Interview with Erik Atwell

 Why did you want to write Thank You For Flying Air Zoe?

Hi Samantha! Real quick before getting to the Q&A, I want to thank you for both having me here on Chick Lit Plus, and for putting together this ridiculously cool blog tour!

Okay, so… Why did I want to write Air Zoe? Maybe because I felt I owed it to readers to share my experiences about being in an all-girl garage band.

Kidding. I do that a lot. Hopefully it won’t get too annoying.

The truth is, I wrote this story because I very much wanted to tell a universally relatable story about reconnecting with one’s youth. I think that for many, adulthood arrives without much warning, and it often leaves our wildest and most unbridled dreams in the dust. To me, this is sort of a bummer. Granted, adulthood brings with it a full boatload of responsibilities, and we can’t all just pitch everything on a whim and backpack through Europe whenever an adventurous itch needs to be scratched. But I believe that with enough emotional maintenance, we can hold on to the urgency and energy of our youth.

I think that one of the many keys to happiness is to live without regrets. And for the most part, I’ve followed this blueprint well. Though I’m still slightly bitter that I never won an Olympic gold medal. I was kind of a hotshot on skis as a six-year-old, but looking back now, I see where it all went wrong.

Not enough training and too many trips to the local DQ.

Oh well. I’m sure the chocolate milkshake has derailed many amazing athletic accomplishments over the years, huh?

Anyway, I thought it would be both challenging and fun for me as a writer to take a shot at writing a story about a woman who wanted to correct her life’s one big regret. And really, didn’t we all dream of being a rock star at some point during our childhood?

 What is the hardest part about writing for you?

That’s an easy one… Starting. Starting a new story, starting a new chapter, starting the day’s writing session. Just plain trying to get out of the gate and hit my stride. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet located the little on/off switch that will allow me to be a writer one moment and a rational, agreeable, and normal person the next. I can do my best to schedule a specific writing time, but unless my mind is properly slanted toward creativity in that moment, I will be utterly useless as a writer.

Conversely, my favorite part of writing is barreling past all of those horrible potholes and speed bumps that clutter up my path. Once the story gains speed and the writing is in rhythm, that’s when the whole process can be pure bliss.

 What is the most rewarding part of being published?

Now see, this is such a great question that I’m having a hard time starting my answer! (*grin*)

Maybe this is because there are so many possible answers. For one, being published eliminates what would likely be a massive regret were I to never publish a novel. I think that’s the basic reward as dictated by my unofficial Bucket List. Been writing a while. I really wanted this.

A rewarding memory that’ll forever make me laugh… When the book first came out, I received three boxes of author copies. So I did what any sane person would do — I stacked all 96 copies on top of one another to see whether or not I was taller than the stack! I was, but not by much. And wow, wasn’t there a spectacular moment of pure panic when at about 80 books high, the tower started to topple! Anyway, I think that the sheer lunacy of building my own little Air Zoe high rise kind of captured the euphoria of being published. You don’t quite know what to do with yourself, so you end up going slightly cuckoo. I’m surprised I didn’t try to build a fort!

But I think that the most rewarding part of being published has to be hearing compliments from readers and reviewers. It’s definitely a trip when you check your daily websites and see that someone has taken the time to share their thoughts about your novel. And if you’re lucky enough to get four, or even (*gasp*) five stars for your work?

You kind of spaz out a little. Maybe do a somersault/handstand/Macarena combo. It’s not all that pretty, but I find it effectively conveys the right amount of enthusiasm.

 Are you currently working on another novel?

Not at the moment, but this is only because I’m currently working on being a new dad, and the little one has staked a claim to my schedule for a while. That said, I’m definitely eager to get something else out there soon. Right now I’m looking at two options.

Option One… I already have a finished draft of a pretty nifty novel called Most Likely To Succeed that I wrote prior to writing Air Zoe, but it needs to have maybe a hundred or so pages lopped off around the edges. It’s just way too long. I think I thought I was the Tolstoy of chick lit or something.

Option Two… Maybe a sequel to Thank You For Flying Air Zoe? Yeah, this is what I’d love to write next, provided this first effort can win over enough of an audience to justify an encore performance. I even have an (extra top secret) title and storyline swimming around in my head!

 Do you have a writing routine you try to stick to?

Once upon a time in the pre-fatherhood era, yes. I would spend mornings lost in impossibly deep thought over what I would write later that day. And by that, I mean that I pretty much surfed the internet while watching SportsCenter and drinking way too much coffee. On occasion, I might write what I thought was a cool sentence or two as I prepared to tackle the project that afternoon.

