Carla Caruso on Second Chance and Giveaway!

We have author Carla Caruso and she will be giving away one eCopy of her SECOND CHANCE to one commenter!

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Over to Carla now...

Back to the summer of 1998

I’ve always called myself a “contemporary” writer, but I’ve just finished a book called Second Chance, which involves time-travel to the 1990s.

I’ve jokingly told people the story is “historical fiction” – even though the start of that particular decade only began 23 years ago. Not exactly medieval!

Still, it did involve similar sort of research. And when you think about, the nineties was a very different world to today. The era was pre-Facebook, pre-iPhones and pre-iPads.

So what did I do for inspiration? First up, I unearthed my old photo albums to remind myself what fashion and makeup I used to wear. I guess you could call the late nineties to early noughties my “heyday”. It’s when I partied every Saturday night, lived for the weekend and spent too much on disposable fashion. So I cringed over pics of myself sporting blood-red Poppy King lippy, way too much chocolate-brown (being the “new black” in the nineties), and midriff tops – all great fodder for my novel.

Next, I bought a stack of nineties magazines from eBay – Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Women’s Weekly and the now defunct New Woman. (Yep, someone still had them gathering dust in their shed…) Cosmo still had similar headlines to today – including “how to keep him hard and happy” – but Sarah Murdoch (then O’Hare) beamed back from the cover rather than a Hollywood star. (Supermodels were big news then.) Former editor Mia Freedman also admitted to being a recovering Spice Girls addict.

WW featured a royal couple on the cover (no big surprise) – Edward and Sophie – while Woman’s Day had Fergie as a columnist. New Woman’s cover star was Geena Davis and had a column on books on the ‘net for the newbies.

Nineties music was my next stop. While typing, I tuned into the digital station, Mix ‘90s, until it drove me slightly batty. Some of the songs made me cringe while others had me fondly “remembering when”. Lastly, I had a nineties movie marathon (though using DVDs instead of videos). I watched everything from Cruel Intentions to Clueless, American Pie and Never Been Kissed, note-taking throughout.

The result? My new novel, Second Chance – and less of a cringe factor about the decade that was essentially my “golden years”. Curious about the plot? Here’s a summary!... 
On the night of her 36th birthday, Flora Brunelli is full of regrets. The celebrations have turned sour and life hasn’t gone according to plan. She wishes she could be 20 again. Then she finds herself zapped back in time, landing in the summer of 1998 when she was 20 years old. The Spice Girls are at the top of the charts and The X-Files is the hit TV show. It’s also the week Flora’s life unravelled. For Flora, this is a chance to change her future: win back the love of her life, stay friends with her former best mate and succeed in landing her dream job. http://www.destinyromance.com/products/9781743480748/second-chance

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35 comments:

  1. Here's to second chances! I like that this is only a few years in the past. Congratulations.

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    1. Hello C.Lee,

      Thanks for dropping by. It is an interesting premise, time travel in romance!

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  2. Thanks C. Lee! Yes, it's scary to think 1990 was 23 years ago

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  3. I think this book sounds like fun. I like time travel and I loved the 90s. :) I graduated from college in 97- so the 90s reminds me of the college years. I loved hearing about Carla's research. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Hi Stephanie, I finished school in '96! A long time before smartphones hehe...

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    2. Hi Stephanie!

      I finished school in 80's so nothing smart back then!

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  4. You've given yourself some wonderful ideas to work with, Carla. I trust Flora remained her 36yo experienced self when she went back. I can just imagine her cringing at some things. :)

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    1. Yes, there's some cringing, Sandy. I think we'd all do a little of that going back in time haha!

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    2. Thanks for coming by Sandy!

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  5. What an inspiring post Carla! You've done a lot of fab research for your book. I've got my nose buried in Second Chance right now and I'm loving it so far! I'm an 80s girl myself and even tho I remember the 90s my heart will always be stuck in the 80s :D

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  7. Thank you so much for reading it, Tash. I have to say I'm a big 80s movie and music fan - probably thanks to my older sis. I mostly listen to an 80s music station now while working. I love songs where I know all the words!!

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    1. Or can understand the words heheheeh

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    2. Oooh and i'd totally go to the BSB and NKOTB reunion (shame) when they were touring, they didnt come to NZ tho :(

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  8. Historical fiction. Hehe! ;)

    It sounds like a lot of fun--and much easier to research--writing a book set in the 90s. Congrats!

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  9. It probably was a lot of fun for you to research the book!

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  10. What a great idea to buy 90's mags! Very clever!

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    1. Yes, a bit of a blast from the past, Emily!

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  11. I remember my 90's magazines. I don't think they've changed too much. Probably just more Photoshop these days.

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  12. LOL You're right. Some of those articles never change. The sex advice is just recycled.

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    1. Yep, we're still griping about the same things hehe :)

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  13. Sounds like a lot of fun (the book and doing the research for it.) =D

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  14. I love time travel books! Even if it's a slight travel in time, back to the 1990s. :)

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    1. Sounds like you could be a Back to the Future fan like moi too!

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  15. Jacqui Carling-RodgersMon Mar 11, 06:05:00 PM

    I'm so glad you mentioned The X-Files. Ah the 90s, boybands, The Nanny, grunge...

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  16. Ah, The Nanny and that distinctive voice...! Love it

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  17. Love the idea of a character going back in time and trying all over again. Sounds like the book's very well researched! :)

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  18. That research sounds like a lot of fun!

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  19. I'm a bit late reading this blog, but enjoyed it all the same. I did get confused with all the talk of going back to the 90s. Hell I never left them!

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  20. Haha Sandra! And thanks for your comments, The Golden Eagle & Mama J

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