A Discerning Eye
Carol Orange
November 9, 2020
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Dear Carol,
Your debut publication, A Discerning Eye, was released only two weeks ago. Congrats! How do you feel now that you’re a published writer and knowing that your book has already received a number of really good reviews from a number of talented people in the literary world? I’m very pleased about the good reviews from talented authors. Holding the actual book in my hand seems surreal. It is incredible to see the cover in the |
Photo: courtesy of the artist |
window of my local bookstore. A published novel has always been my dream. It is exciting to have opportunities to tell my story to aspiring writers.
What can you tell our readers about A Discerning Eye? A bit about the storyline or your work behind the scenes.
A Discerning Eye takes off from the tragic robbery at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Portia Malatesta, a local art dealer and Museum docent is devastated when she learns that the thirteen works of art were stolen. To help uncover the whereabouts of the artwork, she sets out to construct a psychological profile of the thief. By analyzing the common theme linking the stolen pieces, she suspects the mastermind behind the heist is obsessed with the interplay of dark and light – not only in art, but also in life.
The FBI enlists Portia’s help in a high-stakes sting to recover the stolen works of art – a dangerous proposition that will take her to Colombia, where she’ll have to earn the trust of a notorious drug lord’s married daughter. Risking everything, Portia must navigate the underworld of Medellin – a complicated web of politics, pride and ugly crimes – where a single misstep could have deadly consequences.
I used to travel to Medellin when I worked at Polaroid Corporation as an advertising manager for South and Central America so I was horrified when the cocaine cartel made this beautiful country so dangerous. I did a lot of research on the cartel’s activities for this book.
In addition to being the author of A Discerning Eye you have worked as an editor of art books in London, owned an art gallery in Boston and you also have your own Etsy store. How have your previous roles and connections to the art world helped shape your writer’s identity?
An art dealer needs to be committed to the process of finding compelling art, to deciding when and how to show the art, and to get publicity for the artist so that art appreciators view the paintings and hopefully buy one. I needed to know my artists’ backgrounds and inspirations so that I could write about their art for each show. The same is true for my Etsy site.
When I worked as a research editor on art books in London my advisor for the book on Spanish Art was Xavier de Salas. He later became the Director of the Prado Museum and he taught me how to write about art so that the words came off the page. These experiences inspired me to write about the tragic robbery at the Gardner Museum in Boston.
I know firsthand how viewing art can inspire creativity. Even some abstract paintings tell a story. I love to figure out the mystery behind evocative paintings, such as Velazquez’s Las Meninas. The process is absorbing and fun.
Can you share any specific details or secrets of your writing process? Do you have a set time dedicated to writing? Any routines or superstitions?
I try to write in the morning after I drink a cup of coffee to jolt my senses. At the end of a writing session, I print out what I’ve written and read it aloud. When it doesn’t sound right, I know it needs further revision. But I wait until the following day to revise so that I have some distance.
Is there a particular moment that would give us a glimpse of what it takes to write and publish a book like A Discerning Eye?
The moment when Faith Black Ross, my developmental editor, sent me her editorial letter about A Discerning Eye gave me trusted insight into what was working and what was not. Her long letter helped me feel confident after I went through a protracted trial and error process of following an outline that I revised and revised and revised. Faith assured me that the story was compelling and would have international appeal. She thought the characters were multi-dimensional. But she said I hindered the suspense by giving away too much with Carlos Alfonso’s machinations. She suggested that I remove some of those chapters. I loved those chapters, but I followed her advice. I’m glad that I did.
You are already working on your next novel about art theft. What lessons have you learned from your debut book that will come handy this second time around?
It is very hard to find the right people who will give you good critical feedback. Several literary agents and editors suggested that the novel should take place in 2018 instead of 1990, the year the actual robbery happened. Now I don’t have to go through the painful experience of trying to work with various editors. I can go directly to the developmental editor who helped me revise the final version of my manuscript.
Also, I now know how much marketing support is needed and where I can find it. It is definitely worth investing in public relations experts in the publishing world.
How have you managed to deal with the promotion part of your book during this new reality of restrictions due to Covid19?
Covid 19 has prevented me from flying to Boston and New York where I could visit bookstores, libraries and other venues for presentations. Although virtual events are scheduled, they are not as satisfying as in- person events where I could have meaningful conversations before and after the event with readers.