Afternoon would arrive, and I would be raring to go! But after even more coffee, I would usually conclude that my cool sentences were not at all cool, and I was probably going to have to give up on this writing thing for good. I imagine that in my mind, I have given up on having a career as a writer close to five thousand times. “I should quit writing,” I would say to myself. “I should quit writing, and instead focus on trying to make the 2014 Olympic Ski Team!”

Fortunately, I’m not very good at quitting. And sure enough, by late afternoon, while in full sulk over my epic creative inabilities, the proverbial bright idea light bulb would suddenly shine brightly overhead. I would then hurry to the computer, hammer out a few paragraphs — or even pages — and thus make an amazing and dramatic eleventh hour save of the project!

Then the very next morning, I would wake up, make coffee, read these allegedly brilliant things I’d written the day before, and think, “Wow, this is kind of awful.”

Lather, rinse, repeat! (*grin*)

 How important do you think blogs and/or social media are to authors?

Given the web’s global reach, I think that blogs and such are an absolute necessity these days. I recently wrote a blog post announcing this Blog Tour, and I joked about how traditional book tours are just so 20th century. Sure, some of the more established authors hit the road and draw large crowds at signings, but us debut authors don’t have the resources needed to facilitate such promotion. Social media, however, gives us a bit of a fighting chance to compete. Still, it takes work to connect with others through blogs, or sites like Facebook and Twitter, because with so many writers out there trying to get noticed, the creative chaos can be tough to sift through. Too many voices at one time can create a white noise wherein none of the voices are truly heard.

I’m definitely still learning how to best utilize social media, but it seems to me that a good strategy is one that comes pretty naturally to me, and that is to both know and respect that fine line between connecting and self-promoting. My own blog is almost criminally primitive, but it achieves what I believe is its most vital goal – it helps me connect with readers on a more personal level. And if you can give readers a chance to care about you as a person, I think they’re more inclined to support your career as an author.

So yeah, I think that blogs can be fantastic little windows into the worlds of authors they might otherwise never get to know. I mean if I had this same fledgling career a dozen years ago, would my audience know that I’m a new dad who’s now rockin’ a burgundy minivan?

Wow, did I just admit that?

What is your advice for aspiring writers?

I would tell them this… Don’t stop believin’, hold on to that feelin’. Don’t lose your grip on the dreams of the past, you must fight just to keep them alive. You’ve gotta hold on to what you’ve got, it doesn’t really matter if you make it or not… And… Um…

Okay, time out.

Can you tell that I’ve spent the last few months mired in 80s music?

Kidding aside, there’s actually a whole lot of sound advice within the 80s lyrics mash-up above, cliché though it all may be. Unless you’re incredibly lucky and/or impossibly talented, you are going to need enough belief in yourself to overpower rejection. Because it probably will happen, and when it does, you will question your own voice. You will doubt that you have what it takes to make it in an industry that is growing increasingly tougher to break into.

And you know what?

That is totally okay. Maybe you don’t have what it takes — at least not yet. However, maybe you’re close, and all you need is to keep trying. Keep studying the writings of others. Keep picking yourself up when you stumble and fall. Keep writing, because your creative evolution demands that you never give up. And above all else, don’t beat yourself up if you’re struggling. Because writing isn’t easy, and struggle is just part of the program. Personally, I’ve always found that the less pressure I put on myself to succeed on others’ terms, the better my writing is. Seems to me that the less you worry about the outcome, the more likely you are to see results.

I have a favorite quote that fits here and will be a nice parting sentiment. It comes from Anonymous. I don’t know about you, but I hope that someday they discover who Anonymous is, because he/she says tons of quotable things.

The quote: “The worst thing you write is better than the best thing you didn’t write.”

Remember this and just write.

Thanks for everything, Samantha — I’ve had a blast being here.

Like, totally!

Author Profile: Deborah Cloyed

Author: Deborah Cloyed

Website: http://www.deborahcloyed.com/

Bio: DEBORAH CLOYED lives in Los Angeles, in Humphrey Bogart’s old room with a view. As a photographer, travel writer, or curious nomad, she’s previously resided in London, Barcelona, Thailand, Honduras, Kenya, and New York City. She’s traveled to twenty other countries besides, several as a contestant with her childhood best friend on CBS’ The Amazing Race. She runs a photography school for kids and is happily at work on her next book – a nonlinear love story set against the political violence in Kenya 2007-2008.

