Carmela Martino Interview

Carmela Martino

 

Heidi~

First, Carmela, tell us a little about yourself.

Carmela~

I’m a novelist, freelance writer, and writing teacher. I have an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and I’ve taught writing classes at the local community college since 1998. I also teach summer writing camps for ages 9-12, which is great fun. I was born and raised in Chicago and now live in the suburbs. Like the main character in my first novel, Rosa, Sola, I’m the daughter of Italian immigrants.

Heidi~

What genre do you write?

Carmela~

My new novel, Playing by Heart, is a young-adult historical romance that is also inspirational. My middle-grade novel is also historical as far as kids are concerned (it’s set in 1960s Chicago), but I’ve also had contemporary stories and poems for teens and tweens published in anthologies. And I freelance by writing nonfiction articles for adults. For example, I’ll have two in the 2018 edition of the Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market.

Heidi~

When did you start writing?

Carmela~

In sixth or seventh grade. I started out writing poetry and keeping a journal. (Oh, how I wish I'd saved those journals!) I was published for the first time around age sixteen, when my seven-line poem, “My Sanctuary,” appeared in an anthology of creative writing by Chicago public school students. The thrill of seeing my writing—and my name!—in print inspired me to dream of being a professional writer.

Heidi~

You have a new release. Tell us about it.

Carmela~

Playing by Heart is a historical romance inspired by two amazing sisters who lived in 18^th-century Milan and who were far ahead of their time—one was a mathematician, the other a composer. Unfortunately, they had a domineering father who put his ambitions ahead of their happiness. The conflict in the novel centers on how the sisters strive to follow the paths they believe God wants them to take while their father tries to use their incredible gifts to advance himself to nobility. The story is from the younger sister’s (the composer’s) point of view. Here’s a summary:

“Emilia Salvini dreams of marrying a man who loves music as she does. But in 18th-century Milan, being the ‘second sister’ means she'll likely be sent to a convent instead. Emilia's only hope is to prove her musical talents crucial to her father's quest for nobility. First, though, she must win over her music tutor, who disdains her simply for being a girl. Too late, Emilia realizes that her success could threaten not only her dreams for her future but her sister's very life.”

I LOVE the tagline the publisher came up with for the cover: “She could compose anything . . . except the life she wanted.”  In fact, I love the whole cover. I’d seen pictures of it early on but when I held the book for the first time, it was even more beautiful than I expected.

The publisher also came up with a great ad that includes excerpts from the Booklist review of the book. You can see it at: https://youtu.be/IVUxM3CwgJs

Heidi~

What are you working on now?

Carmela~

I’d really like to write a companion/sequel to Playing by Heart. Right now, though, I’m working on a short story set in the same time and place as Playing by Heart that I plan to submit to an anthology.

Heidi~

Who is your favorite character in your stories?

Carmela~

Wow! That’s like asking who’s your favorite child. I have to say I love them all, each in their own way. 😊

Heidi~

Do you see yourself in any of your characters?

Carmela~

My first novel, Rosa, Sola, was loosely based on an event from my own childhood, so the main character, Rosa, and I have a lot in common. But when I was working on that story, I made sure there were significant differences between us. I wanted the book to be Rosa’s story, not my story.

Heidi~

Where do you write? Describe your workspace?

Carmela~

I converted a bedroom into an office. I have a desk for my computer, lots of bookshelves, and an old kitchen table that I use for my work surface. The table comes in handy when I’m pouring over books for research. Note: the photo I’ve provided was taken several years ago. I’ve updated my monitor and computer from the big old clunky ones you see.

Heidi~

Who are your all-time favorite authors?

Carmela~

I have too many to list! But one of my all-time favorite books is Pride and Prejudice, so Jane Austen is definitely on the list. When it comes to middle-grade and young-adult fiction, Katherine Paterson is another favorite. She’s probably best known for Bridge to Terabithia, which is an excellent book, but my favorite of hers is The Great Gilly Hopkins. It was recently made into a lovely movie starring Julia Stiles, Glenn Close, Kathy Bates, and Octavia Spencer.

Heidi~

What advice do you have for a writer aspiring to be published?

Carmela~

I tell beginning writers to Read! Read! Read! I think we learn best by studying what others have done. When I was in grad school struggling with how to weave backstory into my novel, my teacher gave me some great advice. She suggested I take a paperback copy of a novel I admired and use a highlighting pen to highlight the backstory. That was a real eye-opener! The book I chose was Katherine Paterson’s The Great Gilly Hopkins. I was amazed to discover she wove backstory throughout the novel, even in one of the last chapters! Before that, I thought you had to provide all the backstory right at the beginning.

Another bit of advice: write what you like to read. Don’t try to write a dystopian novel just because you think that genre sells easily. When you enjoy what you’re writing, it shows. And the reader will enjoy it, too.

Heidi~

Would you like to acknowledge someone for their help/assistance/faith in you/etc?

Carmela~

My husband has been very supportive. He’s an engineer and doesn’t read fiction himself, so he doesn’t really understand my love of writing. Yet, he’s never pushed me to go out and get a “real job,” as some of my friends’ husbands have done. He also happily plays chauffeur and assistant, driving me to speaking engagements when they’re far from home and helping with book sales.

Heidi~

How can your readers learn more about you and your books?

Carmela~ 

First off, I want to thank you for hosting this interview, Heidi, and for kicking off the Playing by Heart Blog Tour, which runs Oct. 6-Oct. 16. The tour includes the opportunity to win a copy of the novel, too! So, I invite your readers to visit this page of my website for the links to all the tour stops and to enter the giveaway:

www.carmelamartino.com/blog/posts/2406

And for chances to win not only Playing by Heart but seven other great books, they can participate in my virtual Launch Party on Facebook, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 7-9 p.m. Central Time. There will be giveaways every 15 minutes, so readers need not attend the whole 2 hours to win a prize! See details here: www.facebook.com/events/1926037200756000

You can also find more about me and my books at:

My website: www.carmelamartino.com

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/carmelamartinoauthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/carmelamartino
Instagram: www.instagram.com/cmartinoauthor

I’m also part of a group blog by six authors who are also writing teachers: www.teachingauthors.com

To watch a 45 second trailer for Playing by Heart, see: https://youtu.be/IVUxM3CwgJs

Finally, as my characters in Playing by Heart would say, arrivederci (until we meet again), Everyone!

And mille grazie (thanks very much) to you, Heidi!