Brisa Carleton, LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY

[1:09]Zibby Owens: This is Zibby Owens, and you're listening to Totally Booked with Zibby. Formerly, moms don't have time to read books. In my daily show, I interview today's latest, best selling, buzziest, or underrated authors and story creators whose work I think is worth your time. As a bookstore owner, publisher, author, and obviously podcaster, I get a comprehensive look at everything that's coming out and spend my time curating the best books so you don't have to. Stay in the know, get insider insights, and connect with guests like I do every single day. For more information, go to zibbymedia.com, and follow me on Instagram at Zibby Owens. Breeza Carlton is the author of Last Call at the Savoy. Briza grew up in the Pacific Northwest before moving to Midtown Manhattan to turn her passion for musicals and flair for the dramatic into an award winning career as a Broadway producer. Three Tonys later, she has worked on numerous productions, including Hamilton, Beautiful, and Moulin Rouge. In 2019, at the request of HSH Prince Albert of Monaco, Brieza joined his foundation to lead philanthropy efforts in the theater, dance, and film on behalf of his mother, Princess Grace Kelly. Most recently, she turned her entrepreneurial spirit to actual spirits, launching Literati Spirits, a premium vodka created by book lovers for book lovers. By the way, this vodka is actually delicious. You should totally check it out. Literati Spirits. She now spends her days traveling to literary destinations with a Martini in one hand and a manuscript in the other, collecting stories with her husband Mark and her long haired chihuahua, mister Big. Welcome, Breeza. Thank you so much for coming on Totally Booked to talk about last call at the Savoy Hotel. Thanks, Sibby. So good to see you. Good to see you too. Loved a little introduction to this book as we had our Greenwich retreat recently, and you got to talk all about it with assorted characters. But now we can do a deeper dive. So tell everybody

[3:12]Brisa Carleton: what your book is about. So Last Call of the Savoy is about a New York party girl named Cinnamon who rushes off to London to help her very pregnant sister who's on bed rest at the Savoy Hotel. And while her sister is resting, Cinnamon whiles away the hours in the Savoy Hotel's iconic American bar. And while she's there, she learns the history of this real life, the first celebrity female mixologist who created many of the amazing cocktails that we still have heard of now and was responsible for a lot of the cocktails in the famous Savoy cocktail book, but history has nearly forgotten her. And I learned about this woman, Ada Coleman, from sitting at the Savoy at the American bar myself. Write what you know, I guess. And I I there was a little footnote in the cocktail menu about Ada Coleman, this bartender from nineteen o three, who was a mixologist before women were even allowed in cocktail bars. And I was intrigued. And so immediately, I started Googling it and looking her up, and there was almost nothing. There's one surviving photo of her, and there's just little footnotes about her everywhere. And I I mean, I guess I shouldn't say I was shocked that this woman from nineteen o three was written out of history, but I was determined to learn more about her story. But since I'm not a historian, I thought this would be a fun setting for an a setting for a novel, but also a through line for a novel to have my main character going on this journey that I was going on as well to learn more about this woman and hopefully reintroduce her to at least cocktail history.

[4:52]Zibby Owens: Well, even though Ada plays a huge role in the book, I would argue it's also about sibling relationships, coming of age, being seeing what happens when your sister's, like, not treated very well necessarily by her. Husbands or stepping in where we need to for our family, the loss. I mean, they've lost their parents early on. So maybe talk a little about her and her sister and what it meant for you to dive into that relationship. So Cinnamon

[5:22]Brisa Carleton: has her older sister is Rosemary, and it's because in the book, their parents owned a a very famous bakery. And so Cinnamon and Rosemary, and they get teased a lot about that. But Cinnamon's always been the sort of wilder younger sister. When the parents pass away, Rosemary really kind of steps into a parenting role even though they're not that far apart in age. And Cinnamon kind of goes off the rails and buries her grief in drinking and partying and, you know, friends that aren't really pushing her to live up to her potential. She's kind of coasting. Whereas Rosemary has really just had had to fill in. You know, she has a great job, you know, is starting her own family. And so what it was what was fun to think about was Cinnamon comes over. She's there to help her sister. Mhmm. But also, I think she thinks her sister just kinda wants to keep an eye on her. And it's it's a big awakening and coming of age for Sinemint to realize, oh, no. The sister who's always been there for her actually genuinely needs her. She's not just there to keep her company and, you know, make her laugh. Like, actually, her sister is going through a health crisis on bed rest with twins, is having issues in her own marriage that Cinnamon didn't know anything about.