Titles: The Summer We Came to Life

See my review of The Summer We Came to Life

Debut Author and Titles: January 2012

Debut Authors and Titles – January 2012

Title: Point, Click, Love

Author: Molly Shapiro

Available: January 1, 2012

Synopsis: In Molly Shapiro’s fun and sexy debut novel, four women try to sort through the wild and complicated world of text messaging, status updates, and other high-speed connections.  

Best friends and fellow midwesterners Katie, Annie, Maxine, and Claudia are no strangers to dealing with love and relationships, but with online dating and social networking now in the mix, they all have the feeling they’re not in Kansas anymore. Katie, a divorced mother of two, secretly seeks companionship through the Internet only to discover that the rules of the dating game have drastically changed. Annie, a high-powered East Coast transplant, longs for a baby, yet her online search for a sperm donor is not as easy—or anonymous—as she anticipates. Maxine, a successful artist with a seemingly perfect husband, turns to celebrity gossip sites to distract herself from her less-than-ideal marriage. And Claudia, tired of her husband’s obsession with Facebook, finds herself irresistibly drawn to a handsome co-worker. As these women navigate the new highs and lows of the digital age, they each find that their wrong turns lead surprisingly to the right click and, ultimately, the connection they were seeking.

Title: Julia’s Child

Author: Sarah Pinneo

Available: January 31, 2012

Synopsis: A delectable comedy for every woman who’s ever wondered if buying that six-dollar box of organic crackers makes her a hero or a sucker.
Julia Bailey is a mompreneur with too many principles and too little time.  Her fledgling company, Julia’s Child, makes organic toddler meals with names like Gentle Lentil and Give Peas a Chance. But before she can realize her dream of seeing them on the shelves of Whole Foods, she will have to make peace between her professional aspirations and her toughest food critics: the two little boys waiting at home. Is it possible to save the world while turning a profit?
Julia’s Child is a warmhearted, laugh-out-loud story about motherhood’s choices: organic vs. local, paper vs. plastic, staying at home vs. risking it all.

Title: Bond Girl

Author: Erin Duffy

Available: January 24, 2012

Synopsis: When other little girls were dreaming about becoming doctors or lawyers, Alex Garrett set her sights on conquering the high-powered world of Wall Street. And though she’s prepared to fight her way into an elitist boys’ club, or duck the occasional errant football, she quickly realizes she’s in over her head when she’s relegated to a kiddie-size folding chair with her new moniker—Girlie—inscribed in Wite-Out across the back.

No matter. She’s determined to make it in bond sales at Cromwell Pierce, one of the Street’s most esteemed brokerage firms. Keeping her eyes on the prize, the low Girlie on the totem pole will endure whatever comes her way—whether trekking to the Bronx for a $1,000 wheel of Parmesan cheese; discovering a secretary’s secret Friday night slumber/dance party in the conference room; fielding a constant barrage of “friendly” practical jokes; learning the ropes from Chick, her unpredictable, slightly scary, loyalty-demanding boss; babysitting a colleague while he consumes the contents of a vending machine on a $28,000 bet; or eluding the advances of a corporate stalker who’s also one of the firm’s biggest clients.

Ignoring her friends’ pleas to quit, Alex excels (while learning how to roll with the punches and laugh at herself) and soon advances from lowly analyst to slightly-less-lowly associate. Suddenly, she’s addressed by her real name, and the impenetrable boys’ club has transformed into forty older brothers and one possible boyfriend. Then the apocalypse hits, and Alex is forced to choose between sticking with Cromwell Pierce as it teeters on the brink of disaster or kicking off her Jimmy Choos and running for higher ground.

Fast-paced, funny, and thoroughly addictive, Bond Girl will leave you cheering for Alex: a feisty, ambitious woman with the spirit to stand up to the best (and worst) of the boys on the Street—and ultimately rise above them all.

Title:  Blame It on the Fame

Author:  Tracie Banister

Available: January 2012

Synopsis:  A power-trippin’ bitch, a has-been, a skanky ex-model, a press-shy indie queen, and a British stage actress no one knows – this is how the Best Actress hopefuls in this year’s too-close-to-call Oscar race cattily describe each other.  Which of them will win the much-coveted gold statue and what price will they be forced to pay as they travel the red carpeted-path to Hollywood glory?

Amidst all the press-schmoozing and angsting over which designer gown to wear, these Oscar contenders feud, commiserate, and face a succession of personal crises – scandalous secrets come to light, marriages implode, accidents land two nominees in the hospital while another receives news that could derail her career, all culminating on Tinsel Town’s biggest night when anything can happen, and does.

