Carla Malden
Author Interview - Carla Malden
Author of Search Heartache and PLAYBACK
About Playback:
"Once upon a time there was a summer."
That's the way the bedtime story starts - the one Mari Caldwell tells her little girl. It's also her secret story of waking up one day in San Francisco, 1967, having time-traveled to the tie-dyed Summer of Love.
But she was seventeen then. Now at 34, where she one saw peace-and-love idealism, this Millenial finds only disillusionment. Newly divorced and stuck in a settled-for career, Mari has failed at giving her child the perfect family she'd envisioned. That weird weekend in the sixties - the rock band she crashed with, the musician she loved, the hit song he wrote for her - lives in the way-back of her mind. Did it even happen? She's not so sure...
Until it happens again.
PLAYBACK rewinds Mari's life as she makes a second visit to Haight-Ashbury, 1967, now autumn. The band, Mari's rival, and her fist love all see the 17-year-old girl they met in June. But inside, adult Mari faces both tender and devastating choices. What if, regardless of how the times have a-changed, love changes everything after all? What if it even changes her?
Author I draw inspiration from:
2025: I recently binged my way through Kevin Wilson's work (as I had Jonathan Tropper's when I first discovered him). NOTHING TO SEE HERE was the first of Wilson's that I read, so I might be partial to that one since it was the gateway book. I gobbled them up one after the other.
2020: Meg Wolitzer writes fascinating women and puts them in situations that test them without feeling forced. If I may include a playwright, Tennessee Williams looms large for me. He transforms the way people talk into poetry, often injecting humor. That’s literary alchemy, pure magic – utterly unattainable, but inspirational nonetheless.
Author Interview - Carla Malden
Favorite place to read a book:
2025: If the sun is cooperating, I love to read sitting in the easy chair on my upstairs landing. If there is too much glare, that's a no-go and I move to the easy chair in my bedroom. That said, I end up doing most of my reading in bed at night. There is also a deck at a particular hotel on the big island of Hawaii that's pretty perfect.
2020: I have two favorite places to read a book: in bed and in an oversized wing chair that lives on the landing upstairs in my home. It’s a wonderful space for reading, with lots of lovely natural light. Recently, I noticed that the fabric on that chair had become a little shabby. I hunted around for a new chair, but could not find one that called to me in the same way, so I am having it recovered. Just the other day, I was telling my husband how, as a child, I used to read on the middle step of the staircase in my childhood home – the wedge-shaped step that rounded the bend in the staircase so that it was ideal for stretching out one’s legs.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
2025: Christopher Robin. I'd likely say hello to his Pooh bear and we'd begin a conversation - Christopher, Pooh, and I. A lot of wisdom flows between those two. It would be a magical elevator ride to participate in that.
2020: Walls closing in. Sweaty palms. Heart pounding. Cotton mouth. Absolute panic. I would not want to be stuck in an elevator with anyone, ever. That said, I would choose Christopher Robin as a stuck-elevator companion because looking after a child would keep me sane. He could also tell me what Pooh would say about this predicament and Pooh-isms take the sting out of most situations. At the opposite end of the spectrum, it would be delightful to fall under Heathcliff’s (Wuthering Heights) spell… but for not much longer than five minutes and I would hope we’d be rescued then.
Author Interview - Carla Malden
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
2025: Hmmm. That's tricky because I can't recall a specific moment. When I co-wrote my father's autobiography with him (WHEN DO I START?), I realized how much fun I was having writing prose - as opposed to screenplays which I wrote in my former life. Writing memoir and fiction is very different - both in process and result - from writing screenplays. I was smitten with the idea that the actual words were the goal rather than just a template or images on screen. The thrill of landing on the perfect word or, even better, being in the zone where that word or phrase or whole sentence simply writes itself -- that's where the joy resides.
2020: Much like Lady Gaga, I was born this way – wanting to be a writer. However, becoming an “author” (and I use the quotes advisedly) took time. When I began writing my memoir, AfterImage, about becoming a widow, I wasn’t sure that what I was writing would grow up to be a book. I remember that late one night, while I was working, a particular phrase appeared on screen as I typed and I thought, “That’s an interesting way to put that; I would find that interesting to read in a book.” And then I realized, “I am writing a book.” It felt “authorly” in the way that artists sometimes refer to certain pieces as being particularly “painterly.”
Author Interview - Carla Malden
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
2025: Hardback and ebook. I can't remember the last time I read a paperback, though I spent my entire college career (as in English Lit. major) scribbling in the margins of paperbacks, far too many of which still occupy several shelves. The hardback provides what feels like a classic experience. Between hard covers feels like where the author wanted her book to live. I dragged myself to ebooks, but am a total convert now, particularly when it comes to reading in bed since they allow you to read in the dark. Also, ebooks for travel - no question.