[6:30]Zibby Owens: And Cinnamon suddenly realizes, oh my gosh, it's my turn to step up. And and that really starts to change things for her. So true. There's a moment when her sister goes to the hospital right when she's landing. It's very early on. But all of sudden, she's like, wait. Wait. Like, something could actually happen to my sister? Like, then what? Wait. Like, I'm in charge? And I feel like that that moment of growing up is something that often happens, that we don't necessarily mark the moment the way you did. But I feel for her, that was, like, a big turning point. Yeah. Suddenly, she's like, oh, oh my gosh. Like and and that her sister counts on her. Like, that's also important to her that she never it never occurred to her that her sister would even think she'd be reliable, and that means a lot to her. But meanwhile, her sister's on bed rest. And so as a younger sister, she gets to raid her closet and wear whatever she wants, which is, like, such a dream for her. That's super fun too. Are you into fashion? Like, tell me about that.

[7:22]Brisa Carleton: I am I mean, I'm not a fashionista, but I spent a lot of time working in philanthropy in Monaco. And so I got exposed to all the amazing designers and and the fashion world. And I I think it's a fun art form, and I thought it would be a fun way to just give the sisters something that wasn't grief and wasn't bed rest to talk about, and that that would be something fun that they could bond over and also something fun for readers just to kind of think about some of these beautiful things that they were sharing. Something the sisters can bond over.

[7:56]Zibby Owens: Yes. And then, of course, you have a man making an appearance. You got some flirtation going. You made him a historian, right, which is so perfect for as a tool for unmasked you know, unearthing all this information about the hotel and bartending and everything. Talk a little bit about that relationship and how you can craft sort of that little flirtation and tension in in the writing.

[8:20]Brisa Carleton: So while Cinnamon is is is there at the hotel, the whole book really takes place inside the hotel because Cinnamon can't leave because her sister needs her. And so at the same time, this character Kit, who is a sexy historian, he's, you know, academic,

[8:35]Zibby Owens: you know, picture just He's the one. He's the one sexy historian. No. The one sexy I'm kidding. I'm kidding. Sorry to other historians. I'm sure you're sexy too. No. I'm kidding. Go on.

[8:47]Brisa Carleton: So he is doing a history of the Savoy, and so he's lurking around the halls as well. And so what's great about it is I'm so fascinated with the Savoy history. My background is in theater, and actually the Savoy Hotel was built actually because of the Savoy Theater that is now part of the hotel. It was built because patrons of the theater would come in and they needed a place to stay, and that's also why the bar was built. And so it like, all this history, and it's so tied to theater and Gilbert and Sullivan and Pirates of Penzance and, like, all these things. And so that's I wanted to get some of that into the book. And so great to be able to have Kit talking discovering these things and talking to Cinnamon about them and getting her excited about some of these incredible wild parties that used to happen there and crazy things and famous people and all of that. But then when Cinnamon starts discovering the history of Ada Coleman, the female mixologist who worked there for twenty five years, Kit says, oh, I I haven't found anything about her. Mhmm. And that's so much of what we find in history is like, well, wasn't really anything written about her. And it's like, okay. But we know she worked there for twenty five years during this period where we know who was at the hotel, what was going on. It it doesn't take a lot to connect the dots that she was part of all of that. Just because she wasn't mentioned. It's it's not that her history wasn't completely interwoven and all that. And for Kit, that's kind of he's like, oh, you know, cinema's like, maybe it's not what's written. It's it's the holes. Like, it's like a negative picture. It's it's where she's been left out. And, you know, that blows his mind.

[10:25]Zibby Owens: So wait. Breeza, so we met because of your fabulous vodka business, Literati Spirits, which is literary vodka, which is just the coolest melding of all the great things, which I absolutely love. But you've had quite a career path. So can you take me back? Like, where are you even from? How did we how did we even get here? What is your story in general?

