Author Profile: Chandra Hoffman

Author Name: Chandra Hoffman

Website: http://www.chandrahoffman.com

Bio: Since graduating from Cornell University, Chandra has been an orphan relief worker in Romania, a horse trainer in the Caribbean, a short order cook in a third world hospital, the director of a US adoption program and an event planner for Philadelphia’s Main Line elite.

She has lived in eleven international cities and this wanderlust shaped her writing – in each novel, the setting is its own character, flavoring the story. She prefers to write about everyday scenarios, shining a light on the complexities of situations through the voices of multiple characters. Her debut novel, Chosen, uses the domestic adoption scene of Portland, Oregon as a backdrop to pose the questions “What happens when you get what you thought you wanted?” and “How far would you go if it might not be what you want anymore?”

Chandra received her MFA from Antioch University in 2007. She is now settled back in her hometown outside of Philadelphia with her husband, three young children and an ever-changing menagerie.

Title: Chosen

See my 4 star review for Chosen and read my interview with Chandra!

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On Tour: A Contented Mind by Samantha Hoffman

Samantha will be on tour May 21-June 4 with her novel A Contented Mind

Sometimes it takes seeing the dream before we find the courage to face the nightmare.

When young, our greatest fears are of the shadow figures that live within our sleeping mind. As we age, we discover what’s most frightening is a life not fully lived, desires left unfulfilled and a past that keeps us tethered in darkness.

Without realizing it, bestselling author Meg Scott, stepped into the life of her dreams. A new beachfront home on the West Coast; a far cry from her secluded home shared only with her faithful Irish setter on Martha’s Vineyard. A gig playing violin with a world renowned rock band about to depart on a European acoustic tour; friends that easily became the family she lost when young. And upon shaking hands with the band’s drummer, Jadon Hastings, love and desire she’d never known beyond the stories she wrote.

All too often, shadow figures arrive camouflaged as friends, and those who profess love are worse than those that once haunted our childhood nights.

Under a hazy California sun, Meg’s dream sits in clear view. To make it her own, she’ll have to confront not only her past, but her future. In doing so, she discovers – those you trust – can’t always be trusted.

Please visit CLP Blog Tours for all the tour stops!

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Excerpt: Sticks and Stones by Terri Giuliano Long

Excerpt: “Sticks and Stones: The Changing Politics of the Self-Publishing Stigma”

For better or worse, the days when they were the sole gatekeepers are behind us. Today, rejection by traditional houses says little about a book. “Some wonderful books [are rejected] for various reasons—nothing to do with quality,” says Jenny Bent. A publisher may reject a book because it doesn’t fit into a clear category. A traditional house may also turn down a book if it doesn’t have an obvious audience or if the author has too small a platform or a poor sales track with previous books.

In the old days, determined authors turned to self-publishing—or vanity presses, as they were called—as a last resort. Serious authors, concerned about being black- balled, dared not self-publish. As a result, talented authors like John Kennedy Toole, whose posthumously published masterpiece, A Confederacy of Dunces, won a Pulitzer Prize (1981), went to their grave believing their work did not measure up.

Today, many talented authors choose the self-publishing route and they do it for a variety of reasons. Jackie Collins recently shocked the literary world with her announcement that she planned to self-publish a new, rewritten version of her novel The Bitch. “Times are changing,” Collins said of her decision, “and technology is changing, so I wanted to experiment with this growing trend of self-publishing.”

Industry superstars like New York Times bestselling authors Barbara Freethy and C.J. Lyons use self-publishing platforms to market their out-of-print backlists. Other authors are drawn to self-publishing because of its flexibility, the ability to publish within their own timeframe, for instance—perhaps to leverage topical interest or mark an anniversary. Others authors self-publish out of a desire for artistic control.

Self-publishing can also be a practical way to build an audience. Today, publishers expect authors to have a solid platform. By self-publishing, emerging authors can build the fan base necessary to attract a traditional publisher for their next work. Other authors, long-timers as well as newbies, feel they can make more money on their own. At $2.99 a pop, authors earn nearly $2.00 on every eBook sale. Even at 99¢, with average royalties of 33¢ to 60¢, earnings on a hot-selling book can quickly out-pace the meager advance offered to all but the superstars by a traditional house.

These days—insult-hurling aside—traditional and indie authors are more alike than different. Mindful of their increased scrutiny, self-publishers take full advantage of the myriad professional services available to authors. Indies hire experienced editors to copyedit and proofread. For their cover and interior designs, some work with the same graphic artists who design for the traditional houses. Professionals are available and widely used to covert documents to digital and paperback formats, and POD printing has gotten so good that, to the typical untrained eye, print-on-demand books are virtually indistinguishable from books printed on an offset press.