Author Profile: Alison Pace

Author Name: Alison Pace

Website: http://www.alisonpace.com/

Bio: Alison Pace is the author of the novels If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend, Pug Hill, Through Thick and Thin, City Dog, and A Pug’s Tale. Her essays have appeared in several anthologies including It’s a Wonderful Lie: The Truth About Life in Your Twenties, Everything I Needed to Know about Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume, and Howl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit.

Alison lives in New York City where she teaches creative writing and is at work on another book.

Her favorite city other than New York is Rome. Her favorite books, music, and TV shows change constantly though there will always be a special place in her heart for Willie Nelson, Cake, Wuthering Heights, and Will & Grace; her favorite movies are When Harry Met Sally, Manhattan, and Best In Show; her favorite movie line is from Rushmore when Luke Wilson says, “These are my O.R. scrubs,” to which Jason Schwartzman replies, “Oh, are they?”

See my four star review of A Pug’s Tale!

Bio retrieved from alisonpace.com

Author Profile: Elsie Love

Author Name: Elsie Love

Website: http://www.elsielove.com/index.html

Blog: http://skirt.com/e-b-loan

Bio: Elsie Love lives in the western suburbs, a mere stone’s throw from the great city of Chicago. She resides in her garden cottage with her husband, children, and numerous animals that require constant care.
Confessions of a PTA Mafia Mom, is her third novel. Her fourth book, Sixty Pounds of Sh*t & Counting, is a work in progress and should be ready by next spring.
In her spare time, Elsie lunches with the ladies, vacuums, and dreams of running away to paradise to live as a woman of luxury and extravagant means.

See my 5 star review of Confessions of a PTA Mafia Mom!

Bio retrieved from ElsieLove.com

Interview with Lauren Clark

Did you always wanted to be a writer? Yes. For as long as I can remember. Of course, my parents always remind that I also wanted to be an Indian princess named Tiger Lily, but that dream was more short-lived. On a serious note, I do have fond memories of spending my summer days toting stacks of books back and forth from my house to our town’s library. It always seemed like a magical place, with endless stories to get lost in.

You worked as both an anchor and producer after graduate school. How did that influence the writing of Stay Tuned? So much! It was an accident, really, getting into broadcast journalism. I always thought of myself as a behind the scenes kind of girl, but after my first day on the job, I loved it and stuck with it for the next 6 years. Working in television is never boring. There’s always a story, always the next show. The camaraderie in the newsroom is like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. It’s like living in a big, loud, mostly happy, very dysfunctional family every day.

What gave you the idea for Stay Tuned? True story:  A few months before I took my first television job as a part-time health reporter, the two main anchors at one of the local television stations (who were romantically involved) got into a fistfight. They were outside the building, in the station parking lot. Shortly thereafter, they were both fired. In the months that followed, the two of them bantered back and forth in newspaper editorials, threatened lawsuits, and fueled all sorts of crazy retaliation stories. I never forgot about that incident and always thought about what might happen if such a fistfight happened on air, during a newscast. What would happen? How would it be handled? Who would fix this kind of mess?

What did you learn from being on air? It’s very humbling, really. As a producer, especially, you are in charge of what’s being put out there—the news stories people watch and talk about each day. It’s a big responsibility to get it right. Not just sometimes, but all of the time. There were many sobering days—car accidents, house fires, school shootings—and those stories should be told with sensitivity and care. It’s someone’s son, daughter, or parent. Everyone matters.

What was your most memorable experience as an anchor or reporter?  

I was on set during 9-11. I remember sitting there with our weatherman and waiting to be cued to go back on air after the commercial. CBS cut in and showed footage from a plane crashing into the Twin Towers. It was surreal and awful. We were all in shock. It didn’t seem possible. All I wanted to do was go home and hug my son.

Was it a difficult decision to leave television? Yes and no. I loved so many parts of broadcasting. I was able to meet fascinating people – Vice Presidential Candidate Geraldine Ferraro, then-New York Attorney General Elliott Spitzer among many others. I adored the people I worked with, especially the folks behind the scenes. I was also fortunate enough to win several AP awards for anchoring and reporting.

On the flip side, I worked crazy hours (2 am – 10 am) and, as is typical in the industry, I received very little vacation time. I anchored every holiday (Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, you name it) and wasn’t able to spend much time with my young son. After more than six years, I “retired” from TV news. It was then that I really started to get serious about writing fiction.