2020: Hardback and ebook. I am usually reading two books at once. I enjoy the weight of a hardback, and I like to see the cover, including the author’s name, every time I pick up a book. I’m ashamed to say I find myself forgetting the name of the author when I’m reading an ebook because I simply do not see it every day. But I like to have an ebook “going” for reading in bed in the dark. Of course, ebooks spoil you for traveling.
The last book I read:
2025: The last book I read was THE GOLDEN HOUR - Matthew Spectktor's memoir about growing up in Hollywood. One uses the term "Hollywood" to mean the gestalt of the town, not an actual area of Los Angeles. I grew up in the same neighborhoods described in the book so I was very familiar with most of the locations which made for a fun read. I also know (casually) several of the players who figure in his life story, so it was fun to discover a few hidden secrets about people I know. I found it fascinating that he and I had wildly different childhoods a very few miles apart.
2020: The last book I read was Three Women by Lisa Taddeo. It is beautifully written and painfully revelatory. I am currently enjoying Bruce Holsinger’s The Gifted School.
Author Interview - Carla Malden
Pen & paper or computer:
2025: Computer. I rarely have a thought in my head until my fingers make contact with the keyboard. That said, the occasional inspirational flash will strike while I'm taking a walk or driving. I've been betrayed by my own memory enough to know it's not always reliable, so when I have an idea while out of the house I record a note into my phone. I do sometimes scribble notes, pencil to paper, but eventually transcribe them onto the computer. I like order at my desk, so too many scribbled-on pages are distracting to me.
2020: Computer. Sometimes I don’t have a thought in my head until my fingers hit the keyboard. Pen and notepad for spontaneous scribbles.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
2025: Right now, I'd choose Lara Nelson from Ann Patchett's magnificent TOM LAKE. Lara is the emotional core of the book, as much for what she keeps locked in her heart as for what she reveals. Her relationship with her daughters keeps her grounded in the present - which I fully understand - while her past provides a backdrop against which her current life stands in bas relief. I also share her penchant for the play OUR TOWN -- she was renowned for playing Emily, the lead. When I wrote my memoir, AFTERIMAGE, I sought permission to quote from the play which is rarely granted. I ended up corresponding with Thorton Wilder's nephew who ultimately allowed me use his uncle's extraordinary words - an honor I still do not take lightly. I can imagine talking OUR TOWN with Lara in her cozy kitchen.
2020: The first character who comes to mind is Beatrice from Much Ado About Nothing. (Does a play count?) She’s feisty and witty and can turn a phrase. She would keep me on my toes. She’s cynical, but deeply romantic, using language to mask her feelings. She kids herself by believing that if she can best someone with words, she keeps him from getting to her heart. As her best friend, I would hope to remind her affairs of the heart don’t work that way.
Author Interview - Carla Malden
If I wasn’t an author, I’d be a:
2025: When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a dancer. But even then, I think I knew I really wanted to be a writer. I worked in the movie business as a production coordinator and in development (which means reading scripts and looking for projects). So... I suppose if I weren't a writer, I'd be a movie producer. Producing is not unlike writing; you're assembling various parts of a production to ultimately create something on screen as opposed to assembling words to create a story. The days of the dancer dream are long gone, though I do love a spontaneous after-dinner dance party!
2020: There was a time when I thought that if I weren’t an author, I’d be a dancer. But those days are over (even though I still take dance classes and dance around the kitchen -- or anywhere else -- as often as possible). I would enjoy directing theater. I often struggle to turn off the critic in my head when I’m watching a play and find myself imagining how I would have handled a theatrical moment differently.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
2025: No-brainer. The Sixties. PLAYBACK largely takes place in the Sixties. It was great fun to imagine the characters in their tie-dye and denim, their flowing Indian-print granny dresses, their floppy hats and crushed velvet, fringed suede and moccasin boots.
2020: The 1960’s for sure! Who doesn’t love mini-skirts with white vinyl go-go boots? The fashion of that time had a playfulness and even optimism. It didn’t take itself seriously. It was the fashion of cultural revolution, all about being young and slightly outrageous.
Place I’d most like to travel:
2025: This is a tough question because I'm torn between places I'd like to return to and places I've never been. I've been to England nine or ten times, but that's not enough. So London would be the top of the list for re-visits. It's my favorite city: great museums, endless theater, lovely people, and high tea! As to somewhere I've yet to go, I'm torn between Spain/Portugal and Japan. I know that Portugal is, you might say, having a moment, so that beckons. But Japan is so wildly different in sensibility from the West that I'm eager to experience the culture shock. I'd particularly like to visit Naoshima, the "art island" in Japan.
