Q & A WITH BETH
HOFFMAN
1.) After the success of Saving
CeeCee Honeycutt, how did you come up with the idea for LOOKING FOR ME?
When I finished touring with CeeCee, I had no idea what I
would write. The characters had become so real to me that I felt guilty
abandoning them to craft a different story. I especially had a hard time not
continuing on with Oletta. For several months I shut down all thoughts about
writing.
One day I sat at my desk and began going through stacks of old
photographs. The more I sorted, the more I thought about my family and my
childhood on the farm—how simple and uncomplicated life was, how much I missed
the big old barn and the woodlands that backed up to the fields. I stared out
the window and spent a good deal of time reliving those days, and while I was
caught up in the nostalgia, something flashed in my periphery. I turned to see
a red-tailed hawk land on a tree branch. I watched the morning light glaze
across his pale chest, and how, just before he settled, he spread his rusty-red
tail feathers to reveal the full spectrum of his regalia. I got a bit teary at
the beauty of him, and then …WHAM! I had the beginning of my story.
2.) You always write so beautifully about your novels’
settings, making the reader feel like they’re being transported to another
place. With LOOKING FOR ME, did you decide on the location of the
novel—Charleston—first, or did that come later? Did you spend a lot of time
there?
I write about places I love, places to which I feel a deep
connection. I wanted would write about a farm family, and when the character of
Teddi took form and she fell in love with the process of antique restoration, I
knew Charleston was where she would ultimately end up. I’ve spent a great deal
of time in Charleston and feel incredibly comfortable there. In many ways it’s
like a second home to me. Plus, with Charleston’s history of antiques shops and
gorgeous architecture, it was the ideal juxtaposition to Teddi’s life on the
farm.
3.) You write very personally about the novel’s other main
setting, the Overman farm in Kentucky. Being a Kentuckian yourself, do you have
a strong connection to Red River Gorge?
The Overman farm comes from my roots and my heart. Nothing makes
me happier or causes a flood of memories like setting my feet on farmland. I
chose the location of Red River Gorge as the backdrop to the farm for many
reasons—its mystery and power are palpable, and it’s so stunning that no matter
how many times I’m there, I’m always awestruck. Known for its incredible rock formations,
dense forests, waterfalls and wildlife, Red River Gorge was the perfect place for
the character of Josh to be swept into the romance of the wild. Paleo-Indians
thrived there, and it holds a treasure trove of petroglyphs. Every time I ride
the gondola up to Natural Bridge and stand on that massive, nine hundred ton
sandstone bridge, I feel connected to something far beyond my comprehension.
Over 70 million years of changing weather has sculpted Red River Gorge into a
place as magical as it is eerie.
4.) LOOKING FOR ME touches on the power of objects—through
them we remember our past and face our future—what are some objects that have
held meaning for you in your own life? Do you think it’s important to hold onto
the things of our past?
By nature I’m a neat-nut and about as opposite to a hoarder
as anyone could be, so I’m not inclined to keep things unless they truly have
strong meaning to me. I do think it’s wise to keep things that hold memories
like family heirlooms, books, photographs and letters, but there’s a fine line
between keeping what is precious or sentimental, and overloading my basement
and attic with stuff.
5.) The characters in LOOKING FOR ME seem as real as
neighbors that live next door—what do you draw on when writing characters? How
much do you borrow from real life? Do you model your characters on people you
know?
The characters in my novels arrive in my imagination fully
realized. Not only do I see them and hear them, but I also get a strong sense
of their spirit. While a few characters might have small similarities to people
I’ve known, the majority of them have come to me as the story unfolds. More
often than not, I meet them just as my readers meet them. It’s a fascinating
process.
6.) Birds and feathers play an important role in this
story—where did your interest in birds come from, and what do they symbolize in
your work?
Nature, animals and birds have enthralled me for all my
life. My parents and grandparents had a deep respect for nature and all her
creatures, and from a very early age I was taught to be gentle and kind. One of
my first memories is of standing in the vegetable garden with my grandma and
having her show me how to gently lift a toad and move him out of the way of the
strawberry wagon. By the time I was five, I could name nearly every bird that visited
our farm, not only by sight, but also by their songs. I viewed birds as
beautiful messengers, and as a teen, I loved reading Native American folklore,
which is rich with stories about birds and their spirits.
7.) This is your second novel—what advice do you have for
writers and novelists just starting out? How did you find your own voice as a
novelist?
Captivating storytelling is a gift—good writing is an art.
By understanding how to combine those elements, a writer can save themselves
from a whole lot of headaches. There are many books that can help a writer hone
their talent, but voice comes from a deep place and cannot be discovered
without having an inner ear. I say inner ear because writers must hear their
voice come alive and rise from the page, and it must always ring true. Being a
good listener helps a writer find his/her voice. By tuning our inner ear to
catch voice inflections, mood, and the many subtleties of dialect, our own
writing voice is strengthened. I believe the best way for a writer to know if
they’ve found their unique voice is for them read aloud something they've
written. Voice is a complex thing to achieve, but once a writer hears it,
they’ll know that they've just captured the most illusive butterfly of all.
Giveaway: LOOKING FOR ME BY BETH HOFFMAN
Compliments of Penguin Books
(US Addresses ONLY, per publisher request)
To Enter:
Leave a comment with something that you read above from the Q&A with Beth Hoffman that makes you want to read the book and make sure to leave your email address so that I can contact the winner. If you don't leave your email, I will be unable to contact you and will have to pick another winner.
ENDS: JUNE 23, 2013 (ET)
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