Thursday, May 23, 2013

Giveaway and Author Interview: Beth Hoffman

Last week I got a review copy of LOOKING FOR ME, the newest offering from Beth Hoffman.  I absolutely loved her first novel, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, and am really looking forward to reading this one in the next few weeks.  In the meantime, Catherine at the Penguin Group, has made a giveaway copy available to one of Tutu's lucky followers. Rules are posted below.  In the meantime, here are some more thoughts from the author to help our enjoyment of this new one.

QUESTIONS FOR BETH HOFFMAN

1.) After the success of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, how did you come up with the idea for LOOKING FOR ME?

When I finished touring with CeeCee, I had no idea what I would write. The characters had become so real to me that I felt guilty abandoning them to craft a different story. I especially had a hard time not continuing on with Oletta. For several months I shut down all thoughts about writing.

One day I sat at my desk and began going through stacks of old photographs. The more I sorted, the more I thought about my family and my childhood on the farm—how simple and uncomplicated life was, how much I missed the big old barn and the woodlands that backed up to the fields. I stared out the window and spent a good deal of time reliving those days, and while I was caught up in the nostalgia, something flashed in my periphery. I turned to see a red-tailed hawk land on a tree branch. I watched the morning light glaze across his pale chest, and how, just before he settled, he spread his rusty-red tail feathers to reveal the full spectrum of his regalia. I got a bit teary at the beauty of him, and then …WHAM! I had the beginning of my story.

2.) You always write so beautifully about your novels’ settings, making the reader feel like they’re being transported to another place. With LOOKING FOR ME, did you decide on the location of the novel—Charleston—first, or did that come later? Did you spend a lot of time there?

I write about places I love, places to which I feel a deep connection. I wanted would write about a farm family, and when the character of Teddi took form and she fell in love with the process of antique restoration, I knew Charleston was where she would ultimately end up. I’ve spent a great deal of time in Charleston and feel incredibly comfortable there. In many ways it’s like a second home to me. Plus, with Charleston’s history of antiques shops and gorgeous architecture, it was the ideal juxtaposition to Teddi’s life on the farm.

3.) You write very personally about the novel’s other main setting, the Overman farm in Kentucky. Being a Kentuckian yourself, do you have a strong connection to Red River Gorge?

The Overman farm comes from my roots and my heart. Nothing makes me happier or causes a flood of memories like setting my feet on farmland. I chose the location of Red River Gorge as the backdrop to the farm for many reasons—its mystery and power are palpable, and it’s so stunning that no matter how many times I’m there, I’m always awestruck. Known for its incredible rock formations, dense forests, waterfalls and wildlife, Red River Gorge was the perfect place for the character of Josh to be swept into the romance of the wild. Paleo-Indians thrived there, and it holds a treasure trove of petroglyphs. Every time I ride the gondola up to Natural Bridge and stand on that massive, nine hundred ton sandstone bridge, I feel connected to something far beyond my comprehension. Over 70 million years of changing weather has sculpted Red River Gorge into a place as magical as it is eerie.

4.) LOOKING FOR ME touches on the power of objects—through them we remember our past and face our future—what are some objects that have held meaning for you in your own life? Do you think it’s important to hold onto the things of our past?

By nature I’m a neat-nut and about as opposite to a hoarder as anyone could be, so I’m not inclined to keep things unless they truly have strong meaning to me. I do think it’s wise to keep things that hold memories like family heirlooms, books, photographs and letters, but there’s a fine line between keeping what is precious or sentimental, and overloading my basement and attic with stuff.

5.) The characters in LOOKING FOR ME seem as real as neighbors that live next door—what do you draw on when writing characters? How much do you borrow from real life? Do you model your characters on people you know?

The characters in my novels arrive in my imagination fully realized. Not only do I see them and hear them, but I also get a strong sense of their spirit. While a few characters might have small similarities to people I’ve known, the majority of them have come to me as the story unfolds. More often than not, I meet them just as my readers meet them. It’s a fascinating process.

6.) Birds and feathers play an important role in this story—where did your interest in birds come from, and what do they symbolize in your work?

