GIVEAWAY: Julia’s Child by Sarah Pinneo
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…
Julia’s Child by Sarah Pinneo
Julia Bailey is a true mompreneur, a wife and mother of two boys who is desperately trying to get her business off the ground. After…
Interview with Kathleen Long
Why did you want to write Chasing Rainbows?
Hi, Samantha! Thanks for letting me visit with you all at CLP today. Chasing Rainbows is truly the book of my heart. I never fully understood that phrase until I sat down to write this story. Much of Chasing Rainbows is based in truth, so the writing journey was emotional and personal for me.
At the time I wrote the book, I’d been writing romantic comedy and romantic suspense, but longed to write a bigger, deeper book. My father had died suddenly, and I found myself writing a story that mirrored much of my emotional journey. In Chasing Rainbows, Bernie’s father dies in exactly the same way my father died. Her grief makes her realize she hasn’t fully dealt with the grief of losing her daughter, much like my own life. Although the emotions are based on my own, the characters and their individual stories are pure fiction, offering what I hope is an entertaining mix of quirky characters and poignant moments.
With Chasing Rainbows, I wanted to write about one woman’s journey out of the fog of grief back to a life full of possibilities.
What is the hardest part about writing for you?
For me, the hardest part of writing is starting the story. While I don’t plot out every single detail of a book, I need to know where each character is headed and why. If I’m not fully immersed in the characters and their motivations, I find it difficult to write quickly, and I love to write quickly. Writing fast is the process that works best for me. Once I have the foundation of the story ready to go, I’m set. It’s that initial brain work that takes the most time, and considering I spend much of my time negotiating deals with a stubborn six-year-old, quality brain time is a precious commodity in my world.
What is the most rewarding part of being published?
The most rewarding part of being published is two-fold for me—the personal and the professional. Personally, being published is the achievement of a life-long dream. I’m proud that I set a goal and worked hard to succeed. I studied my craft, studied the markets, entered contests and attended conferences. I did my homework. My greatest joy is in knowing I’ve set an example for our daughter, letting her know that dreams can be achieved if you’re willing to work for them. Professionally, the most rewarding part of being published is the contact with readers. I love receiving reader mail and hearing one of my stories struck a chord with someone. There are over one million copies of my books in distribution worldwide. That’s a humbling number. I’m very fortunate to do what I do.
Are you currently working on another novel?
Yes! I’m currently working on the first book in what will be a romantic thriller trilogy centered on The Body Hunters, a group of private citizens who use their skills and capabilities to pursue the victims and criminals society has forgotten. The first book, Vanished, will be released in April. Vanished is the story of Grace Arthur, whose young daughter disappears in exactly the same manner in which her sister vanished years earlier. When the police declare her daughter’s disappearance a case of parental abduction, Grace joins forces with The Body Hunters to bring her daughter home.
Do you have a writing routine you try to stick to?
Before my daughter was born, my time was my own. I primarily wrote in the early morning, but if I was in the thick of a story, I had the freedom to write for fourteen hours straight. I no longer have that flexibility, so I’ve had to relearn my process. For a while, I tried to write late at night. That didn’t work out very well. Now, I’m back to morning writing, working on my portable keyboard as soon as I return from walking my daughter to school. My rule is a minimum of 1000 words when I first sit down. Anything after that is gravy. When the book is flowing, the word count piles up, but even on those tough writing days, I make sure the first 1000 words happen before I shift gears to anything else on my to-do list.
How important do you think blogs and/or social media are to authors?
I believe blogs and social media are very important, but that’s just my opinion. They don’t work for every author. I think an author’s approach to social media depends on their personality. For me, blogging and social media provide a means to build relationships, and I think book marketing—like any other sort of marketing—is about relationship building. That being said, I am not the most active blogger or social media whiz in the world. Far from it! I do what works for me, and I’m happy for the friendships and contacts I’ve made.
I used to maintain my own blog and tried to post something every day. Then I realized writing my blogging was cutting into my creative writing. I phased out the blog. I miss that communication with readers, and think about going back to it someday, but a daily blog isn’t what I need most at this stage in my career. Right now I need daily page production on the next project…and the next…and the next.
