Renée Carlino
Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and the bestselling author of Before We Were Strangers, Swear On THIS Life, Wish You Were Here, Sweet Thing, Nowhere But Here, Sweet Little Thing, Lucian Divine, After the Rain, The Last Post, Shopping For Love, Blind Kiss, and - coming soon - THIS USED TO BE US.
Her books have been featured in national publications, including Cosmopolitan Magazine, InStyle Magazine, USA TODAY, Huffington Post, Latina magazine, Publisher's Weekly, Redbook, Sunset Magazine, Coastal Living and the Union Tribune.
Her adaptation with Julia Stiles for “Wish You Were Here” is currently in production and scheduled to shoot in New Jersey in January 2024.
Renée grew up in California and lives in the San Diego area with her husband, two sons and their sweet pup John Snow Cash.
Instagram: @ReneeCarlino1
Are there particular films that have influenced your writing?
I have been influenced by many films, some of the more percent that I really connected with were “Rust and Bone,” “A Marriage Story,” “Life Itself,” and “Scenes From a Marriage.”
Is there a genre of music that influences your writing/thinking? Do you listen to music while you write?
I listen to atmospheric rock when I write. I find it really evocative. It can bring emotions forward in me. The deep focus Spotify station is great. Some of the artists I like for writing include El Ten Eleven and Explosions in the Sky.
Favorite non-reading activity?
YOGA, YOGA, YOGA! I do Yoga almost every day in some capacity.
Is your go to comfort food sweet or savory? Is it something you make yourself? Does food inspire your writing?
I eat a lot of chocolate. I’m pretty sure it’s a problem. I can’t say that it has ever inspired my writing but it’s definitely made a long writing marathon a lot easier.
What’s the difference (at least for you!) between being a writer and an author? How do you shift gears between the two?
I usually tell people I am a writer. I hear people say they aspire to be an author, but I think being a writer means you would do it regardless of whether it gets published or any even read by another person. I would do it not matter what.