Literary agent and publishing consultant Joelle Delbourgo, founder and president of Joelle Delbourgo Associates, Inc., formerly a senior publishing executive at Random House and HarperCollins, says some self-publishers go a step further and work with a professional publishing partner, a strategy she recommends. A publishing pro with a track record of success can bring an author to the next level, Delbourgo says.

For a few years, Bethanne Patrick, a publicist and media consultant also known as “The Book Maven,” creator of the global reading community Friday Reads, was skeptical of self-publishing. Through her work in social media, Patrick has read more indie titles and gotten to know writers who’ve chosen to self-publish. More and more indie authors, she’s noticed, seek the advice of freelance editors, publicists, and marketing consultants—and she’s intrigued.

As well-educated and experienced writers—emerging authors who’ve honed their craft as well as established and traditionally published authors—increasingly opt to go the indie route, the bar is rising.  As with indie musicians and filmmakers, indie authors bring new life to an evolving industry. Today, readers have access to a wealth of funny, poignant, brilliant voices of talented new authors from around the globe—voices that, just a few years ago, might have been silenced by the old guard.

The opportunity to self-publish—to publish their books their own way—has given both emerging and established authors more freedom than ever before. So, yes, now that readers choose which books to purchase and support, dollars may shift and some traditional authors may be forced to give up a slice of the pie. Change is never easy; inevitably, there are bumps and bruises along the way. But, like or not, indie publishing is here to stay. And the publishing world will be all the richer for it.

Please visit the full article on indiereader.com. Thank you to Terri for sharing these wonderful thoughts!

Point Click Love by Molly Shapiro

A new one for the Favorites list! I adored Point, Click, Love, the debut from Molly Shapiro. I started this book one night while curled up in my chair, and after what felt like ten minutes I decided it was time for bed – and realized I was 61% finished with the book! This is an absolute gem, and one for your must-read list.

The story follows four friends as they deal with some tough issues. Katie is a divorced mother of two who uses the internet to get back in the dating game. She has decided she is over relationships and love, she just want some casual sex and companionship.  But it Kate really ready for the world of online dating – and does she really in heart want to stay single? Annie has come to Kansas City from New York to get away and do something different from all her classmates – who are now all crazy successful – and has decided she is going to have a baby on her own.  But when the sperm donor she wants isn’t giving the goods anymore, she takes matters in her own hands. Maxine has the perfect marriage – or so everyone on the outside thinks. She hasn’t even shared with her best friends that she and her husband have stopped having sex and she thinks he is having an affair. She turns to gossip sites and immerses herself in the celebrity world – until a wakeup call outside of Jennifer Aniston’s house brings her back to her own reality. And Claudia has become over-the-top angry with her husband, who has seemed to lose any motivation to try to find a job and is obsessed with sharing too many details of his life on Facebook. When a relationship with a co-worker goes too far, Claudia has to decide what she really wants from her marriage.

I thought this debut was fabulous. I loved each character and reading about how they went through their troubles, how they thought they could fix them, and what their end results were. I will say I didn’t think of them as friends so much, there was very little interaction between them, but I enjoyed their stories none the less. It was refreshing to have a novel set somewhere else than New York or LA, and this was set in Kansas City, which I loved. Annie’s story turned just a bit unbelievable with the sperm donor, but I still can’t give this any less than 5 stars. A great read that showcases powerful women, and a very modern tale about the times we live in now.

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Blog Tour Sign Up: Rum Punch Regrets by Anne Kemp

Anne will be on tour in August with her chick lit novel Rum Punch Regrets. Please use the sign up form below if you would like to be included. A PDF copy can be supplied, or a mobi or ePub can be received on Net Galley. Anne will also be available for a guest post or interview, and book excerpts can be provided. I will contact everyone chosen to participate. Thank you!

In just a few short weeks, thirty something Abby George has endured the death of her mother, was dumped by her fiancé, and got laid off from her job.

Stunned and seeking a shoulder to cry on, she turns to her perfect older sister, Leigh. But instead of comfort, Abby receives a surprise: Leigh needs her in the Caribbean to help with some mysterious personal business.

While assisting in the sale and repair of a bed-and-breakfast, Abby uncovers a few huge family secrets as she juggles an unexpected roommate, quirky locals, and nasty centipedes.

Abby’s world is further complicated when two potential suitors enter her life. Can Abby get beyond her own psychodrama long enough to open her heart to someone new? Or will she neurotically make her romantic life worse?

Packing nothing but her suitcases and a sense of humor, Abby George travels down an unfamiliar road, but it’s all she can do to hang on for the ride…

Or will she wake up with “Rum Punch Regrets?”

Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson

Chelsea Ross, a former B-list actress whose acting career is pretty much at a standstill, knows she needs a new job. Mark Bressler is a former superstar hockey player, but a brutal car accident left this bad boy simply reliving his glory days. When Chelsea begins working as Mark’s personal assistant, all hell breaks loose. Mark is notorious for having his assistants quit within days, but Chelsea needs the money and is determined not to let Mark get to her. Through the fights, a sexual tension between the two starts to develop…and soon the two are in nothing but trouble.

I had a lot of fun reading Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson. It was fast-paced, fun, and hot! The romance between Chelsea and Mark was sizzling from day one, and it was interesting to see how the two always managed to push each other’s buttons. Both characters were special in their own ways, and even though Mark was this bad guy, I still really enjoyed reading about him. There was a deeper issue under the fights and sex, and that was Mark trying to recover from his accident, and how the love from Chelsea helped that process. A really fun read, and one for both chick lit and romance lovers!

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Chick Lit Author Blog Hop 2012

I’ve been wanting to write an article recently reminiscing about Chick Lit Plus. I always tell people starting CLP was the best decision I’ve made (besides recently undergoing Lasik surgery), and it is the truth. The friendships I’ve made, the professional connections, and the knowledge and opportunities that have come my way make me think of how lucky I am. I wear many hats – book reviewer, editor, blog tour coordinator, publisher, author – but I love my busy life and working hard at something I truly enjoy and can say with all my heart I have a passion for.

I fell in love with books at a young age, thanks to the influence of my mother and grandmother. I knew I wanted to be a writer myself, and after graduating college with my BS in business, I decided to put some sort of plan into action. I bought my first laptop (even though I was online student the last two years of college – figure that out) and started researching. I kept coming across book blogs, since I didn’t even really know what the word “blog” meant, I had to do some research on that. After I had a better grasp on blogging and what book bloggers were doing, I searched for a web designer and Chick Lit Plus was put into motion.

So, I had my blog. Then I froze. I remember thinking – how do I get followers? What books do I review? What did I get myself into? I started making trips to the library once a week, checking out anything that looked interesting (mostly those with pink covers) and spilling my thoughts on the book, posting them for everyone to see. I joined Twitter and made a Facebook page for Chick Lit Plus, starting accumulating fans, and within three months had authors and publishers sending me books to review.

Before I started CLP, I had already joined the chick lit fan club. Most books I was checking out could fall in the category, and I was absolutely adoring them. I dove deeper into the genre, looking for some fabulous books to be my first reviews. Which made the top five cut?

1. The Agency by Ally O’Brien
2. The First Assistant by Clare Naylor & Mimi Hare
3. Bliss by Danyel Smith
4. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
5. The Truth About Diamonds by Nicole Richie

It’s fun to look back at those first few books that caught my attention purely based on covers alone (besides Nicole Richie – I’ve always just been a fan). I actually didn’t even know Emily Giffin as EMILY GIFFIN when I read Something Borrowed. I checked out the book with a pink cover. Anything with pink, drinks, lollipops, or shopping bags made it in my pile. Now, I’m super lucky to be sent amazing books each week for my reviewing pleasure. I love being a part of the chick lit community, I am so thankful to all the wonderful people I have met along the way, and I’m thrilled to be taking part in the Chick Lit International Month for the second year in a row. Cheers to chick lit – now go read a book!

Contest Info:

I am giving away an eBook copy of my debut novel, Destined to Fail to one lucky winner! To enter, please leave a comment below, and be sure to include the words “chick lit” in your comment in order to be entered!

Grand Prize:

For a chance to win the Chick Lit Author Blog Hop Grand Prize of a $150 Sephora gift card, simply do the following:

• Collect all 34 of the secret words (you will find a secret word in each of the blog posts on the hop.)  The word will be italicized, so it will be easy to locate.  ***HINT***The secret word in my blog hop post is in the last paragraph, and is not a book title.
• Submit your list of 34 secret words to CLABlogHop@aol.com before midnight on Sunday, May 20th and you will be entered into the Grand Prize Drawing!
• The Grand Prize winner will be announced on Monday, May 21st, and the $150 Sephora gift card can be redeemed online, or at any Sephora store in the US.
• Chick Lit Author Blog Hop contests are open to residents of the United States only.

Please see the post below for a Linky list with all 34 participating authors/blogs.  You will have an opportunity to win a different e-book at each blog hop stop.  Good luck!

Prosper in Love by Deborah Michel

Prosper in Love is the debut novel by Deborah Michel, and I thought it was a sweet romantic gem. The story focuses on Lynn and Jamie Prosper, the perfect couple. They fell in love at first sight and are happily married, creating their new lives together. But cracks start to show when an old college friend of Lynn’s, FX, shows up and begins to stir up trouble. Before Lynn can get a handle on her fight with Jamie, she finds herself calling a divorce lawyer – only to learn Jamie has called first. The story follows the couple through their separation and impending divorce, and asks the question: is love really enough to make a marriage work?