[10:48]Brisa Carleton: I grew up in the Pacific Northwest Okay. And was a voracious reader, but really was a theater kid. Like, I was like, if I have the psychopedic knowledge of show tunes. So if anybody wants to do a sing along or if anybody ends up at my house, generally, there will be show tunes involved. Okay. Good to know. That was really my path. And then I came to New York and realized being on stage was absolutely not my highest and best use. So I got into the producing side of theater and got really involved in that and was fortunate to be involved in shows like Hamilton, Moulin Rouge, Beautiful, The Carol King Musical, like, a bunch of those shows and just loved becoming part of the New York theater community. But then And you helped you were one of the producers on all of those shows. Yeah. That's amazing. Yeah. It it I mean, I I'm so fortunate that I got to be part of it. But it's it's a hard business. Broadway is a hard business to break into, particularly for producing because, you know, in acting and things like that, you go to an audition and they find you. But for producing, you really you kind of have to find other producers and build relationships. And so I started one night, I one of the I I knew nobody in New York, but one of the few people that I did know took me to the iconic theater bar, Sardi's. Mhmm. And on the 2nd Floor of Sardi's, it's, you know, right in the heart of the theater so you can see out to all of the shows. That's where I learned. That's where, like, the producers and the theater owners and the and the kind of people that I needed to be meeting were hanging out. And so I thought, okay. This is great. So I started going there pre theaters, like, the five to seven or six to eight window every night for, like, months of and I would sit there and I would order my martini and watch, you know, the ecosystem and try to meet people. And and a couple weeks in, the bartenders who have worked there for decades, finally, were like, who are you? What are you trying to do? Like, you're here a lot, but, you know, do you know anybody? And I said, oh, I'm, you know, from the Pacific Northwest. I'm trying to be a producer. And they said, let us help you. And they started bringing people over to me and said, this is Brisa. You know, she's you have a martini with her. She is trying to learn about the business. And from that moment, within three months, I went from who's this girl who's sitting there knowing no one to, oh, yeah. That's Brisa. She knows everybody. And Interesting. So martinis were really a key part of my career development and to being a Broadway producer. Because if I had just reached out and gone to these people's offices or tried to get informational interviews, which are all, like, totally legit ways to get into Broadway, I don't know that I would have formed the relationships in that dynamic. And by showing up and sort of being at the party all the time, I was able to build those relationships really quickly. Wow. So, you know, any given night, you'll find me at Sardis

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[16:25]Zibby Owens: Oh my gosh. Okay. So you produced those shows,

[16:29]Brisa Carleton: and you're still producing? Do you still do it? Yep. So I'm still involved. I'm also very involved in the organization that does the Tony Awards. And so for that, I get to go see every show and and work sort of industry wide as opposed to just on individual shows, which is very cool. Wow. So from there, I got a call from an organization called the Princess Grace Foundation, which is the philanthropic organization for the Prince of Monaco in the South Of France. Mhmm. Mother was Grace Kelly, Princess Grace. And during her lifetime, she was really supportive of theater, dance, and film artists. And so I got a call asking if I wanted to run that organization. Princess Grace had been dead for forty years, and how do we really usher her legacy into a new to a new generation, to a new era? And I thought that sounded like quite an adventure. So I went over to Monaco and went to the palace and interviewed with the prince and all these things that I'm like, I'm I think I'm in a Hallmark movie right And and so I did that for for five years, and it was a really incredible opportunity not just to get to know sort of the wider global philanthropic community, but also the foundation supports the arts. And I was there during COVID. And it became, as we all know, like, critical for artists to be receiving support, especially theater dance and film artists when all those industries were completely shut down. Mhmm. And so it it felt I felt very fortunate to be in a role where I could do something to help, do, you know, even a little bit to help these artists. And so while at the same time spending a lot of time in Monaco going to incredible galas and Oh my gosh. You know? So so it was it was it was an interesting time. And then that job was incredible. But as you can imagine, working for royalty and, you know, flying all over the world all the time was stressful and very high pressure. And I thought, what can I do that just will take me out like, will will something I can just do by myself that when I'm sitting in an airport or sitting on an airplane where I can just sort of escape from, you know, my crazy fabulous reality? And so I found an online novel writing course, a ninety day novel writing course. And I just said, oh, I'm just gonna start writing. And I found that to be amazing. Like, it was a perfect escape. Like, I was totally into it. It felt like I was having this, like, affair with my imagination because I would open my computer and even when things are going on around me and just start writing about these characters and lurking around the savoy. And and I so that's that's how I started writing. And I had no expectation about being published or anything like that. It really was just a way to be able to escape into my imagination and and also sort of pull from all these amazing life experiences I was having and and use them in a creative way. But then and when did the when did the vodka business come into everything? Right. So the vodka business came up because right around the same time I was doing the Monica thing because I wanted a way to be able to I was doing a ton of reading during COVID and also a lot of martini drinking. And I thought, again, I wanted, like, a creative outlet. I want something fun, I thought, what are my favorite things? Well, I love cocktails with friends, and I love reading and talking about books. And so I thought, oh, how perfect. I can combine the two, make vodka themed on books. And I I really looked at it as an entrepreneur and said, okay. If I'm gonna invest in this, best case, I end up with a great successful vodka company. Worst case, I end up with 20,000 bottles of vodka. So not a huge downside.