2020: There are so many places I’ve yet to travel. Japan is high on the list. And Greece. I’ve been to St. Petersburg, Russia, but would love to go back. I have zero interest in ever going on safari, as in: not enough money in the world… nor antihistamines.
My signature drink:
2025: A cup of hot tea. In the morning: English Breakfast with a splash of milk. I'm loyal to a brand called Yorkshire Gold, but at the moment I have an unopened box of highly-touted PG Tips in my cupboard that I'm looking forward to trying. Throughout the day, I fluctuate between more black tea and green tea. I try to sneak some water in there because tea is dehydrating, but water is a chore.
2020: I don’t drink – for no other reason than I don’t like the taste. So I suppose my signature drink is a strong cup of English Breakfast tea with a splash of milk. I am as passionate about how my tea is prepared as other people might be about their martinis. Stirred, not shaken. If I find myself at Starbucks, it’s two tea bags, please. Do not serve me a cup of hot water with a tea bag on the side for dunking. And do not presume that Earl Grey is a workable substitute for English Breakfast. “Passionate” – synonym for “finicky.”
Favorite artist:
2025: The playwright Tennessee Williams (STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, THE GLASS MENAGERIE). His gift for infusing harsh reality with poetry never ceases to inspire awe. I quote him (his characters) all the time. There's a Williams quote for any occasion. I often think, "If I'd written that line, I wouldn't need to do anything else." He has a thousand of those lines.
2020: My favorite period/school of art is Impressionism. Monet is meaningful to me. At a particularly dark time in my life, I found myself standing on the bridge over the water lily pond at Monet’s home in Giverny. It sounds like a too-perfect movie moment; however, seeing what he saw – and transformed in his paintings – shone a pinprick of light through that time.
Number one on my bucket list:
2025: A few years ago, I checked something off my bucket list that I never imagined might even be on it. I had the thrill of seeing Paul McCartney perform at the Echo Arena in Liverpool -- an out-of-body, out-of-time experience. When we arrived at the arena - merging into a crowd from blocks and blocks away, like lemmings to a magical sea - everyone was handed a sign that said, "Welcome Home Paul." When Paul emerged onto the the stage, I - along with the thousands of adoring fans - held up my sign and felt the pulsing heartbeat of Beatlemania as though I'd traveled to 1960s Liverpool - 1960s anywhere, actually - in a time machine. (Cue shameless plug for time traveling PLAYBACK.) I'm not greedy - that's a bucket list experience I don't need to top. And I now realize that the bucket has a better idea of the surprises it holds than I do!
2020: My bucket list is embarrassingly female – it centers around making sure everyone I love is safe and happy. I’m not an adventurer. No bungee jumping. I’ve already ticked off one bucket list item that is likely untoppable. My husband and I were planning a trip to England – London and the Lake District – when we discovered that Paul McCartney was going to be in concert in Liverpool. We rejiggered our itinerary to see him there. For the first leg of our trip, we compulsively checked the tickets in their zippered pocket of the carry-on, referring to them as the “nuclear code.” When the night arrived, we walked from our hotel through Liverpool, merging into the crowd that swelled until it felt like the whole city was going to see Paul. As everyone entered the arena, we were all handed signs that read: “Welcome Home Paul.” It doesn’t get much better than that: Paul McCartney… Liverpool… third row center. Bucket List…Check.
Author Interview - Carla Malden
Anything Else You’d Like to Add:
Thank you for this opportunity! I hope your readers enjoy PLAYBACK's trip back to the Summer of Love and that they, like Mari, return to the present re-engaged and with a deepened sense of commitment.
Find More from this Author:
Instagram: @carlamalden
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carla.malden
Author website: https://carlamalden.com
Publisher website: https://rarebirdlit.com
About Carla Malden:
Raised in Los Angeles, Carla Malden began her career working in motion picture production and development before becoming a screenwriter. Along with her father, Academy Award winning actor, Karl Malden, she coauthored his critically acclaimed memoir, WHEN DO I START? More recently, Malden published AFTERIMAGE: A BROKENHEARTED MEMOIR OF A CHARMED LIFE, her own fiercely personal account of battling the before and surviving the after of losing her first husband to cancer. Her first novel, SEARCH HEARTACHE, was published in 2019, followed by SHINE UNTIL TOMORROW and MY TWO AND ONLY. Malden lives in Los Angeles with her husband, ten minutes away (depending on traffic) from her daughter, son-in-law and grandsons.
