Hello everyone, it’s that time of the week again where we get to have a nose into someone else’s life and I have a wonderful guest this week – American Author, Nic Tatano.
So first of all, a very big welcome to you Nic. Get comfy on MrsH’s hot seat and I’ll get started! Can you tell us about yourself please?
First, thanks so much for inviting me!
I spent about fifteen years as a television reporter and now I work behind the camera as a freelance field producer for all the major networks. I grew up in Stamford, Connecticut, a bedroom community of New York City. I’ve been happily married to a math teacher for 24 years and we live near Pensacola, Florida.
My favorite things: Star Trek, the New York Giants, cruises, rum and chocolate. I’m such a bad chocoholic I have three “chocolate holidays” which fall on the day after Valentines Day, the day after Easter, and the day after Halloween. All the chocolate hearts and rabbits and pumpkins are 75 percent off, and I can stock up. Chocolate is chocolate, who cares what it looks like?
I love visiting the US Nic and my two favourite places to go are New York and Florida! And like you, I’m a huge lover of cruises and chocolate. Midnight chocolate buffet anyone? (All cruise goers will understand that one!) Good tip though on stocking up after the various holidays!
So aside from the fact that chocolate would feature very strongly in this particular answer should it happen, If your life was to be made into a movie, what genre movie would it be and who would play in the starring roles?
I guess it would have to be a romantic comedy, since I had so many disastrous dates before meeting my wife. (If my single life were the basis for a website, it would be e-disharmony.com)
Steve Carell could play me and Sarah Rafferty (the spunky redhead who plays Donna on Suits) could play my wife. Our cat Gypsy would play herself.
That made me smile. I had a few ‘disharmony’ moments myself before Mr H rescued me from them! I could see Steve Carell playing you Nic. Great choices.
What genre do you write and when did you start?
I started “dabbling” in fiction in 1998 and got serious about it five years ago. My first books were political thrillers (written under the pen name Nick Harlow, which I self-published and are still available.)
I currently write romantic comedies for HarperImpulse and they have just expressed an interest in publishing one of my paranormal young adult books. I like writing in different genres; it keeps things interesting.
I must check out your Nick Harlow books for my husband. They sound right up his particular street. For me, I loved your romantic comedy Wing Girl. It made me smile all the way through, a delight to read.
Of the characters you’ve created through writing, which one is your favourite and why so?
I have to go with Belinda Carson, the heroine in Wing Girl, since this was the first time I seriously “got in a character’s head.” I’d go to bed visualizing the next scene I was going to write and find myself thinking like her. Then I’d realize I wasn’t a smoking hot thirty-year-old redhead and had no desire to go shoe shopping.
Belinda has a snarky personality that’s very similar to mine, so her character probably has more of myself in it than anything I’ve written.
Belinda is a great heroine, I really liked her personality. Ok I’ll be cheeky here and look for an exclusive! Can you share something with us about one of your books that you’ve not shared with anyone else before?
If you read all of my books, you’ll note a common thread. There’s always a redhead, there’s always a little reference to Star Trek, and one of our real life cats often has a role in the book.
Oh I love that! Thank you for letting me know that. I’ll look out for that in your next book! So I know you never stop writing, what are you working on right now?
I’m wrapping up “It Girl” which is the story of a local New York City reporter who gets the plum job as network morning anchor. But getting up at two in the morning makes her personal life a living hell. She realizes the only way out is to get fired, so she acts as obnoxious as possible on the air. But the plan backfires, as viewers love her act and the ratings skyrocket. The network takes advantage of her popularity and throws her into a prime time reality show and into close quarters with two very attractive men. One American, one British. The “lost in translation” scenes between the Brit and the heroine were a blast to write.
That sounds like a lot of fun. There are quite a few Irish/American lost in translation phrases too for sure. Aside from writing, I know you love to blog. Tell me about it and what we can expect if we pop by.
My blog, which I started this spring, is http://thechannelingauthor.blogspot.com
Sometimes I talk fiction, sometimes television, sometimes both. Always with a good dose of sarcasm.
I think you must have some ‘Irish’ mixed with your Italian. Your sense of humour sounds similar to ours in Ireland. As I’ve said, I loved your book Wing Girl, but I’d love you to give a taster to everyone else of your style of writing.