What is your advice for aspiring writers?
My advice for aspiring writers is always the same. Learn your craft. Study the markets. Educate yourself. Network. Read. Write. Most importantly, never quit!
Thanks for hosting me today, Samantha!
GIVEAWAY: Favorable Conditions by Kathleen Kole
Pat Keegan thought, once her child rearing years were done, she would be throwing her arms around her husband and together they would be making…
Idol Hands by Cynthia Hill
Well. Huh. Okay then. I’d like to point out that it’s usually a good thing when I start off my reviews in a bit of a baffled state. This one is going to be hard to write given I try to stay away from spoilers. But I will say before I begin that I would recommend this book. In fact, I’m going to add it to my Favorites List! It had me literally squealing and slapping my head at the end. Idol Hands by Cynthia Hill is a story written in diary format by MC Tara. We meet her and can quickly see that she is in an unhappy marriage to a jerk of a guy. While watching TV one night, Tara sees a former boyfriend, Aidan, giving an interview. Aidan and Tara dated while she was in high school, and he was on his way to becoming a pop star in a boy band. Due to increasing fame, their relationship had to stay under wraps. Aidan says in the interview that he is still in love with an old girlfriend, and Tara believes he means her. She sets out on a journey to find him again – one that takes her from Canada to Philadelphia, then hitchhiking her way across the US to get to California. Her journey is harrowing, frustrating, and at times dangerous. But what will Tara discover when she finally makes it to Aidan? Is her that he still loves?
Without giving away the ending, I will say there is an incredible twist that I never saw coming! I was eating up the last chapters, frantically scanning the pages and trying to figure out what really happened. Idol Hands is definitely not a typical story, and I think I would use the word psychological when describing this twist in events. I do wish that maybe a little more was revealed, but I think Hill wrote the ending so readers can interpret it the way they would like. The writing was great, the diary format flowed along, and I would definitely recommend this book. Just be ready to talk about it – a lot – once you’re finished!
[Rating: 4.5]
Interview with Sue Watson
Q: Why is writing a passion for you?
That’s a really good question and I have a theory on this. I always wanted to be an actress and as a teenager spent a great deal of time involved in drama groups and studied English and Drama for my university degree. However, for some reason I gravitated towards the writing side of drama and ended up working in TV writing scripts and developing programme ideas. When I left my career to write I suddenly felt alive again and escaping into each character’s life was just like acting. There’s a great deal of me in Stella the heroine in Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes, so it was easy to get inside her head, but I believe my drama training also enabled me to get inside the other characters too. I like to think as a result of this the dialogue and actions are real and the people in my books are fully developed and believable.
Q: What gave you the idea for Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes? And how did you come up with the hilarious title?
The idea had been in my head for years. A friend once told me she felt she was wasting her life and would love to leave the corporate world she worked in to stay at home to look after her kids and bake fairy cakes all day. She never did make her escape …life got in the way as it usually does… but she planted the seed for Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes. I was working long hours away from home and I completely related to my friend’s desire to chase her dreams before it was too late. For me the idea of being in a warm vanilla scented house waiting for another batch of cakes to come from the oven filled me with calm. It made me realise that there must be more to life than struggling on a daily basis to give an impossible 100% to everyone and everything. This made me think about the possibility of a different life – so when I left the frantic world of television I realised my dream to write. At the same time, I’m just like Stella in the book and I find deep comfort in the bottom of the mixing bowl and I always write at the kitchen table so I can be near the oven!
The title Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes came to me one day while I was having lunch with two friends. We were talking about cake and weight and it just amused me that three curvy ladies were worrying about how fat they were while obsessing about which cakes to choose for dessert!
Q: Are you currently working on another novel?
Yes, I have almost finished The Terrible Truth About Tanya Travis – my second novel, which is about a daytime talk show host with a dark secret. It’s written in the same style and is funny like Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes – it’s also set in the crazy world of television but it deals with slightly darker themes and is partly set in the hauntingly beautiful Nepal…. where a woman’s secret can stay hidden for many years.
Q: Do you have a certain writing schedule you try to stick to?
