It’s a pleasure to welcome bestselling author Beth Hoffman here today as her amazing book, LOOKING FOR ME, is now available in paperback.
To celebrate the release, Beth is giving away one print copy of LOOKING FOR ME to a lucky visitor to Thoughts in Progress. Please see the end of the post for details.
Here’s a synopsis of the book and you can also read my thoughts HERE from my review last year:
Teddi Overman loves her family and the simple life they share on their Kentucky farm, but when high school graduation nears and her mother pushes her towards secretarial school, Teddi knows it's time to strike out on her own and pursue her dream of working with antiques. Gifted at refurbishing furniture and possessing an uncanny knack for uncovering the beauty and history in what other people discard, Teddi leaves Kentucky in the middle of the night and makes her way to Charleston, South Carolina.
There, Teddi builds a new life for herself, and makes her dream come true in a small antiques shop frequented by a cast of quirky customers and friends. But each time Teddi, now thirty-six years old, leaves Charleston and visits the farm of her youth, she's drawn to the mysterious beauty of Red River Gorge, where her brother went missing at the age of seventeen. Though everyone believes that her beloved brother is dead, Teddi never gives up hope of finding him.
When circumstances lead her to clean out the old barn, Teddi makes a discovery that challenges her in ways she never could have imagined. And while trying to fit together the pieces of her family's shattered past, Teddi unwittingly finds herself among the ruins.
Please join me in welcoming Beth as she graciously answers some questions about her writing.
With the international success of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, was it hard to dive into your next novel?
Beth:
Yes! Expectations are high, and writers can become nearly paralyzed when facing the challenge of crafting their second book. I had to constantly tell myself: Just write what you want to write. I was adamant in my desire to create something fresh and entirely different. What matters most as I maneuver through my writing life is that I keep growing and exploring new subjects, settings, and characters.
Did your interior design background influence your characters in Looking for Me?
Beth:
Over the course of my design career I had the opportunity to observe true craftsmen work magic on antique furniture restorations. That’s why I wanted Teddi to be an expert in furniture restoration and faux finishing. But Teddi quickly took off with her own persona and quirks. One of the things I’ve learned while crafting a novel is to get out of the way and give my characters freedom to live and speak and think without much interference from me. Many times they’ve brought me major storyline revelations that I hadn’t even considered. It’s a fascinating process.
The wildlife portions of the novel are powerful. Did you do a lot of research?
Beth:
Since early childhood I’ve loved (and studied) wildlife and nature, so those scenes were easy to create. On my grandparents’ farm the crop fields backed up to hundreds of acres of dense woodlands that I often explored with endless curiosity. Fox, white-tailed deer, raccoons, rabbits, woodchucks and countless birds (from raptors to tiny chickadees) were frequent visitors to our farm. Wildlife was a big part of our everyday lives.
Are you working on a new novel?
Beth:
As a matter of fact, I have two novels in the works and I’m having a hard time deciding which one I should concentrate on first. It’s a dilemma that I never thought I’d face, and it’s driving me crazy! I know myself well, and I can’t write them simultaneously, so I’m hopeful that after I finish the paperback tour of Looking for Me that I’ll know which novel should have my undivided attention.
Beth, thanks for joining us today and sharing this look at LOOKING FOR ME. I’ll admit am one of those fans that hopes you finish both books soon. Can’t wait to see what they are about.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Beth Hoffman is the internationally bestselling author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt and Looking for Me. Before beginning her writing career, she was president and co-owner of an interior design studio.
Beth lives, along with her husband and their four-legged fur-kids, in a historic Queen Anne home in Kentucky. Her interests include the rescue of abandoned and abused animals, nature conservancy, birding, historic preservation, and antiquing.