[20:24]Zibby Owens: That's amazing. Well, I love the whole packaging and literary characters and Jane Eyre. The whole I mean Yeah. Yep. Yep. Just So cool. Wow. So you just wrote the book through the ninety day writing course. What is that if people wanna do it? They're like It's called The Novelry.

[20:41]Brisa Carleton: Oh, yeah. Ry. Yeah. And yeah. Because you're I'm a I'm a judge. Yeah. I'm a judge. In fact, I have to read all these things this week. So, anyway, yes, thank you for the reminder. I've looked at yeah. Yeah. You have. Okay. Yeah. But it's amazing, and the novel ry is amazing because it's completely on it's based in The UK, and there was something appealing about that too because you get online for you're supposed to do an hour a day, and they do a little lesson or a little pep talk, and it's with the fabulous British voices. And I'm like, oh, this is just amazing. And it it's just this great program because you don't it just teaches you what you need to know, and it pulls from books that you've read and says, here's the structure, here's how it works. And so it felt very really accessible. And they also aren't they're, like, write for whatever reason you want. Like, it doesn't have to be to be published. It can be because you just wanna express something, all of that. So unlike, like, a formal MFA program or something like that, that which seemed more more than what I was looking for. I just Mhmm. Didn't help and structure to write a novel. And so it was really perfect for that. But actually, the first book that I wrote through that program got me an agent, which was amazing. I didn't even know how that any of that process worked. I mean, I've I've been theater, which is totally different world than publishing. And but that book didn't get a deal. And so because I had loved writing and everything is very slow in publishing in these processes. So while I was submitting to agents and doing all of that, I had just kept writing. And so Last Call at the Savoy, I was actually I was just still doing my hour a day, and so I finished the first book then started writing the second one. So when the first book went on submission and didn't get I I wanted a big five deal. Didn't get a big five deal. And so I went to my agent and I said, I mean, I have another book. And she's like, what are you talking about? I was like, well, you know, it's been a couple months through this process. So another ninety days, so here's another manuscript. And I felt better about the second one, obviously. Like, you know, I learned so much. And and so we took that pretty much turned right around and took that on submission and pretty much immediately got a big five deal. So I that was I don't know. It but the the whole way, by the time we got that deal, I was already writing the third one. Like, I just was so enjoying the writing process that, you know, it it's it's become kind of a I don't know. It's become part of my daily routine. I wish I could go to the gym.

[23:02]Zibby Owens: Able to to to go to the gym, but somehow sitting down and writing, I've been able to keep up with. My gosh. Yesterday was Sunday, and I was home, like, all day. I only had to take the kids to all the activities. And otherwise, I was home. And I was like, there was a time in my life where I fit in an hour of exercise no matter what. I literally had the whole day, and I say this having not worked out in, like, months and months. Like, I wish it just happened to be such a chondro. It's like there was literally nothing in my way. Like, I could have done it at any moment, and I still chose not to. So dangerous. People get hurt going to the gym. Yeah. Injuries. It's very dangerous. Too many decisions. What machine? I don't know. Yeah. Aren't I supposed to be lifting? I bet I I guess I just shouldn't do anything at all. But, anyway, an hour a day of writing seems fully in your control and amazing. Yes.

[23:47]Brisa Carleton: And part of what the novelty advises, which obviously makes sense, and I think why I was able to sort of jump into being a writer is the big the best training for being a writer is being a reader. Mhmm. Because if you are writing the type of books you like to read, even if you don't recognize the structure and formatting and everything as you're reading them, it's very you're you're still ingrained in how they work and the emotional and character arcs and all of that. And so what I really love about having the vodka company and writing and writing books about cocktails is basically I can anytime I'm reading or enjoying a cocktail, I can call it research. There you go. Say, oh, yes. This is all part of my process. Amazing. So what is the next book? So the next book is all about champagne. So you can kinda tell I have a theme. So the first one is about cocktails. The second book takes place in champagne. And, again, about a girl from New York who ends up going over to a little tiny town in the Champagne region where she has family that she didn't didn't know she had. And so it goes into how as she's discovering her roots, she's also, you know, there's a metaphor in the roots of the champagne vines. And because these vines of real champagne, are ancient, and they've been through, you know, centuries and wars and, you know, sort of thinking about her roots and her family, but also what these champagne vines have with withstood and how hard it is to make champagne, and it lasts for you know, you open the bottle and it's immediately gone. You know? Like, the the fizz disappears immediately and and just sort of how that's you can work so hard for things and it's okay if it's just a moment of joy. That's the nature of it. That's amazing.