How long did it take to write Stay Tuned? About five years, all said and done. I wrote several other novels before that—and those manuscripts will never see the light of day! When I began Stay Tuned, I had just given birth to my second son, so my writing time was very limited. After putting it away for several years, I picked it back up about 12 months ago, brushed it off, and had an editor-friend look it over. We made some changes, tweaked the story, and fine-tuned the plot. A few months back, I was offered a contract with a small publishing company. Another friend introduced me to the talented and fabulous Emlyn Chand at Novel Publicity, who helped guide me through the entire publishing process. It’s been a wonderful journey!

What’s next? A sequel or a stand-alone novel? Dancing Naked in Dixie is next (stand alone title) and I’m so excited to share that it’s been selected as a finalist for the 2011 Chick Lit Writers “Get Your Stiletto in the Door” Contest (Winner will be announced December 20, 2011.) Here’s the link: http://chicklitwriters.com/stiletto-contest/stilettocontest/stiletto-winners/

Dancing Naked follows the story of a talented but scattered travel magazine writer who returns from overseas only to find out she’s on the verge of getting fired. To save her job, she reluctantly accepts an assignment in the Deep South. She’ll be writing an article about Eufaula, Alabama’s annual Pilgrimage event, which is a long-standing spring tour of antebellum mansions (the location is featured in the Reese Witherspoon’s movie, Sweet Home Alabama). Upon arriving in Eufaula, Julia falls in love with the area, its cast of charming characters, and her handsome tour guide. When she discovers that a developer has big plans to buy up many of the historic homes and turn the area into a tourist site, it’s up to Julia to save the day.

What is your writing schedule like? With two growing, active boys and a busy husband, finding time to write is like looking for a missing Lego piece in a houseful of toys (Moms should appreciate that!) I often get up very early and write while everyone else is asleep or go to the lovely campus of our local university and shut myself in a study room. I love it there because I have to shut off my phone and I don’t have the password for an internet connection! No distractions! Of course, I do frequent two or three local coffee shops and draw inspiration from my daily dose of caffeine and good friends!

Who are your favorite writers? Favorite books? Gosh, there are so many! My all-time favorites include Emily Giffin, Sophie Kinsella, Jodi Picoult, Alice Hoffman, Jennifer Weiner, Chris Bohjalian, John Grisham, Amanda Eyre Ward, and Lisa See. I also love Lisa Scottoline, Janet Evanovich, and James Patterson. Favorite books include: Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees, Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper, and Stellaluna by Janell Cannon (this is a children’s book that I’ve read over and over to my two boys).

What advice do you have for aspiring writers? Read. A lot. Write. A lot. Revise. A lot. I’m not joking.

Anyone can write. Writing well is different. It takes focus, tenacity, and determination. I’ve heard Stephen King quoted as saying, “The first million words are practice. Malcolm Gladwell, in Outliers, says, “It takes 10,000 hours of purposeful practice to become expert at anything.” Just to be clear, at 4 hours a day (28 hours a week), that’s 7 years. I’m not quoting the experts to scare anyone or be a harbinger of doom. It’s the truth.

Pick up a copy of Stephen King’s On Writing. It’s brilliant and so true and funny in so many sections. My copy is ragged and well-worn! If you’re serious about becoming an author, learn as much as you can. Read blogs and books about the craft, network with other writers, or go to a writer’s conference. Edit your work. Proofread. Be professional, always. And above all, write!

Interview with Stephanie Haefner

When did you know writing was for you?

I guess I’ve always been a writer…keeping journals and writing little stories. But one night an idea popped into my head while we were having game night with friends. Instead of letting the idea float out of my head like I had with so many other ideas, I actually wrote it down and started crafting a story. That was about 6 years ago.

How would you describe your books?

Sassy, sexy, fun, and comedic, but also stories of deep emotion and love for family, friends, soul mates. All my characters go on a journey of self discovery and learn about themselves and what they really want out of life. I like to take readers through a range of emotions- laughter on one page, tears on another.

What is the hardest part about the writing process for you?

Editing and revising. Sometimes it’s really hard to know if something is working and if a certain scene moves the story forward or not. That’s when I need outside help. Beta readers are so so important!

How do you find the balance between being a mom, wife, and writer?