Nature, animals and birds have enthralled me for all my life. My parents and grandparents had a deep respect for nature and all her creatures, and from a very early age I was taught to be gentle and kind. One of my first memories is of standing in the vegetable garden with my grandma and having her show me how to gently lift a toad and move him out of the way of the strawberry wagon. By the time I was five, I could name nearly every bird that visited our farm, not only by sight, but also by their songs. I viewed birds as beautiful messengers, and as a teen, I loved reading Native American folklore, which is rich with stories about birds and their spirits.

7.) This is your second novel—what advice do you have for writers and novelists just starting out? How did you find your own voice as a novelist?

Captivating storytelling is a gift—good writing is an art. By understanding how to combine those elements, a writer can save themselves from a whole lot of headaches. There are many books that can help a writer hone their talent, but voice comes from a deep place and cannot be discovered without having an inner ear. I say inner ear because writers must hear their voice come alive and rise from the page, and it must always ring true. Being a good listener helps a writer find his/her voice. By tuning our inner ear to catch voice inflections, mood, and the many subtleties of dialect, our own writing voice is strengthened. I believe the best way for a writer to know if they’ve found their unique voice is for them read aloud something they’ve written. Voice is a complex thing to achieve, but once a writer hears it, they’ll know that they’ve just captured the most illusive butterfly of all.
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Now don't you just really want to jump right into this?  It's on sale May 28th, but in the meantime, you can enter to win a copy.  Here's how:

1. Leave a comment below with your email address and saying why you want to win.


You can get extra entries:

2. Leave a comment saying how you follow Tutu (one comment per method).
3. Blog or tweet about the giveaway and leave me a link (no link, no entry).

DEADLINE IS 6:00PM EDT, Monday June 3rd.

Good luck.


22 comments:

  1. If this is open to all, please count me in. I have heard such positive reviews on this one, I'd certainly like to read it.

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  2. This book sounds profound and well written. Many thanks. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  3. I am an e-mail subscriber. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  4. I enjoy novels that are filled with emotion and depth. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  5. I am an e-mail subscriber. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  6. Hi Tina! Thanks so much for hosting a Q&A with me and offering a giveaway. And thank you, too, for your lovely comments about my first novel. I'm so glad you enjoyed it and I hope you'll enjoy "Looking for Me" too!

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  7. I loved the interview, so many great questions like the ones about birds and feathers. My father was the one who taught me about nature. We shared a lot of wonderful moments watching birds, bugs, you name it.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  8. I am an e-mail subscriber.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  9. I tweeted: http://t.co/PIg3oQViLV


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  10. I'd love to win Beth's new book, I think she creates the best characters. I liked her Q&A, especially the comment about how hard it was to leave the other characters behind. Thanks for the chance to win.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  11. I am an email subscriber.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  12. I am a GFC follower.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  13. This looks like a fascinating book. I have been to Charleston several times, and really like the city. Thanks for the giveaway.
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

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  14. email subscriber
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  15. GFC follower
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  16. This book sounds like it has good character descriptions and I enjoy good characterizations.
    seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com

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  17. I subscribe via GFC as Sandra K321.
    seknobloch(at)Gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  18. I follow this blog on Bloglovin (Google). I would like to enter the contest to win the book.

    pboylecharley(AT)hotmail(dot)com

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  19. I would love to win this book because I've never read this author's books before, and this one sounds really good. I really like the cute cover. Thanks for this chance.

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

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  20. I follow on GFC as Anita Yancey.
    Subscribe via email.

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  21. As soon as I saw this one coming out, I knew I had to have it. I'm kind of ashamed to say that even though I have Saving CeeCee Honeycutt on bookshelf, I have NOT yet read it. I'm thinking I'll have both and just read them over a weekend!

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Welcome, thanks for stopping by. Now that you've heard our two cents, perhaps you have a few pennies to throw into the discussion. Due to a bunch more anonymous spam getting through, I've had to disallow anonymous comments. I try to respond to all comments posing a question, but may not always get to you right away.