This week in the Hot Seat is writer and aspiring interior designer Arlene Gibbs. She sat down with the Out 'N About to discuss her life in Italy, interior design, and her new book – The Rebirth of Mrs. Tracey Higgins.

Where did you grow up and where did you spend your formative years?

I was born in NYC, and I grew up in a small town in New Jersey, called Verona. My parents are native St. Martiners. I moved to Rome three years after having lived in Los Angeles for 10 years.

How did you get started as a writer?

Long story... I used to work in politics; I loved movies but didn't know anyone who worked in that field. I was working on the Ann Richards re-election campaign in Texas and met the Film Commissioner. That was the first time I seriously thought about pursuing a career in film. After the campaign, I moved back to New York; and then two years later to Los Angeles. I had to start all over again. I was the assistant to a producer (the oldest assistant on set) on the movie LOVE AND BASKETBALL, which Spike Lee's company produced. Once the movie wrapped, I started working as junior development executive for the company. Over the next nine years, I worked there and then another production company, ending with being Senior Vice President Production for actor Don Cheadle's company.

Why did you choose to move to Italy?

My parents sold the house that we grew up in and they moved back to St. Maarten. So I felt like rootless. At the same time, by brother and his wife had a baby; my sister, who is 10 years younger than me, got married; and I was thinking; "I'm getting older. I don't have a husband. I don't have a job. I don't have any savings. I don't have anything."

I came to St. Maarten for Christmas 2005 to be with my parents, because they had just moved back. They encouraged me to – instead of going to three cities in Europe – just choose one and stay there for the week. Two weeks later, I was in Rome. I went back the next year to live permanently.

How has life been since moving to Italy?

I came to Italy six years ago for the first time as a tourist. It just felt like home from the minute I arrived, which makes no sense because I'm not Italian nor is anyone in my family. Strangely, it reminds me very much of life in the Caribbean. The people are very much focused on family and being social. When I first moved there, I tried to schedule dates with my Italian friends weeks in advance (laughs). They would say, "When you are here, give us a call." That's how it is there; very casual and in the moment.

On your blog, you wrote that when you arrived in Italy, you were broke and bitter. Why?

So much had happened after my initial trip; none of it positive. The production company I had been working for shut down two weeks before Christmas. The actor/director who ran the company was like "Happy Holidays!" and we all got like two weeks severance pay. I had been there three years working seven days a week (laughs). So that's what happened.

What professionally do you define yourself as?

I would say – as far as what I do – I am a designer and a writer. Because I don't just write scripts, I also write novels and stories.

After having your script become a film, why change to interior design?

Only about 10 percent of writers actually earn a living doing this, so I need to also earn a living doing other things. Besides that, I was always interested in decorating homes. I was considering going back to school to earn my degree in interior design. Then my friend said, "Look around you, there are people who wake up one day and say, poof 'I'm a this!' or 'I'm a fashion designer!' No credentials, no anything; but because they have a good eye or talent." Creative people are creative. Instead of going to school, I took an internship at an interior design firm. I'm really enjoying the experience so far.

What life lesson have you learned in the past year?

I am learning that sometimes you should just get up and do something. Don't waste your time planning and finding all the reasons why you can't do stuff. For years, I said I wanted to be a writer. One doesn't become a writer, you just are one. Just like people wake up one day and say they are bloggers or stylists.

I knew of a Universal executive who met Sarah Jessica Parker. She told him that she had bought a house in the Hamptons and asked him to decorate it. He was on the cover of Elle magazine and now he has a career. He did Katie Couric's house and all these other people's places. So it's more like: Just say that's what you do and do it.

What do you think was the biggest obstacle stopping you from turning your creative dreams into reality?

I think because of the way I grew up. You have to go to school and be twice as good as everyone. Then I decided to just claim the title interior designer, but it is hard.

Someone asked me, "Do you do offices or just residential." And I was like "Oh, you know, we do mostly good residential where I'm working." Another friend was like, "Why did you say that? You should have said, 'Yes, I do offices.' Then if you wanted to continue the conversation, you could go and look at her office and figure it out from there." I was thinking that I haven't done an office and I know more about residential design and I didn't want to oversell myself. I see other people do it all the time; so 2012, new attitude! Obviously, you want to do things within reason though.

What are your thoughts about going to school to learn an art form or creative trade?

If you have some innate talent, going to school can help you draw it out or help you follow through with goals. But it's either you have an eye for design or you don't. Either you can sing or you can't. It can be improved, but if you can't do it and you have to pay someone to learn, it's a bigger leap. With creative endeavours, it's different than if you go to school and get your MBA and then work at Proctor and Gamble. Anything creative there's no rhyme or reason.

Tell us about your first novel?

Basically, I had some free time on my hands so I wrote this story. Tone-wise it's similar to the film Jumping the Broom and to books like Lipstick Jungle. I hope this will be a fun read for readers who like women's contemporary fiction, commercial fiction, African-American literature, chick literature, why are tweeners so moody literature, Christian literature, divorce literature, I like cake literature, etc.

The story is about the recently divorced preacher's wife Tracey Higgins. It is a story about friendship, forgiveness, faith, and a lot of cake. With this tale, I hope to answer the question: "Is it possible to start over at 40?"

Where can people get a copy of "The Rebirth of Mrs. Tracey Higgins"?

We decided to self-publish as an e-book. It's available on various Amazon websites. If you don't have a Kindle, you can still purchase the book with the free Kindle App downloadable on iPads and computers.

Now for our famous last Hotseat question, what three people (dead or alive) would you like to invite to dinner and what would you serve them?

Ooh, hmmm...that is a difficult one (laughs). I think I would invite President Obama and I'd serve him some soup so he can stay healthy for his tough campaign next year, something like lentil soup or fish soup; then Duke Ellington because I love his music and I'd serve him champagne. It just seems to fit – think big band, black tie; and finally Coco Chanel as I'd love to find out what she was really doing during World War II and I would serve her risotto and porcini mushrooms I think.