Not easily! I am lucky that I can stay home with my children. We’re not rolling in dough, but we make it work. My oldest is in full day school, so it helps to only have one child home during the day. He is almost four and a little more self sufficient. So he gives me moments to work throughout the day, in between snacks and meals and me doing whatever thing he needs me to do! Also, one day a week, when hubby gets home from work, I stay on the computer. He makes dinner, gets the kids bathed and in bed. And occasionally on his day off he will take the kids and give me the whole day to write. Basically, I take whatever time I can get!

What are your favorite genres to read?

I am a chick lit gal! I truly love stories of young women finding their way in life and love. I’m a sucker for a coming-of-age story! I adore romance, which in my opinion, there is a super fine line between chick lit and romance. And there are times I really like something a bit spicier than chick lit usually is!

What do you want readers to take away from your story?

I want them to find a character they can relate to, a friend, someone who has problems like they do, even if they are not the exact same problems. And that being happy and finding peace within your own life is important. I see far too many women who are not happy. I hope I can inspire them to make changes and find happiness.

I read on your website you are a former floral designer. What were some of the favorite parts of that job?

Weddings, hands down!! I worked in a flower shop for many years, and I was the one who sat with brides and did 85% of the floral work in the flower shop I worked at. I also ran my own home-based business for years, just doing wedding work. Whenever I hear of someone I know getting married…I wish I could do their flowers for them! I miss making wedding bouquets and seeing the look on a bride’s face when she saw her bouquet for the first time! And the pictures afterward…seeing how beautiful my creations helped make their day.

How important do you think social media is for authors these days?

I don’t know if I can fully stress how important it is. The publishing world is changing by the day, it sometimes seems. Writers getting their big break with a big 6 publisher is getting rarer and rarer. Small digital presses and self-publishing is booming. But these small presses and authors cannot afford major marketing campaigns. Hell, even the big 6 publishers won’t do it for newbie authors anymore. All authors MUST get out there and do their own marketing and promotion. They need to be where the readers are and many readers are online on social networking sites.

What is your perfect Sunday like?

My husband not working (he works most weekends), sleeping in, the kids coming into our room and us all laughing and playing with the cat. Get up and do something fun together as a family….go out to eat (we love to eat out!), no fighting or arguing from the kids. Home to watch a movie with a yummy snack. Kids in bed, then me and hubby having quiet alone time to watch one of our favorite shows or a great comedy movie.

Where is your dream vacation?

We love to travel and try to as often as possible, but usually we are very budget conscious. My dream vacation would be a money-is-no-object kind of vacation! Two weeks at Disney World at a deluxe resort, deluxe dining, all kinds of fun extras like dinner shows, fireworks cruise, every souvenir I want….spending every day in the Happiest Place on Earth!

What is your advice to aspiring writers?

Just keep writing. Keep learning. Find a writers group and get useful feedback on your writing. No one can succeed without support and other sets of eyes to tell them what doesn’t work, what’s confusing, where you have grammar mistakes.

 Visit Stephanie’s Website!

Thanks so much for having me Samantha!! As a thank you, I’m giving away a digital copy of my newest chick lit/romance release, Karma Kameleon, to one lucky commenter!! Please leave your email address!!

Interview with Chandra Hoffman

Where did the inspiration for Chosen come from?

CHOSEN was influenced and shaped by a trail of experiences and opportunities. It wasn’t as though I chose the adventures so I could write about them, but the stories shaped my life, and subsequently, a novel.

In 1995 I was a senior at Cornell University when I connected with a professor who wanted an aide worker to go into a Romanian orphanage and hospital where her own adoption was stalled. I volunteered, flying to Bucharest alone, not knowing the language or the social complexities that had created a country where most orphans were not without parents, just abandoned to a state-run foster care. I only knew I loved babies and travel, adventure. It was overwhelming, (I was given fifty infants my first day) and heartbreaking, nearly impossible for me to leave Bucharest to finish my degree at last I did. (You can read more about Romania here: http://www.chandrahoffman.com/blog/2010/7/23/digging-up-the-past-part-1-of-2.html)

After college, I couldn’t stop thinking about adoption, about the circumstances surrounding new life that will shape it forever. At the end of several years abroad, I applied for a position at an international adoption agency and ended up as the director of their US program, the sole caseworker juggling birthmothers and waiting families. I fell in love with both the city of Portland and the heady allure of a job so full of promise.

Like Chloe Pinter, I went into it with the intention of creating happy endings. Similar to when I stepped off the plane in Romania, I quickly scrambled to learn a new language and subculture; the business side of adoption. But as the months passed, I got too attached. I cried and raged at some adoptions that fell apart, and just as painfully for some that went through. I left not because I no longer believed in adoption, but because the potential for joy and heartache walking the razor’s edge was no longer something I was able to agent — my skin had become too thin.