For more on Beth and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
PRAISE FOR LOOKING FOR ME:
"Hoffman's novel of a woman putting the pieces of her family's secrets together combines a deep dramatic impact with Southern charm." -- Publishers Weekly
"Hoffman has a good ear for dialogue, and Teddie and her friends are realistic, appealing characters. Perfect for fans of family-centered women's fiction, this book will have special appeal to readers interested in antiques and 'shabby chic' style." – Booklist
Beth 's Spring/Summer 2014 Tour:
NAPERVILLE, IL, Anderson's Bookshop, May 1
WICHITA, KS, Watermark Books, May 6
KANSAS CITY, MO, Unity Temple (with Rainy Day Books), May 8
WOODSTOCK, GA, Foxtale Book Shoppe, May 13
FAIRHOPE, AL, Page & Palette, May 15
EVANSVILLE, IN, Vanderburgh Public Library, June 15
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
This giveaway is for one print copy of LOOKING FOR ME. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and ends at 12 a.m. Monday, May 12. To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and following the instructions. The widget make take a few seconds to load, please be patient.
Everyone, thanks so much for stopping by today. Have you ever refurbished any furniture, if so what was it? If not, have you ever considered giving it a try, but just haven’t gotten to it yet?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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I have two very different books to share with you today. Both are fascinating stories and will hold you captivate as you transcend into the wonderful world of the authors’ imaginations.
The Southern charm seeps out and surrounds you in LOOKING FOR ME. It’s heart-wrenching at times with laugh-out-loud moments woven throughout the story.
Narrator Jenna Lamia may live in Los Angeles, but she does an excellent job with the Southern flare in this story. Her cadence pulls you in and holds your attention while her mannerisms adds to the charm of the characters. Between Lamia’s vocalizations and the author’s vivid characters, listeners will feel they are a part of the story and won’t be ready to leave when it ends.
Teddi Overman grew up on a farm in Kentucky, but left home in the middle of the night when she was 18 leaving only a letter for each member of her family. She traveled to Charleston, South Carolina, where she began a career as an antiques dealer and faux-finishing specialist. There she built a life for herself with a group of zany friends - Olivia, Inez, and Albert.
Teddi is always drawn back to her family’s farm and the mysterious beauty of the Red River Gorge. It was there that her brother, Josh, went missing when he was only a teenager. While many, including her family, believe Josh is dead, Teddi continues to believe he is alive and thriving in the wilderness. Josh always had a special bond with animals and nature. He was the healer of animals and she was the healer of furniture. When signs that Josh might still be alive surface, Teddi’s world is turned upside and she begins searching for answers. Her path leads her to discover things about her family she never know and better understand how her brother’s disappearance tore her family apart.
LOOKING FOR ME is told from Teddi’s viewpoint as an adult while she copes with running her business; caring for her grandmother, Grammy Belle; and trying to decide where her life is going. The story reverts back to her childhood at times, giving glimpses of what the family’s life was like before and after Josh’s disappearance. There are bits of romance intermingled to add a good balance to the story.
While there is a bit of a mystery and some romance involved, this story is about family and life in general. It’s about how people face the hardships and triumphs in different ways and how we can know people, but never really know them - even family.
Author Beth Hoffman has created likable, well-developed characters that readers will want to visit again. She writes in such a manner that you feel the characters’ pain and sorrow, as well as their joy and hope. Hoffman’s eye for detail translates into vivid descriptions of the countryside and animals, the feel and texture of the furniture and antiques Teddi deals with, and the kaleidoscope of emotions the characters encounter. She draws you deeper into the story as she presents you with an element, only to withhold the true nature of the item leading you to ponder about it before she reveals all.
LOOKING FOR ME appears at first glance to be a lengthy book (and audio). However, as you’re pulled into the lives of Teddi and those surrounding her, you’ll begin to think it’s not long enough for you’ll want to know more and more. Be prepared with a box of tissue handy as there are moments of sadness and heartbreak, but hope always abounds. This is a story about the travels in one’s life and striving for happiness, compassion and family.
Author Beth Hoffman’s website is www.bethhoffman.net
Looking For Me by Beth Hoffman, Performed by Jenna Lamia, Penguin Audio, @2013, ISBN: 978-1611761702, Unabridged, 10 Discs, Listening Time: Approximately 12 Hours
Looking For Me by Beth Hoffman, Pamela Dorman Books, @2013, ISBN: 978-0670025831, Hardcover, 368 Pages
FTC Full Disclosure - The book was also sent to my by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
Life at Department Q remains a mixed bag of chaos and order as Danish detective Carl Mørck and his Syrian assistant, Assad, go about their daily work. This time around they are helped temp
orary by Yrsa, who is a story all by herself.