From “Wing Girl”
“You got that starry-eyed look. Like a teenager in love for the first time. I got the fifties song playing in my head.”
“I just felt a connection with this guy. We have a lot in common.”
“Hmmm,” said Ariel. “Let me guess, every time you said you liked something, he agreed?”
I nodded. Big smile. “Yeah. How’d you know?”
Serena shook her head as she put her pad down on an end table. “Oh, shit. It’s the Celine Dion scenario.”
“I was afraid she might run into that,” said Ariel. “We should have gone over it with her in our previous lessons.”
“What the hell are you guys talking about?” I asked.
“When a man first meets you he’ll agree with everything you say, and like everything you do,” said Ariel. “It’s his way of getting closer to you, even if he is lying through his teeth.”
“Okay,” I said. “So how does Celine Dion figure into this?”
“Well,” said Roxanne, “most men would rather get a hot needle through the eye than sit through one of her concerts. But if yesterday you had said that you liked Celine Dion, he would have agreed, just to make you think you have everything in common.”
See everyone, told you it was good! Ok, here’s a fun question for you, Girls or boys night out, room for 10 in the limo, who are you bringing with you? (Dead, alive, fictional, celebrities, friends, the choice is yours!)
On one side of the limo, my closest friends: the two Steves, the two Rays, Rick and Frank; on the other side, the Rat Pack: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford. Marilyn Monroe is the driver.
Have you room for my mother? She’d love to join you with that crew! Huge Rat Pack fan is Mammy!
Describe a perfect day and night for me, where are you and who are you with?
New York City in the fall, when the leaves are changing. Attend a Mets day game with best friends, seafood dinner alfresco on the Jersey shore with the wives, followed by a walk on the beach and a great movie.
Yep, you’ve ticked all the boxes there. Boys day out and romantic evening with your wife! Out of interest what are you reading right now? And is it a paper book or ebook?
Right now I’m reading 2012 by Whitley Strieber. I love sci-fi and apocalyptic novels.
I don’t have an ebook reader, as I prefer paper. It’s also a fail-safe thing with me; if we get nuked, the electromagnetic pulse will knock out all the Kindles. I’ll still have stuff to read. Of course, if I’m like Burgess Meredith in that classic Twilight Zone episode, I’ll break my glasses and be out of luck.
Ah, you said you wouldn’t do twitter or facebook and us Harper gals nagged you to start (God Help You, writing amongst all us women!!!) Wonder can we get you to chance an e-reader next? 😉
If you could pick any career in the world other than what you do now, what would it be?
I’ve always thought I’d been good in the advertising field, since I enjoy turning a phrase. (I love Mad Men, by the way.) When I worked in local news I was the go-to person for teases. Some of the ads I see on television make me think, “Someone actually got paid to come up with this?” If you’ve ever seen the commercial for the “free sample catheter” you know what I mean. Ewwww.
Yes quite, ewww! Who would you like to meet most for a chat? Dead or alive. Fictional or real.
Frank Sinatra. I’ve interviewed a lot of famous people in my career, but he was the one I missed.
Next time Mr H and I get to Florida, we’ll bring the wine and we’ll get you spilling stories about all the celebs you’ve interviewed. I would imagine you have some fun stories to share! Frank Sinatra was a legend, no doubt. Ok, Quick fire round, pick one of each of the below!
Beer or cocktails Cocktails
Jeans or dress/suit Suit
Sun or Snow Sun
Beach or Pool Beach
Cats or Dogs Cats
Theatre or Cinema Cinema
Pink or Green Green
Night in or night out Night out
Paperback or eBook Paperback
Lobster or steak Lobster
The Walking Dead/Downton Abbey The Walking Dead
I am addicted to the Walking Dead. And Downton Abbey. I need someone to do a mashup of them both and I’m all over it! Can you imagine the Dowager Countess poking a zombie with her walking stick? Sorry, I’m getting carried away! So what is the best compliment anyone could give you?
I have a small mentoring business for television reporters, and when one told me, “You changed my life,” I got all choked up.
And so you should, that’s a pretty cool thing to hear. Nic, thank you for stopping by, as always it’s a pleasure chatting.
So thank you everyone for reading, I hope you enjoyed the interview. Checkout Nic on Facebook and twitter!
Chat soon,
Carmel x