[25:32]Zibby Owens: Well, I'm sure you've already thought of this, but I do think that Last Call of this Boy would be a good play. Yes.

[25:38]Brisa Carleton: Are you gonna adapt it? I'm not because that seems I don't know. Too too many hats to wear. But certainly, there are any theater producers or film producers listening that wanna adapt it into a movie or a play, I would love that. Yeah. I think a play would be cool because it's there's just the one set. Like, you don't need the hotel. Yeah. A unit set. Do, like, an upstairs and a downstairs, like one of those, you know Totally. Totally. And I mean bar. Yeah. Exactly. No. I like it could be immersive

[26:08]Zibby Owens: theater. Oh, it could do that too. Yeah. Oh, maybe you could all feel like you're sitting in the bar. Yes. I would love that. That's cool. Yeah. Okay. Great. Let's do it. I mean, sounds to me like you put your mind to something and you make it happen. So just put that in the world, and I'm sure that I will be having drinks at that, you know Yes. Like, pop up show or whatever it is in in just a little bit. I like it. I like it. I like it too. Yeah. Cheers. Amazing. Okay. So this is such a success story for the novelry, for you, for everything. What advice then do you have? Do you feel like anybody can do this? Do you have to have talent? How much do you have to learn? How much practice do you have to get before you sell a book?

[26:50]Brisa Carleton: I I mean, I do think anybody can do it. I I think anybody who is a reader can do it. I think if if you're not a reader, I think being a writer, that's kind of you're just gonna have a steeper learning curve. Mhmm. And so I think anybody who's a reader and I I think it really comes down to just that hour a day or whatever time you can find, but really sticking. It it's discipline. Like, it's it's really fun, but also you have to just sit down and do it. And I think anybody that can do that part can do the discipline part can get their book to a point that it can be publishable. But so many people just you know, it's hard. Like, the first couple chapters are so fun and so easy. And then you're like, okay, wait. Now this all has to fit together. And now oh, how does it all wrap up? And then start going to editing processes and they're like, doesn't make any sense. And so you just have to be willing to go on that journey. And I think if if you're somebody who enjoys that and enjoys putting words on a page and playing with them, then you absolutely can get a book to the point where it could be published. You know? I love it. To you, so what do I know?

[27:53]Zibby Owens: Okay. Last question. How do you take your martini?

[27:56]Brisa Carleton: I go through phases seasonally. Oh, okay. Like that? Yep. So in summertime, I like, you know, like cosmopolitan or something fruity, you know, lemon citron, you know, that type of thing. In fall, I love a Manhattan. In spring, I like a dirty martini. So I mix it up. But right now, I'm drinking the hanky panky, which Is from back in Ada's day meant, you know, like magic. And it's it's an amazing gin cocktail from nineteen o three. And I've been really because I think of Ada when I drink it, that's that's the drink that I've been ordering most recently. Perfect.

[28:38]Zibby Owens: Love it. Do you have a preferred cocktail, Zibby? You know, I've kind of stopped drinking lately. I don't know why. My favorite is champagne, I would say. Perfect. Yes. Champagne is my favorite. And in the summer, an Aperol Spritz. Lovely. And that and then, like, tequila on the rocks is really what I drink most probably because Nice. You don't feel it the next day or anything, even just a little Right? Magic. Yeah. But one of my sayings is never turn down a glass of champagne. So I try to always say yes when one crosses my path. I like that a lot. Good

[29:10]Brisa Carleton: mantra. Yes.

[29:13]Zibby Owens: All right. Well, thank you so much for coming on and congratulations. I'm so excited for you. Thank you so much, Zibby. And, again, I so appreciate all of your support. It's been incredible. It's been pleasure. Okay. Take care. Bye. Thank you. Thank you for listening to Totally Booked with Zibby, formerly moms don't have time to read books. If you loved the show, tell a friend, leave a review, follow me on Instagram at Zibby Owens, and spread the word. Thanks so much. Oh, and buy the books.