Thursday, March 06, 2008

Serials and Scenarios - Julie Carobini's Truffles by the Sea




Mixing it up at the Dregs. The Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is touring Truffles by the Sea.

I haven't gotten my copy of this book yet. But I'll bet Kim has a review. Hang on a minute, I'll give you her link. Yep. I knew it. Here it is.

And here is a link to another review, too.

But, Julie did answer a few Dregs questions. And she has a sweet offer for all who visit it her site.
"To celebrate my upcoming CFBA tour March 5-7, I'll be giving away a copy of Truffles by the Sea AND and a 1/2 lb. box of yummy truffles to three of your readers. All they need to do is drop by my blog Waves of Grace during the tour and leave a comment and a way to contact them if they win!" You can click on Julie's cute face and get there, too.

Here are Julie's A's to the Dreg's Q's.


Fiction character you would most like to be or most identify with and why?

I’m Lucy from While You Were Sleeping. She put her foot in her mouth and it stayed there a looong time. That’s so me.


If you could change something in any novel, what would you change about it and why?

I’d take that weird fire ritual out of The Secret Garden. It’s such a beautiful story that it’s a shame that one scene dissuades some from reading it. Just love the doxology scene!


Pick one…..Pink iguana, purple cow, periwinkle giraffe. Which one and why? Can be negative or positive.

I’d have to say the periwinkle giraffe…yeah, vibrant blue with one big ol’ long neck, the kind that just can’t hide from trouble ;)


Favorite turn of phrase or word picture, in literature or movie:

“I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to … love her.” That one, from Notting Hill, just popped into my head. Seriously. It’s a sickness.


If you were assured of writing a best-seller, what genre would it be? Give us a sliver of information, a characteristic or glimpse of a scene.

Romantic Comedy: A wide swath of beach, a hunky Frisbee playing surfer, his long lost love from Mrs. Prono’s 4th grade class tanning on a nearby blanket, an errant throw…you get the picture.


What makes you feel alive?

Holding my hubby’s hand as we walk the beach. Sappy, maybe, but oh so true!


How does something worm its way into your heart? Through tears, truth, humor or other?

Humor that also reveals truth. Those elements are in the stories I like to read—and I’m trying to write that way too.


Where would you most like to travel ----- moon, north pole, deep seas, deserted island, the holy land or back to a place from your childhood, somewhere else? – and why.

Italy! I’m married to an Italiano, and we’d both love to see where his “papa” or “grandfather” once lived. Besides, I’ve heard the food is bellisimo!


Favorite season and why?

Summer. It’s flip flops and long days and nightly grilling. Just love it.


Which compliment related to your writing has meant the most and why?

People have told me they’ve laughed out loud when reading my books. Hm…I think they meant that as a compliment. Haha. They’ve also said that my main characters feel like their best friends—I love hearing that.


What criticism has cut the deepest and why?

Oooh, you’re really going to make me go back and read what I’ve tried to forget? Okay, here’s the thing. Some don’t like my work, and that’s life. I don’t like everything out there either, even some books that have gotten rave reviews. What I look for is consistency. If everyone makes the same negative comment, I’d be silly not to take note of that. So far, though, that’s not been the case (yay).


What would you do today if you knew you had only a week to live?

Move to an ocean front apartment with my entire family, and watch the sunset every night. And eat pizza. And chocolate mousse. With whipped cream. Yeah, that’s what I’d do.


Super power you'd love to borrow for awhile?

To be able to read people’s minds—wait, scratch that.


Favorite chore

Hahahaha…hoohoohoo…heeheehee…oh…you’re serious?


Grammatical pet peeve…sound off.

Why IN THE WORLD are so many people afraid of the word “me”??? It’s not a sin to use “me”, people! J


Societal pet peeve…sound off.

Close talkers. When someone stands that close to talk, I get this overwhelming urge to go find a mint. Gimme a little space!


CREATIVE CORNER:

Pick any of the following and have fun with it.
Pick a Genre - Describe a kiss….
Chick-Lit


(Okay, I might hate myself in the morning but here’s what I can do at the last minute…:0)

Firm hands wrap around my waist, and cinch me closer to his chest until we’re breathing in the same ragged rhythm. I tip my head up, and my lips find his chin, its coarseness filling me with a taste for more of him. Those same hands find the back of my neck, bury themselves roughly in my hair, and if I didn’t know better, my knees just might give way to an old fashioned swoon. Instead, he gently lifts my chin until our mouths are just a whisper apart, and with admirable restraint lowers his lips to mine until I’m quite sure my feet no longer touch the earth.



Thanks, Julie.

Don't forget to visit her blog to sign up for a chance at truffles!