Faced with our own pregnancy and an unexpected diagnosis at our first son’s birth, I pondered some of the deeper issues that formed the backbone of this novel. How does parenthood change you? How will the challenges you face shape you as a couple? What happens when your expectations of parenthood are so far from the reality? What makes a good parent? A good person? What happens when you get what you thought you wanted?

All of these courageous people whose lives had touched mine so intimately rattled around with me as I adjusted to that first year of new parenthood. Driving home from a pre-dawn airport run, exhausted from getting up to hang bottles for my newborn’s feeding tube, I stopped to get gas at a filling station not far from the very place where a child was abducted in my hometown twenty years earlier. Knowing this, I still fantasized about not lugging the car seat and its precious cargo out with me just to run in for a bottle of water… But what if I didn’t?

The idea for this novel was born out of that single scene. A mother so exhausted her judgment lapses; a grief-stricken, empty-armed father who takes advantage of this. The story is fiction—characters and settings and scenarios are as though I took a handful of experiences, marinated them in a childhood paranoia of abduction, seasoned them with the salt of my vivid imagination, put the whole thing in a bag and shook it up—but the themes are real, from my own life and from those I have been privileged to witness.

Are you currently working on another novel?

Last year on book tour in Santa Monica I was sleeping with the windows open to hear the ocean, and I dreamed the plot of my next novel–a love story set in the steamy Caribbean summer where the tragedies are not what they seem to be, and a hint of mystery. I’m so excited to share it with readers soon!

 What are some books that you have read recently and really enjoyed?

When I’m actively writing a novel, I tend to read more nonfiction and memoir so that I can stay consistent in my own narrative voice. As a gardener, I’ve been on a locavore food movement kick. Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Vegetable Miracle was an inspiration, and Kristin Kimball’s The Dirty Life a fascinating account of following your heart. I love the idea of being more connected to what we eat and creating a more sustainable lifestyle. I’ve been campaigning hard for chickens and recently had a little foray into goats… You can read about that here: http://www.chandrahoffman.com/essays/in-over-my-caprine-head.html

I love gardening beside my kids and creating an appreciation for food and the miracle of life, the return of spring after our icy winters. I know there is more of this in my future.

What are some hobbies outside of writing?

There’s a joke that my family of origin bred for brains, so it’s a wonder that sports take up so much of my hobby time, since I’m not a natural athlete. I’ve been running for years, see link: http://www.chandrahoffman.com/essays/running-for-my-life.html

which keeps me sane, and I play field hockey from March to November in a Philly sports league. After moving from the Caribbean where we mostly enjoyed water sports, my husband suggested we had better take up ice hockey in the Pennsylvania winter or we’d go nuts cooped up indoors with three little kids. I didn’t know how to skate but it turned out to be brilliant! We all play–even my littlest is putting on the pads–and I love that our town has an outdoor skating pavilion, so that I’m getting exercise and my critical time outdoors even in the long gray winter months. Ten years ago I never would have thought we’d be a hockey family, with my husband building a backyard rink and the Flyers obsession and our winter weekends having as many as twelve games, but it does keep us occupied, active and sane.

Where would be your dream vacation?

I’ve heard that you’re either a mountain person or a beach person. I’ve lived in the Caribbean and that breathtaking point where the Atlantic and Mediterranean meet in Tarifa, Spain, and I’ve lived in the mountains of Breckenridge, Colorado. While I can appreciate the beauty of mountains and enjoy hiking and snowboarding, I know for sure I’m an ocean girl. Relaxing and swimming and playing on the beach with my family and a pile of books and an umbrella drink is where it’s at for me.

Connect with Chandra!

www.chandrahoffman.com

Facebook: Chandra Hoffman, Author

Twitter @chandraKhoffman

Guest Post by Casey Crow

Holiday Traditions

Thank you, Samantha, for hosting me at Chick Lit Plus and helping me celebrate the release of my debut CAN’T FAKE THIS. I’m a huge fan of your blog, and it’s an honor to be here.

 A divorcee ready to reenter the dating world, Anna Ryan is determined to be the best “product on the market,” which requires a lot more experience so she propositions sexy police officer Chase Harris to teach her how to make hot, passionate love as opposed to just having sex. He takes it a step further, instructing each lesson based on The Twelve Days of Christmas.