Narrator Graeme Malcolm does a wonderful job bringing the characters to life. His interruption and mannerisms give each character their own distinct voice. His cadence with the emotional aspects of the story draws the listener in and holds them spellbound.
Author Jussi Adler-Olsen brings his quirky characters back for a third installment in the Department Q series with A CONSPIRACY OF FAITH. The group takes on an old and unusual mystery when a message is discovered in a bottle. The note appears to be written in blood around 1996. It clearly reads ‘Help,’ but the elements have obscured much of the remaining words.
Yrsa and Assad slowly piece the message together letter by letter. The team soon locate the parents of the note’s author. However, when contacted the family refuses to talk about the boy and won’t say whether he’s alive or dead. As they continue their search, Mørck and Assad find the boy’s brother that was with him when the note was written. In doing so, they discover a serial killer is preying on the fears of certain religious groups and getting away with not only kidnapping and extortion, but also murder. The closer the Department Q team gets to finding the killer, the closer he gets to pulling off another kidnapping scheme with deadly consequences.
Mixed in with the search for the killer, Adler-Olsen gives readers a glimpse into the private lives of the Department Q team. In addition, he blends in antidotes of the police department’s daily activities.
Adler-Olsen has created well-developed characters with his main members of Department Q. He has made them likable and realistic with their own unique quirks. In addition, he has a knack for presenting villains readers loathe, but can’t help but have moments of compassion for. He gives the killer an appalling childhood that shaped his outlook on life and his attitude toward certain religious sects.
A CONSPIRACY OF FAITH is another intriguing case for Mørck and Assad with the help of Yrsa. Fans of suspense will find this book very appealing.
Author Jussi Adler-Olsen’s website is http://www.jussiadlerolsen.dk
A Conspiracy of Faith by Jussi Adler-Olsen, Performed by Graeme Malcolm, Penguin Audio, @2013, ISBN: 978-1611761627, Unabridged, 12 Discs, Listening Time: Approximately 15.5 Hours
FTC Full Disclosure - This audio book was also sent to my by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
Thanks for visiting today. Do you ever find yourself feeling sorry for the villain in a story? Have you ever had a story to inspire you to try a new hobby such as antique shopping?
I am delighted to welcome author Beth Hoffman here today to talk about her new release, LOOKING FOR ME.
This is a charming story that will tug at your heartstrings.
Thanks to Beth and Catherine at Penguin, I have a print copy to offer as a giveaway. Please see the send of the post for the details.
Here’s a brief synopsis:
Teddi Overman leaves her hardscrabble Kentucky farm life behind at the age of eighteen, running away in the middle of the night and leaving only a letter for each member of her family. In Charleston, South Carolina, Teddi builds a new life for herself as an antiques dealer with the help of a quirky group of new friends.
But each time Teddi, now thirty-six years old, leaves her antiques shop and visits the farm of her youth, she’s drawn to the mysterious beauty of Red River Gorge, where her brother went missing at the age of seventeen. Though long believed to be dead, signs of Josh begin appearing in the woods near the family farm, drawing Teddi back home again.
Beth has graciously answered some questions about her book and her writing.
After the success of SAVING CEECEE HONEYCUTT, how did you come up with the idea for LOOKING FOR ME?
Beth:
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.
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?
Beth:
I write about places I love, places to which I feel a deep connection. I wanted to 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.
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?
Beth:
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.
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?
Beth:
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.
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?
Beth:
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.
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?
Beth:
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.
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?
Beth:
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.
Beth, thank you for visiting and sharing a behind-the-scenes look at Teddi and LOOKING FOR ME. I can say your love of birds and nature comes through beautifully in this story.
For those who haven’t meet Beth before, she was the president and co-owner of an interior design studio before becoming a full-time writer. LOOKING FOR ME is her second novel.
She lives with her husband and two cats in northern Kentucky.
For more on Beth and her writing, visit her website at http://bethhoffman.net/
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
To enter this giveaway, please send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win Looking For Me.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. And, just so you know, I don’t share this information with anyone other than the publisher nor use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance to win a copy of LOOKING FOR ME is 8 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, June 13.
Thanks so much for stopping by today. Do you enjoy books that brings nature into your reading area or places you in the midst of the forest?
