We caught up with author Carol Marinelli ahead of the release of ‘The Price of His Redemption’ for a big cup of coffee and an even bigger slice of choccy cake. Here she spills the beans on what it’s like being… well, Carol.
- Name? Carol Marinelli
- Star sign? Taurus with Taurus rising
- What coffee would you like? An extra shot vanilla latté
- And which cake can we get you? I’m in to scones at the moment, with lots of jam and cream.
- What’s your earliest childhood memory? Walking back from nursery school and my little sister was in a pram and had a drink. I was hot and thirsty and my legs ached.
- What was your favourite lesson at school? English
- If you could invite three people, dead or alive, to a dinner party… Michael Schumacher and his manager, Sabine Kehm. The third person would once have been George Clooney but he’d be too busy sorting out the coffee to be of use to me now (as well as Amal waiting at home). I think It would have to be Daniel Craig, wearing a tux. After Michael and Sabine had gone home I’d take myself into the shower in my lovely dress, turn the water on and sit crying on the floor … J
- What’s your favourite quote? Go placidly amidst the noise and the haste… (Desiderata) I am not a placid person but the Desiderata has been on my bedroom wall, wherever I have lived, since I was a teenager and I read it a lot.
- Do you prefer sunrise or sunset? Depends on my mood. Right now I love sunrise.
- Love is… endlessly fascinating
- What achievement are you most proud of? Finishing my first book. I can still remember calling my sister to tell her I’d finally typed —the end xxxx
- Describe what you can see right now? I have bought a new desk from that place we all have a love hate relationship with. I am about to assemble it. It is all over the floor and there are an awful lot of pages to the instructions!
- Who’s your favourite writer? Whatever good book I am reading at the time. I always hold out for Anne Gracie’s stories, she’s a wonderful friend and I just love her books. I mainly read biographies. I would like to write one. I have the person I would like to write about in mind but I know the months, and possibly years, of research it would take. I would be scared of not doing the person justice.
- If you could go back and do it all again, what would you change? I try not to think like that.
- What’s your favourite flower? Bluebells
- What are your favourite films and books romantic or otherwise? Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell (and I love the movie) Feel: Robbie Williams by Chris Heath and I could watch The Wizard of Oz every day and not get bored.
- What one piece of advice would you give to aspiring writers? Well, we all know we have to write and keep writing. Perhaps the best advice is to listen to feedback (from a trusted source) and not get too defensive but use it to improve your craft.
- Who would play you in a movie about your life? I love Catherine Zeta Jones, so can I have her please?
- Any interesting / fun facts we should know about? I light a tiny little elephant candle every time I sit down to write (at home) and, as they aren’t reusable, I have quite a collection!
- And finally, the perfect man must have a… big willy
Don’t forget, you can get your copy of The Price of His Redemption now!