Who are your favorite writers whose works you have relied on during these difficult months of an unbelievably hard year?
My favorite writers are Graham Greene and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Marquez is the expert of South and Central American life. Although I do not write magical realism, no one knows Colombian habits and behaviors better than Marquez. His book News of a Kidnapping gave me important insights into just how brutal cartel operatives could be. I understand why he moved to Mexico during the worst times of the drug war in Colombia.
While Graham Greene’s novel The Quiet American has impressed me quite a lot, as well. It takes place in Vietnam as the French colonialists are leaving and the American involvement begins. His main characters, Phoung, a young Vietnamese woman and the journalist Thomas Fowler are survivors in this treacherous world. I have read and re-read most of the novels by both of these authors several times. While this year of Covid and political unrest has been hard to deal with on a daily basis, at least our country is not at war. I admire the Vietnamese people after traveling there three years ago. I witnessed their resilience and surprising friendliness to Americans. They explained that ordinary Americans were not responsible for the war and do not bear any grudges. Their work ethic is inspiring and they have rebuilt their country. Their Communist government does hover over the country as a negative force, although capitalism is encouraged in their business lives. Greene predicted the end of the Vietnam war and gave me huge insights into their culture. They are survivors and that’s impressive.
#BeatTheBlues is one of our ongoing campaigns dealing with the importance of mental health. Would you like to share your thoughts on ways to beat the blues?
I find music to be soothing and listen to it while I write. My taste in music is varied – the Beatles, the Three Tenors, Beethoven’s symphonies, Bach’s cantatas, Chopin’s sonatas as well as Carole King and Muddy Waters.
Also, walking every day helps my state of mind. Sometimes I have a destination, but other times I just walk for the sake of walking. While I’m walking I often have aha moments about what I need to do with a troubling passage in my writing. But I don’t count on this. It is simply a pleasure to walk on a sunny day and notice the world around me.
What are you most looking forward to in the weeks and months ahead?
I’m looking forward to attending a salon for writers in Patmos, Greece in early June. I hope and pray that we will be able to travel by then. I was supposed to attend this salon last June, but it was canceled because of Covid. George Saunders, an American writer I admire, was supposed to be at the salon, too. I love the concept of a writer’s salon without an agenda.
To buy Carol Orange's A Discerning Eye click HERE
What can you tell our readers about A Discerning Eye? A bit about the storyline or your work behind the scenes.
A Discerning Eye takes off from the tragic robbery at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Portia Malatesta, a local art dealer and Museum docent is devastated when she learns that the thirteen works of art were stolen. To help uncover the whereabouts of the artwork, she sets out to construct a psychological profile of the thief. By analyzing the common theme linking the stolen pieces, she suspects the mastermind behind the heist is obsessed with the interplay of dark and light – not only in art, but also in life.
The FBI enlists Portia’s help in a high-stakes sting to recover the stolen works of art – a dangerous proposition that will take her to Colombia, where she’ll have to earn the trust of a notorious drug lord’s married daughter. Risking everything, Portia must navigate the underworld of Medellin – a complicated web of politics, pride and ugly crimes – where a single misstep could have deadly consequences.
I used to travel to Medellin when I worked at Polaroid Corporation as an advertising manager for South and Central America so I was horrified when the cocaine cartel made this beautiful country so dangerous. I did a lot of research on the cartel’s activities for this book.
In addition to being the author of A Discerning Eye you have worked as an editor of art books in London, owned an art gallery in Boston and you also have your own Etsy store. How have your previous roles and connections to the art world helped shape your writer’s identity?
An art dealer needs to be committed to the process of finding compelling art, to deciding when and how to show the art, and to get publicity for the artist so that art appreciators view the paintings and hopefully buy one. I needed to know my artists’ backgrounds and inspirations so that I could write about their art for each show. The same is true for my Etsy site.
When I worked as a research editor on art books in London my advisor for the book on Spanish Art was Xavier de Salas. He later became the Director of the Prado Museum and he taught me how to write about art so that the words came off the page. These experiences inspired me to write about the tragic robbery at the Gardner Museum in Boston.
