless.
Lately, I’ve come to like rewrite and editing. A good editor can really push
you to make the work better. I like when I can see how to make it better and am
able to do just that. I don’t particularly like promotion. It takes up a good
deal of time and I’d rather be writing!
What is your
favorite length of book to write? (Short
story, novella, full length novel) Why?
Hard to chose!
I guess I’d have to say I like novels best, because they give you the space to
create a whole world and get deeply involved in that world. Last year, I wrote
my first novella, a time-travel romance called “The Whisper of Time” which will
be out later this year. I’d never written time-travel before. Currently, I’m
working on a historical romance novella. Historical is also new for me. I like
that novellas and short stories allow me to try new things without making the
kind of time commitment that a novel demands.
How does your
family feel about your writing and you being an author?
They’re very
supportive.
Is there a
to-be-read waiting on your bedside table?
Oh yes! It’s so
tall that if it topples, I’ll be buried alive! I’m forever buying books. And
know I have a Kindle. Amazon is a great enabler for my addiction. One click.
Just one click. So now I have a long cue on my reader as well.
For fun, I have a few personal questions,
Favorite 5
1) Favorite
Holiday - Tossup between the fourth of July and Valentine’s Day.
2) Favorite
Drink - Red Wine. And coffee. I drink lots of coffee.
3) Favorite Author - Tough
choice; Elizabeth Berg this week. Next week it might be someone else.
4) Favorite
Book- Another tough choice. My all
time favorite is probably Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”.
5) Favorite
Animal - Gorillas.
And for a
bonus: What is a typical mood for
you? And is your mood different when
you’re writing?
I’m generally
sunny with occasional cloudiness. I’m in a better mood when the writing is
going well.
Where can our
readers find you??
Email:
utecarbone@gmail.com
Twitter:@
wildwords2
Website: http://www.utecarbone.com/
Also at Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5114798.Ute_Carbone
Is there an
upcoming or current release you would like to share with us today and where can
we find it?
My latest, a
romantic comedy called the P-Town Queen,
is out now.
You can check
my webpage for more info
Or buy at Champagne
Books or at Amazon
Blurb:
Nikki Silva feels like she’s
blown up her life even as her brothers tease her about blowing up a boat called
the Mona Lisa. Divorced, funding for her shark research cut off, she’s moved
back to Provincetown to live with her father in her childhood home. Nikki hopes
to regain herself. She’s written a grant proposal for the newly formed
Massachusetts Bay Commission to fund a study that will get her back to the sort
of research she loves. The commission is run by her ex-husband Ned, who would rather
have a migraine than give money to his ex-wife.
Marco
Tornetti wants to turn a hole-in-the-wall Newark spaghetti joint into a trendy
bistro. His silent partner, Fat Phil Lagosa, wants to use the place to solicit questionable
business deals. When Fat Phil accuses
Marco of a double cross and has him taken for a ride by one of his hit men,
Marco knows he’s in too deep.
Marco
escapes the hit man and takes the first bus out of the Tri-state area, a bus
chartered by the Greater Teaneck Gay Men’s Choir and headed for Provincetown.
Marco figures that Phil would never look for him in Provincetown‘s gay
community. But when he meets Nikki and falls hard for her, he finds that
pretending to be gay isn’t as easy as it would seem.
One last thing before we let you leave us today, 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 love sharing
recipes!
Here’s a dish
that Beanie, the main character in my debut novel Blueberry Truth, makes for
husband Mac.
It’s terrific
for summer barbeque:
Beanie’s Grilled Chicken in Ginger Sauce
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds of boneless chicken thighs
Marinade:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tb sesame oil
2 Tb fresh grated gingerroot
2 tsp minced garlic
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp crushed red pepper
Preparation:
1. Rinse chicken thighs under cold running water. Pat dry.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Whisk in rest of marinade ingredients. Remove 1/4 cup of marinade as basting sauce.
3. Marinate chicken in sauce for 4 hours in refrigerator.
4. Prepare grill
5. Grill chicken for 10-15 minutes until done, turning frequently. Baste with reserved sauce while cooking. Serve hot.
Ute it was an absolute pleasure having you with us today and I loved learning more about you. That recipe sounds delicous and I can't wait to try it!
Readers, make sure you don't miss out on this great book, here are the links again.
You can
purchase The P-Town Queen at:
Thanks for stopping in and Happy Reading
Krista
Thanks for having me over, Krista!
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