Anna and Chase know what will keep them busy for the Twelve Days of Christmas. What about you? Do you have any special holiday traditions for you or your family? What’s your favorite? I love the craziness of Christmas Eve at my dad’s with all the grandkids tearing into to gifts all at once. I love the excitement of my children when they wake me up at six a.m. on Christmas morning, and I won’t let them go downstairs until I can get down there with camera in hand.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Merry Christmas!

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Can’t Fake This book trailer

http://www.caseycrow.com

Can’t Fake This Excerpt

Follow on Twitter caseyecrow and Facebook Casey Crow

Casey Crow is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from the University of Alabama with degrees in Business Management and Dance.  She received her Master of Business Administration from the University of Mobile.  Casey resides in Mobile where she stays busy with her two young children.  She also works as a dance choreographer, pageant coach, professional emcee and model, and certified Miss America preliminary judge.  In fact, she is a former Miss University of Alabama.  Casey writes erotic and spicy contemporary romances with the tagline “Sexy, Southern & Sassy.”  Visit her at www.caseycrow.com.  Follow her on Twitter – caseyecrow and Facebook – Casey Crow.

Interview with Ella Slayne

What made you want to write High-Heels and Slippers?

I had always liked the idea of writing a full length novel but I completely lacked the courage to do it.  When my Uncle Alan passed away suddenly, it was the catalyst I needed to get started.  It was a sharp reminder that life can be short and I decided not to waste anymore time.

How long did it take you to write the book?

Nearly four years. Of course I thought I’d finished after a year and half which shows how little I knew!

What was the hardest part in the writing process for you?

I think one of the hardest parts of the writing process for me was learning how to take negative feedback in a constructive way and not let letting it send me into the depths of depression!  At first I found it very hard to move on from a critique but actually I found that my book improved after I worked through feedback.  Now, I find that negative criticism is often the most valuable because it helps me improve as a writer.

What were some of your favorite scenes to write?

Well I like a bit of romance, and I was always rooting for Josie and Callum to get together, so it was fun writing scenes between their characters.  I also enjoyed writing the scenes with Tom in England, even though they were emotional.  It was cathartic in a way and my intention was always to write a chick-lit story with a poignant twist; I wanted Josie’s character to have layers. I hope I managed that!

What made you decide to give Josie her own blog?

Starting Josie’s blog was a huge learning curve for me.  I was completely new to the blog world but I wanted to test the market and see if there was an audience for a character like Josie.  Besides I felt she had a lot more to say than just what was in the book so the blog was a good outlet for her!  I’m so glad I did it, even though I was petrified at first.

Are you currently working on another novel?

Yes I am and I hope to release it in the Spring of 2012!  It’s called “Holding Me Up – A Life Without Jasmine” and it’s about Trisha Miller, a bereaved mother, trying to find a way to move on from the grief of losing her daughter.  It’s starts off in a dark place but I pull her out to somewhere good in the end!

You also do voiceover work. How did you become involved in this?

Back in England my plan, since I was a child, was to become an actress.  I studied Drama at Manchester University and then trained as an actress at the Webber Douglas Academy in London.  However everything was put on hold when I started having kids and moved to Belgium! A few years ago I made the decision to move forward with a voice-over career because I thought it would be flexible enough to fit around my family life.  I am proud to say that I’ve recently become a volunteer reader to the Dallas Reading Resource center which provides a huge variety of audio material for those people who can’t read. It’s a fantastic facility, they reach out to so many people, and it feels good to be using my training for such a good cause.

If you could be on any reality show, which one would you choose?

That is so easy! I am a HUGE fan of American Idol and The X Factor so I would have to be on one of those.  Although I’d prefer to be a judge if possible because it must be absolutely nerve-wracking to be a contestant!

Where would be your dream vacation?

I would be alone in an old stone cottage, half-way up a hill somewhere with a view of the sea, there would be a log fire, a steaming coffee pot, a tray set with jam and scones and a bookshelf crammed with books.  The only sounds would be the crackling fire, waves crashing back and forth and rain lashing against the windows.  I would be wearing cozy jeans, a pair of fleece slippers and a huge, but stylish, baggy jumper and I wouldn’t wash my hair for days! Ooh when can I go?

What is your advice to aspiring writers?

My advice to anyone wanting to start writing is the same advice I tell myself all the time (and it’s also the title of a FAB book by Susan Jeffers which I always recommend because you can apply it to all aspects of life): “Feel the fear – and do it anyway!”  Just get started and don’t delete ANYTHING at first. Let the story come out; there’ll be plenty of time to edit your work later.

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