While I thought Prosper in Love was an interesting book that explored a deep topic of marriage, love, family, there were a few flaws for me. The hardest part for me was never really understanding Jamie’s character, and how Lynn loved him so much. He seemed very controlling and it was like Lynn tried to do everything to make him happy, and seemed to forget about herself. That made it hard for me to connect with the book, but I was able to look past it because I found the story itself really fascinating. It made me talk to people about the characters and their situation, and I found myself having impromptu discussions about the book at work, home – even in the gym! That is what I love about a book. It was a little hard to understand why Lynn and Jamie were headed for a divorce without even saying really a word to each other about it, but that is something that I thought was really interesting. They were letting others – family, friends, mere acquaintances, take control of their lives. Overall, I was really intrigued by this novel, and definitely recommend this intelligent debut.

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Blog Tour Sign Up: The Way by Kristen Wolf

Kristen will be on tour in August with her fiction novel The Way. Print copies can be sent to US/Canada residents. Please use the form below if you would like to join. Kristen will also be available for a guest post or interview, and book excerpts can be provided. I will contact everyone chosen to participate. Thank you!

Anna is a fiery tomboy living in ancient Palestine whose androgynous appearance provokes ridicule from the people around her and doubt within her own heart. When tragedy strikes her family, and Anna’s father—disguising her as a boy—sells her to a band of shepherds, she is captured by a mystical and secret society of women hiding in the desert. At first Anna is tempted to escape, but she soon finds that the sisterhood’s teachings and healing abilities, wrapped in an ancient philosophy they call “The Way,” have unleashed an unexpected power within her.

When danger befalls the caves in which the sisters have made their home, Anna embarks on a hazardous mission to preserve the wisdom of her mentors by proclaiming it among ordinary people. Her daring quest and newfound destiny reveal, at last, the full truth of her identity—a shocking revelation that will spark as much controversy as it does celebration.

Anna’s story is one of transformation, betrayal, love, loss, deception, and above all, redemption. Readers will cheer for this unforgettable protagonist—and for debut novelist Kristen Wolf, whose beautifully written book both provokes and inspires. A compelling mix of history, myth, and fantasy, The Way is a fascinating exploration of the foundations and possibilities of human spirituality.

Guest Post by Marika Christian

           Confessions of a Phone Kitten

By Marika Christian

Write what you know. That’s what everyone says, and I decided that’s exactly what I had to do. When I wrote my book Phone Kitten, I worked on a phone sex line, all in the name of research–and a paycheck. One of the calls that make an appearance in Phone Kitten is an actual call I took–and one of the most interesting men I spoke to was Michael.

If you were to ask me what got Michael’s engine running, I would shrug and say, “I have no idea, but he sure likes Peter Frampton.”

    With Michael it was all Frampton, all the time. He worshipped the man. Me? Not so much. I missed out on the Frampton era, and if pressed I could name one single and was vaguely  aware of a pretty boy album cover that made me believe he was a teen idol (and not an amazing guitarist.) Michael’s goal was to dispel all my silly Frampton notions. He educated me on all things Peter, and boy was he a talker! It wasn’t unusual for Michael to talk for forty or fifty minutes a time, and while I would roll my eyes, getting “Framptonized” could run up to eighty or a hundred dollars. To that I said, “Yes, please.”

With most of my more “unusual” callers, I made it a game to figure out exactly what happened to make them hot for their particular fantasy. With Michael it was easy. I knew what had happened. Everyone in his life had already told him, “Enough with the Frampton!”

Michael called a lot, so much so I started to look for things to send him off his rails, just to liven things up, because trust me, endless chatter about Mr. Frampton’s utilization of the talk box can be mind-numbingly boring. At first I tried talking dirty, urging him to participate in a little self-recreation. Michael just talked over me. You see, Michael never indulged in, shall we say, “pleasure” while we talked. It really was all about continuing my Frampton Education.

I did a little research. I told Michael I googled Peter Frampton and I thought he looked like Leif Garrett. He went through the roof and did his best to explain why that was not the case. I remained unconvinced. I confused his songs with David Cassidy songs, guaranteeing a conversation on why Frampton was no bubblegum boy; Frampton was a rocker!

Finally, the opportunity of a lifetime: Frampton was going to be playing in my town! It was an outside concert venue in the middle of town, so I could grab a soda and sandwich at a café, dine al fresco, and listen to Peter do his thing, and that’s just what I did.

My next conversation was about Frampton’s music and was he ever delighted I went, although I had to mention that he was a little prune-ish.

As with all phone “friendships,” Michael eventually stopped calling. I like to think that  he met a nice girl, settled down, and at night the two of them slow dance to “Baby, I love your way . . .”

As for me, should I ever appear on Jeopardy, “I’ll take Frampton for five hundred, Alex!”

 Read my review of Phone Kitten!

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