I know firsthand how viewing art can inspire creativity. Even some abstract paintings tell a story. I love to figure out the mystery behind evocative paintings, such as Velazquez’s Las Meninas. The process is absorbing and fun.
Can you share any specific details or secrets of your writing process? Do you have a set time dedicated to writing? Any routines or superstitions?
I try to write in the morning after I drink a cup of coffee to jolt my senses. At the end of a writing session, I print out what I’ve written and read it aloud. When it doesn’t sound right, I know it needs further revision. But I wait until the following day to revise so that I have some distance.
Is there a particular moment that would give us a glimpse of what it takes to write and publish a book like A Discerning Eye?
The moment when Faith Black Ross, my developmental editor, sent me her editorial letter about A Discerning Eye gave me trusted insight into what was working and what was not. Her long letter helped me feel confident after I went through a protracted trial and error process of following an outline that I revised and revised and revised. Faith assured me that the story was compelling and would have international appeal. She thought the characters were multi-dimensional. But she said I hindered the suspense by giving away too much with Carlos Alfonso’s machinations. She suggested that I remove some of those chapters. I loved those chapters, but I followed her advice. I’m glad that I did.
You are already working on your next novel about art theft. What lessons have you learned from your debut book that will come handy this second time around?
It is very hard to find the right people who will give you good critical feedback. Several literary agents and editors suggested that the novel should take place in 2018 instead of 1990, the year the actual robbery happened. Now I don’t have to go through the painful experience of trying to work with various editors. I can go directly to the developmental editor who helped me revise the final version of my manuscript.
Also, I now know how much marketing support is needed and where I can find it. It is definitely worth investing in public relations experts in the publishing world.
How have you managed to deal with the promotion part of your book during this new reality of restrictions due to Covid19?
Covid 19 has prevented me from flying to Boston and New York where I could visit bookstores, libraries and other venues for presentations. Although virtual events are scheduled, they are not as satisfying as in- person events where I could have meaningful conversations before and after the event with readers.
Who are your favorite writers whose works you have relied on during these difficult months of an unbelievably hard year?
My favorite writers are Graham Greene and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Marquez is the expert of South and Central American life. Although I do not write magical realism, no one knows Colombian habits and behaviors better than Marquez. His book News of a Kidnapping gave me important insights into just how brutal cartel operatives could be. I understand why he moved to Mexico during the worst times of the drug war in Colombia.
While Graham Greene’s novel The Quiet American has impressed me quite a lot, as well. It takes place in Vietnam as the French colonialists are leaving and the American involvement begins. His main characters, Phoung, a young Vietnamese woman and the journalist Thomas Fowler are survivors in this treacherous world. I have read and re-read most of the novels by both of these authors several times. While this year of Covid and political unrest has been hard to deal with on a daily basis, at least our country is not at war. I admire the Vietnamese people after traveling there three years ago. I witnessed their resilience and surprising friendliness to Americans. They explained that ordinary Americans were not responsible for the war and do not bear any grudges. Their work ethic is inspiring and they have rebuilt their country. Their Communist government does hover over the country as a negative force, although capitalism is encouraged in their business lives. Greene predicted the end of the Vietnam war and gave me huge insights into their culture. They are survivors and that’s impressive.
#BeatTheBlues is one of our ongoing campaigns dealing with the importance of mental health. Would you like to share your thoughts on ways to beat the blues?
I find music to be soothing and listen to it while I write. My taste in music is varied – the Beatles, the Three Tenors, Beethoven’s symphonies, Bach’s cantatas, Chopin’s sonatas as well as Carole King and Muddy Waters.
Also, walking every day helps my state of mind. Sometimes I have a destination, but other times I just walk for the sake of walking. While I’m walking I often have aha moments about what I need to do with a troubling passage in my writing. But I don’t count on this. It is simply a pleasure to walk on a sunny day and notice the world around me.
What are you most looking forward to in the weeks and months ahead?
I’m looking forward to attending a salon for writers in Patmos, Greece in early June. I hope and pray that we will be able to travel by then. I was supposed to attend this salon last June, but it was canceled because of Covid. George Saunders, an American writer I admire, was supposed to be at the salon, too. I love the concept of a writer’s salon without an agenda.
To buy Carol Orange's A Discerning Eye click HERE