Carole Radziwill Talks Next 'RHONY,' New Book

Photo Courtesy of Martina Tolot

Carole Radziwill is a woman of many talents. She's a former hard-news TV journalist and author of a best-selling memoir. She's also a star of Real Housewives of New York City. Now she's adding the role of fiction writer to her stacked resume.

Early next year, Carole will publish her debut novel, The Widow's Guide to Sex & Dating. Inspired by classic themes of love, heartbreak and starting over, she explores the life of a 34-year-old Manhattanite who is married to a renowned sexologist and writer. The protagonist Claire has her life turned upside down when her husband dies suddenly, and she must cope with the loss—and, hopefully, fall in love again.

Carole goes beyond your standard chick-lit fare, even as she's scored fans with Sex and the City creator Candace Bushnell. "The challenge was to present the universal themes of love and loss, sex and dating in a new and original way," she tells the Dish. "I believe I achieved that."

The work may be fiction, but it certainly mimics some elements of Carole's own life. (She lost her husband Anthony to cancer in 1999.) "There is one character, a professor at University of Austin in Texas, who is straight from my real life," Carole says. "I interviewed him many years ago while working at ABCNews. I produced a story for [my former employer] 20/20 called 'The Biology of Love.' The professor was quite famous at the time for his 'waist-to-hip ratio.' In the first chapter, my protagonist, Claire, is in Texas interviewing him about his theory. Most of their dialogue is straight from my original interview."

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Carole is also gearing up for the next season of Real Housewives of New York City. And the normally easy-going 'Wife says things will be different this time. "Last year I think I was the voice of reason," she says. "The drama sort of swirled around me. It was like a storm in a teacup, but I stayed out of the teacup. This season, though, it finds me. I scream and curse. I've got to say screaming is totally underrated. I loved it!"

In the meantime, Carole will meet with fans to discuss her new novel at an intimate event in New York City. The book signing will take place on Sept. 14 at KGB Bar. You can also pre-order her book at Amazon and check out the cover art below. For more information on the event, visit the KGB website.

What do you think of Carole's role on next season of RHONY? And are you excited for her debut novel? Tell us in the comments.

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