Interview with Carla Caruso

Today, I welcome Carla Caruso, author of the new novel, Mommy Blogger.

Stella lands a fab job as a mommy blogger. The catch is she’s never had children. Plunged into a world of insanity every mother faces, she must learn to cope as her lies build upon one another. A sexy ex comes into the picture, forcing her to choose between him or the job and a handsome ‘keeper’ of a coworker. It can’t last forever.

Welcome, Carla!

What’s the earliest story you can remember writing?

I recall penning a kids’ series called The Mustard Gang as a youngster, inspired by Enid Blyton’s Adventurous Four (as opposed to the Famous Five). I had a character like her own Snubby, with a snub nose, too, and the crew of kids would get up to all sorts of (good-natured) mischief. I just Googled the name, the Mustard Gang, though, and it appears it’s since been used to refer to everything from a music band to a gang of criminals. And I thought I was being (semi) original!

What inspired you to write Mommy Blogger?

Mommy Blogger was inspired by my once applying to write for a parenting website, pretending I was a mom – when, in truth, I’m not! My clueless story ideas, needless to say, didn’t make the cut. The novel is also inspired by that strange time in your thirties, as women, when friends start falling into one of two camps – the yummy mommies and the party-loving singletons. Working out where you fit in the mix can be the dilemma.

What books have most influenced your life most?

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta was a big one. It’s about a young Italian-Australian girl, trying to find her way as a teen, living within two cultures. I could totally relate being Italian-Australian myself! Also, Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic Series – I just fell in love with her books and, henceforth, felt okay to pursue my dream of writing humorous, girly reads!

What are your current projects?

Aside from Mommy Blogger, I’ve also just released an eBook with Penguin’s new Destiny Romance imprint dubbed Cityglitter. It’s 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! I’ve also got a few other story ideas swirling around in my brain that I have to get cracking on.

Tell us a little something about yourself that we don’t know.

I’m terrified of big dogs! I blame getting chased by a Great Dane as a school kid and seeing my mum getting bitten by someone else’s dog during a walk, when I was young, for my fear. I’m a huge cat lover, though!

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Carla Caruso has worked as a newspaper and magazine journalist, government PR and fashion stylist. Mommy Blogger was inspired by applying to write for a parenting website at the start of her freelancing career, pretending she was a mom – when she really wasn’t. Her clueless article ideas, needless to stay, didn’t make the cut – though, the experience at least gave her the premise for a fiction plot! Carla is a member of Romance Writers of Australia.
Website / Publisher / Amazon

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Excerpt:
 
Cleo continues, “Most of our team work freelance from home or part-time in the office. You met Angelique in admin before. There’s also Bethany in accounts, who makes girly accessories for the site under her own label, and Topaz, who helps with packaging and postage. Oh, and Noah, of course, our webmaster—”
 
A deep male voice, behind me, cuts in. “My ears are burning.”
 
I swing around and my heart gets a jumpstart. The guy in question is not your garden-variety, weedy IT type. More like a young John Corbett, with mid-length, wavy, brown hair, sea-green eyes and a tall, well-built figure, clad in a fitted, charcoal tee and faded jeans.
 
Noah extends a hand toward me. I feel the warmth of his hand enclosing mine, before I remember mine’s Oompa Loompa colored. He smells of manliness and soap. Mommy blogging suddenly got a whole lot more interesting.
 
“Hey,” he drawls.
 
“Hi, I’m...Stella.” Yup, just forgot my name.
 
Noah’s gaze lingers on mine. “Your our new girl then?”
 
“Apparently.”
 
He nods slowly, as though sizing me up. “You’ll fit right in.”
 
“Oh, thanks,” I manage, but my mind screams: What’s that mean? That he could see me donning maternity jeans or possibly that I look like a MILF? Or worse, a GILF? (A Grandmother I’d Like To...)
 
“Look forward to seeing you at the next meeting,” Noah says, dropping my hand. Darn.
 
“Meeting?” I ask mildly as Noah strides away.
 
There were meetings? I had imagined being a faceless blogger, squirreling away in tracky-dacks in my home office, laughing to myself, while re-runs of Sex and the City played in the background.

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Find Mommy Blogger at:
Eternal Press: http://www.eternalpress.biz/book.php?isbn=9781615727223
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Mommy-Blogger-ebook/dp/B008SYQV62 and more!