I do have a writing schedule – but I rarely stick to it! I have terrible self-discipline and ideally I should sit at my desk and write from 9 in the morning until 5 in the evening, but I don’t. I find all kinds of excuses to leave my desk – I bake, clean the cooker, call friends, blog, Tweet, text, FB – in fact I do any kind of writing other than the novel! It’s mad because once I sit down to write I can’t stop, I completely love it and immerse myself in the places and people I write about. It’s just the initial sitting down to start the process that I find hard. I am discovering a lot about myself through writing – and one of those things is that I am a deadline junkie. If my publisher gives me a date they need the book finished, I’ll do it – but will probably work 24/7 through several nights to get it done.
Q: Who are some authors that you would love to work with?
I would find it difficult to actually collaborate with another author as for me writing really is a solitary pastime. But there are authors I would love to have around while I’m writing. If I could share a desk with anyone it would be Jen Lancaster, whose book Such a Pretty Fat is one of the bravest, funniest books I’ve ever read. I think her ‘don’t give a damn’ humour, obsession with trashy reality shows and love/hate relationship with fabulous food must make us writing ‘twins!’ Yes, Jen is welcome to join me with her laptop at my kitchen table where we could share jokes and doughnuts while we write (though the commute between Chicago and Worcestershire in the UK might be a bit much and I think she’d miss her doggies!)
Q: Did you use any critique partners or beta readers during your writing process?
I was very lucky and have a lovely editor, Jo Doyle, who guided me through the whole re-editing process and I learned so much from her. Jo selfishly went off to have a rather gorgeous baby girl to match her delicious little boy, but I think she’s realised her priorities and will be back by my side shortly to turn Tanya Travis into a work of art!
I asked a very good and honest friend to critique my book in the final stages, and my best friend helped with the ending over a few glasses of red. For the next book I have asked a couple of friends if they’d be kind enough to get involved in the early stages (ie read the first draft) for me and I am delighted to say they’ve agreed. I think early input from honest friends/readers will be really useful as they will bring a fresh perspective to the writing and perhaps come up with solutions for any knotty plot problems.
Q: What is your favorite desert- be specific!
Now that’s a tricky one because I have a short list of about 700! I adore Chocolate fudge cake, Raspberry Pavlova and homemade strawberry shortcake – but my favorite is a really chocolatey mousse with a consistency so thick it sticks to the roof of your mouth and fills your heart with melted chocolate. AND it’s a pre-requisite that all the above have to be steeped in heavy cream.
Q: Can you share any of your favorite recipes with us?
I have lots of favorite recipes, but the one I love the most is my white chocolate and cranberry Christmas Fairies which are in the book. Stella creates the most amazing cakes and tarts from Chocolate Chilli Cha Cha Fairies to Inebriated Christmas Tarts and when you’ve finished the novel, you’ll find all the recipes at the back. The recipes are my own original ‘designs’ and have been triple tested to be utterly fabulous!
Q: Where would be your dream vacation?
My family and I LOVE the US. We have holidayed in Florida several times (my husband is now a big Rays fan) and in April this year we visited New York which was amazing – especially the bakeries … and the cupcake possibilities were endless. However, we’re hoping to go on our dream destination next Summer and visit California – I’m dying to see LA and San Francisco. I may even set the sequel to Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes somewhere around Hollywood – I think Stella, Al and Lizzie would just LOVE a little bit of film star fairy cake action.
Q: What is your advice for aspiring writers?
Never give up.
I have written about my own rocky road to publishing on the Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes Blog and I have been very honest. Writing a book isn’t easy, it can be fun and wonderful, but it’s not easy, but the hardest part is sending it to publishing houses and agents and receiving the inevitable rejections…. then starting all over again. It’s important to fight the natural instinct to give up because it’s so hard to keep believing in yourself when it seems that nobody else does. Around the time the millionth rejection comes in your friends (and even family) will probably start to question what you’re doing and why you are doing it. This makes you question yourself. Go through this process and don’t blame anyone for giving up on you, it’s human nature… just never, ever give up on yourself. I never gave up because deep down I believed I had something special and I just needed to convince everyone else and in order to do that I HAD to keep sending my book out and live with the hurt of more rejections.
Several years down the line with a three book deal the secret is – I never gave up, and that really is the key. To hold that book in my hand and be asked to do lovely interviews like this one is worth all the effort and the doubts and the pain – honestly.
Ask questions about your work, show everyone, anyone. Attend writing classes, edit and re-edit your work – even start again – but if this is really what you want then just stay focused and keep those three little words in your head. DON’T GIVE UP.
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I Hate You, Kelly Donahue by Mark Svartz
I Hate You, Kelly Donahue: DO NOT OPEN! Nothing to See Here, Just Boring Stuff or Empty Pages by Mark Svartz is an artistic, and very creative, portrayal into the life of a man struggling to come to terms with his feelings. It is often said that young boys will bully the girls that they like…and in this book, we have the perfect example of how some men never seem to grow past that stage. On the first day of a new job, Mark Svartz meets several interesting people, one of whom happens to be Kelly Donahue. He vows at that moment to plan her ultimate demise and fight her to the death; just how and when becomes the real question. We follow Mark for the next eight months and sixteen days, as he chronicles every hilarious thought, note, email, Post-it, and Craigslist ad used in planning her demise.
I LOVED everything about this book- the creativity, the uniqueness, the hilarity, and the extent of the planning. I laughed as I turned each page, devouring plot details and graphics, wondering where Mark would take me next on his journey through love and his relationship with Kelly. This book was pitched as the “perfect Anti-Valentine’s day book” and although that statement is true, it is so much more. I would recommend I Hate You, Kelly Donahue to anyone looking for a good laugh, or a good gift for a male friend. I give it a 5/5.
Blog Tour Sign Up: A Contented Mind by Samantha Hoffman
Bestselling novelist Meg Scott thought she was content traveling no further than the places she created within her mind. But when a troubled fan breaks into her home she reacts less like herself and more like a character from one of her novels. Packing up her Irish setter and violin, she leaves her secluded home behind. Soon she discovers, what’s waiting for her on the West Coast, is more than just a change of scenery.
Standing on the balcony of her new beach-front home with her violin, Meg hopes to set free forty years of sadness, but in the process creates a melody her new neighbor can’t ignore. With gentle hands on the piano he works to match her note for note.
But when her best friend Devon Hathaway uses his connections in the music industry to arrange a once in a lifetime audition for a rock band in need of a violinist for their new acoustic album, Meg jumps at the chance, and lands the gig. Shaking hands with the band’s drummer, Jadon Hastings, she finds more than just inspiration for her latest novel.
Swept away with the whirlwind of a European tour, Meg plants her feet on what feels like solid ground. Standing in the place where she can finally grasp everything she’s ever wanted it’s snatched away with one strategic move by Devon, who isn’t ready to give up hope that one day she’ll be his.
Finding her inner strength, and the courage to use it, Meg rips apart the lies that were carefully used to reshape her world, just to discover – those you trust – can’t always be trusted.
Chasing Rainbows by Kathleen Long
Kathleen Long is on tour with CLP Blog Tours. I absolutely adored Chasing Rainbows. Once I started, I simply could not put it down. If it weren’t for work beckoning my name, I would have sat and read this is one sitting. The main character is Bernadette Murphy, a woman who has been having some rough years. From the death of her daughter to her husband leaving her for another woman to her dad passing away, Bernie finally snaps under the pressure. I think it would have been easy for Bernie to come off as whiny or even pathetic – she lets herself binge eat and gain weight, she lashes out her best friend, she seems to always be rude to the friendly next door neighbor – but she didn’t seem that way to me at all. For everything she has been through, the breaking point has to eventually come. I believe it’s what happens after you reach that point. Bernie may struggle throughout the novel, but she learns and is opening to the life lessons, many which come through a series of cryptograms that her father left her before he passed. Bernie’s story really touched me. I was laughing during the book, I shed a few tears, and it’s a book that just made me sit and think. Long is an exceptional writer, and Chasing Rainbows is the latest novel to be added to my Favorites List. A must read for women!
[Rating: 5]
